Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Missing20K]

I just pictured that scene, with Chapek's head on Alladin's body and Josh D'Amaro's head on Jasmine's.

I can’t unsee it

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

Well this is at least good news for non Disney hotels

 

[wdwmagic]

Help please -

Do we know yet how it works with friends/family? If I have everyone on trip linked to my account as friends/family - can I make the lightning pass for all at the same time on my phone?

Also, can someone else make an MDE account on their phone, link all of us, and also try to make a reservation for us or try for a boarding group at the same time I am?

Not confirmed, but I would expect you to be able to do all at the same time via linking.

 

[dreday3]

Not confirmed, but I would expect you to be able to do all at the same time via linking.

Thanks!

 

[Todd H]

I just watched that Disney introductory video that was included in yesterday's post. I found it offensive. This was nothing short of Disney propaganda attempting to mislead its guests into believing that Disney was doing us all a big favor by eliminating free Fastpass. Obviously, Disney has concluded we are dumb enough to accept this as being true. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to pay money to a company that treats its guests this way. With respect to the Genie+ planning feature, I seriously doubt that many people on this website will need Genie to tell us what attractions we should visit and where we should eat.

Vote with your wallet like I did.

I had a seven day stay at a Disney deluxe resort booked for next year but canceled when it became apparent we would have to start paying for fast passes.

I’m now booked for a five day stay at Universal Royal Pacific Resort and a three day stay at the beach. I’m saving thousands and will have a more relaxing vacation on top of that.

 

[kong1802]

This seems to hurt more groups than it helps.
For the guests that stay on site and on arrival day get settled in their hotel, then mosey into MK with their 3 afternoon/evening FPs and stay for fireworks, this vastly reduces their experience.

For us, at best it’s a 15% gate surcharge that gets us what we used to have. I think the secondary rides are going to have just as bad of a standby as they had with FP+. Since everyone who pays the tax gets 2 FPs, this will ensure that it kills those standbys. If we don’t pay the toll, we end up doing less. There are no winners except for those who think winning means paying more.

I’ll watch how this unfolds from afar, but if my initial thoughts are correct, I’ll be typing the typical upset Disney response, “I’m out”.

 

[crawale]

Vote with your wallet like I did.

I had a seven day stay at a Disney deluxe resort booked for next year but canceled when it became apparent we would have to start paying for fast passes.

I’m now booked for a five day stay at Universal Royal Pacific Resort and a three day stay at the beach. I’m saving thousands and will have a more relaxing vacation on top of that.

We are also booked at Royal Pacific in a Jurrasic Park Suite - 3 kids. It is a great hotel - we have stayed at all three Universal deluxe hotels. With the Universal equivalent of fast pass which is actually fast pass for any ride any time you should be able to ride everything in two days. Disney is ridiculous with this new up charge. Our stay will be so much cheaper than a deluxe Disney hotel and actually the rooms are nicer in these Lowe's hotels. You can walk to both theme parks and all the restaurants as well as the other deluxe hotels in about the same time as it would take you from Beach Club to Epcot. I am sure some people will pay Disney charges whatever they are but I think this is pricing the parks out of the reach of most people - shame on you Disney.

 

[trainplane3]

I'm in interested on what the push back will be like when say Rise has missing effects, and a family of four has just paid $80 for Lightning Lane access. They get off, and then express that they aren't happy to have paid $80 and have missing effects. Obviously Disney doesn't guarantee show quality, but that still doesn't stop then subsequent guest recovery that will be needed.

Agreed. If this does anything, hopefully it raises show quality standards across all the parks. I mean...I know it won't but it's nice to dream.

 

[matt9112]

No one needs to visit a theme park. Its a luxury not a necessity.

You mis understood me. The rides....are the reason. You claim admission shouldn't grant acesss to the reason you paid admission.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Because profit. Once they abandoned the bands the moved heavily toward using your own phones for everything....lets piggy back off our customers private property.

Sounds like the Underpants Gnome Method..

 

[draybook]

Chapek never ceases to amaze me at how he can figure out ways to make money...

 

[DisneyHead123]

You can but it doesn't matter to Disney. Your ticket grants you admission. Nothing else. They don't have to meet your personal expectations. You came to their business not the other way around.

