Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[Saskdw]

So I was in such an uproar over this International traveler fiasco yesterday I didn't really put any thought into how this new feature would work for our family.

So if I'm understanding correctly at the 7 day in advance mark I could do this for the first day:

Paid LL for Rise
Pick 3 other LL - SDD, TSM, and ToT

Could I also pay for my 2nd LL GotG at Epcot?

So 5 pre-booked rides?

 

[Dranth]

there is always going to be a problem with a "fastpass" system until they add more attractions

now they just make money off of this because many feel like they have to get it since there aren't enough attractions to spread out the crowds and shorten the lines.

Disney created their own system to both make money and discourage them from building too much

Yes, but some are better than others. This it worse then FP+ and G+ on paper. We'll see how it works soon enough but I don't have high hopes.

 

[Marionnette]

This quote is straight from Disney Parks Blog:

“Lightning Lane passes will blend features from our current services and the previously offered FastPass+ service, giving guests the choice to plan ahead and removing the hassle of planning during their vacation.”

We of course can’t know exactly what aspects they’re referring to there, but the similarities with each sound like they’re intentional and a feature, not a practicality done to get it out fast.

Oh, I believe that the blending of the two programs is intentional. I don't believe that they intend to allow "day of" modifications of T2 to T1 selections in the long run. That's a surefire way for power users to suck up all of the T1 selections early in the day. They just haven't worked out the coding to prevent it yet.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Disney World Lightning Lane Passes Will Only Be Available for Purchase in the United States​

Disney World Lightning Lane Passes Will Only Be Available for Purchase in the United States

Disney World Lightning Lane Passes Will Only Be Available for Purchase in the United States

www.wdwmagic.com

This may result in international guests starting their vacations at Universal. Does Disney really want that? As soon as that narrative starts making it out there I would imagine Disney changes course and/or "fixes" the issue.

Park hopping is available after your first 3 selections, I'm told.

The impression I got was you would be eligible to make a selection in a different park once you've checked into a park and either used or swapped out of one of the advanced selections. It's possible that checking into a park isn't even the requirement for swapping out. It may be that at 7 AM on the day of, the tiers don't matter.

Another question here is how a group with mixed access will be able to operate. As an example under Fastpass+ if you were staying offsite and a friend was staying on site, you could piggy back on the 60+10 booking window. Would the same be true under Lightning Lane? What about a group that has date based tickets and one AP? Would the AP holder be able to book their Lightning Lanes alongside the date based tickets?

The other thing that people aren't talking about are the 4 park discounted tickets they sell during the summer. The tickets are non-park hoppers that allow a single admission to each of the four parks. Are those considered date based tickets?

 

[GhostHost1000]

Yes, but some are better than others. This it worse then FP+ and G+ on paper. We'll see how it works soon enough but I don't have high hopes.

I don't think it's worse personally...but we'll see. Pros and cons of each, but I think the pre-planning part will be a hit vs the lottery day of game

 

[Dranth]

So I was in such an uproar over this International traveler fiasco yesterday I didn't really put any thought into how this new feature would work for our family.

So if I'm understanding correctly at the 7 day in advance mark I could do this for the first day:

Paid LL for Rise
Pick 3 other LL - SDD, TSM, and ToT

Could I also pay for my 2nd LL GotG at Epcot?

So 5 pre-booked rides?

I believe so. Unless they have added a new restriction on ILL purchases.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Oh, I believe that the blending of the two programs is intentional. I don't believe that they intend to allow "day of" modifications of T2 to T1 selections in the long run. That's a surefire way for power users to suck up all of the T1 selections early in the day. They just haven't worked out the coding to prevent it yet.

What gives me most pause is the way that unlike FP+, you don’t need to tap into or allow your tier 2s (well all 3) to expire before making another selection. I have no IT background but to my non IT brain it makes sense that given that, day of has different functionality than ahead of time. Because I think if I’m understanding correctly you could tap in or use a tier 2 immediately at park opening, and book your 4th LL as a tier 1 if available, so again to my non IT brain it makes sense that modifying would follow similar rules.

Idk if that makes sense to anyone else or if it’s just me, lol.

 

[Dranth]

I don't think it's worse personally...but we'll see. Pros and cons of each, but I think the pre-planning part will be a hit vs the lottery day of game

For people who are happy getting one or two rides in their prebooked session that do not even need a FP then sure. For anyone else it will still be a mad dash at 7am every morning to fight everyone for the T1 allotments.

 

[Saskdw]

What gives me most pause is the way that unlike FP+, you don’t need to tap into or allow your tier 2s (well all 3) to expire before making another selection. I have no IT background but to my non IT brain it makes sense that given that, day of has different functionality than ahead of time. Because I think if I’m understanding correctly you could tap in or use a tier 2 immediately at park opening, and book your 4th LL as a tier 1 if available, so again to my non IT brain it makes sense that modifying would follow similar rules.

Idk if that makes sense to anyone else or if it’s just me, lol.

In theory this new version could work out better for the rope drop power users.

Their concern would be if all the good tier 1 inventory is gone.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

This may result in international guests starting their vacations at Universal. Does Disney really want that? As soon as that narrative starts making it out there I would imagine Disney to change course and/or "fix" the issue.

