Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
MickeyLuv'r said:
Huh?

I was saying WDW price increases might have reduced enthusiasm for Galaxy's Edge. Like, someone might have been willing to come for GE if they could get a hotel for $150/night, but not if the rate is $250/night + ticket prices went up + parking fees, etc.

If not, then they were not as enthusiastic. Maybe they took a wait-and-see attitude. Like, "Maybe I'll pay $250/night if GE sounds really great," or "Maybe I'll see GE a few months from now if I can nab a hotel for $150/night."

(Or whatever rates someone decided the are willing to pay.)

GE was also a bit of an imperfect roll out. It probably would have had a greater impact if the entire land had opened all at once. Some people went to see the opening of the land, some waited until the whole land opened. I'm sure some folks went for both, but probably all that many.
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I know -- that was my point.

I was saying that if price increases reduced enthusiasm for Galaxy's Edge, they're going to reduce enthusiasm for any future attractions, because the price increases aren't going to stop.
 
H

Herah

Active Member
disneygeek90 said:
Okay yeah I forgot it wasn’t even as straightforward as showing up to an attraction when you want like Universal. Alright, then they’ll buy Genie+ and then scroll down the list of attractions and realize the one they want isn’t even included.
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I don't think it works like that. I believe it's integrated into the wait times display -- you scroll through (or search) the list of all rides, or tap it on the map, and there's a button next to the wait time to book Genie+ or IAS, if it applies, and I think for IAS it displays the price. So they find their ride and see a price displayed, instead of the Genie+ button.
 
MickeyLuv'r

MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
Dining capacity is a separate issue. They have a real problem there because there's simply not enough places for everyone to eat. Some people end up forced to eat a mediocre QS meal for dinner because they have no other options, at least if they don't want to go off-site.
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More and more are doing just that, but I'm not sure availability is the prime driver. (or was pre-pandemic)

It maybe quite a while before we see TS demand go back to pre-pandemic levels, but the cost of many TS has now reached somewhat absurd pricing. I was absolutely floored the last time I ate at Akershus. The food was mediorcre, there was only one dessert option, the service was slow, the characters - I'm not sure how to say, but they seemed entirely bored. They barely stopped at any of the tables. I felt really bad for a little girl sitting next to us. She was wearing a princess costume, and a birthday pin (and it really was her birthday- per dad), and the princesses just about completely ignored her. It was heartbreaking to see her go from very-excited to almost in tears at the end of the meal.

Then we got the bill, and goodness the gratuity alone was more than I normally pay to eat out.

Now that people can easily get uber eats and Prime groceries delivered, the appeal of onsite TS has waned. In 2019, I saw a ton of Prime deliveries.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
MickeyLuv'r said:
More and more are doing just that, but I'm not sure availability is the prime driver. (or was pre-pandemic)

It maybe quite a while before we see TS demand go back to pre-pandemic levels, but the cost of many TS has now reached somewhat absurd pricing. I was absolutely floored the last time I ate at Akershus. The food was mediorcre, there was only one dessert option, the service was slow, the characters - I'm not sure how to say, but they seemed entirely bored. They barely stopped at any of the tables. I felt really bad for a little girl sitting next to us. She was wearing a princess costume, and a birthday pin (and it really was her birthday- per dad), and the princesses just about completely ignored her. It was heartbreaking to see her go from very-excited to almost in tears at the end of the meal.

Then we got the bill, and goodness the gratuity alone was more than I normally pay to eat out.

Now that people can easily get uber eats and Prime groceries delivered, the appeal of onsite TS has waned. In 2019, I saw a ton of Prime deliveries.
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That's definitely a big part of it too.

Too many of the TS restaurants are offering food that isn't remotely worth what they're charging. There are only a handful of restaurants on property with legitimately good food -- there are more with okay food, and far too many with outright bad food. We usually end up eating late dinners at Disney Springs, because you can get QS meals there that are better than the vast majority of TS meals available elsewhere.
 
disneygeek90

disneygeek90

Well-Known Member
Herah said:
I don't think it works like that. I believe it's integrated into the wait times display -- you scroll through (or search) the list of all rides, or tap it on the map, and there's a button next to the wait time to book Genie+ or IAS, if it applies, and I think for IAS it displays the price. So they find their ride and see a price displayed, instead of the Genie+ button.
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I’m just thinking they’ll assume it includes all rides.
 
Patcheslee

Patcheslee

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
That's definitely a big part of it too.

Too many of the TS restaurants are offering food that isn't remotely worth what they're charging. There are only a handful of restaurants on property with legitimately good food -- there are more with okay food, and far too many with outright bad food. We usually end up eating late dinners at Disney Springs, because you can get QS meals there that are better than the vast majority of TS meals available elsewhere.
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We're usually big on the Character meals. Right now they aren't as appealing due to distancing, limited character meals and the food offerings. Family style and Prix Fare just doesn't work as well when there are picky eaters in the group. Usually have a car anyway, so going off property isn't out of the question if needed.
 
