Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[UNCgolf]

This is what I expected. They were going to have to issue refunds because other options weren't going to work.

I know a gift card isn't technically a refund, but it's a lot closer than anything else they could offer.

 

[Jeff4272]

To keep the cost of Genie+ in perspective, last week I spent 3 days at WDW and 2 days at Universal. A Universal basic Express Pass (can only be used one time per ride) cost me slightly over $170 with tax. That's a pass for one day for one park, not including the $132 cost for park admission. I used it on 7 rides, meaning a cost of close to $25 per ride to skip the standby lines.

Most guests will be lucky to get 4-5 rides on Genie +. And when busy less. And when slow, not needed. Universal has WAY more rides. AK and Epcot have nowhere near close to UOA combined.

 

[Jeff4272]

I don't think it will flop at all. I think a lot of first timers will buy it everyday on their trip.

Not when word gets out that you dont need it or it’s not close to worth it

 

[disneygeek90]

Make that option available in the app without a stop at guest relations and you got an actual process.

 

[Jeff4272]

I don't think it will flop at all. I think a lot of first timers will buy it everyday on their trip.

I want to be clear, I think IAS has a ton of value b tou can pick return time and it saves multiple hours. Genie + might save 10-15 mins per ride on average and that’s just not worth it.

 

[Chi84]

Well I guess we didn’t even have to wait a day.

 

[FeelsSoGoodToBeBad]

Make that option available in the app without a stop at guest relations and you got an actual process.

Agreed. Just a little button that pops up when the ride goes down (maybe after a certain period of time eg, more than 30 minutes, given return times are an hour?) that says "Request Refund". It isn't available at any other time, ONLY when the ride is down. Saves guests headache of having to track down and wait in line to get compensation, saves the CMs the headache of dealing with upset guests, saves the company having to keep more gift cards on hand for every time RotR goes down.

 

[DisneyDodo]

I want to be clear, I think IAS has a ton of value b tou can pick return time and it saves multiple hours. Genie + might save 10-15 mins per ride on average and that’s just not worth it.

Even if those numbers are accurate, if you book 5-6 LLs with G+ per day, you’re talking over an hour saved.

 

[Beenhereawhile]

Even if those numbers are accurate, if you book 5-6 LLs with G+ per day, you’re talking over an hour saved.

Yes but I wonder how much of your time will be buried in a phone, only to be frustrated when the times are not lining up with where you are in the park, so you end up walking back and forth across the park. Just curious how much time did you really save and how convenient it really would be?

 

[DisneyDodo]

Yes but I wonder how much of your time will be buried in a phone, only to be frustrated when the times are not lining up with where you are in the park, so you end up walking back and forth across the park. Just curious how convenient it really would be?

True. G+ would be twice as valuable if they let you schedule your return time

 

[flynnibus]

Firstly, ILL launched today, so this is new. Previously, Disney did not offer the option to book a specific attraction for a fee, at least not for several decades.

Secondly, just because a policy is old, doesn’t mean it’s not bad. If Disney can make it so easy for you to give them your money for a service, they should make it just as easy for you to get it back if they can’t provide the service. You’re literally paying money to save time — it defeats the purpose of the refund if you have to expend substantial time retrieving it.

So anytime Disney offers something new, you are in fear Disney is going to overnight flip and NOT be the most generous company around when it comes to Guest Recovery?

So what percentage of impacted people do you think are not going to find satisfaction with a simple re-ride?

You guys are focusing on CORNER CASES (I am leaving, I have ADRs, etc) to create concern like the whole thing is at risk. For the people that the default resolution doesn't work, Disney will work with you. IRREGARDLESS OF THE PRODUCT - This is how Disney works. Seriously... you all act like Disney is gonna say "sorry, you lose!!!".

Meanwhile... hundreds survived this gauntlet today and there were no reports of mass casualities or examples of the Rise of Scrooge punishing small children.

 

[Jeff4272]

Even if those numbers are accurate, if you book 5-6 LLs with G+ per day, you’re talking over an hour saved.

To get up at 7am, not be able to pick my return time, be on my phone all day and pay $75 for my family of 5? I’ll give that hour up, save the money and aggravation and sleep in until 9am and be no worse off.

 

[Jrb1979]

True. G+ would be twice as valuable if they let you schedule your return time

It defeats the purpose Disney has for Genie+ and it is too keep people in the parks as long as possible.

