Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Random notes from this morning:

  • Rise made it to 8:40am before selling out, and it seemed to progress very orderly while I was watching it - 7pm, 7:05, 7:10, 7:15, etc. I keep saying this, but maybe more capacity devoted to ILL?
  • I can see the impact of more people using G+ in MK as well - JC was 2:10pm around 8am, and PP was 12:55. Those are much farther out than a month ago when G+ started
Looks like we are running into the same issues we had with the boarding groups; either immediately all taken , or the case of DG+ the earliest available return time even when checking early in the morning, is late in the day.

It makes me re think about the Universal express pass. The express pass is very expensive, but there is no fooling with an app, trying to get a return time etc., you just get in the express line of any attraction any time of the day.
 

Thepuma

Well-Known Member
Ton
It's one thing if one or two attractions fill up quickly. It's a whole other thing if you're paying for line skipping and all the attractions are gone by early afternoon.

You're assuming everyone feels like you do.
To be fair...me and my wife (pre pandemic) visited Orlando from the UK 3 times a year....we are coming over in 2 weeks times and after that we have decided to go to different places in the world - not because we are bored, but because the magic of Disney is gone - this whole Genie/LL garbage has just took the edge off going to Disney Parks- We used to visit every other day of our 2 week break, used to plan our fast passes 30 days in advance so we could plan our day around them - this $15 genie+ and the paid Lightning Lanes, as well as the loss of many other benefits really has killed it for us.

We will have a blast In a few weeks, but after that it's goodbye Orlando....we enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

We are going to visit themes Parks across the world now and maybe Disney ripping everyone off and taking advantage has done us a favour and will broaden our horizons.

We aren't the only ones...our friends have said the same - and having mentioned the changes at Disney to other people, they are all of the same mindset, its too complicated now and too expensive.

Such a shame. If Disneys aim was to reduce numbers (while making the same profit) then I think by next December they will have their wish.
 

Jeff4272

Well-Known Member
Its all about the gamification (on us) with this system. No early return times, they are trying to get people to stay later in the parks in the intention of getting you to spend more money in the parks on merch and food.
Agree.........

In the case of HS, there seems to be no Genie+ available between 11am-5pm.........We will just book SDD at 7am for a later return (if possible) and then at 11am book a second Genie+ for 4pm or later and continue to stack with later times and then we will sleep in and spend the day at the pool and do the park at night.............I think they want you to stay later, assuming you go early........It will actually cut down our park time...........

I dont want to be in HS on thanksgiving week in 60+ minute waits from 11am-5pm with no Genie+ selections
 
Its all about the gamification (on us) with this system. No early return times, they are trying to get people to stay later in the parks in the intention of getting you to spend more money in the parks on merch and food.
How do I let them know I want to go to another one of their parks in the evening and spend more money on food and merch there instead of HS? Very frustrating experience for people that want to do that. The hoop jumping they have us do is to the point of ridiculousness right now.
 

jpinkc

Well-Known Member
Agree.........

In the case of HS, there seems to be no Genie+ available between 11am-5pm.........We will just book SDD at 7am for a later return (if possible) and then at 11am book a second Genie+ for 4pm or later and continue to stack with later times and then we will sleep in and spend the day at the pool and do the park at night.............I think they want you to stay later, assuming you go early........It will actually cut down our park time...........

I dont want to be in HS on thanksgiving week in 60+ minute waits from 11am-5pm with no Genie+ selections
That is my biggest fear when we are there.......
 

dreday3

Well-Known Member
Agree.........

In the case of HS, there seems to be no Genie+ available between 11am-5pm.........We will just book SDD at 7am for a later return (if possible) and then at 11am book a second Genie+ for 4pm or later and continue to stack with later times and then we will sleep in and spend the day at the pool and do the park at night.............I think they want you to stay later, assuming you go early........It will actually cut down our park time...........

I dont want to be in HS on thanksgiving week in 60+ minute waits from 11am-5pm with no Genie+ selections

In general, if you don't want lines, don't go Thanksgiving week.

So is there any data on if the stand-by lines have now- truly - gotten outrageous? Because late October it was still completely doable to go to parks without purchasing Genie +. Is that not the case anymore?
 
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Jrb1979

Well-Known Member
Ton

To be fair...me and my wife (pre pandemic) visited Orlando from the UK 3 times a year....we are coming over in 2 weeks times and after that we have decided to go to different places in the world - not because we are bored, but because the magic of Disney is gone - this whole Genie/LL garbage has just took the edge off going to Disney Parks- We used to visit every other day of our 2 week break, used to plan our fast passes 30 days in advance so we could plan our day around them - this $15 genie+ and the paid Lightning Lanes, as well as the loss of many other benefits really has killed it for us.

We will have a blast In a few weeks, but after that it's goodbye Orlando....we enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

We are going to visit themes Parks across the world now and maybe Disney ripping everyone off and taking advantage has done us a favour and will broaden our horizons.

We aren't the only ones...our friends have said the same - and having mentioned the changes at Disney to other people, they are all of the same mindset, its too complicated now and too expensive.

Such a shame. If Disneys aim was to reduce numbers (while making the same profit) then I think by next December they will have their wish.
Europe has some of the best parks. Efteling, Europa park are some of the best. The UK has some great ones too.
 

Thepuma

Well-Known Member
Europe has some of the best parks. Efteling, Europa park are some of the best. The UK has some great ones too.
Yeah I agree....We have done the UK parks to death (as we live there) - we adore Orlando and all its parks.....but Disney has soured things a little.

