A survey request for my Disney loving friends

[MsLeFever]

I would appreciate your feedback in an online survey about the guest experience at WDW. I am researching whether guests feel "full immersed" in several attractions at the Magic Kingdom and their perceptions of why or why not. All responses will remain confidential and secure.
I am using QuestionPro, an independent research firm, to field your confidential survey responses. Please click on this link to complete the survey:
https://www.questionpro.com/t/ATsnKZokVL
Please contact lefebvre@rmu.edu with any questions.
Thank You
Barbara


Permission to post this survey has been granted by the DISboards Webmasters.

 

[SirDuff]

What is the purpose of the survey?

 

[Marrila]

Would you tell us more about your degree program?

 

[MsLeFever]

What is the purpose of the survey?

I'm trying to find out how much a guest feels "immersed" in a variety of attractions - for example when you ride Soarin' do you pretend that you are on a hang glider or just sit back and watch the film. Both experiences can be good ones so it isn't a "did you like it" question but rather an engagement question. Then I ask about what parts of the attraction helped you immerse in it - or kept you from that. thanks for asking!

The survey should take about 10 minutes

 

[MsLeFever]

Would you tell us more about your degree program?

Sure! I am an associate professor at Robert Morris University in the Dept. of Arts and Humanities. I teach undergraduates in theatre, English literature, and honors classes. Connecting to this research - teach an honors seminar all about WDW - leadership strategies, storytelling and fandom!

 

[BrianL]

I took the survey.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I started answering but gave up halfway through. While your intentions are good and I wish you luck, IMO the layout and style of the survey is poor. Poorly designed online survays like this are a pet peeve, market research and survey design and layout were part of my marketing degree. Sorry

 

[SirDuff]

I'm trying to find out how much a guest feels "immersed" in a variety of attractions - for example when you ride Soarin' do you pretend that you are on a hang glider or just sit back and watch the film. Both experiences can be good ones so it isn't a "did you like it" question but rather an engagement question. Then I ask about what parts of the attraction helped you immerse in it - or kept you from that. thanks for asking!

The survey should take about 10 minutes

Yes, but what is the *purpose*. What will the results be used for?

 

[VandVsmama]

I would appreciate your feedback in an online survey about the guest experience at WDW. I am researching whether guests feel "full immersed" in several attractions at the Magic Kingdom and their perceptions of why or why not. All responses will remain confidential and secure.
I am using QuestionPro, an independent research firm, to field your confidential survey responses. Please click on this link to complete the survey:
https://www.questionpro.com/t/ATsnKZokVL
Please contact lefebvre@rmu.edu with any questions.
Thank You
Barbara


Permission to post this survey has been granted by the DISboards Webmasters.

I tried, but only partially filled it out. I got to the first long-winded question and stopped. The way you have the questions worded in the survey are really confusing...confusing enough that I can't tell really how to answer them. For example, the first ride-related question says this:

"
Please answer the following prompts for the following Magic Kingdom attractions and experiences:
To what extent do you feel like you are cast in a role at these attractions? When you interact with the attraction or cast member or restaurant do you feel like you are supposed to engage in imaginary play or are you simply yourself (a guest visiting WDW) in that situation?
For example: If you are in the Soarin’ attraction – do you imagine that you are in a hang glider or simply enjoy the feeling of the ride and the film that is actually happening? Both experiences are valid and could be enjoyable, we are looking for the way in which you experience them, not how they may have been imagineered.
From 1 (totally immersed in the experience) to 5 (totally outside the experience). If you have no experience with the attraction or experience please check choose N/A."

Here's my dilemma:
If 1 = "totally immersed in the experience" REALLY means "you feel like you are engaging in imaginary play/you are playing a role in the ride/attraction," then aside from ROTR, I'd probably never answer a 1. However, is something like Jungle Cruise an immersive experience? Yes.

And does a "5" of "totally outside the experience" really mean "a guest visiting WDW"? I don't really know what you mean by "totally outside the experience." I mean, when you're IN the ride, you are technically IN it...you're not standing outside looking in.

Then there's this question:
"Looking at these same attractions and experiences, what is your perception of the goals of the original Imagineers? Rate from 1 to 5, where 1 means that the guest was meant to feel immersed and buy into the experience, and 5 means the guest was intended to be strictly an outside observer. If you are unfamiliar with the attraction or have no opinion, check N/A. "

I couldn't answer any of these because when I'm on a ride/attraction, I don't EVER think about "what were the goals of the original Imagineers when they designed this?" I'm fascinated by the whole Imagineering process, but when I'm on a ride/attraction, I just don't think about stuff like "What was their original intent when they designed Dumbo?"

This question was interesting:
"When there is a disconnect between your experience and your perceived plan of the Imagineers, to what do you attribute that disconnect?"
Here's the thing...I don't really care WHAT the original Imagineers' plan or intent was. All I really care about is whether or not I and my family/friends who are with me enjoy the ride.

The choice of "attractions" in the survey was interesting. You had these:
Jungle Cruise
BTMRR
BOG
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Buzz Lightyear
Monsters Inc
Dapper Dans
citizens of Main Street

- why THESE specific attractions and not others?
- lots of people don't even realize that there are/were Citizens of Main Street
- BOG costs an arm and a leg, so you won't get as many responses for that attraction
- you missed Splash Mtn
- what about Tom Sawyer's Island?
- Buzz Lightyear at MK totally sucks compared to the one at DL
- what about FOP or ROTR? POTC? HM?
- You missed a big opportunity by not including the Indiana Jones ride at DL in this survey. Same thing with Radiator Springs Racers at DCA.

