Walt Disney World has confirmed that an AI-powered search experience is coming to the My Disney Experience app. The update will roll out in the months ahead. The upgrade, which was outlined to media during a recent panel, will allow guests to ask natural language questions and receive instant summarized answers, similar to AI search experiences found on Google. The search results will greatly improve over the current search experience found on the My Disney Experience app.
AI Search Coming to My Disney Experience App
In This Article
- What the new AI search experience will do
- How it differs from the current search
- When it’s coming
- What else is changing in the app
What Will AI Search Do?
The upgraded search will allow guests to type questions, short or long, and receive a concise, AI-generated summary at the top of the results. Rather than surfacing a long list of links or pages, the app will look at all of the data from across the Walt Disney World website and deliver a simple summary.
Disney confirmed the feature during a recent media briefing, where executives demonstrated example queries, including how to find a ride that features outer space travel. In the example shown to attendees, the query was “ride in space”, and the results included Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Space Mountain, Mission: SPACE, Star Tours, and more. The new AI-powered version returns relevant and correct answers with a clear summary.
The capability is being built to handle both short, specific queries and longer, more conversational ones, reflecting how guests increasingly search across the web. Disney executives did not expand on the nuts and bolts of the AI system being used.
Disney is not sharing any screenshots at this time, but they did share screenshots during the panel that showcased results similar to what you might find on Google. The name of the attraction, experience, or offering is followed by a short summary. The concept shown to media is subject to change.
How It Differs From Current Search
The current My Disney Experience search is, frankly, terrible. While the current version of the app prompts guests to “Ask a Question” in the search bar, the underlying results are nowhere near accurate a large chunk of the time. The search experience in the My Disney Experience app has quietly been one of my greatest frustrations.
Not to belabor the point too much, but an example of the current search functionality given by executives during the panel was for the term “Chicken tenders in Magic Kingdom”. The top result, currently, is Chicken Guy at Disney Springs. Not great.
The new AI experience changes that. The summarized, more accurate answer will appear immediately at the top of the search results, with the option to explore further if the guest wants more detail. The goal, according to Disney, is to eliminate the need to cross-reference multiple FAQs or detail pages, getting guests to an answer in a single step.
Disney did not confirm which specific AI models or vendors power the feature, noting only that they are evaluating what best reduces complexity for guests.
When Will AI Search Debut?
Disney confirmed the AI-powered search is part of a broader set of app improvements rolling out over the coming months. Walt Disney World will receive the updates first, with Disneyland to follow later in the year. No specific launch date has been announced.
What Else Is Changing in the App
The AI search upgrade is one of several significant changes coming to My Disney Experience. The app is also receiving a full visual redesign with a trip-centric home screen, a new Trip Checklist feature, a simplified way to share plans with travel companions called Trip Party, and Spanish-language support. We’ll be covering each of those updates in separate articles, so stay tuned.
OUR TAKE: While AI is certainly a hot-button topic, I’m for anything that improves the search experience in the app. I’m confident that literally anything is better than what Disney has today. This is a long overdue update and something that I’m very excited to see roll out.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!