Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[JAB]

I hope so. But the timing is crap. Scottish schools are already on holiday, the rest of the U.K. follow in the next few weeks. This is peak time for U.K. visitors.

Disney's building a digital Hadrian's Wall.

 

[nickys]

Disney's building a digital Hadrian's Wall.

I think they’re restarting 1776 …..

 

[JAB]

I think they’re restarting 1776 …..

You need to sic the ice cream girl from Manchester on Disney. She'll let them know what's what.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

March 30th 2024 DHS

Park open at 9am

At 11am (everyone should be getting LL2): Only Slinky Dog was sold out. MFSR was out to 5:45pm.

At 1pm (everyone should be getting LL3): Slinky is Sold out, MFSR sells out ~1:10pm so I'll count that as sold out. MMRR is pushing around 8pm, officially sells out around 2pm so I'll call that one gone as well. Finally, both ToT and TSMM are around the 7:20pm return time.

At 3pm (everyone should be getting LL4): Slinky, MFSR, TSMM, TOT, and MMRR are all sold out. Alien pushes past 8pm at 3:05pm, and sells out completely at 3:25pm so I'll call that one sold out as well. Star Tours basically keeps a return time within 20 mins of booked and at 3pm has a 25 min wait at 3pm

Of course there are people that buy it after park open, don't book a new one when they can, or simply don't understand how it works. That is a problem with Disney teaching the system, not a problem with G+ itself. Everyone should have got 3-4 rides by simply be a competent G+ user (no need to refresh or book a new ride the millisecond you can, just within 15 mins or so). I'm not going to blame this new Multipass system when someone prebooks It's tough to be a bug, Feathered friends in flight, and Nemo musical then doesn't know they can book a forth one.

This kind of highlights the problem though, with perfect planning and knowledge of the system you’re struggling to get 4 on a busy day, with the new system we can get the same 4 but without the stress.

I can (theoretically) now wake up and get on my computer at home a week before my trip, select Slinky at 9, ToT at noon, and TSM at 2, then a week later at the park I ride slinky at 9 and nearly everything should still be available for my 4th (assuming similar use) rather than only having the option of Star Tours, Alien, or a show (which I’ve probably already done as standby since the lines are usually reasonable).

Using your own sellout timeline an experienced power user should (hypothetically) be able to get your 4th LL at 9, 5th at 11, 6th at 1, and 7th at 3.

Worst case scenario everyone who pays gets 3 rides, all without any Genie knowledge or insider tricks /hacks, best case scenario power users get 7 or more. That feels like a win/win.

 

[Purduevian]

I can (theoretically) now wake up and get on my computer at home a week before my trip, select Slinky at 9, ToT at noon, and TSM at 2, then a week later at the park I ride slinky at 9 and nearly everything should still be available for my 4th (assuming similar use) rather than only having the option of Star Tours, Alien, or a show (which I’ve probably already done as standby since the lines are usually reasonable).

I think the bolded is a very bad assumption... Everyone will have 3 booked thus it will look more like 4 hours after opening today (when everyone should be booking their third).

I think on busy days you will struggle just as much to get a decent #4, but should always get a decent 1,2, and 3 just as you do now with G+

 

[Splash4eva]

The challenge still stands... and I'll modify it based on weather. Find a day using thrill data where all G+ rides were sold out in any park 4 hours after park opening or said ride that was available was unavailable the rest of the day.
I'll add 2 more conditions that should make it even easier:

• A Ride can be considered "sold out" if the return time is after 8pm
• I won't count the follow as valid options:
  • Any show (philharmagic, Muppets, ect)
  • Any attraction that has less than a 20 min wait at the time

Totally agree with you on this. Its impossible. Literally impossible

 

[JD80]

I think the bolded is a very bad assumption... Everyone will have 3 booked thus it will look more like 4 hours after opening today (when everyone should be booking their third).

I think on busy days you will struggle just as much to get a decent #4, but should always get a decent 1,2, and 3 just as you do now with G+

Depends on how they do drops.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I think the bolded is a very bad assumption... Everyone will have 3 booked thus it will look more like 4 hours after opening today (when everyone should be booking their third).

I think on busy days you will struggle just as much to get a decent #4, but should always get a decent 1,2, and 3 just as you do now with G+

I think that’s fair, the problem with either line scheme is there’s not enough availability, simple math dictates that for every experienced power user that gets 6 or 7 some average Joe probably only got 1 or 2. That may be the average Joes own fault for not being on top of it but that doesn’t change the fact they feel ripped off and it lessens the chance they’ll use Genie again, or worse they never visit the parks again.