We will do Europa Park, Efteling, Phantasia Land etc....Did Portaventura in September and has a great coaster in Shambhala (we called it Europe's Mako)

Disney will still get some of our money as we have decided instead of doing Orlando next May as originally planned, we will go to Tokyo and do their Disney Parks and explore Japan. After that it's possibly LA and its parks. ...after all that who knows...

Maybe by then (in 2 or 3 years time) Disney will have realised their mistake and changed a few things back...or at least made Genie Plus Free.

"If its not broke don't try to fix it" Never has the saying been more apt with Disney.
 
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doctornick

Well-Known Member
One big problem with Genie+ is that by taking out the two highest demand attractions from each park, the Genie+ pressure trickles down to the next level of attraction. I hated Fastpass+, but felt that the original Fastpass as well as MaxPass had many things going for it. Genie+ with the additional upcharges make for a significant pool of Lightning Lane reservations pulled out of rotation.

At this point, I think each park should be reduced to one upcharge attraction to actually make Genie+ have value. The cheapest upcharge Lightning Lane is $7 and as such you have to assume that the "value" of each Genie+ Lightning Lane that's included in the $15 is no more than $7 and probably closer to $5. This means you need to be able to get at least 4 uses to get the "value" out of it.

While I'd like to see the service eliminated entirely and have everything revert to complimentary, day of only Fastpass on a digitized system, if that's not an option I think reducing the upcharges to one attraction per park is realistic.

MK - Mine Train until TRON opens
DHS - Rise of the Resistance
EP - Ratatouille until Cosmic Rewind opens
DAK - Flight of Passage
I agree with this. In fact it seems shocking that WDW would do 2 rides per park for ILL considering that DLR only did one for DL where they have a ton of ride capacity. Dropping it down to one ride per park makes a ton of sense and will make Genie+ much more useful and less likely to disappoint users.
 
In general, if you don't want lines, don't go Thanksgiving week.

So is there any data on if the stand-by lines have now- truly - gotten outrageous? Because late October it was still completely doable to go to parks without purchasing Genie +. Is that not the case anymore?
It's still manageable on lower than average days. It may not be exactly what you want when you want, but for example at 6:10pm on a Wednesday at HS: RotR is currently a posted 65 min standby and Touring Plans estimating a 48 minute wait, which is a lot better than 100+ I suppose. ToT is 13 mins, RnRC 22, MFSR is 29, MMRR is 30. If you rope drop, and stay in the park all day and don't mind waiting in some 30+ minute lines, it's totally manageable.

Edit to add: you may see me complain about it all in this thread because I don't want to stay in the same park all day and I want to take a break midday at the WDW resort hotel that I'm paying out the nose for, but for a certain touring style on non-holidays it is indeed manageable. Also, this isn't hard and fast data, just mostly my opinion of watching wait times since G+ started.
 

Patcheslee

Well-Known Member
It's still manageable on lower than average days. It may not be exactly what you want when you want, but for example at 6:10pm on a Wednesday at HS: RotR is currently a posted 65 min standby and Touring Plans estimating a 48 minute wait, which is a lot better than 100+ I suppose. ToT is 13 mins, RnRC 22, MFSR is 29, MMRR is 30. If you rope drop, and stay in the park all day and don't mind waiting in some 30+ minute lines, it's totally manageable.

Edit to add: you may see me complain about it all in this thread because I don't want to stay in the same park all day and I want to take a break midday at the WDW resort hotel that I'm paying out the nose for, but for a certain touring style on non-holidays it is indeed manageable. Also, this isn't hard and fast data, just mostly my opinion of watching wait times since G+ started.
Touring plans posted an interesting blog about queue times pre-Genie and post-Genie. Comparing actual vs posted wait accuracy, including comparing G+ vs ILL accuracy. I'll try to find it again on Twitter.
 

Waters Back Side

Well-Known Member
For HS which seems to be the park with the rides that fill up the quickest on Genie+, my obvious choice (New years week 12/28) at 7am (maybe I wait until 715 but be ready) is SDD for sometime in the mid to late afternoon. I plan to buy Rise for 6pm at 7am (last ride before dinner). At 7am I will buy MMRR (I might wait till 9 and risk availability because I might have a 6th guest with us that day not staying st a disney resort). I think MMRR even New Years week will be available for 12 or 1 pm when booking at 9am. I see no indication it will sell out that quickly. So between 7 and 9am I'll have SDD, Rise and MMRR booked. At 11am I will plan to choose ONE of RNRC or TOT for later (whichever is available) At 3pm I'll hope for TSM for anytime later in the day.

So on 12/28 the busiest week of the year on my HS day I'll have gone on ROTR, SDD, MMRR, one of RNRC or TOT and Toy Story Mania. Then my 2nd HS day which is a 6 hour park day and we depart for home I'll do MFSR and the other ot TOT and TNRC. The key is 5 of the 7 planned rides the 1st day.

Genie + rides SDD (7am), ToT 11am OR RNRC, and TSM (1pm)
ILL-MMRR 7 or 9am and Rise 7am
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I agree with this. In fact it seems shocking that WDW would do 2 rides per park for ILL considering that DLR only did one for DL where they have a ton of ride capacity. Dropping it down to one ride per park makes a ton of sense and will make Genie+ much more useful and less likely to disappoint users.
That capacity at Disneyland diminishes the demand for an Individual Lightning Lane because it can shift around. You can’t as easily build up the required demand. Walt Disney World has inadequate capacity so there is more demand.
 

DisneyDodo

Well-Known Member

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