Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[biggy H]

So what about those who don't have smart phones or want to take them on holiday? Are thry going to supply something those to use or just say tough? The wifi better be able to handle all this extra use as not everyone visiting WDW have data usage whilst in the US.

 

[doctornick]

As has been mentioned - I think in this thread - they need to add a bunch of Little Mermaid level rides to each of the parks. Basically rides that add a lot of capacity but that no one would book a trip or extra day to go and do. Add something like this to most of the lands at WDW and people will have more enjoyable days just by doing more and having more options and choices even if they aren’t super excited about those rides individually

also I think they would benefit from a lot more indoor shows (or walk throughs) in WDW. One of the things that makes the parks tough if you have lands (like Pandora) where there is nothing do easily where you can sit and cool off without having to walk to a not close other part of the park. MK has a solid group of attractions that you can walk into on the spot in each land to relax when you are tired but still feel like you are “doing something “

 

[DCLcruiser]

Genie is mde…it’s nothing to get excited about

Correct, it is the functions within MDE.

 

[Missing20K]

Probably. The calculations on that get really complicated. It might be only pulling 40% of it's capacity, but it's still padding RPC numbers. Closing it outright might put additional strain on other attractions before a replacement opens. And there are various levels of fixes that could be implemented right: refurbishment, refresh, retheme or replacement. Part of the math on that is trying to determine if people WANT a slow sit-down experience versus a high-speed thrill ride. They could spend a small fortune trying to re-use the carousel theater only to find out that people still want a coaster instead.

Are you practicing for your interview in the industrial engineering department of Imagineering?

 

[GimpYancIent]

Genie is free. Genie+ is not free. Genie is the app, Genie+ is the ticket add on.

I appreciate your sense of humor. Thank you.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Are you practicing for your interview in the industrial engineering department of Imagineering?

Yeah…I think he blew his o-ring there

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Already happened with FastPass+. If you look you’ll notice that most merge points now have the two queues physically separated with a preference for visual separation as well.

Honestly, this behavior was quite common even in the olden days of paper Fastpass too.

I worked in Ops well before FP+ was even a glimmer in the Mouse's eye, and I've been spat on, shoved, and called every name in the book you can think of while working at merge points.

I can see things getting really ugly now that money is involved.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Okay, explain this to me. (If my analogy is not apt, please replace with one that is).

In a room, we have four bowls of food and ten people. The ten people attempt to eat out of the bowls but are continually jockeying for position. If we bring in a fifth bowl, everyone will have an easier time eating.

NOW, I know what you're going to say, one of the bowls has better and more food in it. It has shrimp, steak, crab cakes, etc. People will want to eat out of that bowl the most. But this seems contradictory to your idea that bringing a fifth bowl into the room will increase the amount of people trying to eat out of the bowls. If this fifth bowl is popular enough to entice MORE people to go, then why are they still crowding around the Shrimp/Steak/Crab bowl, wouldn't those people already have been in the room?

(What a convoluted metaphor!)

I'm fine with that metaphor.

When people from outside of the room learn that there's a fifth bowl, more of them are going to show up to get a taste. So instead of 10 people going for 4 bowls, you're going to have 15 people going for 5 bowls.

 

[Missing20K]

Yeah…I think he blew his o-ring there

Just a friendly ribbing. He’s not necessarily wrong, it’s just a tough business stance for a inherently creative endeavor. And the ‘twain shall never meet (eye to eye).

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Because seasonal pricing can be planned for. Surge pricing means the price can fluctuate minute-by-minute. It's VERY anti-consumer.

We haven't seen any indication that Disney is planning such a thing. None whatsoever.

 

[aladdin2007]

So what about those who don't have smart phones or want to take them on holiday? Are thry going to supply something those to use or just say tough? The wifi better be able to handle all this extra use as not everyone visiting WDW have data usage whilst in the US.

they dont want you there, thats what its coming down to. Play by their rules, pay for it, plan every minute. its all about less freedom and more $ or we dont want you. That's certainly the message they are sending.

 

[Missing20K]

I'm fine with that metaphor.

When people from outside of the room learn that there's a fifth bowl, more of them are going to show up to get a taste. So instead of 10 people going for 4 bowls, you're going to have 15 people going for 5 bowls.

In perpetuity? There is no intersection between supply and demand? Demand forever outstrips supply? Again not arguing, just trying to understand your pov.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Honestly, this behavior was quite common even in the olden days of paper Fastpass too.

