Disney Genie/Genie+ On Their Way to Anaheim

[Rich T]

So just a name change but not getting rid of the service. Genie+ becomes Lightning Lane Multi Pass/Lightning Lane Single Pass. How boring, the Genie name at least that was more Disney related. Lighting Lane Multi Pass just sounds like a monthly bus pass.

I despise all of Disney’s line-skipping ridiculousness, but I am glad the character of Genie will no longer be associated with it. Now I can once more look at the character without wanting to hurl.

 

[Nirya]

Disneyland Resort will also use the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single pass names beginning July 24. Based on the different ways we know guests visit Disneyland Resort, the way guests purchase, select and redeem Lightning Lane passes at Disneyland Resort will remain the same.

So nothing changes but the name here. Sure, I guess.

 

[Disney Irish]

So nothing changes but the name here. Sure, I guess.

Exactly that is the way I was looking at it, change the name and somehow people aren't going to still have the same issues with it?!?

 

[Disney Irish]

I despise all of Disney’s line-skipping ridiculousness, but I am glad the character of Genie will no longer be associated with it. Now I can once more look at the character without wanting to hurl.

Well for all the faults of Disney's version of line skipping they aren't the only ones who use the option. I was watching some videos of peoples recent trips to other parks from large chains to regional parks and all have the same issue with long lines due to the line skipping options. All have basically made it so its almost a requirement to buy it in order to do anything.

At least with Disney's its more affordable.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

As someone wondering how we’ll be able to do the parks without DAS this appears to be fantastic news, being able to preselect 3 of the long line rides was how we used to manage the parks before we knew DAS existed. It’s essentially FP+, at a price.

Excited to see how this plays out, gives me a little hope we may still be able to do the Disney parks.

 

[Rich T]

Well for all the faults of Disney's version of line skipping they aren't the only ones who use the option. I was watching some videos of peoples recent trips to other parks from large chains to regional parks and all have the same issue with long lines due to the line skipping options. All have basically made it so its almost a requirement to buy it in order to do anything.

At least with Disney's it’s more affordable.

Short of eliminating it, I would actually prefer it if they made it super expensive the way Universal does in Orlando. That way, Disney still gets the upcharge money—but in bigger chunks from fewer people— and the standby lines move much quicker. And tourists on a once-in-a lifetime trip can splurge to make sure they see everything.

Paying to skip lines should never be the norm at a theme park. Ideally, the parks should have enough high-capacity attractions in play to spread the crowds enough to make the skipping unnecessary. But I don’t see that happening at Disney or any other of the major players, so instead of punishing guests who, y’know, don’t believe “magic” should be an upcharge, let the few people willing to really splurge get in and out without causing too big a disruption to everyone else’s day.

 

[Disney Irish]

Short of eliminating it, I would actually prefer it if they made it super expensive the way Universal does in Orlando. That way, Disney still gets the upcharge money—but in bigger chunks from fewer people— and the standby lines move much quicker. And tourists on a once-in-a lifetime trip can splurge to make sure they see everything.

Paying to skip lines should never be the norm at a theme park. Ideally, the parks should have enough high-capacity attractions in play to spread the crowds enough to make the skipping unnecessary. But I don’t see that happening at Disney or any other of the major players, so instead of punishing guests who, y’know, don’t believe “magic” should be an upcharge, let the few people willing to really splurge get in and out without causing too big a disruption to everyone else’s day.

I don't disagree in an overall sense. But with DAS now being pretty much eliminated as the FP alternative for all but specific group I think that will have an overall effect to bring down standby. I've been checking the wait times since it went into effect and standby has been down across the board. We'll have to see how it does for the rest of the summer.

 

[TP2000]

The last sentence in that Parks Blog post just killed me. Dead. I'm on the floor. Struggling to revive and crawl to the bar cart to start the Cocktail Hour just a tad earlier than usual tonight because of this sentence...

"We deeply value the trust families place in Disney to create lasting memories and that is why we are dedicated to making updates that improve and simplify their experience." -Eric Scott, Senior Manager, Communications

 

[Rich T]

I don't disagree in an overall sense. But with DAS now being pretty much eliminated as the FP alternative for all but specific group I think that will have an overall effect to bring down standby. I've been checking the wait times since it went into effect and standby has been down across the board. We'll have to see how it does for the rest of the summer.

Here’s hoping!

 

[mickEblu]

As someone wondering how we’ll be able to do the parks without DAS this appears to be fantastic news, being able to preselect 3 of the long line rides was how we used to manage the parks before we knew DAS existed. It’s essentially FP+, at a price.

