Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[Buried20KLeague]

That was a really long winded way to say "I also want a refund option"

Disney already does the alternative path...

not up front as an option. And that’s embarrassing. And I have no idea if what someone posted earlier is true or not…. But if you are somehow involved in the program, your opinion is worthless here.

If not…. It’s curious someone else would have said it and you didn’t refute it.

 

[Muffinpants]

Wonder what Disney will do when ppl start doing charge backs for things being down.

 

[RSoxNo1]

True. G+ would be twice as valuable if they let you schedule your return time

Personally, I'm sick of the scheduling and for the average guest, the system is complicated enough. Eliminating that choice simplifies what is already a complicated system.

 

[Jeff4272]

Ummmm yes. Because I can’t get it for free now. I can’t get it for $500 dollars now. I can buy it now for $1000, and that is the only cost that matters. I don’t look at a car and say it costs $50K now, but 10 year ago a car would only cost me $30K, so I am not buying the car now for 50K.

Lol. But you are very wrong about one important point. You still can get it for free

 

[Jrb1979]

Lol. But you are very wrong about one important point. You still can get it for free

Standby while free is not FP.

 

[mikejs78]

Personally, I'm sick of the scheduling and for the average guest, the system is complicated enough. Eliminating that choice simplifies what is already a complicated system.

It makes it much more complicated in my view. If I want a LL later in the day (say, after dinner) I have to keep a close eye to see when a near return time comes up .... Seriously, how would it be complicated to say "what time do you want to ride?"

 

[flynnibus]

so if I pay for a combo meal at chick fil a with large fries and drink, and I get a regular fry…. That’s cool, right? I shouldn’t care.

This is the problem we all have been facing with Disney parks for decades. Paying for a line skip doesn't change that.

 

[flynnibus]

not up front as an option. And that’s embarrassing. And I have no idea if what someone posted earlier is true or not….

They do offer an alternative up front - what people are harping on is the case where the standard options don't fit for them so they also want a refund option.

 

[flynnibus]

It makes it much more complicated in my view. If I want a LL later in the day (say, after dinner) I have to keep a close eye to see when a near return time comes up .... Seriously, how would it be complicated to say "what time do you want to ride?"

Maybe they are trying to build a system encourages adhoc - not planned?? It's a good thing.. in a balanced world you make your plans based on the near-term runway ahead of you and you have reasonable availability and options offered.

The whole "I gotta get an advance reservation" thing is an artificial construct forged in past Disney schemes.

 

[flynnibus]

what’s your point? The game has changed this week.

You're concern of paying for the full meal and getting something less in delivery is not new this week. It's the woe we've all faced every day at the Disney parks. We pay full price, we expect the full product, and we often get handed a dud. Unless you are getting into the parks for free... paying for line skips doesn't change that concern any.

 

[Jeff4272]

This is how I look at Genie+.

You saved an hour, even 2 in lines. But you woke up 2 hours earlier to book your first ride so net net it was the same. You were on your phone all day. You paid $175 for your family of 5.

what was different than the last time you visited MK? Did you ride different rides? Did you spend less time in the park from start to finish?

no. You woke up earlier Paid more money. Spent the same amount of time in the park.

look at it from Disney’s perspective. They had the same or less amount of guests. Fewer employees because the parks weren’t open as long. More money because those same people just paid more for the exact same experience.

this is a marketing ploy and it is frustrating that people fall for it.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

You're concern of paying for the full meal and getting something less in delivery is not new this week. It's the woe we've all faced every day at the Disney parks. We pay full price, we expect the full product, and we often get handed a dud. Unless you are getting into the parks for free... paying for line skips doesn't change that concern any.

I’m far more forgiving of a non hopping brer rabbit when I haven’t paid extra to see it faster. I’m not sure why that’s confusing.

I care more this week about not getting my large fry than I did last week. So should thousands of others.

 

[flynnibus]

I’m far more forgiving of a non hopping brer rabbit when I haven’t paid extra to see it faster. I’m not sure why that’s confusing.

I care more this week about not getting my large fry than I did last week. So should thousands of others.

So each year the prices went up, your expectations went up too?

 

[Buried20KLeague]

So each year the prices went up, your expectations went up too?

You have an emotional argument - not a logical one.

hardly. I reached my breaking point years ago after opening my eyes to international Disney resorts and adjusted accordingly.

 

[BrianLo]

I'm confused, if someone is not planning to be at the park for rope drop, isn't the optimal time to book your first LL by 9am, not right at 7am? There doesn't seem like much advantage to the 7am window other than attempting for a 9am LL.

Which, again, is a little pointless to have as you'd give up on another attraction to rope drop stand-by so you could 'tap in'.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm confused, if someone is not planning to be at the park for rope drop, isn't the optimal time to book your first LL by 9am, not right at 7am? There doesn't seem like much advantage to the 7am window other than attempting for a 9am LL.