Sure, they can run their business however they want. I’m saying a consumer demand isn’t “thinking you’re special”, it’s a part of the free market. Both parties have bargaining power there. In a system that is essentially socialist (a public school, for example) or a free market that is run in a pseudo-socialist manner for moral reasons (triaging patients in an ER, for example,) yes, asking for special treatment is a bad thing. You don’t ask a teacher to grade your child differently or to “skip the line” in an ER with money. That’s an entitled attitude. Disney though? You’re paying them. Ask for whatever you want. And they, in turn, can say no.

 

[The Colonel]

I know nobody cares, least of all Disney, but I'm just about done. I've sold off some DVC points, I'll be selling off more, and this will be my last annual pass.

It's not even the cost. The whole thing has become too tedious and I'm tired of being treated like a wallet.

 

[DisneyHead123]

This is the only questionable part of the system.

For a day at MK, most of the genie + rides will be available at any time you check. The issue is some might be available at a much later time of the day. I've never been to DL. Is Genie + similar to Max Pass or identical to it?

If I can wake up at 7am and book my most prioritized Lightning Pass with Genie + for as early as possible in the day, like 10am for instance with a window of 10-11 am...based in an earlier poster right at 10:01 an after ride check in you can can book another LP. If that LP is for a ride you really want but the earliest availability is 5pm...DO I HAVE to wait until 5:01 pm to book another or can I book one at 11:30 (90 minutes after the 2nd LP selection). And then again at 1pm and 2:30 etc.

That's the part that is blurry.

You’re describing the day most DL guests are used to with MaxPass which was hugely popular. The only wrinkle is the 7AM slot opening time that doesn’t require you to be in the park, which is interesting.

I promise you “having to decide what ride to ride next” is not as stressful as you think lol.

I could be wrong but I do not think that you were going to have the time slots for your lightning lane pass to select from like we used to on fast pass plus. I think it is going to work a little bit more like the old-fashioned paper system, or the max pass system. Where essentially if you try to log on at 7:00 a.m. and the fast passes are going at a moderate pace, your first fast pass might be around 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. for the first ride and so on and so forth. The only way you'd be able to secure a 10:00 a.m. fast pass is if the fast passes for that particular ride we're going quick enough where all the earlier time slots were early reserved. At least that's how it tends to work with the previous max pass system. Fast passes were basically first come first serve from the very first time slot to the very last at the end of the day.

I will wait and see what the details are then. It seems like a good sign that people liked MaxPass, even though my first thought is that this sounds like a lot of planning in the morning and I don’t like the “no ride is guaranteed, criss-crossing back and forth across the park with small children and elderly grandparents to get to an available ride” aspect. As I’ve said though, these are smaller issues than I was expecting. I’m more bothered by the general principle than any specific aspect of the plan itself, which is a surprise.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

I think I am more so getting to the point of my love for Disney dwindling which sucks!. When I want to go on a Disney vacation, I don't want to have to fight to reserve and pay extra just to get the possibility of getting the food or get to ride on a ride that may or may not be working that day.

Like I said in another thread, for Disney trying to change everything to be more 'Inclusive', they are certainly making the entirety of the vacation experience more 'Exclusive' especially for those who have to travel on a tight budget.

 

[Patcheslee]

Right with you. Similar issue here for why I have used DAs. I'm often there alone so having to run to a rest room is a huge problem when the line is long. How will they decide if I'm abusing the system?

That's why I was happy with the FP system. 3 rides with generally less than an hour wait was a stress reliever. I don't generally mind standing in line, my bladder on the other hand argues otherwise. Even if they would hand me a return pass to get out for a quick restroom break and get back in, I'd be happy.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Agreed. If this does anything, hopefully it raises show quality standards across all the parks. I mean...I know it won't but it's nice to dream.

What was the proof on your “orange juice” this morning?

 

[DisneyJayL]

Is it me or has the leadership at Disney World lost their minds? This is insane.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm a DAS user due to having a garbage immune system that hulked out on my digestive system leaving me with a body that gives VERY little warning before I need to find a restroom. So what's Disney going to do if I have a better day than I expected, health wise? Sorry, ma'am you didn't sprint to a bathroom enough today, banned for life?

Yes, of course, that's exactly what they're going to do. That's exactly the reasonable approach they're going to take to your situation.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

I can’t unsee it

Same. I’m going to have nightmares tonight.