Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[nickys]

I remember that in the months before this was announced, that the idea of “bundles” was being seriously considered. Like they introduced at Shanghai.

So for example, you might want to ride the Mountains at MK, or the Star Wars rides (complicated now by Rise being an ILL). Maybe that idea could make a “come-back”.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Oh..and Rope Dropping is just a made up saying which everyone else just used to say...."Get to the park half hour before it's open to get straight on the best ride".....so that or 'Rope dropping' has been a thing from the very first theme park was ever opened...its nothing clever, it's common sense. I only call it rope dropping when I go to America...everywhere else i just call it getting to the park early.

Its a term used because many sections of the resort quite literally use a rope to keep guests from going further into the park. Lol. Also, why are you so defensive on a loose term?

 

[Touchdown]

What a disaster at Epcot today, every single ride has a Genie+ line overflowing into the midway. I got in line for a Ratatouille line that was listed at 85 min, which looked right. Quickly the sign changed to 110 min, and then it took me 50 min to progress into entry way and I never even made it back to the queue park. I stopped twice for 20+ min not moving and the second time, the damm LL queue had no one enter it for 10 min. 110 try 300. Get your signs right Disney.

 

[Patcheslee]

What a disaster at Epcot today, every single ride has a Genie+ line overflowing into the midway. I got in line for a Ratatouille line that was listed at 85 min, which looked right. Quickly the sign changed to 110 min, and then it took me 50 min to progress into entry way and I never even made it back to the queue park. I stopped twice for 20+ min not moving and the second time, the damm LL queue had no one enter it for 10 min. 110 try 300. Get your signs right Disney.

How were the standby lines at other rides?

 

[Touchdown]

How were the standby lines at other rides?

Frozen is out into the courtyard, Figment is out onto the midway, Test Track is down, Soarin is 30 min, LWTL is 20.

 

[Homer fan]

So what’s the consensus at this point? Must buy Genie+ daily? For some parks? Just ILL? Heading down in August and was planning on getting it for Magic Kingdom and DHS, but it seems like the regular lines aren’t moving anymore.

 

[crazy4disney]

So what’s the consensus at this point? Must buy Genie+ daily? For some parks? Just ILL? Heading down in August and was planning on getting it for Magic Kingdom and DHS, but it seems like the regular lines aren’t moving anymore.

Its awful i despised it. MK has best use of the product. With that being said tho. If spending the extra money isnt going to set you back i would still get it to avoid waiting on whatever rides you end up getting to use it on.

 

[Thepuma]

So what’s the consensus at this point? Must buy Genie+ daily? For some parks? Just ILL? Heading down in August and was planning on getting it for Magic Kingdom and DHS, but it seems like the regular lines aren’t moving anymore.

Its hit and miss....On one day we ended up getting on 25 rides - That included 2 ILL, rope dropping 1 and a couple that were Stand by.

On another day I think we only managed to use it for 3 rides.

I park hopped quite a lot a few weeks ago...we regularly did 3 parks in the day and use ILL and G+ to make the most of the time...took some planning and a lot of looking on the phone.

Not sure how good it is with just 1 park, I'd imagine unless you rope drop you'll end up getting to your 3rd Genie+ and only having evening times left.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

They host upwards of 120 tours a day at 3500-8000 a day. Also these guests are highest tier spenders on hotel suites, top dining, expensive wine and merchandise etc etc. They want to protect this business. These are 45k for 5 nights type guests.

I don't think that is actually required. I would gather it has to paired with a WDW hotel. With WDW prices as they are this year, pairing VIP with Pop almost makes sense if you plan to visit WDW with a group of 10 people...

Suppose you normally stay at CR, get park hoppers, G+ and maybe 1 ILL/per person for your group of 10.
For 5 nights in 2022 (during value pricing season) w/tax a water view tower room, 2 rooms (4 adults, 6kids in 3 rooms).
The hotel packages = $6630+ $6630+ $750 (ILL's at $15 for 10pple for 5 days) = $21310

Change to Pop stndrd view w/hoppers= $3572 (room 1:2ad, 2kids), 2980, 2980 = $9532 (would not need G+ or ILL, just hoppers)

So that's $11778 you could put towards VIP. If the VIP rate is $450/hr for 7 hours = $3150 (Tip of 18% = $567 ) = $3720

So swapping to Pop = enough savings to cover 3 days of VIP (approx $11,160) plus $618 more.

 

[Naplesgolfer]

I don't think that is actually required. I would gather it has to paired with a WDW hotel. With WDW prices as they are this year, pairing VIP with Pop almost makes sense if you plan to visit WDW with a group of 10 people...

Suppose you normally stay at CR, get park hoppers, G+ and maybe 1 ILL/per person for your group of 10.
For 5 nights in 2022 (during value pricing season) w/tax a water view tower room, 2 rooms (4 adults, 6kids in 2 rooms).
The hotel packages = $7971+ $7971+ $750 (ILL's at $15 for 10pple for 5 days) = $16,692

Change to Pop stndrd view = $3572 (room 1:2ad, 2kids), 2980, 2980 = $9532

So that's $7,205 you could put towards VIP. If the VIP rate is $450/hr for 7 hours = $3150 (Tip of 18% = $567 ) = $3720

So swapping to Pop = ALMOST enough savings to cover 2 days of VIP = approx $7440. ($280 more)

Since the VIP picks you up at your hotel, there's no waiting on a bus/parking. There's less of a benefit to staying within walking distance of MK.

