Cast Create Holiday Magic in Disney’s Mobile Apps

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase holidays at Disney? Giant Christmas trees, green and red Mickey-shaped treats, festive costumes and entertainment?

What about themed content in the My Disney Experience and Disneyland Resort apps, such as decorative and creative illustrations, interviews with Disney legends about the holiday season, trivia series and more?

Elijah Bates, Lead Digital Story Editor, has been working to bring holiday magic to guests at home or in the park through Disney mobile apps the past several months, along with his teammates in Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Technology & Digital, operational teams at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, and countless other partners across the company.

“I get so excited every year to see artists and animators teaming up for these holiday pieces, because the whole content production team is so talented. They really bring that first-class Disney quality to our mobile app content. I know all of our guests are going to appreciate the lens they’ve given to different cultural celebrations that take place this time of year,” Elijah said.

Elijah and his teammates are passionate about ensuring inclusion and representation are foundational pillars in their work. To ensure all stories told celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion, Elijah and his team brainstorm with the Stories Matter council. This group of diverse cast serve as advisors to the team and help ensure the stories and content accurately represent our global audiences.

After connecting with resort partners and the Stories Matter department, Elijah and his team get to work ideating, storyboarding and conceptualizing what stories to tell, what visual style to use and what fun elements can be incorporated. Accessibility is another important factor, so the team includes audio and closed captioning in videos to ensure content on the apps can be consumed by as wide of an audience as possible.

“We really look at these as an opportunity to tell a story that everyone gets to enjoy and share. A foundational step for our team is to make sure we’re showing the love and respect that everybody deserves, especially since it’s coming from a brand they likely have an emotional connection with,” Elijah said.

All of the time spent brainstorming, working with partners, storyboarding, developing and problem solving pays off as Elijah and his team achieve their ultimate goal: to bring holiday happiness to all of our guests, whether they’re in the park or at home.

“We hope that the work we’re doing helps people celebrate the holidays. We just want to be a part of guests’ holiday experience and enrich it in any way we can,” Elijah said.

The next time you’re scrolling through either the My Disney Experience or Disneyland Resort app, and you see a fun illustration or cool piece of creative, you’ll know Elijah and his teammates were the cast behind the content!