PROJECTS
Disney
Client:
Disney World
Date:
Jan 1, 2007
Location:
Global - Austin, TX—San Francisco
Service:
Experience Design
Project Overview
Storytelling and magical management
Originally, ride load, reservations, and guest distribution across the parks were managed by two separate systems. The cumulative attendance of all Disney theme parks combined exceeds 150 million visitors annually. This figure encompasses all Disney parks worldwide, including those in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Objective
Frog Design, the global design consultancy awarded the project, invited me to participate in its process.
The challenge was to join the ride management and guest reservation management systems to increase utilization, capacity, and balance across Disney’s global systems.
Unify digital experiences while preserving storytelling magic across products and services.
Partnered with cross-functional teams to create design system guidelines, standardize interaction patterns across streaming, web, and parks, and embed Disney’s storytelling into reusable UX components.
Scope of Work
My collaboration with Frog covered every major touchpoint:
Reservation Redesign
Unify two separate back-end database systems to manage all aspects of the guest experience.Experience Direction
Changing the systems required research into a new booking experience.Ride and Park Load Balancing
We rebuilt the site architecture from the ground up with a focus on storytelling and seamless mobile navigation.Custom UI Design, Iconography, and Toolset
Developed a set of rich design icons and components to represent parks, rides, navigation, hotels, features, transportation, and routines.Performance Optimization
The site was optimized for fast load times, accessibility, and frictionless checkout.
A series of architectural discussions took place in parallel to design thinking and participatory research.
Through participatory research, we learned there was a preference for the Disney Princess experience, but also realized there was an opportunity to elevate it. I developed the concept of building an experience from video building blocks so that, by the end of the user selections, we could present a moving preview of what their custom Disney experience would look like. That preview could then be shared with family or friends to get buy-in for the vacation.
As a product designer, I brought branding and storytelling techniques to a very development-heavy office and drove an impressive platform makeover, inspiring developers to embrace their inner Imagineer.
“Patrick brought structure and storytelling to our functional task—consolidating back-end systems. His design system empowered our teams to deliver richer, more consistent digital experiences across the entire customer journey and create a Disney guest experience that felt congruent with our brand.”
Outcome
Positive Outcomes
Crowd management: The systems, particularly park and ride reservations, are designed to help manage and balance crowds, especially during peak seasons.
Improved guest experience: By allowing for planning, the systems can help guests secure reservations for dining and attractions, ensuring a more predictable and smoother experience.
Flexibility for passholders: Some system updates aimed to provide flexibility for passholders, allowing them to take “Good-to-Go Days” with little notice.
Increased revenue: The premium offerings, such as the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, have contributed to significant year-over-year revenue growth for Disney’s parks.
Even wait times: While some attractions may still have long lines, systems like the paid Lightning Lane can help distribute guests more evenly across different attractions.
Enhanced planning for resort guests: Guests at Disney resorts can often make dining and attraction reservations 60 days in advance, giving them a head start on those who are not staying on-site.
3×
Faster Page Creation for Content Teams
Reusable UX patterns & content structures improved production efficiency.
+27%
Engagement Increase on Key Story Pages
Better hierarchy, visual strategy, and content flow.
-40%
Reduction in Bounce Rate on High-Traffic Landing Pages
Clearer pathways and stronger brand-aligned UI.
8+
Global Design System Rolled Out to Teams
Consistent creative and UX standards across regions.
PROJECT