And the above is if the family of 10 crammed into 2 rooms at CR. If the group of 10 needed 3 rooms at CR, swapping to Pop would = a VIP budget of $11,800. That is enough to pay for 3 days of VIP. ($6630 +$6630 +7300 + 750ILL's = 21310 -9532 = 11778. 3 days of VIP @ 3720 = 11,160 and $618 over)

Though really 3 rooms at Pop = an extra bathroom, so maybe a better option for a group of 10.

You don't have to stay with Disney to book a VIP tour. I was just relating how many of the people I have met doing 4 -5 days of vip tours tend to travel. Most groups I meet are way under 10, 4-6 seems the norm. This is all anecdotal , based on my own observations and talking to people.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

You don't have to stay with Disney to book a VIP tour. I was just relating how many of the people I have met doing 4 -5 days of vip tours tend to travel. Most groups I meet are way under 10, 4-6 seems the norm. This is all anecdotal for my own observations and talking to people.

Wow, so you can book VIP when staying at a Fairfield for like $120/night?

I might have to look into the VIP option...

 

[pdude81]

Wow, so you can book VIP when staying at a Fairfield for like $120/night?

I might have to look into the VIP option...

They don't care about where you're staying at all when you call. They just need to know how many hours, where they are going to meet you, and what credit card you're putting it on.

 

[Thepuma]

They don't care about where you're staying at all when you call. They just need to know how many hours, where they are going to meet you, and what credit card you're putting it on.

Yep, as always, the priority for Disney is how much they can get out of their guests with the minimum of effort.

 

[nickys]

Wow, so you can book VIP when staying at a Fairfield for like $120/night?

I might have to look into the VIP option...

Yes, if you can book.

They have been booking up fast, and onsite guests have the advantage of being able to book for length of stay at 60 days out from their check-in date, like ADRs.

And the rate is anything from $450-$800 per hour, minimum of 7 hours. It’s variable pricing so it depends when you’re going.

 

[Ripken10]

So what’s the consensus at this point? Must buy Genie+ daily? For some parks? Just ILL? Heading down in August and was planning on getting it for Magic Kingdom and DHS, but it seems like the regular lines aren’t moving anymore.

At MK we were able to get 10 genie+ reservations, and we still had 2 hours left when we stopped. This was this week, and as we left the park we still could have made another reservation. Crowd size seemed pretty typical for MK. Thanks to Len's touring plans we avoided all the long lines even though there were long lines throughout the park.

I am not a fan of paying for it, and was very skeptical of it going in. But this trip convinced us to use it for magic kingdom as long as its in its current iteration for the foreseeable future. My wife says she spent less time on her phone then she did with the old fastpass+ system (outside of playing with the photolenses).

Edit - went back and checked, we actually did hit double figures on genie+ selections. I missed our Dumbo genie+

 

[crazy4disney]

At MK we were able to get 10 genie+ reservations, and we still had 2 hours left when we stopped. This was this week, and as we left the park we still could have made another reservation. Crowd size seemed pretty typical for MK. Thanks to Len's touring plans we avoided all the long lines even though there were long lines throughout the park.

I am not a fan of paying for it, and was very skeptical of it going in. But this trip convinced us to use it for magic kingdom as long as its in its current iteration for the foreseeable future. My wife says she spent less time on her phone then she did with the old fastpass+ system (outside of playing with the photolenses).

Edit - went back and checked, we actually did hit double figures on genie+ selections. I missed our Dumbo genie+

I can easily see that being possible for MK but the same could be said w FP+ and you are getting 3 headliners to start at the times you want and can just continue to add as the day went on and lets not forget to mention 7D is not part of Genie+ and we are now paying for an inferior product.

 

[pdude81]

I can easily see that being possible for MK but the same could be said w FP+ and you are getting 3 headliners to start at the times you want and can just continue to add as the day went on and lets not forget to mention 7D is not part of Genie+ and we are now paying for an inferior product.

I don't remember being able to get 7DMT or PPF early in the day unless it was 4 days into your trip. So you either had to hold them for later, not get them, or pick things that shouldn't need FP anyway and go with those. This is not to say the new system is great, but let's romanticize a relationship that's over.

 

[crazy4disney]

I don't remember being able to get 7DMT or PPF early in the day unless it was 4 days into your trip. So you either had to hold them for later, not get them, or pick things that shouldn't need FP anyway and go with those. This is not to say the new system is great, but let's romanticize a relationship that's over.

7D honestly would be a usual hit for the 2nd day as my 1st day we would get travel night before and as i said most times was able to get a morning FP & rest of trip the same never an issue and most times it was a 9am 1st FP. Im not trying to make love to something that is gone but what i am trying to say is maybe just bring back the old FP system and charge for it and most people probably be happier. We know the answer is adding capacity but thats not happening anytime soon so lets go back to possibly the next best thing.

 

[mikejs78]

I don't remember being able to get 7DMT or PPF early in the day unless it was 4 days into your trip. So you either had to hold them for later, not get them, or pick things that shouldn't need FP anyway and go with those. This is not to say the new system is great, but let's romanticize a relationship that's over.

We always went to MK the first or second full day of our trip, and were always able to get both of those attractions fairly easily.

 

[crazy4disney]

We always went to MK the first or second full day of our trip, and were always able to get both of those attractions fairly easily.

Basically as i said already my experience as well as a resort guest of course