I've always had a chuckle about avoiding wait times by going an waiting an hour before park opening. But, it still has value, especially if you are an early riser. For one, those 60 minutes are not eating into park operating hours. Whereas if you went into the line even right at park opening you'd be waiting in line for 90-120 minutes and lose that time to do other things. Second, Our family also goes in the summer, so waiting in the early morning hours is a little more tolerable weather wise.
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Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
mikejs78
Premium Member
That's exactly it. Waiting at Rope Drop is still waiting, but it's not losing out on doing other things.
Jeff4272
Well-Known Member
They open the park usually by 9am for 9:30 early entry (and some times before that)
So by getting in line at 8:30 and waiting between 15-30 minutes, it can save you up to 3 hours on a busy day
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gerarar
Premium Member
I read that sometimes additional ILL's for ROTR are dropped at 7:10am, but not throughout the day usually
This graph from Thrill-Data shows the return windows. Most days before 7:10, completely sold out.
DisneyDreamer08
Well-Known Member
I experienced something similar a few weeks ago. From 7-7:15 I could not secure an ILL for RotR. But at 7:15 on the dot, the system refreshed and a bunch of new times popped up. I was finally able to purchase then. I doubt they lasted much beyond that though.
Purduevian
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's just G+ that made rope drop worse. I rope dropped MK in October (right before G+). Got to the gates when they opened around 8, walked right to where we were held in fantasyland at 8:05. Finally at 8:30 we all ran in for 7D. I waited about 20 mins (of my 30 Early entry). Got off at "rope dropped" haunted mansion because that opens at 9am. After getting off mansion, everything was already busy.
DisneyDreamer08
Well-Known Member
I was at MK two days a few weeks ago. Both days I rope dropped Space Mountain at early entry. It took 20-25 minutes start to finish both days even though I was very close to front. I checked the wait time for Peter Pan both days, day one it was 45 minutes and day two it was 60. I didn’t wait either day. One day I walked on to Small World and the other day I went over to Jungle Cruise. I waited with the crowd prior to official park opening and my wait for that was 25. I did use Genie+ both days for everything else.
Pan will say 60 min but it’s not, remember there is no LL during EE and most people do not burn their EE in the first hour. A full queue for pan with no LL is 30 min.
Today in Epcot I counted a ratio of approximately 100 guests Lightning Lane for every group/party of stand-by (at least on Ratatouille and Soarin'). I had heard that the ratios weren't so skewed in LLs favor, but the ratios are either changing altogether or at least temporarily for the busy holiday season.
HoustonHorn
Premium Member
Not at all -
Thanksgiving last year (ridiculously busy). Staying on-site, so we got the 30-minute EMM.
AK - daughter and I rope dropped FoP and NRJ before 8:15 (park open 8:00).
MGM - dad and I rope dropped RotR and MF:SR (single rider); mom and dau did MMRR and TSM. All together by 10 with a 9 park open.
EPCOT - a little janky - we RD'd Soarin', then our boarding group for Rat got moved WAY up, so we had to go do that.
Gotta be honest - I am a big fan of the new EMM process. Spreading people out among all 4 parks is good. I know it's only 30 minutes instead of the hour, but you can do the most popular ride and usually be in line for another before the crowds get in.
Ha no. The parks opened early before the "benefit" existed every day This is a paper perk. Smart people always used to go opposite emh or nope our after getting there early to hop to other parks. Also Disney world should have the money and demand to have all their parks open from 8 am to midnight pretty much every day. All this talk about capacity not being enough or labor shortage is bull untill they do. If cedar point could sniff a fraction of Disney money by staffing this way "oh yea they actually do" wow maybe they just aren't aholes.
Jeff4272
Well-Known Member
Yes....unless you are a resort guest.....its great for resort guest, bad for non resort guests
danv3
Well-Known Member
Lirael
Well-Known Member
An interesting change. Perhaps sales were not as good as they expected and now they're hoping adding these to G+ will convince more people to finally pay up for G+
I think it is the opposite actually. Was there last weekend and the system struggled with LL return times because of all the people there/buying it. With spring break and summer coming it seems like they are trying to add more LL to Genie+ to improve the service and be able to accommodate the larger crowds.
Chip Chipperson
Well-Known Member
If August 8 rolls around and Frozen moves back to being an ILL selection then they're going to have some angry customers.
Lirael
Well-Known Member
That's more embarrassing for both sides if true. Imagine being a company as big as Disney and implementing a system without decent expectation and measures should people adhere to it. And imagine being a guest buying an absurd upcharge offering so ridiculous even the money grubbing executives that created it didn't expect this much people to take the bait lol