MickeyLuv'r

MickeyLuv'r

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
That's definitely a big part of it too.

Too many of the TS restaurants are offering food that isn't remotely worth what they're charging. There are only a handful of restaurants on property with legitimately good food -- there are more with okay food, and far too many with outright bad food. We usually end up eating late dinners at Disney Springs, because you can get QS meals there that are better than the vast majority of TS meals available elsewhere.
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I would love to see more places roughly like Blaze pizza. I don't mean Blaze itself, more that style of eatery. (though they could probably add a second Blaze too! with how popular it is.)

Like Tangerine Café could be updated. It actually used to be somewhat a place where you could choose at least your sides from a variety of mezze options, but then they dumbed down the menu. Maybe too many people get overwhelmed when offered too many choices at a place like WDW?

In any event, I think WDW's old food model worked for along time, but now the old model is somewhat broken. I should think improved dining would help WDW's bottom line, keeping folks more in the bubble.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
MickeyLuv'r said:
I would love to see more places roughly like Blaze pizza. I don't mean Blaze itself, more that style of eatery. (though they could probably add a second Blaze too! with how popular it is.)

Like Tangerine Café could be updated. It actually used to be somewhat a place where you could choose at least your sides from a variety of mezze options, but then they dumbed down the menu. Maybe too many people get overwhelmed when offered too many choices at a place like WDW?

In any event, I think WDW's old food model worked for along time, but now the old model is somewhat broken. I should think improved dining would help WDW's bottom line, keeping folks more in the bubble.
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Blaze's popularity baffles me. It has locations all over the country, although I guess it's mostly in big cities so people from smaller areas don't have regular access to it. Regardless, it's mediocre pizza -- not bad, but certainly nothing special. Pizza Ponte is dramatically better QS pizza at Disney Springs, and there are multiple QS places there that have better food overall.

To be fair, there's one like 2 minutes from me, so it's certainly not a novelty for me. I also haven't been there in years because I can get much better pizza from other places nearby.

The DDP really screwed up Disney's food quality, but I don't expect to see that change.
 
LittleBuford

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
Blaze's popularity baffles me. It has locations all over the country, although I guess it's mostly in big cities so people from smaller areas don't have regular access to it. Regardless, it's mediocre pizza -- not bad, but certainly nothing special.
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The customisability is a huge factor for me and my partner, who's vegan. You can ask them to tweak any pizza to your taste and dietary requirements right before your eyes.

We don't have a location near us, so I associate Blaze specifically with WDW. Perhaps the Pixie Dust makes it tastier!
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
LittleBuford said:
Blaze is wonderful! Quick, reasonable, and tasty, and they even have vegan options.
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I have to laugh that we posted our two comments almost simultaneously.

I don't think Blaze is bad or anything, I just think it's overpriced for the quality that's offered. I'd rather pay a few bucks more to get truly good pizza.
 
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dsinclair

dsinclair

Active Member
LittleBuford said:
The customisability is a huge factor for me and my partner, who's vegan. You can ask them to tweak any pizza to your taste and dietary requirements right before your eyes.

We don't have a location near us, so I associate Blaze specifically with WDW. Perhaps the Pixie Dust makes it tastier!
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I don't think I've ever been to a pizza place that doesn't allow you to customize your pizza.
 
LittleBuford

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
UNCgolf said:
I have to laugh that we posted our two comments almost simultaneously.

I don't think Blaze is bad or anything, I just think it's overpriced for the quality that's offered. I'd rather pay a few bucks more to get truly good pizza.
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We really like the pizza they serve, but it's all a matter of taste, and I'm not surprised others feel differently.
 
G00fyDad

G00fyDad

Well-Known Member
Hawg G said:
Where you can watch, so the amount of each item is exactly how much you want, and as many topping as you want for the same price? And you can choose spices, cheese and sauce types/mixtures? Blaze is OK pizza, but they are definitely next level custimization.
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I'd like to see Disney make a "pizza factory" type of place that allows you to go to a screen and make your custom pizza and then see it made through a window along a conveyor belt. They could have CM's in the back that make the crust (dough) and send it out on the belt to be customized by the guest.
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Are we literally talking about pizza or is pizza an analogy for the Genie app?
I like sausage and pepperoni pizza.
I am not sure about Genie G+ or ILL yet. The launch is tomorrow. Let’s see how it goes.
 
H

Hawg G

Well-Known Member
G00fyDad said:
I'd like to see Disney make a "pizza factory" type of place that allows you to go to a screen and make your custom pizza and then see it made through a window along a conveyor belt. They could have CM's in the back that make the crust (dough) and send it out on the belt to be customized by the guest.
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"It's all supervised" - Cosmo Kramer
 

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