Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[nickys]

It is but there is a certain irony to it as many of the international guests were the ones wanting a FP+ system back because they can take advantage of the length of stay booking with their longer vacations.

I think many of us wanted it back so we could at least know that we could ride the most popular rides in what is a hugely expensive vacation.

The changes had me punching the air in delight. Right up until this bombshell.

 

[Saskdw]

Everyone can. When FP+ was around, why didn't everyone three early fastpasses so they could rebook and refresh more often? Many people don't game the system due to not knowing they can, not caring or just nor bothering.

In the days of FP+ I didn't even bring my phone to the parks. It was locked in the safe. We never got a 4th FP ever. All FP's were booked from home 60 days before the trip.

Of course now you need your phone to do almost anything. We might try a 4th or 5th LL later in the day, but that would be it for us.

 

[Dranth]

I think many of us wanted it back so we could at least know that we could ride the most popular rides in what is a hugely expensive vacation.

The changes had me punching the air in delight. Right up until this bombshell.

Understandably, and I can't imagine they don't get it worked out at some point but those changes do likely come at the expense of other visitors.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Yeah no just to be clear, this blocking out of international guests from pre-booking is *awful*.

Maybe one solution would be for them to offer a length-of-stay multipass that's bundled in a vacation package so it's not an individual transaction?

Well as you so clearly corrected me, international guests DO NOT spend as much as I thought, so I am presuming international guests are not the priority I though they were. Thanks.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

What could possibly be "illegal" about it...it was no problem with booking FP+ via the web site, and Disney can already take payments for the whole package via the UK web site. Ah...it's about promoting use of the app isn't it? They don't want people to use the web site, or they just can't be bothered to develop it. But that's their choice. Nothing "regulatory" about it at all.

FP+ was free. This isn’t. When charging for a service, there are going to be different laws that apply vs. giving it away for free.

 

[nickys]

Assuming using a VPN to relocate my phone will take care of that.

Someone already reported they can’t book G+ using a vpn whilst in the UK (with APs).

I forgot to ask if they had a park reservation made.

I hope it does work.

 

[djlaosc]

Framing this as some intentional and strategic decision by Disney and not some legal or IT related thing seems incorrect. I’ll be very surprised if there isn’t an official Disney solution to this with time.

I suppose that you would hope that a company that cared about all of it's customers would have the solution in place in advance of making the announcements yesterday.

In all likelihood, they haven't realised in the last 25 hours that their current system will not allow international guests to book. That means, that they knew in advance of yesterday's announcement.

Disney didn't make a pre-announcement, which, after which, they realised that international guests couldn't book in advance, but still needed to make the announcement yesterday, so will fix it later (and not within the next 28 days, otherwise they wouldn't need to tell international guests that they couldn't book in advance).

Therefore, Disney decided to make the announcement yesterday, knowing that international guests would be unable to book, and then held onto that information to try to slide it out afterwards while everyone was talking about the other aspects of it.

GDPR came into force in 2018, but Fastpass+ was available until 2021.
We can make payments for dining in advance, so it's not a monetary issue.

The interesting question will be whether Americans will be able to make the bookings on their website, or whether it is app only.

If that is the case, then that would be different to Fastpass+, which could be done on the website.

However, I can start a booking on the app before moving to the website and can reach the checkout page on the app for a Cinderella's Royal Table booking for August, so unless I couldn't finish the transaction, then what is the difference? One reservation is for a time to enter a building that serves food, and one reservation is for a time to enter a building that serves a ride.

So, unless they are not going to add the infrastructure to the website, I can't see the difference.

 

[nickys]

As I said, I think they know more about this than any of us do. I'm not pretending to know the reasoning, but we can presume there is one. I also presume they'll figure out a workaround at some point. Maybe it has to wait for brand new packages to release to international guests (so, 2026 at this point I guess?).

And screw us in the meantime.

If we could call and add G+ in the past they could do the same now if they wanted to. I’m pretty sure there haven’t been any legislative changes since then.

 

[nickys]

I had been told for my trip that starts on the 24th can only book beginning the 24th for length of our trip (Disney hotel)

At least no one else can either. But that morning isn’t going to be fun. Good luck.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

The number of people saying how great this is makes me sad. It's akin to the Kings fans celebrating how brilliant Rob Blake is for somehow trading the Dubois contract, while ignoring everything they traded away to get him in the first place.

