News Walt Disney World Adds Water Park Perk for 2025 Resort Guests

[PREMiERdrum]

That would indicate the rumors are true about upcoming changes where you'll be able to book Genie+ seven days in advance.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Better than nothing but only good on check-in day seems like not many would use it anyways.

It gives families something to do while waiting for their room to be ready - especiallythose arriving in the morning. I'm sure the hotel front desk CMs will enjoy having fewer people sitting in the lobby staring daggers at them, too.

 

[Epcotfan21]

Any word on if Swan/Swan Reserve/Dolphin and the current good neighbor hotels eligible for early entry would be participants in this?

 

[pigglewiggle]

I think the thing that's being missed here is the move to an 8-day resort reservation cancellation window. That would indicate the rumors are true about upcoming changes where you'll be able to book Genie+ seven days in advance.

My assumption is that it's cheaper to change the cancellation window than to pay programmers to have the resort reservation system talk correctly to the Genie+ reservation system.

And that would also be for 2025? We are going in 2024 but honestly okay with no Genie + changes before that.

 

[Ayla]

A useless "perk" for most guests.

 

[monothingie]

A useless "perk" for most guests.

I don't think it's useless, but it's something that sounds good but in reality is a major pain to actually use.

Consider a family flying in. They would have to take an early AM Flight to arrive by noon, then take a bus/uber/rental car from the airport, then have lunch, then travel to the water park. By the time this happens you're looking at 1-2PM and likely already exhausted. If your flight arrives after 2, this perk will be very difficult to take advantage of.

Also consider that most of the year, the waterparks close before 5 or 6, and from the end of November through End of March it's not ideal water park weather.

The only way this could be a really nice perk is if @ToTBellHop stated there was a loophole for guests who resort hop.

 

[LSLS]

Another interesting thought. How many people use that first day to go shopping at Disney Springs? I wonder if there is any worry from tenants there? Could be most go their last day or two, and this change won't take enough away to matter, but I'd be curious their thoughts as well.

 

[monothingie]

Another interesting thought. How many people use that first day to go shopping at Disney Springs? I wonder if there is any worry from tenants there? Could be most go their last day or two, and this change won't take enough away to matter, but I'd be curious their thoughts as well.

I could also see guests staying off property on the actual arrival day, only to check in the next day at a Disney Resort to get the free water park day.

 

[asianway]

Hey, I’ve seen this one before, this is a classic

 

[DCBaker]

Any word on if Swan/Swan Reserve/Dolphin and the current good neighbor hotels eligible for early entry would be participants in this?

Here's the list Disney linked to for eligible Disney Resort hotels:

 

[wdwmagic]

Here's the list Disney linked to for eligible Disney Resort hotels:

View attachment 770350

And as we have seen with early entry, this list may change if they can reach agreements with other hotels like Swan and Dolphin.

 

[Tha Realest]

Perhaps you will need to go to the hotel first to collect your ticket. In that case, there’s no reason not to leave bags with Bell Services.

I hope they don’t require you to be checked in first or else you might get an hour or two tops at the water park given how long it takes them to flip a room.

 

[monothingie]

I hope they don’t require you to be checked in first or else you might get an hour or two tops at the water park given how long it takes them to flip a room.

There's a difference between checked in and having your room ready.

I think most guests use the online checkin days if not weeks before actually arriving, and the only reason for interacting with a CM is if you're staying club level or have an issue.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Definitely would be a big help for split stays. Takes some of the sting out of the dining reservation hole we find ourselves in.

Huh?

Not following you here

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have to give them credit; this is a pretty creative lever to pull. I also think that this policy should actually be justifying reopening both starting April 2025 but who knows.

See I think it’s a way of saying “you can go for free…so you only get one”

Hell…it almost says that in the release

Which one of us has the rat pegged?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I hope they don’t require you to be checked in first or else you might get an hour or two tops at the water park given how long it takes them to flip a room.

Probably 95% of rooms are checked in days or weeks in advance

 

[lentesta]

And that would also be for 2025? We are going in 2024 but honestly okay with no Genie + changes before that.

I think the G+ changes are for this year.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think the G+ changes are for this year.

…spill the beans, Mister

 

[wdwmagic]

And that would also be for 2025? We are going in 2024 but honestly okay with no Genie + changes before that.

In a post in May 2023, Disney said, "We have heard from guests that they would like ways to plan with Disney Genie+ service and individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of their park visit, and we want you to know we are working on ways guests may do this for visits in 2024. Our goal is to give you the opportunity to spend less time planning in the park and more time enjoying your visit with friends and family. While we are not yet able to share specific details, we look forward to sharing more information at a later date."

 

[bmr1591]

In a post in May 2023, Disney said, "We have heard from guests that they would like ways to plan with Disney Genie+ service and individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of their park visit, and we want you to know we are working on ways guests may do this for visits in 2024. Our goal is to give you the opportunity to spend less time planning in the park and more time enjoying your visit with friends and family. While we are not yet able to share specific details, we look forward to sharing more information at a later date."

Okay, I'll bite, Steve. While you may not be able to say any specifics, do you know if this is something we can expect to hear about soon?