Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Thepuma]

Yeah, but were you one of the people utilizing one of those online calculators to figure out the exact moment you had to wake up early in order to book them all in advance? If you were, and you knew what you were doing, you had no problems with FP+.

If you showed up to book reservations a few days after the availability opened, would it have been so easy to book the most in demand rides?




Disney has the data and Disney decided the same thing. That's why Genie+ exists.

Genie+ exists for 1 reason...MONEY.

 

[Thepuma]

I agree it's a hassle. I agree FP+ is better.

But I was merely stating it's possible to get both let alone one when many said they got nothing.

And I have no plans to wake my family up. I'll book the rides myself for us. Here is Rise at 7:11am on Thanksgiving week..constant refreshes.

Only applicable for resort guests...the last 2 weeks, when the park opened id do well to get ROTR before 6pm.

 

[Thepuma]

From what I understand, the new rule for G+ is:

When you make a G+ selection, you can make another one: 2 hours later (or 2 hours after park opening if the booking was made before then) OR after you tap into your most recently booked reservation.

It was weird...one day at HS last week I managed to have MFSR booked at 12.50, but was playing about with the app in the ROTR stand by queue and it let me book TSM for 1.15pm? So I had 2 Genie+ Selections at 1 time within an hour of each other? It said my plans overlapped, but still let me have 2....and close together? Bizarre.

 

[nickys]

It was weird...one day at HS last week I managed to have MFSR booked at 12.50, but was playing about with the app in the ROTR stand by queue and it let me book TSM for 1.15pm? So I had 2 Genie+ Selections at 1 time within an hour of each other? It said my plans overlapped, but still let me have 2....and close together? Bizarre.

The system doesn’t care what times your G+ rides are booked for. What matters is when you do the booking.

It would be possible to book your second G+ ride for an earlier time than the first. In fact if you go for one of the really popular G+ rides first thing, it is very likely that will happen. And if you are booking for a park you are hopping to, it is possible to hold 2, 3 or more all within an hour of each other.

 

[Thepuma]

The system doesn’t care what times your G+ rides are booked for. What matters is when you do the booking.

It would be possible to book your second G+ ride for an earlier time than the first. In fact if you go for one of the really popular G+ rides first thing, it is very likely that will happen. And if you are booking for a park you are hopping to, it is possible to hold 2, 3 or more all within an hour of each other.

I understand you can get 2 Genies booked, but not 35 minutes apart before you've used the 1st one.

Strange thing was, I also had a paid LL for MMRR for 20 mins after and one for FOP at AK 1 hour after...so it was a bumper day. It was also the day we used 2 immediate free G+ for compensation for FOP going down with us in it the night before. We did about 15 rides that day...and the parks were busy.

Out of 14 days that was by far and away the best day we had quantity wise.

There was 3 or 4 days where we only managed 2 or 3 G+ all day from park open to park close.

 

[nickys]

I understand you can get 2 Genies booked, but not 35 minutes apart before you've used the 1st one.

Because Genie+ gives you the first available return time. Some rides will have return times far out, others will have available return times much sooner.

 

[Thepuma]

Because Genie+ gives you the first available return time. Some rides will have return times far out, others will have available return times much sooner.

It's interesting because Disney say you can only book one G+ at a time...although if your G+ is hours and hours later, you can book one 2 hours before if available.

But I was able to book two in the future, just 25 minutes apart. That was a the part I was surprised about.

I've never heard anyone having 2 G+ in their future plans just 25 minutes apart. But, maybe I've just not personally come across it.

 

[nickys]

It's interesting because Disney say you can only book one G+ at a time...although if your G+ is hours and hours later, you can book one 2 hours before if available.

They say you can book one at a time, but that if your return time is more than 2 hrs away you can book another after 2 hrs have passed since you booked.

If you’re trying to book a certain ride you cannot choose the time. But what you can do is “choose a time” by selecting a ride which is showing availability within a certain time frame. Like “what’s available after lunch? Well we can do BTMR or Pirates”.

I've never heard anyone having 2 G+ in their future plans just 25 minutes apart. But, maybe I've just not personally come across it.

And yes, I’ve seen people’s plans that had them have 3-4 within an hour. Where demand is more evenly it’s much easier to do that.

 

[Thepuma]

They say you can book one at a time, but that if your return time is more than 2 hrs away you can book another after 2 hrs have passed since you booked.

If you’re trying to book a certain ride you cannot choose the time. But what you can do is “choose a time” by selecting a ride which is showing availability within a certain time frame. Like “what’s available after lunch? Well we can do BTMR or Pirates”.





And yes, I’ve seen people’s plans that had them have 3-4 within an hour. Where demand is more evenly it’s much easier to do that.

