Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[JMcMahonEsq]

Agreed, folks will use strandby.

It's not clear at this time but as part of the new G+, LL system, I have heard about the possibility of the standby lines being cut off, (allowing no one to wait in standby) if the standby queue gets too long.

Lets see what happens..

The only time I recall there being a stand by line shutdown, was when Frozen first opened, and I believe they at one point stopped letting people into the line, because they knew there was not way the capacity would allow for them to let more people ride given time left before park close. This may have happened with other rides (Flight comes to mind) but just be outside my knowledge base.

That being said, as long as they don't DRASTICALLY oversell the LL passes, it really shouldn't be a problem, and if so is likely limited to the top headline ride of each park only. Take 7DMT for example. Under the old FP+ model, you had people who were in the standby line, and people who managed to get a FP for the ride. Only under the previous model, the FP was free. I don't remember ever hearing about the standby line being closed down, and if it might have happened on an ultra peak day, it certainly hasn't been a widespread re-occurring problem. Now you will have standby and LL options, which can be analogized as paid for FP. As long as the paid LL access stays to generally the same amount of riders as the old FP+ option, you shouldn't see a large impact on the standby line.

 

[havoc315]

Agreed, folks will use strandby.

It's not clear at this time but as part of the new G+, LL system, I have heard about the possibility of the standby lines being cut off, (allowing no one to wait in standby) if the standby queue gets too long.

Lets see what happens..

No, what you “heard” is in relation to Paris Disneyland. While there was a rumor WDW would adopt something similar, G+ was announced instead.

G+ won’t make the standby lines any worse than FP+. May make them a bit better.

 

[Disstevefan1]

The only time I recall there being a stand by line shutdown, was when Frozen first opened, and I believe they at one point stopped letting people into the line, because they knew there was not way the capacity would allow for them to let more people ride given time left before park close. This may have happened with other rides (Flight comes to mind) but just be outside my knowledge base.

That being said, as long as they don't DRASTICALLY oversell the LL passes, it really shouldn't be a problem, and if so is likely limited to the top headline ride of each park only. Take 7DMT for example. Under the old FP+ model, you had people who were in the standby line, and people who managed to get a FP for the ride. Only under the previous model, the FP was free. I don't remember ever hearing about the standby line being closed down, and if it might have happened on an ultra peak day, it certainly hasn't been a widespread re-occurring problem. Now you will have standby and LL options, which can be analogized as paid for FP. As long as the paid LL access stays to generally the same amount of riders as the old FP+ option, you shouldn't see a large impact on the standby line.

Lets see what happens. I would not be surprised if the standby lines get shut down "to better serve the guest".

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Lets see what happens. I would not be surprised if the standby lines get shut down "to better serve the guest".

Why? It has never, or only in the most of rare and isolated incidents ever happened before, so why would you think it will happen now? Now for newer rides like RotR, yes they will likely not utilzie a standby line when the ride first opens. We have seen that model now twice (first with Rise and now with Rat, and I have to imagine Tron and Guardians will follow a similar model) but those weren't lines be shut down, rather standby not being offered.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Why? It has never, or only in the most of rare and isolated incidents ever happened before, so why would you think it will happen now? Now for newer rides like RotR, yes they will likely not utilzie a standby line when the ride first opens. We have seen that model now twice (first with Rise and now with Rat, and I have to imagine Tron and Guardians will follow a similar model) but those weren't lines be shut down, rather standby not being offered.

Why? Because MONEY.

 

[SteveAZee]

Agreed, folks will use strandby.

It's not clear at this time but as part of the new G+, LL system, I have heard about the possibility of the standby lines being cut off, (allowing no one to wait in standby) if the standby queue gets too long.

Lets see what happens..

I'm assuming 'strandby' is a combination of 'stranded' and 'standby'.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's not clear at this time but as part of the new G+, LL system, I have heard about the possibility of the standby lines being cut off, (allowing no one to wait in standby) if the standby queue gets too long.

I think that's a hypothetical that would happen extremely rarely, if at all. Maybe on Christmas, or when something is BRAND new. But even now, I predict that Rise of the Resistance won't get above a 2 hour wait.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I think that's a hypothetical that would happen extremely rarely, if at all. Maybe on Christmas, or when something is BRAND new. But even now, I predict that Rise of the Resistance won't get above a 2 hour wait.

Lets hope its rare and folks can generally use standby for all attractions if they want to. Lets see what happens.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I'm assuming 'strandby' is a combination of 'stranded' and 'standby'.

Well lets hope once you are in line they actually let you wait and eventually ride and not tell you to go away after you are in line.

 

[nickys]

The goal with FP+, and continued with LL — was to spread out attendance to less popular attractions. This was particularly true with FP+, when every guest was being promised 3 passes, but there wasn’t enough capacity to give every guest 3 REAL passes in every park. So you got FPs to Beauty and the Beast.

