Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[CAV]

That usually happens because of recovery from attraction downtime.

Is there not anything you wont defend?

 

[Patcheslee]

Fully agree here. Reading that post, I was very confused to read that apparently ‘everyone’ wants to go back to ‘Point of Ride’ FP. Ahhh… Nope.

I loathed having to criss cross the parks back in the day. I was the ‘runner’ for my family and man, running did get tiring after awhile.

It was doable at MK but AK and Epcot can be hikes, depending on where you are going. The walk back to Frozen and Remy from the front of the park is longggg when trying to get there at rope drop, much less after already walking for a long period. Even the walk back to Smuggler’s Run is a good distance on a rainy day.

I do miss being able to get more than one FP for a ride in a day, though I understand they are trying to make things a bit more equitable. And the ‘next available’ time slots could definitely use some tinkering.

I doubt I'd return if they did the legacy FP. I'd be the one stuck doing the running because husband has asthma, I'm not much better with bad knees. A normal day in the park without criss crossing is manageable long as we take breaks. If we did return, I would be applying for DAS.

 

[HoustonHorn]

Rise and Slinky "sold out" of ILL and G+, respectively, within 2 minutes this morning.

I don't think it was possible to get both.

FG+

 

[G00fyDad]

Rise and Slinky "sold out" of ILL and G+, respectively, within 2 minutes this morning.

I don't think it was possible to get both.

FG+

Keep refreshing the app,

 

[HoustonHorn]

Keep refreshing the app,

Doing that. Even the concierge couldn't get us on Rise at 7:02. Says she does this every day and has never seen this before.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Honestly just trying to figure out the best "use" of the system. It seems to me the WORST thing you can do with a LL is book something and ride it in just under 2 hours. The goal for both the pre-park opening LL and maybe the first new LL should be to tap in just after the cool down period is over.
Compare the two plans:

Wake up at 7am and book a 10:30 JC LL	Wake up at 7am and wait for a 10:30 JC LL
Ride JC at 10:30 and book 2nd LL of the day	Don't ride JC at 10:30 but at 11 book 2nd LL of the day
Use your LL as you would normally using it on the ride you most think is worth it (start at 10:30am)	At 11:01 tap into JC and book another LL
	Use your 2 LL as you normally would using it on the rides you most think are worth it (start a 11 and 11:01am)

So for sacrificing a half hour, you can basically get double the LL for the rest of the day. You can take this to the extreme as shown in the example above.

Personally I would probably plan to ride JC just after 11am and use 1 of the 2 LL for a Peter Pan ride just after 1pm. Once I ride Peter Pan, I now have 3 LL to play with for the next 8ish hours

I'm not following here. Wouldn't the only difference between these two scenarios be that if you tap into JC at 10:30, you can make your second LL at 10:30 and if you tap in at 11, you make your second LL at 11? There's something to be said for early morning standby lines, but 10:30 seems like a good time to start using LL. If you use LLs throughout the day 90 minutes after you book them, wouldn't the only difference be that you get access to your next LL sooner? Plus, for a 10:30AM LL, there's also the meta game that everyone who booked their first LL for after 11 (including everyone who's using it for park hopping) won't have access to book another LL yet. I haven't been following along super closely yet, but it seems like availability would take a hit at 11 when all those people can book their second LL.

About a week ago I was at MK and had a Splash Mountain LL near park closing. Splash Mountain was down and the pass converted to a multiple experience pass good for any park the next day, with a host of exclusions - all paid ILLs (no surprise there) and other things like Slinky and Peter Pan, however at Epcot it also excluded Soarin and Test Track, making the pass almost worthless if you were going to Epcot the next day.

This reminds me of sports TV rights. Most of the major leagues in the US have a deal where you can pay extra to watch every game!!!!... except the team or teams you live closest to. You can watch any team... except the one you want. You can ride any ride... except the ones you want.