You should consider a survey for DL as well. But change / improve the survey first.

 

[Marrila]

@VandVsmama explained it well. I answered for awhile and then stopped.
I do wish you well OP, and hope you're able to rework your survey.

 

[VandVsmama]

I'm trying to find out how much a guest feels "immersed" in a variety of attractions - for example when you ride Soarin' do you pretend that you are on a hang glider or just sit back and watch the film. Both experiences can be good ones so it isn't a "did you like it" question but rather an engagement question. Then I ask about what parts of the attraction helped you immerse in it - or kept you from that. thanks for asking!

The survey should take about 10 minutes

A couple more random thoughts:

• on Soarin', I don't ever pretend that I'm on a hang glider. I mean, you're in a seated position, not set up on a ride vehicle like you're really in a hang glider. Soarin' is a cool ride and really immersive, but the immersive experience on Soarin' is better at DCA than at Epcot because DCA's queue for Soarin' is way better than the "80's shopping mall" entry at Soarin'.
• the experience on Buzz Lightyear at MK sucks eggs because you can't pick up the shooter thingies and there's no loud "ding! ding! ding!" sound when you hit a target. It's boring as heck.
• if the presiding assumption or hypothesis is that it has to be an immersive experience in order to be enjoyable, that does not apply to every ride at Disney theme parks. However, you can have just as nice of a time on a less-immersive attraction.
• For example, I prefer IASW at DL compared to the one at MK/WDW. Why? Because the queue at DL is better, more attractive, prettier, has all of those cool topiaries that your boat floats by before you enter the ride building. I love Dumbo at DL, but Dumbo at MK is just ok. There's only 1 loading area for Dumbo at DL, compared to 2 at MK. So why DL's Dumbo instead? Because when you're on DL's Dumbo, you have a bird's eye view over so much of DL's Fantasyland and it's very intimate, charming, and lovely. MK's Dumbo is just sort of...meh in terms of the surrounding area.
• HM on both coasts is amazing and immersive and that's why HM has been popular for over 50 years. It has just the right mix of spooky & fun.
• The railroads at both DL & MK are super great, but are you "immersed" in the experience? Probably not. Do you ever think, "What was the original intent of this?" No. Do I love it? Yeah. There's something about the sound of the train whistle, hearing the conductor shout 'All aboard!' and at DL, going through that Primieval World section in between the Tomorrowland and Main Street stations is really great.
• Maybe instead you should consider something like "Name your top 5 or top 10 Disney attractions" and "Rank each of the attractions for why you like them," one of which being "it's an immersive experience and I feel like I'm playing a 'role' in the attraction/ride," followed by "Which of the following factors contributed to you feeling like you played a "role" in the attraction/ride."

 

[JimMIA]

I took the survey.

Me too.

 

[MsLeFever]

Yes, but what is the *purpose*. What will the results be used for?

It is academic research so there is not necessary a direct application. As someone who teaches a course on Walt Disney World I'm looking to better understand guest's perceptions of attractions and immersion and whether immersion impacts enjoyment. As a theatre professional I'm interested in whether people who regularly work in theatre are more or less likely to engage in imaginative play on their days off.

 

[MsLeFever]

Interesting thoughts -
Boy I would LOVE a "ding" in Buzz Lightyear - I agree that not knowing if you got the target is frustrating!

I agree that "immersion" is not necessary to enjoy the parks - sometimes we just want to watch our kids have fun or a variety of other things - It is just the thing that I'm looking at right now.

This is, simply, my area of research at this moment. I've never been to DL but a comparative study would be something I'd love to read!

A couple more random thoughts:

 

[freetrial]

finished the survey.

I never knew there were Citizens of Main Street. I've been to MK at least 100 times. Are (were) they like the 'street characters' in DHS?

 

[MsLeFever]

finished the survey.

I never knew there were Citizens of Main Street. I've been to MK at least 100 times. Are (were) they like the 'street characters' in DHS?

yes - wonderful inhabitants of Main St! Hopefully they will be back after more covid restrictions lift. You could frequently see Francis Fermata singing with the Dapper Dans, and there was a Mayor and a Fire Chief, and a number of other ladies! Delightfully chatty. I particularly love the walk around streetmosphere characters and will forever miss the Royal Majesty Makers (pictured in my avatar) in New Fantasyland!

 

[SirDuff]

It is academic research so there is not necessary a direct application. As someone who teaches a course on Walt Disney World I'm looking to better understand guest's perceptions of attractions and immersion and whether immersion impacts enjoyment. As a theatre professional I'm interested in whether people who regularly work in theatre are more or less likely to engage in imaginative play on their days off.

Weird. I'm in academic research and while there may not be a practical application, there is always a purpose for research (e.g a hypothesis being tested, background for a grant proposal, course work, proof of concept, etc). Sounds like this is just personal interest, I guess? Anyway, good luck. Agree with others that a rewrite/reformat would give you much better results.

 

[MsLeFever]

Weird. I'm in academic research and while there may not be a practical application, there is always a purpose for research (e.g a hypothesis being tested, background for a grant proposal, course work, proof of concept, etc). Sounds like this is just personal interest, I guess? Anyway, good luck. Agree with others that a rewrite/reformat would give you much better results.

There is more to it but disclosing all of the background could distort my results!