In fact, this may be part of the reason they couldn’t bring back FP+ even if they wanted to, right now. There are still enough closed entertainment and attractions, they wouldn’t be able to give every guest 3 FPs. It’s possible that contributed to the impetus to switch systems.

Genie was announced well before the pandemic. And paid for “FPs” was being discussed here before that.

It’s more likely that Covid delayed it’s introduction.

 

[nickys]

I think that's a hypothetical that would happen extremely rarely, if at all. Maybe on Christmas, or when something is BRAND new. But even now, I predict that Rise of the Resistance won't get above a 2 hour wait.

Really? When FoP was often well over 2 hours, up to 4 hours at times. What makes you think Rise won’t go over 2 hours? Or are you saying they will stop people lining up at that point?

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Universal is going to start beating Disney over the next 10 years. Why? Because they focus on the customer experience. Express pass is prohibitively expensive for the majority of guests making the standby lines acceptable. Genie will tell ppl to go to where the lines are short and then Jack up the price or they’ll lie about the wait times or they’ll flood it with cheap LL passes. Disney is really getting me close to not renewing my AP. I have been a pass holder since my third (I think?) birthday. My SO has been for a while too. My dad has been an AP since they created APs. My mom since they got married. We are all about to cancel depending on how hard genie screws things up.

 

[pdude81]

Universal is going to start beating Disney over the next 10 years. Why? Because they focus on the customer experience. Express pass is prohibitively expensive for the majority of guests making the standby lines acceptable. Genie will tell ppl to go to where the lines are short and then Jack up the price or they’ll lie about the wait times or they’ll flood it with cheap LL passes. Disney is really getting me close to not renewing my AP. I have been a pass holder since my third (I think?) birthday. My SO has been for a while too. My dad has been an AP since they created APs. My mom since they got married. We are all about to cancel depending on how hard genie screws things up.

I think Universal has a strategic pandemic benefit in their AP promotion earlier in the year when things were starting to look better and Disney was heavily limiting attendance. So they have built in a good chunk of people who have incentive already to go there repeatedly, which reduces the number of people either paying for tickets or APs at Disney somewhat. There are some like me who have passes to both, but I imagine this was a chance for many to try something else.

Now with these people getting used to going to Universal, they have the new park opening up, and that is it's own huge draw. Having the newest "thing" is going to be a big deal, especially considering that Nintendo World will be part of it. I can only hope that after Epic Universe opens that Disney follows up with some big additions of their own.

 

[LittleBuford]

Universal is going to start beating Disney over the next 10 years. Why? Because they focus on the customer experience.

Without Disney's brand and IPs, I every much doubt it.

 

[jpinkc]

Without Disney's brand and IPs, I every much doubt it.

I dont know, I think Disney's nostalgia will wear thin in coming years. As more of us (like me) who remember what Disney movies and TV was for them growing up get older and stop going for a myriad of reasons. I am seeing less reason to go after our next trip for sure with the costs being increased everytime you turn around. Right now I see Uni as the better value, maybe not better food (at most places) but better experiences (Hogsmead, Diagon Alley) they feel alive like WDW used to. WDW in some ways is acting like a museum.

 

[disneygeek90]

Ok, thanks. I haven't been in (nearly) 3 years and it was already $15 by then. For some reason I thought it launched at 15 and they raised it just before (U.S.) covid time.

I was last there Nov 2017 and remember paying $10. They must have raised it shortly after that.

 

[LittleBuford]

I dont know, I think Disney's nostalgia will wear thin in coming years. As more of us (like me) who remember what Disney movies and TV was for them growing up get older and stop going for a myriad of reasons. I am seeing less reason to go after our next trip for sure with the costs being increased everytime you turn around.

I’m sure there are many who would happily switch, but there are also those of us who are in it for Disney specifically. While I have no idea which group is larger, I personally find it difficult to imagine a world in which Universal’s ostensibly better customer service is able to eclipse the unique appeal of Disney’s brand.

 

[jpinkc]

Anyone think we will get the WHOLE Genie+ and LL stuff this week?? Just wondering as I have to start our dining reservations and stuff this week. I cant believe they will wait til the 50th to start it.

 

[havoc315]

Genie was announced well before the pandemic. And paid for “FPs” was being discussed here before that.

It’s more likely that Covid delayed it’s introduction.

Genie, when announced, was an empty shell — nothing about G+ or LL.

Certainly, there has been talk of paid FP for years.

But also appears possible/likely that the FP+ system wouldn’t even work right now. Which, as I said, May I have contributed to this choice of new system at this time.

 

[pdude81]

I was last there Nov 2017 and remember paying $10. They must have raised it shortly after that.

Nov 2018 here. Now you've got me second guessing myself. Email receipt just gives a top line price also so that's no help.