 

[flynnibus]

Yeah, having to pay for a specific ride and being given a return time is brand new. The existing recovery options aren’t likely to work. I think this is just another middle finger to the guest that you can’t get a refund, for any reason.

This is still Disney at WDW - that is not new. Disney's attitude towards guest recovery doesn't swing wildly based on a new offer. You guys are literally acting like Disney is gonna just give you the bird even if you raise a concern. Not only are you wildly concerned over a trivial sized transaction... its all ignoring the DECADES of behavior that Disney has shown no signs of diverging from.

 

[flynnibus]

wait.. what... DISNEY was accomodating to a concern raised when automatic recovery didn't work?

HOW CAN THIS BE? THIS IS A NEW PRODUCT.

 

[flynnibus]

That's a good compromise. Disney still gets the money in some fashion and people get their money back.

It's a simple resolution where they didn't have the software feature to provide an immediate refund. Like was said, Disney has a 101 things it could do and will to do bend over backwards to accommodate guests even when automatic options are viable. This whole thing has been a nuthing burger from the start.

 

[DisneyDodo]

So anytime Disney offers something new, you are in fear Disney is going to overnight flip and NOT be the most generous company around when it comes to Guest Recovery?

So what percentage of impacted people do you think are not going to find satisfaction with a simple re-ride?

You guys are focusing on CORNER CASES (I am leaving, I have ADRs, etc) to create concern like the whole thing is at risk. For the people that the default resolution doesn't work, Disney will work with you. IRREGARDLESS OF THE PRODUCT - This is how Disney works. Seriously... you all act like Disney is gonna say "sorry, you lose!!!".

Meanwhile... hundreds survived this gauntlet today and there were no reports of mass casualities or examples of the Rise of Scrooge punishing small children.

This is not a corner case. Most guests do not stay in the park until close (and those who do can ride with minimal wait without ILL). A large part of the benefit of ILL is getting to choose a specific return time that works for you. If the ride isn’t available at that time, you didn’t get what you paid for. Which is totally understandable, just offer the money back.

You try to make me sound hysterical, yet you are the only one hyperbolizing here. All I said is that it’s bad policy. And “bad policy” includes forcing you to work to get your money back. Again, you spent $15/person to skip a line, you’re probably not eager to waste 30 mins of your day getting a refund.

 

[UNCgolf]

So anytime Disney offers something new, you are in fear Disney is going to overnight flip and NOT be the most generous company around when it comes to Guest Recovery?

So what percentage of impacted people do you think are not going to find satisfaction with a simple re-ride?

You guys are focusing on CORNER CASES (I am leaving, I have ADRs, etc) to create concern like the whole thing is at risk. For the people that the default resolution doesn't work, Disney will work with you. IRREGARDLESS OF THE PRODUCT - This is how Disney works. Seriously... you all act like Disney is gonna say "sorry, you lose!!!".

Meanwhile... hundreds survived this gauntlet today and there were no reports of mass casualities or examples of the Rise of Scrooge punishing small children.

Nobody did this. You created this narrative in your mind and argued against something no one even suggested. I don't know how you still think people were claiming anything like this even though it was explained to you ad nauseum.

All anyone said was that Disney was likely going to have to offer refunds, and lo and behold, that's exactly what they've done (yes, technically not a refund, but close enough).

 

[J4546]

I feel like Genie+ might be worth it at MK and DHS for some, I dont see much value in it for Epcot or AK for me though. Honestly I think RAT and FOE should be regular lightning lane and well as Everest and FOP in AK. I know its a numbers balancing game, but there arent that many rides in Epcot or AK and I feel like you can pretty much hit them all pretty easily in a day without LL. I dunno, Im pretty optimistic about the entire thing, but there are still some tweaks Id like to see. Also, is the list of rides for Genie+ released for the CA parks?



Also I think Space Mountain will/should switch to regular LL when Tron opens, and Tron will be ILL.

 

[Jeff4272]

The whole thing seems counter intuitive

Very disappointing

So I can save an hour or 2 of waiting in line but I have get up 2 hours earlier than I would at 7am, not be able to go when I want in the afternoon because I cannot pick my return time, be on my phone all day and pay $75 for my family of 5?

I’ll give up the time I save standing in line, the money and aggravation and sleep in until 9am and be no worse off.

Where is the value in any of this?