The new system will probably be worse for the power user but should be much better for the average joe, which is good for Disney. The fewer average Joes who feel ripped off and demand refunds, or quietly just don’t return, the better for Disney.

 

[Splash4eva]

I think that’s fair, the problem with either line scheme is there’s not enough availability, simple math dictates that for every experienced power user that gets 6 or 7 some average Joe probably only got 1 or 2. That may be the average Joes own fault for not being on top of it but that doesn’t change the fact they feel ripped off and it lessens the chance they’ll use Genie again, or worse they never visit the parks again.

The new system will probably be worse for the power user but should be much better for the average joe, which is good for Disney. The fewer average Joes who feel ripped off and demand refunds, or quietly just down return, the better for Disney.

Problem is power uses are now going to feel they are not getting their moneys worth and Disney loses their money. Sadly there is only 1 answer thats Disney refuses to do and thats add legit real capacity to each park

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I think power users always figure out whatever system Disney puts out there - as long as it’s not heavily restrictive like FP+ was immediately upon its debut (and even then, I remember people were using multiple park tickets lol). If this behaves like FP+ for the most part, power users had a good handle on that system and although it allowed repeats it was more restrictive in that you had to use (or pretend to use) your 3 FP before booking more.

 

[Purduevian]

I think that’s fair, the problem with either line scheme is there’s not enough availability, simple math dictates that for every experienced power user that gets 6 or 7 some average Joe probably only got 1 or 2. That may be the average Joes own fault for not being on top of it but that doesn’t change the fact they feel ripped off and it lessens the chance they’ll use Genie again, or worse they never visit the parks again.

The new system will probably be worse for the power user but should be much better for the average joe, which is good for Disney. The fewer average Joes who feel ripped off and demand refunds, or quietly just down return, the better for Disney.

You know, that is very fair. I just hate the idea that people said they were only able to get 1 or 2 rides in on G+ as with about 90 seconds of reading what you are buying, everyone should have gotten at least 3 even on the busiest of busy days.

 

[Jrb1979]

Problem is power uses are now going to feel they are not getting their moneys worth and Disney loses their money. Sadly there is only 1 answer thats Disney refuses to do and thats add legit real capacity to each park

I agree that more capacity is needed. There is another answer and that is they can't let everyone have access to LL queues.

When everyone is special nobody is special.

I know why they won't do it but the real solution is limit how many people can buy these passes and everyone waits in standby.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I can’t lie I find it amusing that with every single system change the online community has claimed that it was going to make things more fair and even across the board. It never does lol. I don’t even agree that it should, I am all for a system that rewards effort and research.

 

[Splash4eva]

I can’t lie I find it amusing that with every single system change the online community has claimed that it was going to make things more fair and even across the board. It never does lol. I don’t even agree that it should, I am all for a system that rewards effort and research.

Have you not pAid attention to society lately. Effort & hard work is pointless now. People just want handouts

 

[GoofGoof]

Problem is power uses are now going to feel they are not getting their moneys worth and Disney loses their money. Sadly there is only 1 answer thats Disney refuses to do and thats add legit real capacity to each park

So far the average Disney theme park fan seems unable to actually say no to anything Disney does. Go to just about any thread here and there are people claiming they are done because of blah, blah, blah…..then six months later the same person is positing a trip report and talking about 2 more trips planned.

I was not aware before reading here that a large number of people were asking for refunds from Genie+. That alone could be the major reason for this change. It goes from pay $25 to buy into a system that allows me to book front of the line reservations all day and people then being disappointed they got 3 or less useful reservations to a system where you see in advance what’s available and book your 3 up front. Way less grounds to ask for a refund and they are spelling out no refunds up front.

 

[GoofGoof]

I agree that more capacity is needed. There is another answer and that is they can't let everyone have access to LL queues.

When everyone is special nobody is special.

I know why they won't do it but the real solution is limit how many people can buy these passes and everyone waits in standby.

Aside from limiting the number of LL multi passes sold (good idea) they could also limit the number of rides available on the system. Keep it only to headliner rides with longer waits so basically the tier 1 plus individual LL rides. Then all of the other rides are standby only and waits drop down for most rides. There’s no reason to have LL for any of the shows but also no need for rides like Star Tours or HM or Pirates or any other high capacity ride. Then combine ILL with MLL and price accordingly.

