Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[Kingoglow]

A lot of FP+ detractors on this forum would say that they didn't want to plan rides three months in advance. But now we see that they don't want to plan their rides same day either... So I have no idea what they want. It seems like they just want to ride three rides and go home. Sure. Fine. Please do that.

FP+ was a great system; more fair than FP and less stressful than Genie+.

 

[Jrb1979]

Again ill beat a dead horse i truly dont understand how people felt FP+ didnt work... now granted certain users got more out of it than others but you can say that about anything in life let alone a disney vacation.

For my family it didn't work well and neither does Genie+. I hate return times and the amount of planning FP+ required was a turn off. I personally see no reason other then hurting VIP sales that an express pass type system wouldn't work. Make it once per ride and limit sales.

 

[Jrb1979]

A lot of FP+ detractors on this forum would say that they didn't want to plan rides three months in advance. But now we see that they don't want to plan their rides same day either... So I have no idea what they want. It seems like they just want to ride three rides and go home. Sure. Fine. Please do that.

FP+ was a great system; more fair than FP and less stressful than Genie+.

Like my post above my ideal system is no return times at all. Bring in express pass but limit to once per ride and limit sales so it doesn't hurt Standby as much.

 

[Disstevefan1]

A lot of FP+ detractors on this forum would say that they didn't want to plan rides three months in advance. But now we see that they don't want to plan their rides same day either... So I have no idea what they want. It seems like they just want to ride three rides and go home. Sure. Fine. Please do that.

There were a lot of folks who mastered FP+.
There were a lot of folks who never got the hang of FP+, didn't like it for whatever reason.
There are a lot of folks who now dislike Genie +
There are folks who have success in Genie "stacking" Lighting Lanes.

There will never be a system that everyone will like, and we have no choice really, Disney will do what they will do. We just have to learn the "rules du jour"

And yes, there will be tweaks and changes, especially the prices

 

[Kingoglow]

Like my post above my ideal system is no return times at all. Bring in express pass but limit to once per ride and limit sales so it doesn't hurt Standby as much.

Well, if people keep buying up Genie+, you might get your wish. If Universal charges $250 for it, I can't imagine what Disney would charge, $500? $750?
No thanks. I will take FP+ any day over that.

 

[crazy4disney]

For my family it didn't work well and neither does Genie+. I hate return times and the amount of planning FP+ required was a turn off. I personally see no reason other then hurting VIP sales that an express pass type system wouldn't work. Make it once per ride and limit sales.

Listen i get there is NO perfect system especially when dealing with millions of guests annually that will make everyone happy. Heck no matter what they do people are still going to complain. just seemed to me that everyone that i know and have talked to felt FP+ worked well... issues being like you said planning in advance which to me was nothing compared to dealing w dining at 180 days out that people seemed to complain less about or at least definitely heard less noise... I just looked at FP+ as a simple way to get 3 attractions w NO wait and usually headliners no less as a resort guest. I cant see how going to disney you would not know a general idea when you would be visiting a park & heck if plans change just redo your FP and yes i understand you may lose your initial choice but again 3 was still better than nothing and then you can literally book on the fly... Standby is awful who really wants to wait hours to ride anything especially something youve seen countless times already? Genie is only slightly better

 

[crazy4disney]

There were a lot of folks who mastered FP+.
There were a lot of folks who never got the hang of FP+, didn't like it for whatever reason.
There are a lot of folks who now dislike Genie +
There are folks who have success in Genie "stacking" Lighting Lanes.

There will never be a system that everyone will like, and we have no choice really, Disney will do what they will do. We just have to learn the "rules du jour"

And yes, there will be tweaks and changes, especially the prices

agreed and Disney should have understood people would pay so why not just use a system that again imo worked well for majority of guests especially ones that would pay for it instead we have this disaster... in regards to "stacking" isnt that simply FP+? honestly how many rides are you really stacking not many more than 3 and thats exactly what FP+ was and that was able to be done all before noon sometimes earlier as a resort guest... So successfully stacking rides for later in the day.. how does that translate to your morning rides? ropedrop? always been the case.. waiting on lines? staying at resort till park hop is available or stacked rides are up?

