Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[SteveAZee]

I think they do the best they can using real-time data. There's a difference between estimating what a wait time is and reporting what it was. I have stood in plenty of Standby lines that were as long or longer than the posted wait time, so I don't think there is any malicious intent when they get them wrong.

It seems like the non-malicious reason to inflate wait times is to make the shorter wait feel like a 'win'. You get on a 45 minute wait line and you're on the ride in 30 minutes? That's a little boost for people, I think.

Personally, I'd prefer it to be accurate.

 

[peter11435]

The reasoning doesn't really matter...they're purposely not utilizing their full capacity.

But it does matter. And if the wait is truly 60+, it is almost never purposeful.

 

[UNCgolf]

It seems like the non-malicious reason to inflate wait times is to make the shorter wait feel like a 'win'. You get on a 45 minute wait line and you're on the ride in 30 minutes? That's a little boost for people, I think.

Personally, I'd prefer it to be accurate.

This is what I said above and I'd be shocked if Disney didn't do this. It's an easy way to slightly improve guest satisfactions.

A lot of industries do something similar.

 

[SteveAZee]

This is what I said above and I'd be shocked if Disney didn't do this. It's an easy way to slightly improve guest satisfactions.

A lot of industries do something similar.

Also, if the tracking/estimating process is truly sloppy, better to err on the side of the line being shorter than posted.

 

[aaronml]

Other people will get some kind of optimization that attempts to get some or all of those rides based on what is likely best for the park operations that day and not the actual customer.

This is the part that gives me optimism about the future of TouringPlans. Disney will undoubtedly use Genie to encourage people to do what is best for Park Ops, rather than putting guest interests first. TouringPlans has no such incentive.

 

[Patcheslee]

This is the part that gives me optimism about the future of TouringPlans. Disney will undoubtedly use Genie to encourage people to do what is best for Park Ops, rather than putting guest interests first. TouringPlans has no such incentive.

I'd personally stick with TP because I'm use to pre-planning. Then if I used Genie+, plug it's suggestion into TP and compare. If they looked to be similar then maybe I'd trust it more.

 

[pdude81]

I'd personally stick with TP because I'm use to pre-planning. Then if I used Genie+, plug it's suggestion into TP and compare. If they looked to be similar then maybe I'd trust it more.

 

[DisneyDodo]

Unfortunately, if Genie is successful in spreading out the crowds evenly throughout the day, Touring Plans would become less effective, as there wouldn't be as much inefficiency in guest flow to exploit.

 

[pdude81]

Unfortunately, if Genie is successful in spreading out the crowds evenly throughout the day, Touring Plans would become less effective, as there wouldn't be as much inefficiency in guest flow to exploit.

I assume that once there is a new system, Touring Plans will evaluate it and give you strategies on how to best use it. And given the new complexity of this system, it might even suggest whether or not the upcharges might be needed given predicted park "levels" for that day.

 

[pax_65]

I see Genie + as a simple price hike. Now I have to pay $15 more per person per day to have access to the FastPass system that used to be included in my park admission. Except now that doesn't include the most in-demand attractions. So I am literally paying significantly more to get less.

Am I missing something?

As far as the Tech goes, I'm expecting something like "Space Mountain is a 75 minute wait, but you can get on the Tea Cups for only a 5-minute wait now if you hurry!"

 

[Dranth]

This is the part that gives me optimism about the future of TouringPlans. Disney will undoubtedly use Genie to encourage people to do what is best for Park Ops, rather than putting guest interests first. TouringPlans has no such incentive.

Agreed.

It is in Touring Pans best interest to produce a plan that fits my stated goals/preferences. While that may be part of Disney’s goal with Genie, there are too many things they can do to try and optimize per guest spending that makes the whole thing feel a little gross.

 

[Waters Back Side]

I see Genie + as a simple price hike. Now I have to pay $15 more per person per day to have access to the FastPass system that used to be included in my park admission. Except now that doesn't include the most in-demand attractions. So I am literally paying significantly more to get less.

Am I missing something?

As far as the Tech goes, I'm expecting something like "Space Mountain is a 75 minute wait, but you can get on the Tea Cups for only a 5-minute wait now if you hurry!"

What about the IAS rides? Those you pay for separately. FOP, SDMT etc.

 

[RSoxNo1]

No more 1PM BG with LL+++++++, just 7AM -

Assumption, not confirmed.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I see Genie + as a simple price hike. Now I have to pay $15 more per person per day to have access to the FastPass system that used to be included in my park admission. Except now that doesn't include the most in-demand attractions. So I am literally paying significantly more to get less.

Am I missing something?

As far as the Tech goes, I'm expecting something like "Space Mountain is a 75 minute wait, but you can get on the Tea Cups for only a 5-minute wait now if you hurry!"

FastPass will now be an optional addon so it should be better overall for those who choose to purchase it.

How much better will depend on how many people buy it. If 90% of guests pay to get it, it will the same as always and just a price increase. If a small percentage of guests use it, it could be a very good benefit.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I see Genie + as a simple price hike. Now I have to pay $15 more per person per day to have access to the FastPass system that used to be included in my park admission. Except now that doesn't include the most in-demand attractions. So I am literally paying significantly more to get less.

Am I missing something?

The analogy I've used is that FastPass was a free public pool with 200 people in it. Genie+ is a private pool that costs $15, and it only has 20 people in it.

Yeah, you're paying for the "same" pool that used to be free, but your experience should be better if you choose to pay.

 

[aaronml]

Two other things to think about here:

1. It doesn’t seem like there is going to be a non-smartphone option for using Genie+. This means that at least one person in your party will need to have / use a smartphone in order to make Genie+ LL selections. Dead battery? Guess you’ll have to buy a FuelRod or just use Standby lines for the rest of the day. Seems like it shouldn’t be that expensive to just re-use the former FP+ kiosks for this.

2. I wonder what all of this will mean for VIPs (not VIP Tours), Club 33 guests, Golden Oak residents, etc. who historically have received complementary “Multiple Experience” FPs. Will they continue to receive that benefit in this new system / will it include the Tier 1 “IAS” attractions?

 

[pax_65]

The analogy I've used is that FastPass was a free public pool with 200 people in it. Genie+ is a private pool that costs $15, and it only has 20 people in it.

Yeah, you're paying for the "same" pool that used to be free, but your experience should be better if you choose to pay.

Makes sense. It might work out that a lot of people will pay the $15 a day, so that part will be a price hike - and will work similar to the old system. The add-on Lightning Lane attractions will probably be a much smaller pool since the cost will be higher. So those willing to pay for those attractions should enjoy a better experience.

Either way, WDW just got a lot more expensive.

 

[Patcheslee]

DLP has had the few paid FP attractions for a few weeks now. Has anyone heard reports about how it's effected lines? Or availability?

 

[Archie123]

The analogy I've used is that FastPass was a free public pool with 200 people in it. Genie+ is a private pool that costs $15, and it only has 20 people in it.

Yeah, you're paying for the "same" pool that used to be free, but your experience should be better if you choose to pay.

Your analogy doesn't work because you are way underestimating the amount of people who will be signing up for G+. I think that it is more like if 200 people were swimming for free then maybe that number will go down to 175.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Your analogy doesn't work because you are way underestimating the amount of people who will be signing up for G+. I think that it is more like if 200 people were swimming for free then maybe that number will go down to 175.

That remains to be seen, of course, but I don't think it's anywhere near that high. Of the 200, I think it's likely that at least 50 of them come and go without having any clue whatsoever what Genie+ even is.