 

[G00fyDad]

Doing that. Even the concierge couldn't get us on Rise at 7:02. Says she does this every day and has never seen this before.

Sorry. I forgot what week we are on right now. The parks have to be insane busy this week. That's why we changed our trip dates for next year from November to October. We always go to Disney World in October but we decided that since we no longer have school age children that we could go in November to see the Christmas decorations. Then I looked at TP's history of November crowds and my jaw hit the floor. I guess I'm never going to see Disney in Christmas because this is our last trip and we're going back in October again. TP's historical crowd data between the week we had chosen in November versus the week we moved it to in October showed a change from an average 8 crowd level to a 2 crowd level.

 

[dreday3]

So, based on reading reports the past few days, it really does seem like buying Genie + is a waste of money whenever there is going to be high crowds.

It works reasonably well with low to moderate crowds - I experienced first-hand.

What can be done to fix this? Don't say get rid of it, they won't!

1. Raise the price so people won't buy it?
2. Allow more people in lightning lane and less in stand-by?
3. Cap how many people can buy Genie + a day?
4. Get rid of it and just offer pay-for access to every ride???
5. Do nothing and pretend everyone loves it?

 

[Patcheslee]

So, based on reading reports the past few days, it really does seem like buying Genie + is a waste of money whenever there is going to be high crowds.

It works reasonably well with low to moderate crowds - I experienced first-hand.

What can be done to fix this? Don't say get rid of it, they won't!

1. Raise the price so people won't buy it?
2. Allow more people in lightning lane and less in stand-by?
3. Cap how many people can buy Genie + a day?
4. Get rid of it and just offer pay-for access to every ride???
5. Do nothing and pretend everyone loves it?

6. Make it limited to onsite and APs only. That would anger alot of people but then be considered an onsite "perk"

 

[dreday3]

6. Make it limited to onsite and APs only. That would anger alot of people but then be considered an onsite "perk"

Selfishly, as an on-site person, I would go for that.

 

[Purduevian]

I'm not following here. Wouldn't the only difference between these two scenarios be that if you tap into JC at 10:30, you can make your second LL at 10:30 and if you tap in at 11, you make your second LL at 11? There's something to be said for early morning standby lines, but 10:30 seems like a good time to start using LL. If you use LLs throughout the day 90 minutes after you book them, wouldn't the only difference be that you get access to your next LL sooner? Plus, for a 10:30AM LL, there's also the meta game that everyone who booked their first LL for after 11 (including everyone who's using it for park hopping) won't have access to book another LL yet. I haven't been following along super closely yet, but it seems like availability would take a hit at 11 when all those people can book their second LL.

This reminds me of sports TV rights. Most of the major leagues in the US have a deal where you can pay extra to watch every game!!!!... except the team or teams you live closest to. You can watch any team... except the one you want. You can ride any ride... except the ones you want.

Not quite from what I understand. You are able to book a new lightning lane whenever you do any of the following:
1)Tap into a LL
2)If it has been more than 2 hours since you booked your LL
3)If the time on you LL has expired

So if you have not tapped into your LL by 11 am, you meet criteria 2 and thus are able to book your 2nd LL right at 11am

Once you tap into JC (just after 11am) you meet criteria 1 and thus are able to book your 3rd LL at like 11:01

Now that you have unlocked the ability to hold 2 LL, you keep that the entire day. For instance if at 11am you booked an 11:15 carpets and at 11:01 you booked a 11:30 Pirates

Once you tap into Carpets at 11:15, you can then book your 4th LL. Then at 11:30 once you tap into Pirates you can book your 5th LL.

 

[mikejs78]

Is there not anything you wont defend?

Plenty:

• I think the new Genie+ system is inferior to FP+ in every way. So you're paying to get less than what was there before.
• I think ILL is ridiculous and a blatant cash grab. I
• I think that the scenario where you're paying for G+ and all LLs are gone by 3 PM is awful, and not acceptable. Disney needs to add LL capacity.

