Role
Senior Product Designer

Project Space
Localized Product
Check-In System
B2C
Growth Design

The Tokyo Disney Resort App is an essential tool for visitors to the resort, beloved by Japanese Disney fans. I served as the lead designer for this project, overseeing app planning, UX/UI design, and art direction. Over the course of a year, I collaborated closely with the creative director from Disney HQ to bring this app to life.

The primary challenge of this project was to seamlessly integrate Disney’s iconic brand identity into a localized product tailored to Japanese users. This required a deep analysis of the cultural and behavioral differences between American and Japanese audiences, ensuring the app design aligned with the preferences and passions of Disney fans in Japan.

The goal was to adapt the US version of the app into a localized product suited to Tokyo Disney Resort, providing a “magical” Disney experience while enhancing convenience and engagement for users. The app aimed to deliver a personalized and immersive experience that would resonate with visitors to the resort.

Hypothesis

• Customizing the app to reflect the cultural and behavioral traits of Japanese users would improve usability and satisfaction.

• A design combining playful elements and immersive experiences would create a memorable impact on Japanese Disney fans.

• Innovative features, such as the virtual hotel key, would enhance the user experience and showcase Disney’s attention to detail.

Localized User Experience Design
The app’s UI/UX was redesigned to align with the preferences and behaviors of Japanese users, incorporating intuitive navigation and Disney-themed elements to create a design that was both familiar and premium.

Delivering Disney’s Magical Experience
To reflect Disney’s identity, playful animations and themed elements were embedded throughout the interface. For example, Mickey’s hand dynamically guided users to their destination, adding a touch of Disney’s whimsy to the experience.

Innovative Hotel Check-In System

• Guests at Disney hotels received a virtual key through the app, with location-based guidance to help them find their rooms. Mickey’s hand provided a fun and dynamic navigation experience.

• Upon reaching the door, guests could unlock it with the virtual key, accompanied by magical animations like Cinderella’s dress transformation, delivering a memorable Disney moment.

• Each hotel’s virtual key design reflected its unique theme, further immersing guests in Disney’s world.

This combination of functionality and storytelling enhanced the customer experience and brought Disney’s magic to life in a digital format.

• Activation

  +200%

• App MAUs

  +80%

• App Downloads

  5M+

Impact

• Increased User Engagement: Personalized and immersive features resonated deeply with Japanese Disney fans, ensuring long-term popularity.

• Brand Innovation: The app successfully combined Disney’s iconic charm with the needs of Japanese users, setting a new standard for localized digital experiences.

Learning

• The Importance of Cultural Adaptation: This project highlighted the critical role of understanding cultural traits and user behaviors in creating localized products.

• The Power of Details: Thoughtful elements such as themed animations and dynamic navigation significantly enhanced user satisfaction and brand loyalty.

• The Value of Global Collaboration: Working with Disney HQ emphasized the importance of aligning a global brand’s identity with localized user needs to create a successful product.

This project remains a highlight of my career, combining user-centered design, technical innovation, and brand storytelling to create a beloved app for Disney fans.