Which, again, is a little pointless to have as you'd give up on another attraction to rope drop stand-by so you could 'tap in'.

Well, when you book (7 vs 9) doesn't really matter. I think the question really is about 'what is the optimal first timeslot to pick' ?

Your countdown timer is going to start at 9am no matter what... but your tap in time could vary based on what you pick. And again, your countdown timer only matters if your second LL is after 11am. So I think the optimizers would try to get a FP close to 9am.. rope drop a standby attraction, tap in to your first LL maybe by 930... then try to get some attractions with less than 2hr waits in, trying to get that stack for a later LL on their 3/4th whatever LL.

 

[BrianLo]

Well, when you book (7 vs 9) doesn't really matter. I think the question really is about 'what is the optimal first timeslot to pick' ?

Your countdown timer is going to start at 9am no matter what... but your tap in time could vary based on what you pick. And again, your countdown timer only matters if your second LL is after 11am. So I think the optimizers would try to get a FP close to 9am.. rope drop a standby attraction, tap in to your first LL maybe by 930... then try to get some attractions with less than 2hr waits in, trying to get that stack for a later LL on their 3/4th whatever LL.

Yes, I more-so meant for those complaining that they don't want to wake up at 7am.

Nothing really is being lost by sleeping in and booking when you want to wake up (if you aren't rope dropping), since it takes a while to mobilize to the parks and rope drop doesn't mean arriving at 9am, it means arriving way before (and waking up at 7am anyways).

This system is actually made quite well for those who want to sleep in, have a lazy breakfast, maybe pool and head to the parks with several already booked in the mid afternoon.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, I more-so meant for those complaining that they don't want to wake up at 7am.

I'm still holding onto the hope that Disney is going to keep rolling out availability throughout the day to ensure the G+ and ILL products remains an attractive sell 'day of' and to avoid refund requests. If that holds up, the whole 'race to be first' goes away entirely (as well as the need to book as soon as I can!) and I think we get a better overall touring experience too... except for the risk of overselling LL capacity like they did with FP.

People will be upset about the "I was here first and couldn't get a pass" vs the "random availability opening" - but I do think it will drive a more adhoc experience... which will (unfortunately) play right into Disney's hands of promoting the 'value' of G+ since it's basically the sole arbiter and channel to tell you when availability pops up. It's another way to basically make you dependent on G+ and squeezing out 3rd parties.

But I do think the idea/time of everyone has paid for G+ is inevitable.

 

[TrojanUSC]

I'm still holding onto the hope that Disney is going to keep rolling out availability throughout the day to ensure the G+ and ILL products remains an attractive sell 'day of' and to avoid refund requests. If that holds up, the whole 'race to be first' goes away entirely (as well as the need to book as soon as I can!) and I think we get a better overall touring experience too... except for the risk of overselling LL capacity like they did with FP.

People will be upset about the "I was here first and couldn't get a pass" vs the "random availability opening" - but I do think it will drive a more adhoc experience... which will (unfortunately) play right into Disney's hands of promoting the 'value' of G+ since it's basically the sole arbiter and channel to tell you when availability pops up. It's another way to basically make you dependent on G+ and squeezing out 3rd parties.

But I do think the idea/time of everyone has paid for G+ is inevitable.

It's a tricky needle to thread. You can't open too much availability lest the LL lines get too long and the perceived value goes down. They want you to think it was a steal and buy again the next day, and the day after, and the day after...

 

[MisterPenguin]

Can we stop for just a minute to appreciate the new inadvertent acronym? All this Genie+ Lightning Lane stuff is making me ILL.
@MisterPenguin have you added it to the list?

I'm appalled you have to ask...

It seems that Disney is sticking with "Individual Lightning Lane" for what was once called "Individual Attraction Service."

So, death to IA$! Long live ILL!!*


*Of course, in various blogs, websites, Tweets, brochures, Disney will continue to confuse everyone by continuing to call it by various other names such as we've already seen:

• Lightning Lane Select Experiences
• Individual Attraction Selections (IAS)
• Individual Attractions
• Individual Lightning Lanes (ILL) (!!)
• Individual á la carte Lightning Lane Entrance

Here's all the ways they've referred to it so far...

• Lightning Lane Select Experiences
• Individual Attraction Selections (IAS)
• Individual Attractions
• Individual Lightning Lanes (ILL) (!!)
• Individual á la carte Lightning Lane Entrance

WDW Rumor Tracker, Version 3

This is a collection of rumors from trusted insiders (not wild speculation or assumptions). They don't come from me. The information had been originally posted to the various threads of the forum and are just repeated and collated here. There is a link as to where they came from. If you want to...

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