What I won't do is just get outraged over a picture that someone posts up without context, when I understand how these things work.

 

[HoustonHorn]

Not quite from what I understand. You are able to book a new lightning lane whenever you do any of the following:
1)Tap into a LL
2)If it has been more than 2 hours since you booked your LL
3)If the time on you LL has expired

So if you have not tapped into your LL by 11 am, you meet criteria 2 and thus are able to book your 2nd LL right at 11am

Once you tap into JC (just after 11am) you meet criteria 1 and thus are able to book your 3rd LL at like 11:01

Now that you have unlocked the ability to hold 2 LL, you keep that the entire day. For instance if at 11am you booked an 11:15 carpets and at 11:01 you booked a 11:30 Pirates

Once you tap into Carpets at 11:15, you can then book your 4th LL. Then at 11:30 once you tap into Pirates you can book your 5th LL.

That is my understanding. But when you have a split party(2 doing X, 2 doing Y), it becomes calculus. There needs to be a notification when you are eligible to book again.

I've been cautiously optimistic about G+.

After this week I hate it with the passion of 1000 suns.

 

[hopemax]

Rise and Slinky "sold out" of ILL and G+, respectively, within 2 minutes this morning.

I don't think it was possible to get both.

FG+

Two phones. One person goes for one, another for the other. Same as the advice that everyone with a phone tries for boarding groups.

 

[disneygeek90]

Rise and Slinky "sold out" of ILL and G+, respectively, within 2 minutes this morning.

I don't think it was possible to get both.

FG+

Holidays at Disney these days are a train wreck.

 

[WDWBryan]

Went to the studios on Sunday. And did rise, millennium, lunch, railway, slinky and two star tours walk ons before 6pm. Had I bought genie+ at 7 am the return time for slinky would’ve been at 6:30pm. So I got everything in I wanted to do with standby.

 

[mikejs78]

That is my understanding. But when you have a split party(2 doing X, 2 doing Y), it becomes calculus. There needs to be a notification when you are eligible to book again.

I've been cautiously optimistic about G+.

After this week I hate it with the passion of 1000 suns.

Up until a week ago I was pretty sure I was going to purchase it for my April trip. Now I'm not so sure.

 

[Jeff4272]

I’m here now and it’s been a disaster for us so far. Went to HS yesterday. Tried to buy ROTR and it was sold out in 30 seconds and got shut out. Got SDD genie+ at 7 am window for 5:40 return time At second return window at 11am for RnR for 7pm return time and that was it for the day. Everything else was sold out. Complete waste of time and money as I thought it would be during the busy times.

today we were doing AK in am and Epcot at night. Paid for FOP and had 8:50am original time and when I hit enter it was 5:20pm that I got. Went to guest relations and they wouldn’t switch the times and would only refund my money. Got safari st 7am genie+ window for 9:40-10:40. So we decided to hit FOP at park open and even though we were resort guests and got in line at 7:40 it was still 145 minutes to ride so we didn’t get to safari until after our window closed b FOP went down 2 x, both after we went into the pre show room. Went to book second genie+ and everything was gone. Everest closed their single rider line b the park was at max capacity so we left.

then booked our second genie+ for test track after refreshing at 11:31 for the drop and got 2-3pm return time. At 1:31 on the next drop, some later times came up so I cancelled and tried to rebook but it wouldn’t let me b it said I wasn’t eligible for the next window yet even though I should have been able to get one b it was a replacement. Went to guest relations and they gave me an anytime return for Test track.

total disaster. Got up at 6:45, didn’t get ILL got to ride 2 rides while waiting over 2 hours.