Kind of related to your post, this is just another factor in why it feels odd they aren’t making a distinction between Canadians and International like they usually do. Disney doesn’t offer us longer tickets like they do for UK guests, we purchase everything through the same arm as the US guests. I’m extrapolating from that that Canadian guests generally don’t have those very extended trips that some UK guests do. They offer 14 day tickets to UK guests, I think.

I’d imagine not many UK guests plan a 7 day buffer after arrival before they visit Disney, but even less Canadians would. That’s a long Universal trip lol.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

In theory this new version could work out better for the rope drop power users.

Their concern would be if all the good tier 1 inventory is gone.

FP+ was definitely more advantageous in terms of number of rides experienced for rope droppers. Genie+ rewarded late arrivals more with the ability to stack.

This version seems much closer to FP+, where early arrivals get the most out of it. Provided drops still exist and the refresh method works well.

 

[el_super]

there is always going to be a problem with a "fastpass" system until they add more attractions

Adding attractions just shifts the demand and increases the need for Fastpass. It's not the answer to line management.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Adding attractions just shifts the demand and increases the need for Fastpass. It's not the answer to line management.

adding new attractions does not always equate to more guests visiting and further need for fastpass

See TRON as an example

If they would add more attractions to each park (like the number they have at MK), crowds might be more spread out across 4 parks as well

 

[el_super]

adding new attractions does not always equate to more guests visiting and further need for fastpass
See TRON as an example
If they would add more attractions to each park (like the number they have at MK), crowds might be more spread out across 4 parks as well

Tron is the perfect example. There is added capacity and yet the need for Fastpass+, Genie+, Lightning Lane Multiselect remains. If you add a new attraction, and it's the new, hot, in-demand thing, how do you manage the lines for that new attraction?

Adding new attractions just robs demand from the least popular attractions, which are already pretty easy to get on with almost no line.

 

[Saskdw]

FP+ was definitely more advantageous in terms of number of rides experienced for rope droppers. Genie+ rewarded late arrivals more with the ability to stack.

This version seems much closer to FP+, where early arrivals get the most out of it. Provided drops still exist and the refresh method works well.

We would never use more than 5 or 6 in a day. This new system should work perfect for us as long as Canadians get the 7 day pre-book window.

 

[pdude81]

The distinction I see here is that you are paying for specific selections ahead of time. When it was free, there was no refund to give. However, if the transaction was done in another country, and say PP goes down and you don't get to ride that, then there may be issues with consumer pretection laws in other countries.

Now I think this seems completely ridiculous, but there has to be a reason why this is in place for the time being. That's the logical difference that I can think of that might be an issue. Then if guest A from Ireland gets a refund because they didn't ride Pan, guest B from Iowa wants to know why they don't get a refund for the same thing.

As you can tell, I have to really think hard to find a reason for this to make any sense. And hopefully they will resolve whatever issue they are concerned about in the next 2 weeks.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Tron is the perfect example. There is added capacity and yet the need for Fastpass+, Genie+, Lightning Lane Multiselect remains. If you add a new attraction, and it's the new, hot, in-demand thing, how do you manage the lines for that new attraction?

Adding new attractions just robs demand from the least popular attractions, which are already pretty easy to get on with almost no line.

you do understand that more attractions mean more lines for people to be in or choose to FP/LL right? (thus spreading out the crowd). People don't ride the same new, hot, in-demand thing back-to-back all day long

 

[el_super]

Now I think this seems completely ridiculous, but there has to be a reason why this is in place for the time being. That's the logical difference that I can think of that might be an issue. Then if guest A from Ireland gets a refund because they didn't ride Pan, guest B from Iowa wants to know why they don't get a refund for the same thing.

That would make sense. The issue would be giving a refund for the whole service, if just one attraction isn't available. Disney's position is (or has been) that the service itself is still available to use even if individual attractions were not, so no refund would be needed.

Easy answer might be just charging for the individual rides.

 

[el_super]

you do understand that more attractions mean more lines for people to be in or choose to FP/LL right? (thus spreading out the crowd). People don't ride the same new, hot, in-demand thing back-to-back all day long

Do you think that people gave up riding Space Mountain when TRON opened or do you think they do both?

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

The distinction I see here is that you are paying for specific selections ahead of time. When it was free, there was no refund to give. However, if the transaction was done in another country, and say PP goes down and you don't get to ride that, then there may be issues with consumer pretection laws in other countries.

Now I think this seems completely ridiculous, but there has to be a reason why this is in place for the time being. That's the logical difference that I can think of that might be an issue. Then if guest A from Ireland gets a refund because they didn't ride Pan, guest B from Iowa wants to know why they don't get a refund for the same thing.

As you can tell, I have to really think hard to find a reason for this to make any sense. And hopefully they will resolve whatever issue they are concerned about in the next 2 weeks.

Not a lawyer, but it’s hard to imagine this is the reason when Disney allows us to purchase non refundable items at home already. If the issue is the booking of specific attractions at the time of purchase, I would think that could be easily rectified with some fine print about rides going down and being remedied with a recovery LL.

It feels more like an IT/app issue to me, but not only am I not a lawyer I’m not in IT either lol.