Excited to see how this plays out, gives me a little hope we may still be able to do the Disney parks.

You may already know but the above ^^ is only true for WDW. Lightning Lane will still work the same for DLR.

I think it's a great perk for folks staying onsite at WDW. Granted, it used to be free but it's much better than the current system of waking up at 6:45 am everyday on vacation to book LL's. When I was researching for a potential trip to WDW it became clear that the perks of staying onsite were almost zero since they moved to Genie + and got rid of Magical Express. Someone around here a while back hinted at the FP+ system coming back.

 

[mickEblu]

I don't disagree in an overall sense. But with DAS now being pretty much eliminated as the FP alternative for all but specific group I think that will have an overall effect to bring down standby. I've been checking the wait times since it went into effect and standby has been down across the board. We'll have to see how it does for the rest of the summer.

I think it's too soon to tell. You can probably attribute those lower wait times to less bodies in the park due to two tiers of pass holders being blocked out.

 

[Disney Irish]

I think it's too soon to tell. You can probably attribute those lower wait times to less bodies in the park due to two tiers of pass holders being blocked out.

Maybe that’s why I said we’ll see how things are for the rest of the summer.

 

[mickEblu]

Maybe that’s why I said we’ll see how things are for the rest of the summer.

Well you were insinuating that's why there might be lower wait times of late so I gave you the more likely reason

 

[PiratesMansion]

Going to everything being Lightning Lane will probably make this less confusing for people who are inexperienced parkgoers, and from that perspective, it's a win. Calling the product Genie+ but entering into the Lightning Lane to use it was an obvious mistake.

One that shouldn't have taken so long to figure out, but this is modern Disney we're talking about.

Maybe there's a 2% chance they'll also throw in the ability to reride attractions like you used to be able to with FP while they're at it?

 

[TP2000]

Going to everything being Lightning Lane will probably make this less confusing for people who are inexperienced parkgoers, and from that perspective, it's a win. Calling the product Genie+ but entering into the Lightning Lane to use it was an obvious mistake.

One that shouldn't have taken so long to figure out, but this is modern Disney we're talking about.

Maybe there's a 2% chance they'll also throw in the ability to reride attractions like you used to be able to with FP while they're at it?

"We deeply value the trust families place in Disney to create lasting memories and that is why we are dedicated to making updates that improve and simplify their experience." -Eric Scott, Senior Manager, Communications

 

[Disney Irish]

Well you were insinuating that's why there might be lower wait times of late so I gave you the more likely reason

And that very well could be the case, which is why I mentioned watching it to see how to progresses over the summer. But it does make sense if there is less LL due to less DAS that will have an effect on Standby, it just remains to be seen if its positive or negative.

Also remember that even if certain Keys are blocked out that there is the $50 ticket deal going on right now. So that should even out any loss of crowds from the Key being blocked.

 

[mickEblu]

And that very well could be the case, which is why I mentioned watching it to see how to progresses over the summer. But it does make sense if there is less LL due to less DAS that will have an effect on Standby, it just remains to be seen if its positive or negative.

Also remember that even if certain Keys are blocked out that there is the $50 ticket deal going on right now. So that should even out any loss of crowds from the Key being blocked.

I think it will have some effect. Even more so than WDW as we have more locals here and I’d imagine more locals/ Keys use DAS than vacationers/ day guests. With that said it’ll be hard to know. The majority being denied DAS may just end up purchasing LLs more often but then again if they re local that might be more of a rare occurrence. We also don’t know how many of the old DAS users are really being denied yet or what might happen in a few months/ years if the programs restrictions get loosened for various reasons.

I don’t think the guests the $50 kid deal brings evens out the loss of two tiers of Magic Keys. I don’t even think it’s close.

 

[Disney Irish]

I think it will have some effect. Even more so than WDW as we have more locals here and I’d imagine more locals/ Keys use DAS than vacationers/ day guests. With that said it’ll be hard to know. The majority being denied DAS may just end up purchasing LLs more often but then again if they re local that might be more of a rare occurrence. We also don’t know how many of the old DAS users are really being denied yet or what might happen in a few months/ years if the programs restrictions get loosened for various reasons.

We'll just have to wait and see.

I don’t think the guests the $50 kid deal brings evens out the loss of two tiers of Magic Keys. I don’t even think it’s close.

Based on what I've seen from earlier this year, and recently I feel it does, but YMMV.

 

[mickEblu]

Based on what I've seen from earlier this year, and recently I feel it does, but YMMV.

What do you mean?

 

[Disney Irish]

What do you mean?

Earlier this year during spring they also sold the $50 tickets, it seemed to have an impact on crowds making them busier.