I worked in Ops well before FP+ was even a glimmer in the Mouse's eye, and I've been spat on, shoved, and called every name in the book you can think of while working at merge points.

I can see things getting really ugly now that money is involved.

They already had pay for viewing spots, parties, etc. I don't recall arguments/fights between guests over that.

This reminds me of AMC Stubs Premiere. I pay $10/year for their member program. I get a special line for popcorn and bypass the normal line that is packed. I always feel a bit odd, but then I get my food and go to see my movie in a few seconds. Well worth it.

 

[SirLink]

Dear Guest, you said you'd like to ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We've automatically added a visit to the country bears, three gift shops, and a bathroom between your rides. Look at how efficient your day will be.

TBF this is Disney their IT systems are stuck together with sticky back plastic. (N.B. UK readers will get the reference)

 

[doctornick]

My

i think it’s possible that all of the new headliner rides (tron, guardians) will be boarding groups or paid option, with no option to wait in line.

I’d be surprised if Rat is still doing boarding groups by the time Tron opens. And certainly it will stop once GOTG opens in the same park

 

[DCLcruiser]

Because seasonal pricing can be planned for. Surge pricing means the price can fluctuate minute-by-minute. It's VERY anti-consumer.

Well, it's like Uber. If it's raining outside, or rush hour, they increase the price of a ride. While the price goes up, it also frees up more cars for people who NEED a ride. People who don't see the value in overpaying don't ride, find another method, and other people are willing pay. So surge pricing is Pro-Consumer, it's just not Pro-Every-Consumer.

 

[el_super]

A good reference point for Genie is MS Office Clippy

 

[SirLink]

It appears Disney does not want its guests to sleep during their visit.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Well, it's like Uber. If it's raining outside, or rush hour, they increase the price of a ride. While the price goes up, it also frees up more cars for people who NEED a ride. People who don't see the value in overpaying don't ride, find another method, and other people are willing pay. So surge pricing is Pro-Cosumer, it's just not Pro-Every-Consumer.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I'm not the OP, but I've always thought this: No one is going to WDW without going to MK. Adding a 5th gate might help crowds in the 'other three' parks, but everyone who comes to the resort is going to spend at least one day in MK. That's more people per year in the Magic Kingdom.

You could add two more parks, but MK is just going to get busier and busier as you add more people each day to the resort.

And maybe that's because the Magic Kingdom consists almost entirely of actual DISNEY IP and original-concept rides, as opposed to the stupid junk like Star Wars and Marvel, which most of the public does NOT connect with Disney no matter how much Iger tries to mix the two. And what the public mostly wants from a Disney park IS DISNEY. Not Marvel. Not Star Wars. Not Avatar. Duh.

Anyway, trying to shame Iger over his greed won't work, because he has no pride in the parks, or cares about them, beyond using them as merchandise hubs to rip off and milk the guests dry. For instance, he's been shamed about the broken yeti in Everest many times, the Orlando Sentinel even wrote a scathing article about it years ago, but he has never made a move to fix it. Because he doesn't give a damn. He's in his ivory tower with his big fat salary and lots of power, so he doesn't care what the customers think. He thinks they're gullible idiots, if anything. If you don't like this recent awful guest-bilking scheme, DON'T GO TO THE PARKS. I'm not trying to be a jerk to those who are complaining, I sympathize, and you all know how I think Iger is an evil greedy soulless pig. But really, the only thing that might affect his behavior is a loss of money, due to fewer guests, but even then, he might just try to sell the parks to Saudi Arabia or whoever again. Iger is a blight and a disease, and if Walt were alive, he'd destroy Iger. And Roy would help him. But still...cancel your trip to WDW if you want to get the Pig's attention. Go to Universal. Go to a local good theme park, or if you want Disney, go to Tokyo Disneyland/Disneysea. Marni and I have pointed out that going there can be just as cost-effective, if you plan it right, as a trip to WDW. The company that actually built it, the Oriental Land Company (OLC), respects Walt's vision for the parks more than Iger and the bumbling incompetent current Imagineers ever will, and it shows. Or go to Efteling in the Netherlands or Phantasialand in Germany. GREAT parks that are amazing, and give good value for your money.

But petitions/bad publicity won't touch Iger. Your only way to fight back is don't buy what he's selling. If his actions lose the company money and the stockholders get mad at him...well, that'll be fun to watch at least...but even then, until the Pig leaves, and someone with an affection/appreciation for Walt's parks comes in (don't hold your breath), nothing will change.