Wow...I never knew that...after that day I tried it about 20 times on other days at various times and it never let me book another Genie within 2 hours of another future Genie on any of my other days. I even tried it with rubbish rides but I would always have to use the current Genie to book another

I've done it where I've only had 1 G+...scanned on the ride then booked 1 after another quickly (on rubbish rides) but Ive never ever been able to book 2 for the future within 25 minutes of each other.

Maybe I've just been unlucky.

 

[nickys]

Wow...I never knew that...after that day I tried it about 20 times on other days at various times and it never let me book another Genie within 2 hours of another future Genie on any of my other days. I even tried it with rubbish rides but I would always have to use the current Genie to book another

I've done it where I've only had 1 G+...scanned on the ride then booked 1 after another quickly (on rubbish rides) but Ive never ever been able to book 2 for the future within 25 minutes of each other.

Maybe I've just been unlucky.

It’s the time that you make the booking that counts (the time you physically hit the button on the app), not the return time you get.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I agree it's a hassle. I agree FP+ is better.

But I was merely stating it's possible to get both let alone one when many said they got nothing.

And I have no plans to wake my family up. I'll book the rides myself for us. Here is Rise at 7:11am on Thanksgiving week..constant refreshes.

Despite the cost, I like Lightning Lane much better than FP+. The system absolutely needs to be tweaked though. Two upcharge attractions per park doesn't make a lot of sense when you back into what you can actually ride with Lightning Lane. If they dropped the $15 charge for Lightning Lane, removed the unnecessary attractions that they include to "add value" (shows, typical walk ons, etc) then it would be fine.

Part of the reason people liked MaxPass is that it didn't include unnecessary attractions. The other MaxPass decision that I prefer is that you can only use it once you've checked into the park.

 

[TikibirdLand]

Despite the cost, I like Lightning Lane much better than FP+. The system absolutely needs to be tweaked though. Two upcharge attractions per park doesn't make a lot of sense when you back into what you can actually ride with Lightning Lane. If they dropped the $15 charge for Lightning Lane, removed the unnecessary attractions that they include to "add value" (shows, typical walk ons, etc) then it would be fine.

Part of the reason people liked MaxPass is that it didn't include unnecessary attractions. The other MaxPass decision that I prefer is that you can only use it once you've checked into the park.

maybe for individual park goers. For my family of 5, it's 75 bucks. Then, you've got the cost of LL on top of that. It makes me miss FP+ at that cost!

 

[Jeff4272]

Despite the cost, I like Lightning Lane much better than FP+. The system absolutely needs to be tweaked though. Two upcharge attractions per park doesn't make a lot of sense when you back into what you can actually ride with Lightning Lane. If they dropped the $15 charge for Lightning Lane, removed the unnecessary attractions that they include to "add value" (shows, typical walk ons, etc) then it would be fine.

Part of the reason people liked MaxPass is that it didn't include unnecessary attractions. The other MaxPass decision that I prefer is that you can only use it once you've checked into the park.

So you’re the one

 

[DisneyCane]

Despite the cost, I like Lightning Lane much better than FP+. The system absolutely needs to be tweaked though. Two upcharge attractions per park doesn't make a lot of sense when you back into what you can actually ride with Lightning Lane. If they dropped the $15 charge for Lightning Lane, removed the unnecessary attractions that they include to "add value" (shows, typical walk ons, etc) then it would be fine.

Part of the reason people liked MaxPass is that it didn't include unnecessary attractions. The other MaxPass decision that I prefer is that you can only use it once you've checked into the park.

What I think they should do is, like you say, drop the unnecessary attractions like shows and people eating omnimovers. Then, get rid of the whole Genie+ $15 system and just make all the rides that "need" LL, ILL with pay per ride and a 3-4 purchase limit per day per person. Make it expensive and keep the capacity used for it low. They can get the same or higher revenue as now, have less detrimental effect on standby and make ILL a "good" value for the people who want to pay $10+ to skip a wait. Also make it variable pricing by standby wait and purchase within a few minutes of entering the queue instead of reserving a time at 7AM.

 

[Jeff4272]

Despite the cost, I like Lightning Lane much better than FP+. The system absolutely needs to be tweaked though. Two upcharge attractions per park doesn't make a lot of sense when you back into what you can actually ride with Lightning Lane. If they dropped the $15 charge for Lightning Lane, removed the unnecessary attractions that they include to "add value" (shows, typical walk ons, etc) then it would be fine.

Part of the reason people liked MaxPass is that it didn't include unnecessary attractions. The other MaxPass decision that I prefer is that you can only use it once you've checked into the park.

What is the drawback of including unnecessary attractions?