 

[nicb88]

The magic band workaround was working as of May. My son did it and the bands were waiting for him when he arrived.

May I ask using what technique and VPN? I’ve tried for months to no avail.

 

[Disstevefan1]

FP+ was free. This isn’t. When charging for a service, there are going to be different laws that apply vs. giving it away for free.

I guess its the old saying, "let the buyer beware".

Or as P.T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute".

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

If this comes to DL I hope they limit what rides it applies to also, adding Genie to rides like Monsters, Little Mermaid, etc turned rides that regularly had a 15 minute standby into 30-45 minute standbys.

Not sure if this was true at WDW also but the desire to make Genie “worth it” seems to have lead them to add it to a lot of things that never needed it.

 

[nickys]

May I ask using what technique and VPN? I’ve tried for months to no avail.

I don’t know what vpn he uses. But when you come to the screen where you either enter or confirm your address for delivery you enter the actual resort address (copy and paste from the resort info page on the WDW website).

 

[Chip Chipperson]

And screw us in the meantime.

If we could call and add G+ in the past they could do the same now if they wanted to. I’m pretty sure there haven’t been any legislative changes since then.

Was the G+ pre-purchase non-refundable or included as part of a travel package booked through Disney'sUK travel company? That may be the difference.

 

[nickys]

FP+ was free. This isn’t. When charging for a service, there are going to be different laws that apply vs. giving it away for free.

Genie+ wasn’t free and they let us add it to our tickets. If you did if at t t he point of sale you could do it online, otherwise you could call to add it.

 

[nickys]

Was the G+ pre-purchase non-refundable or included as part of a travel package booked through Disney'sUK travel company? That may be the difference.

Not necessarily. It could be added to a package or added to stand-alone tickets. And it could be added after the sale. I assume it was non refundable.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I suppose that you would hope that a company that cared about all of it's customers would have the solution in place in advance of making the announcements yesterday.

In all likelihood, they haven't realised in the last 25 hours that their current system will not allow international guests to book. That means, that they knew in advance of yesterday's announcement.

Disney didn't make a pre-announcement, which, after which, they realised that international guests couldn't book in advance, but still needed to make the announcement yesterday, so will fix it later (and not within the next 28 days, otherwise they wouldn't need to tell international guests that they couldn't book in advance).

Therefore, Disney decided to make the announcement yesterday, knowing that international guests would be unable to book, and then held onto that information to try to slide it out afterwards while everyone was talking about the other aspects of it.

GDPR came into force in 2018, but Fastpass+ was available until 2021.
We can make payments for dining in advance, so it's not a monetary issue.

The interesting question will be whether Americans will be able to make the bookings on their website, or whether it is app only.

If that is the case, then that would be different to Fastpass+, which could be done on the website.

However, I can start a booking on the app before moving to the website and can reach the checkout page on the app for a Cinderella's Royal Table booking for August, so unless I couldn't finish the transaction, then what is the difference? One reservation is for a time to enter a building that serves food, and one reservation is for a time to enter a building that serves a ride.

So, unless they are not going to add the infrastructure to the website, I can't see the difference.

I see what you’re saying in that international guests being blocked wasn’t a surprise to them yet they moved forward with the announcement anyways, however I will point out that both FP+ and Genie+ rolled out as more rigid and less user friendly than they ended, with changes being made somewhat early in their respective lives to fix what were obvious negatives.

This particular aspect in my opinion seems so unquestionably bad to a specific group of customers, and most importantly devalues an on-site stay before they leave home, that I’ll personally be surprised if it sticks around for the lifetime of this service.

 

[JenniferS]

I see what you are saying. Sure, that is more useful to the people who get there early. Basically they made it easier on one subset of guests while making it harder on the other.

It is what it is and we all live have to live with whatever they offer if we want to keep going, but I think this was a terrible idea compared to what they could have done.

• G+ with one prebook and time selections
• Drop it all and go standby only
• Switch to a Uni style EP and charge so very few use it
• Use any system while increasing the number of hours the parks are open each day

All of those look like better options to me. I sincerely hope I am wrong or if I am not, they course correct quickly this time.

Door #3. I pick Door #3!

 

[nicb88]

I don’t know what vpn he uses. But when you come to the screen where you either enter or confirm your address for delivery you enter the actual resort address (copy and paste from the resort info page on the WDW website).

I don’t even get to that screen. I used to be able to. But now from the start of the process it stops me.