Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[mikejs78]

I mean, if you told me ten years ago tickets would be over $140, the Yacht Club over $700, and the Christmas party over $200, I’d have been sure of the same kind of attendance drop. But here we are. Do it over a few years, hedge it in PR speak, offer some nice discounts here and there - is this really the straw that breaks the back?

I think it just might be. I am perfectly willing to spend money when I think it adds good value, and I'm far less down on Disney than many here. I'd consider Genie+, especially if they eventually go to rerides (which they've hinted at - but I'll never pay that amount of money for one ride on top of my ticket. I've yet to go on Rise, MMRR, and Rat. I'll rope drop them, close the park on them, wait in standby, or skip the ride entirely. But paying $60 for my family for *one* ride seems foolish to me and I just won't do it. And so if they go to a per ride or ticket type system for all rides on top of the $130 ticket, I'm out.

 

[mikejs78]

People are weird. Like @CaptainAmerica mentioned, in one of the posts "just consider it a $15 ticket increase." If Disney had just transitioned FP+ to a modified Maxpass, and increased the ticket cost at the same time, would people be this upset? If 100% of people had been charged for it, and eligible for it, instead of just whatever percentage of people who select in. Would people just say, "Disney is so crowded, more expensive tickets is just supply / demand at work, they had to do something, etc?" By making it a la carte instead of "standard" people perceive it as a worse thing?

I'd think there would even be less backlash if they just did Genie+ with everything included. It's the ILL that is bugging people.

 

[dreday3]

I'd think there would even be less backlash if they just did Genie+ with everything included. It's the ILL that is bugging people.

Maybe both? Because LL would be bound to run out pretty early for RAT and ROTR. Whatever the biggest ride is in each park. So then you should have the option to purchase if you can't get an LL....


(maybe for RAT. I may be projecting my excitement for the ride on to everyone else....)

 

[GhostHost1000]

I mean, if you told me ten years ago tickets would be over $140, the Yacht Club over $700, and the Christmas party over $200, I’d have been sure of the same kind of attendance drop. But here we are. Do it over a few years, hedge it in PR speak, offer some nice discounts here and there - is this really the straw that breaks the back?

Disney in my opinion has been flirting with the line lately so depending on the guest and their income, yes

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I'd think there would even be less backlash if they just did Genie+ with everything included. It's the ILL that is bugging people.

Ignore this … wrong info! Or offer the ILL rides without having to buy Genie+ first, I’d consider paying $15 to skip a 3 hour line, but I’m not going to pay $15 to skip short lines so I can have the opportunity to pay another $15 for the ride I really want.

Maxpass was worth every penny (to me) at Disneyland. Not sure why they didn’t just bring that to WDW and call it a day.

 

[Touchdown]

I'd think there would even be less backlash if they just did Genie+ with everything included. It's the ILL that is bugging people.

that and the one per ride limit.

 

[Touchdown]

Or offer the ILL rides without having to buy Genie+ first, I’d consider paying $15 to skip a 3 hour line, but I’m not going to pay $15 to skip short lines so I can have the opportunity to pay another $15 for the ride I really want.

They are doing that.

 

[GhostHost1000]

What happens if a lot of people pay $15 a day and cant get LL for any rides they prefer or what happens if a ride breaks down especially if someone paid for it as an ILL

guest services may be busy

 

[dreday3]

Or offer the ILL rides without having to buy Genie+ first, I’d consider paying $15 to skip a 3 hour line, but I’m not going to pay $15 to skip short lines so I can have the opportunity to pay another $15 for the ride I really want.

I thought you could purchase an IAS/ILL without needing Genie +? Or was that an early rumor? @wdwmagic - do you know?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I thought you could purchase an IAS/ILL without needing Genie +? Or was that an early rumor? @wdwmagic - do you know?

Why did they make this so difficult?

 

[GhostHost1000]

People are weird. Like @CaptainAmerica mentioned, in one of the posts "just consider it a $15 ticket increase." If Disney had just transitioned FP+ to a modified Maxpass, and increased the ticket cost at the same time, would people be this upset? If 100% of people had been charged for it, and eligible for it, instead of just whatever percentage of people who select in. Would people just say, "Disney is so crowded, more expensive tickets is just supply / demand at work, they had to do something, etc?" By making it a la carte instead of "standard" people perceive it as a worse thing?

Maybe but there are just a lot of negative things about this in my opinion. Who wants to schedule their morning to be on their phone planning their day at 7am

Also why does it have to be so confusing? Most of us on here are what I would call Disney experts but it’s not clear to some of us still

 

[Rich Brownn]

Anything above free is not lower than expected.
Disney only rolls out potentially negative PR on Fridays. Classic Dis.

On "The West Wing" they used to call it 'take out the trash day' - meaning no one pays attention on Fridays so dump the negative stuff then. LOL

 

[Ayla]

let's remember there is a whole list of rides that have never been on the Fastpass system and are there for you to enjoy as essentially walk-ons.

01. Astro Orbitor
02. Liberty Riverboat
03. Triceratop Spin
04. Carrousel of Progress
05. Peoplemover
06. Tom Sawyer Island
07. Animal Kingdom Express Train to Planet Watch
08. Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico
09. Magic Kingdom Carrousel

Peoplemover is rarely walk on, anymore. Average wait now is 15-20 minutes.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Disney in my opinion has been flirting with the line lately so depending on the guest and their income, yes

I mean, they hit the limit for me around 2010. I visit WDW one or two days every few years only because Uni stepped up its game enough to keep me coming to Orlando. I’ve become very skeptical of the idea that this or that increase is what will eventually stop the flow of people. I’d like it to be true, but things have already sailed so far past what I consider reasonable… the brand is powerful.

 

[mightynine]

The Individual Lighting Lane (still a confusing name) is a separate purchase from Genie+.

I’m already feeling sorry for the cast members who will have to explain to guests that even though you paid $15 per person per day for access to the Lightning Lane that did not include access to every Lightning Lane.

You can’t even throw ‘em some complimentary Fastpasses like the old days!

 

[dreday3]

Why did they make this so difficult?

Found it! I just needed to read...

Individual Lightning Lane Selections - Lightning Lane entry will be available for purchase individually. Guests may purchase and select an arrival window one at a time for up to 2 attractions a day. This option will be available for all Guests—with or without Disney Genie+ service.

Full list of confirmed Lighting Lane attractions and Individual Lighting Lane selections available for purchase at Walt Disney World

See everything that will be included with Disney Genie+, and available as an individual purchase.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[mikejs78]

I thought you could purchase an IAS/ILL without needing Genie +? Or was that an early rumor? @wdwmagic - do you know?

You are correct. You don't need to purchase Genie+ to purchase an ILL.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

You are correct. You don't need to purchase Genie+ to purchase an ILL.

This changes some of my earlier comment then, I don’t think Genie+ will affect those rides very much but this is probably going to make the two headliners at each park much harder to get on. Yikes.

 

[wdwmagic]

I thought you could purchase an IAS/ILL without needing Genie +? Or was that an early rumor? @wdwmagic - do you know?

You do not need Genie+ to purchase an Individual Attraction selection.

 

[Ayla]

Point taken,

but Astro Orbiter and even the Peoplemover are not really walk-ons much of the time. I mean, sure the past couple of weeks almost everything in MK was walk-on, but back in July and even August they both had waits much of the day. (Again maybe not at rope drop or park close, but most of the day.) As I type at 6pm, Astro is posted at 45 while Peoplemover is posted at 20min, though both waits are probably a bit inflated.

I was there last week. Peoplemover had a line every time we walked past.