 

[Thepuma]

For me it's simple...The only negative I've ever heard about FP+ is that those turning up on the day can't get much choice.

So there's 2 ways to resolve this.. and it doesn't involve complicated systems and means keeping the old FP+ system (because it was fair and it worked)

1) You can only choose FP+ while in the park

Or (if Disney need the money)

2) Charge an amount that restricts the number of FP+ users - a guess would be $60 a day to use it.


What I can't get my head around is how we are having such a hard time getting G+ when the number of people using it must be significantly less than the free FP+ system...AND they can (mainly) only have 1 at a time? So a third of the old FP+ system...surely by charging AND only having 1, it must have reduced the number of people using the G+ lanes.....so why are available return times not improving?

 

[Jeff4272]

For me it's simple...The only negative I've ever heard about FP+ is that those turning up on the day can't get much choice.

So there's 2 ways to resolve this.. and it doesn't involve complicated systems and means keeping the old FP+ system (because it was fair and it worked)

1) You can only choose FP+ while in the park

Or (if Disney need the money)

2) Charge an amount that restricts the number of FP+ users - a guess would be $60 a day to use it.


What I can't get my head around is how we are having such a hard time getting G+ when the number of people using it must be significantly less than the free FP+ system...AND they can (mainly) only have 1 at a time? So a third of the old FP+ system...surely by charging AND only having 1, it must have reduced the number of people using the G+ lanes.....so why are available return times not improving?

I have same question..........Its insane since only 1/3 of people are using Genie+ vs FP+, how is it such a disaster?

 

[Jeff4272]

For me it's simple...The only negative I've ever heard about FP+ is that those turning up on the day can't get much choice.

So there's 2 ways to resolve this.. and it doesn't involve complicated systems and means keeping the old FP+ system (because it was fair and it worked)

1) You can only choose FP+ while in the park

Or (if Disney need the money)

2) Charge an amount that restricts the number of FP+ users - a guess would be $60 a day to use it.


What I can't get my head around is how we are having such a hard time getting G+ when the number of people using it must be significantly less than the free FP+ system...AND they can (mainly) only have 1 at a time? So a third of the old FP+ system...surely by charging AND only having 1, it must have reduced the number of people using the G+ lanes.....so why are available return times not improving?

One oif the biggest flaws for me is not being able to book in advance........I tihnk they need to have some kind of pre sale options

Maybe restrict to Deluxe guests only like the night hours?

 

[dirtnap101]

Or (if Disney need the money)

 

[pdude81]

For me it's simple...The only negative I've ever heard about FP+ is that those turning up on the day can't get much choice.

So there's 2 ways to resolve this.. and it doesn't involve complicated systems and means keeping the old FP+ system (because it was fair and it worked)

1) You can only choose FP+ while in the park

Or (if Disney need the money)

2) Charge an amount that restricts the number of FP+ users - a guess would be $60 a day to use it.


What I can't get my head around is how we are having such a hard time getting G+ when the number of people using it must be significantly less than the free FP+ system...AND they can (mainly) only have 1 at a time? So a third of the old FP+ system...surely by charging AND only having 1, it must have reduced the number of people using the G+ lanes.....so why are available return times not improving?

There were numerous complaints about having to line up fastpasses at 60 days before. However, some of this complaint also was because you already were stuck doing dining at 180 days and then tried to line up your ride skips with those in some fashion. Nobody wanted to sweat the details that far out.

Well Disney heard those complaints and said fine, you can sweat the details that morning instead. I agree that if they were going to base this off of maxpass, they should have made it so that you can only get the Genie+ passes after you swipe into a park. That means that on property stays have an extra benefit to the 30 extra magic minutes. However, this would disadvantage people like Jeff4272 who are used to being able to book their passes ahead of time and just come in for 3 rides if they choose to. They could easily have turned this into Digital Fastpass 1.0 where you only get a pass every couple hours, and decided on this nutty level of complexity.

IMO the reason that you can't get passes is because there are a lot less Genie skips being given out than there used to be FP given for an attraction. They'll figure out how to estimate lines and demand better over time, but they are trying to work it out. It's not really clear so far if they create more genie passes based on daily purchases or not, but the statement that it wouldn't sell out would indicate to me that has to be part of the process.

What I don't think is a good idea is to raise the price more on this, as it just gets closer and closer to only people with substantial sums of money being able to get on the rides they want. I would possibly support a model where you could cut down your next selection time from 2 hours to 30 minutes by paying another 10 bucks on top of the 15 for the service. That means that you can't suck up all the best rides right at 7 but could still pay more to get more during the day. That adds up quick with very limited benefit.

Also we need the ability to modify instead of only cancel and rebook. That's just a no brainer.