Disney Technologists Connect Our Cast with the Cast Life App
Originally published at Disney Parks News
From MagicBand+ to the My Disney Experience app, our Disney technologists always strive to create tools guests can use to plan their day at Disney, and further immerse themselves in our parks and experiences. But did you know – the Technology and Digital team also powers the magic for our cast members? Cast needed an easier way to access information on the go, so technologists built the Disney Cast Life mobile app, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary!
The Disney Cast Life app, designed and developed exclusively for Disney cast members, puts the information cast needs right in the palms of their hands. With a simple touch to open the app, schedules, paystubs, company news and more are available.
Fun fact: more than 100 team members were involved in creating the Disney Cast Life app! Principal Software Architect Jeff Peiffer was one of the leads that worked on this project. One of Jeff’s goals for the app was to create a one-stop shop where the cast could access needed resources right from their phone.
“We’re always looking to create efficiencies for our cast. And for this project, we created some efficiencies for ourselves, too,” said Jeff. “We developed the Disney Cast Life app using Flutter. A user interface framework that allows us to use one codebase that runs in three places: Android, iOS, and the website. We get three great experiences out of one, instead of having three separate codebases!”
The response to the app has been overwhelmingly positive! Cast love the flexibility of being able to use the app at home, in a park, or anywhere in between. Jeff loves hearing feedback and knowing he’s contributing to a technology product that connects our cast with the information they need.
“I’ve spoken to so many cast members and we’ve heard such great reviews. It’s a really helpful tool and a great resource for everyone to use,” said Jeff.
Here’s what one cast member said about his experience using the app: “I have been working at Disney for about 10 years and have been waiting for a cast member app. We absolutely love it! It’s very easy to use and has all the important information and announcements we need. The ‘My Calendar’ might be my favorite part and what I use the most. Also, the ‘Events’ section is helpful for knowing what’s going on and where to sign up for things. I keep the app on my phone’s home screen so I can always get to it.”
“The Disney Cast Life app is one piece of the cast experience puzzle. As we look to the power of technology to bring the Disney employee experience to new heights through connection, immersion, and innovation.” Said Gail Evans, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.
This is just the start. Looking ahead, our technologists will begin to test new features to create an even more connected experience for our cast.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to develop the app and making it a tool every cast member has saved on their home screen,” expressed Jeff. “I love knowing I’m contributing to a useful tool that’s easy and fun to use.”
Interested in beginning a career with Technology & Digital? Visit the Disney careers site to apply today!
