The experience of an internship with Disney designing for the Disney Parks mobile apps.

mobile apps

In the summer of 2017, I was a Digital Design intern at Disney Parks and Resorts Digital in Seattle.

Disney Parks and Resorts Digital develops apps for Disney, including digital products for Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, Shop Disney Parks, and Disney Cruise Lines. I worked primarily on the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World native mobile apps. These apps are designed to help guests make the most of their experience at a Disney park, covering everything from purchasing tickets to finding park merchandise. 

Projects

My responsibilities on the team included:

• Creating development-ready documentation for finalized screens in the app.

This process required close attention to detail to ensure that every pixel was in its place. Through this, I became very familiar with Disney's style guide. Understanding the visual style guide was an essential part of designing screens for these apps, in addition to confirming that the design elements of the app will be accessible to the guests. 

• Developing conceptual work and pitching my ideas to the extended product design team, including the team's directors.

I enjoyed the challenge of brainstorming and designing new possibilities for these apps. The process of developing a new feature and presenting my work was one of the highlights of my internship experience. 

Screenshot from the Disneyland Resort app. Understanding the design language and individual components of the apps was important for creating new screens.

Takeaways

• I also gained the understanding of how an in-house design team functions in a large corporation.

Not only was I collaborating with the visual and interaction design teams in Seattle, but I also gained experience working with remote teams based in other Disney offices. This required long-distance communication and frequent video calls. Working in this type of environment required preparation and excellent presentation skills in order to keep projects running smoothly.

• Something the designers at Disney emphasized to me was how to assess and plan for accessibility needs.

Disney parks around the world are known for making excellent accommodations and ensuring that the parks can be as magical as possible for all guests. Disney mobile apps need to be equally accessible to all people. Through this internship, I became more conscious of how I can start the design process with accessibility and inclusiveness in mind.