 

[Jrb1979]

Listen i get there is NO perfect system especially when dealing with millions of guests annually that will make everyone happy. Heck no matter what they do people are still going to complain. just seemed to me that everyone that i know and have talked to felt FP+ worked well... issues being like you said planning in advance which to me was nothing compared to dealing w dining at 180 days out that people seemed to complain less about or at least definitely heard less noise... I just looked at FP+ as a simple way to get 3 attractions w NO wait and usually headliners no less as a resort guest. I cant see how going to disney you would not know a general idea when you would be visiting a park & heck if plans change just redo your FP and yes i understand you may lose your initial choice but again 3 was still better than nothing and then you can literally book on the fly... Standby is awful who really wants to wait hours to ride anything especially something youve seen countless times already? Genie is only slightly better

I understand that point of view. For my family we don't get the whole spreadsheet planning thing that many do for Disney.

I will give you an example of how my family vacations. Last time we went to Orlando we didn't do Disney, just SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. The only planning we did was our flights, hotel and car. That's pretty much how all our vacations go. We do enough planning in our day to day life that it's the last thing we want to do in vacation.

 

[Disstevefan1]

agreed and Disney should have understood people would pay so why not just use a system that again imo worked well for majority of guests especially ones that would pay for it instead we have this disaster... in regards to "stacking" isnt that simply FP+? honestly how many rides are you really stacking not many more than 3 and thats exactly what FP+ was and that was able to be done all before noon sometimes earlier as a resort guest... So successfully stacking rides for later in the day.. how does that translate to your morning rides? ropedrop? always been the case.. waiting on lines? staying at resort till park hop is available or stacked rides are up?

I do not know the recipe to get Genie + to work.
I just heard success stories.
Fake news? Shills / influencers for Disney?
I don't know.

 

[Kingoglow]

The only planning we did was our flights, hotel and car.

I am not attacking you by quoting this. I'm just saying that WDW vacationers are already planning those three things as well as planning dining reservations; booking three attractions wasn't really much of a lift.

I understand the sentiment that some people might not have known about FP+ because Disney didn't do a good enough job marketing it (and still don't with Genie+). I just don't understand the sentiment that people think FP+ was a bad system because they didn't 'want' to use it.

 

[Rich Brownn]

A lot of FP+ detractors on this forum would say that they didn't want to plan rides three months in advance. But now we see that they don't want to plan their rides same day either... So I have no idea what they want. It seems like they just want to ride three rides and go home. Sure. Fine. Please do that.

FP+ was a great system; more fair than FP and less stressful than Genie+.

Maybe people didn't want to plan their whole day at all

 

[Kingoglow]

I do not know the recipe to get Genie + to work.
I just heard success stories.
Fake news? Shills / influencers for Disney?
I don't know.

The problem with sharing strategies (and Genie+ in general) is that the way we use it changes everyday. You are constantly fighting other guests for the reservations, everyone wants something different but their decision effects everyone else.

Here is how I have gotten the system to work for me #notaninfluencer.
- Forget Genie+ for Epcot and AK. Save your money, or spend it on the ILL's if you can't wait in that line.
- Use Genie+ Stacking method at HS as well as ILL. You will probably have to wait in standby for at least two major attractions, decide which one and stack the other headliners. Use down time to ride the non-headliners.
- AT MK, use Genie+ as a tap in and select method. Pick a ride for now, check in and book another ride for a soonish time. Pay close attention to the mountains and headliners and work them in to your day before 3 PM, even if it means allowing a larger time window between LLs.

 

[Kingoglow]

Maybe people didn't want to plan their whole day at all

Sure. And I doubt those people would have strong feelings about whatever system is in place or how much it costs, because they wont use it. They are just happy to wait. Many people are not happy to wait, which is why Genie+ sales are so high and ultimately is what is contributing to the problems (Disney tech aside).

 

[crazy4disney]

I understand that point of view. For my family we don't get the whole spreadsheet planning thing that many do for Disney.

I will give you an example of how my family vacations. Last time we went to Orlando we didn't do Disney, just SeaWorld and Busch Gardens. The only planning we did was our flights, hotel and car. That's pretty much how all our vacations go. We do enough planning in our day to day life that it's the last thing we want to do in vacation.