2 things ***edit 3 thi***that desperately need to change are:
1) when you get a window to book, you should get 30 seconds and keep that window and if you don’t then it goes back. Thinking we had FOP for 8:50 and getting 5:20 is a joke

2) if you find a different ride or time, it should allow you to “switch” rides instead of cancelling and rebooking so you don’t lose your original ride and get shut out of

3) 7am first booking of genie+ is terrible. Especially if you want to buy ROTR, MMRR AND book SDD. You will never get to it in time. First genie + selection should be night before. Waking up at 6:45am on vacation really ^+#+%+.

 

[mikejs78]

I’m here now and it’s been a disaster for us so far. Went to HS yesterday. Tried to buy ROTR and it was sold out in 30 seconds and got shut out. Got SDD genie+ at 7 am window for 5:40 return time At second return window at 11am for RnR for 7pm return time and that was it for the day. Everything else was sold out. Complete waste of time and money as I thought it would be during the busy times.

today we were doing AK in am and Epcot at night. Paid for FOP and had 8:50am original time and when I hit enter it was 5:20pm that I got. Went to guest relations and they wouldn’t switch the times and would only refund my money. Got safari st 7am genie+ window for 9:40-10:40. So we decided to hit FOP at park open and even though we were resort guests and got in line at 7:40 it was still 145 minutes to ride so we didn’t get to safari until after our window closed b FOP went down 2 x, both after we went into the pre show room. Went to book second genie+ and everything was gone. Everest closed their single rider line b the park was at max capacity so we left.

then booked our second genie+ for test track after refreshing at 11:31 for the drop and got 2-3pm return time. At 1:31 on the next drop, some later times came up so I cancelled and tried to rebook but it wouldn’t let me b it said I wasn’t eligible for the next window yet even though I should have been able to get one b it was a replacement. Went to guest relations and they gave me an anytime return for Test track.

total disaster. Got up at 6:45, didn’t get ILL got to ride 2 rides while waiting over 2 hours.

2 things that desperately need to change are:
1) when you get a window to book, you should get 30 seconds and keep that window and if you don’t then it goes back. Thinking we had FOP for 8:50 and getting 5:20 is a joke

2) if you find a different ride or time, it should allow you to “switch” rides instead of cancelling and rebooking so you don’t lose your original ride and get shut out of
.

You should seriously complain to GS and demand your money back.

 

[dreday3]

I’m here now and it’s been a disaster for us so far. Went to HS yesterday. Tried to buy ROTR and it was sold out in 30 seconds and got shut out. Got SDD genie+ at 7 am window for 5:40 return time At second return window at 11am for RnR for 7pm return time and that was it for the day. Everything else was sold out. Complete waste of time and money as I thought it would be during the busy times.

today we were doing AK in am and Epcot at night. Paid for FOP and had 8:50am original time and when I hit enter it was 5:20pm that I got. Went to guest relations and they wouldn’t switch the times and would only refund my money. Got safari st 7am genie+ window for 9:40-10:40. So we decided to hit FOP at park open and even though we were resort guests and got in line at 7:40 it was still 145 minutes to ride so we didn’t get to safari until after our window closed b FOP went down 2 x, both after we went into the pre show room. Went to book second genie+ and everything was gone. Everest closed their single rider line b the park was at max capacity so we left.

then booked our second genie+ for test track after refreshing at 11:31 for the drop and got 2-3pm return time. At 1:31 on the next drop, some later times came up so I cancelled and tried to rebook but it wouldn’t let me b it said I wasn’t eligible for the next window yet even though I should have been able to get one b it was a replacement. Went to guest relations and they gave me an anytime return for Test track.

total disaster. Got up at 6:45, didn’t get ILL got to ride 2 rides while waiting over 2 hours.

2 things that desperately need to change are:
1) when you get a window to book, you should get 30 seconds and keep that window and if you don’t then it goes back. Thinking we had FOP for 8:50 and getting 5:20 is a joke

2) if you find a different ride or time, it should allow you to “switch” rides instead of cancelling and rebooking so you don’t lose your original ride and get shut out of
.

Well, bright side is you were already expecting this! Hope your trip gets better.