• MK it’s 7 rides so most value and highest price - somewhere in the $70-$150 range to start with other parks costing less. You could also split MK into two 4 ride packages (add something back in) which could either both be purchased at the same time - double the profits or just one or the other if people wanted to spread it out
• EPCOT is 4 but will be back to 5 once TT is back and DHS is 5
• AK has no tiers now but I’d add 4 rides to FoP to make it 5 total: EE, Kali, Navi and Dinosaur

If they did this no repeats, no park hopping and obviously only sell whatever level they have available so limited to the a set percentage of the lowest capacity ride. This again makes standby lines shorter on all the other rides.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

March 30th 2024 DHS

Park open at 9am

At 11am (everyone should be getting LL2): Only Slinky Dog was sold out. MFSR was out to 5:45pm.

At 1pm (everyone should be getting LL3): Slinky is Sold out, MFSR sells out ~1:10pm so I'll count that as sold out. MMRR is pushing around 8pm, officially sells out around 2pm so I'll call that one gone as well. Finally, both ToT and TSMM are around the 7:20pm return time.

At 3pm (everyone should be getting LL4): Slinky, MFSR, TSMM, TOT, and MMRR are all sold out. Alien pushes past 8pm at 3:05pm, and sells out completely at 3:25pm so I'll call that one sold out as well. Star Tours basically keeps a return time within 20 mins of booked and at 3pm has a 25 min wait at 3pm

Of course there are people that buy it after park open, don't book a new one when they can, or simply don't understand how it works. That is a problem with Disney teaching the system, not a problem with G+ itself. Everyone should have got 3-4 rides by simply be a competent G+ user (no need to refresh or book a new ride the millisecond you can, just within 15 mins or so). I'm not going to blame this new Multipass system when someone prebooks It's tough to be a bug, Feathered friends in flight, and Nemo musical then doesn't know they can book a forth one.

Are you going by Thrill Data information? I can't speak to the details of how they collect data, but I think they keep pinging constantly, so they are posting ideal results.

Just yesterday, Tiana's was out of G+ at 8am, but later in the day there was spotty availability. Thrill data shows those additional drops, and in that specific case- maybe many park goers did get lucky.

But I could also see how someone who searched at all the wrong times might not see any availability after 8am, if they looked and refreshed during all the wrong time intervals. And well, there's good reason for the average parkgoer to think Tiana passes were all gone by 8am for a new ride experience. I'm not in WDW right now, I'm just trying to explain how there could be a difference.

At least that has been my experience.

Mind, I've personally always been able to get more G+. Though I did have one bad day once at HS during a holiday week back when passes could not be modified. The modify feature is key to making any of these workable, IMO.

 

[Splash4eva]

Are you going by Thrill Data information? I can't speak to the details of how they collect data, but I think they keep pinging constantly, so they are posting ideal results.

Just yesterday, Tiana's was out of G+ at 8am, but later in the day there was spotty availability. Thrill data shows those additional drops, and in that specific case- maybe many park goers did get lucky.

But I could also see how someone who searched at all the wrong times might not see any availability after 8am, if they looked and refreshed during all the wrong time intervals. And well, there's good reason for the average parkgoer to think Tiana passes were all gone by 8am for a new ride experience. I'm not in WDW right now, I'm just trying to explain how there could be a difference.

At least that has been my experience.

Mind, I've personally always been able to get more G+. Though I did have one bad day once at HS during a holiday week back when passes could not be modified. The modify feature is key to making any of these workable, IMO.

HS may be the easiest to obtain every attraction with a little research when the drops are….

 

[yensid1967]

That's the problem, Disney used to lead, now they are the followers...

I think the problem is Disney makes you pay for more as an a la carte menu...Genie+ one price, then LL another...
I think if they just said here is the LL Xpress pass for $XXX.XX and bring back the FP machines to get your time to come back would be a solution. Anything would be better than what it is! (even if it is $100+, but anything more than $125 is too much!) I think if you paid one price for it, got a FP type ticket for a return time and NOT BEING ON YOUR PHONES AT ALL. I think guests would go for it! I would if I were going to the parks!

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

HS may be the easiest to obtain every attraction with a little research when the drops are….

Knowing the drops is an important detail to getting ideal results.