& trust me i dont blame you but i assure you ive never used a spreadsheet hence why ive said im far from an advanced planner... usually book a breakfast around the 8-815 time and dinner 5-530... not gonna lie book a couple places to have options and i book my 1st FP at 9am so 9-10,10-11,11-12 and never really had issues being able to do this. DAS definitely helped fill in gaps or do some re rides but i definitely get your point but to me disney is Far from a "vacation" lol. It's a place you need a vacation when you get back. i live in NY so i take my daughter to Hershey Park twice a year for small trips & agreed its night and day. Basically wake up eat breakfast and head to park w no worries same with dinner. and just take the day as it comes.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I am not attacking you by quoting this. I'm just saying that WDW vacationers are already planning those three things as well as planning dining reservations; booking three attractions wasn't really much of a lift.

I understand the sentiment that some people might not have known about FP+ because Disney didn't do a good enough job marketing it (and still don't with Genie+). I just don't understand the sentiment that people think FP+ was a bad system because they didn't 'want' to use it.

I had to explain to a friend (first time visitor to WDW) about park pass reservations and how you had to buy the ticket first and hope there is a reservation available for the park you want to go to.

I didn't even try to explain Genie +

It really got me thinking, we think we have a learning curve. Think of the folks who NEVER been to WDW!

We have all been behind folks in the FastPass line who have no idea what a FastPass is. Today with park pass reservations and Genie it seems even harder to explain..

 

[crazy4disney]

Maybe people didn't want to plan their whole day at all

honest question... you rather wait in hour long lines as opposed to planning your day prior to your trip at your own convenience in the comfort of your own home? Because to me that is NOT a fun way to spend a vacation. Because we all know standby waits are going nowhere even w NO skip the line system &* yes I watched Defunctland's doc on FP etc... if anyone truly believes wait times are going away with the current park capacity/hours etc vs how many people actually visit i dont know what to say

 

[Jeff4272]

honest question... you rather wait in hour long lines as opposed to planning your day prior to your trip at your own convenience in the comfort of your own home? Because to me that is NOT a fun way to spend a vacation. Because we all know standby waits are going nowhere even w NO skip the line system &* yes I watched Defunctland's doc on FP etc... if anyone truly believes wait times are going away with the current park capacity/hours etc vs how many people actually visit i dont know what to say

Agree 100%..........Wait times are going nowhere, with or without FP+, with or without Genie+

I went when there was nothing in April 2021 when attendance was still low and we waited a lot

All I know is, I'm not paying all that money to stay in the hotels we normally do (GF, BLT, BC) not knowing if i can skip a line in advance..........

We need capability to book in advance or a no return time reservation system to consider going back

Planning one morning 60 days out was awesome, we could then go an enjoy ourselves and tour the park they way we liked to, not the way WDW was forcing us to

WDW is broken and its broken bad

 

[HauntedPirate]

i get they are a business but you need to sometimes do things that directly doesnt bring n money. This company stinks sometimes yet people like myself keep spending a ton of money to go back.... I will say this tho it still brings joy and magic hence the return but the frustration level is at a boiling point.

Bob didn't learn that in bizness skool.

 

[G00fyDad]

Maybe people didn't want to plan their whole day at all

Then they can hop into their DeLorean and take their butts back to 1999.

 

[Hawg G]

& trust me i dont blame you but i assure you ive never used a spreadsheet hence why ive said im far from an advanced planner... usually book a breakfast around the 8-815 time and dinner 5-530... not gonna lie book a couple places to have options and i book my 1st FP at 9am so 9-10,10-11,11-12 and never really had issues being able to do this. DAS definitely helped fill in gaps or do some re rides but i definitely get your point but to me disney is Far from a "vacation" lol. It's a place you need a vacation when you get back. i live in NY so i take my daughter to Hershey Park twice a year for small trips & agreed its night and day. Basically wake up eat breakfast and head to park w no worries same with dinner. and just take the day as it comes.

As soon as you mention DAS, which makes a WDW visit MASSIVELY better, your opinion of FP+ holds little water.