Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Jrb1979]

FP+ was free, and it offered perfectly good selections up to the last minute. Most of my trips were without 60-day access (and even the one exception was because I stayed at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista after it became a partner resort), and I made very good use of FP+ each and every time. It’s something of a myth that only those who forked out to stay in a Disney-owned resort benefitted from the system.

I agree with you about there being availability. Last time I went I think the only thing I couldn't get was 7DMT as it always seems to be a hard one to get.

My issue with FP+ and Genie+ is the whole return time thing.

 

[DisneyHead123]

FP+ was free, and it offered perfectly good selections up to the last minute. Most of my trips were without 60-day access (and even the one exception was because I stayed at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista after it became a partner resort), and I made very good use of FP+ each and every time. It’s something of a myth that only those who forked out to stay in a Disney-owned resort benefitted from the system.

I definitely got some decent mid-tier rides using the refresh strategy day-of in 2019, and this was for a group of 8.

 

[DisneyCane]

Going with the ILL on everything route... what if it was location based and you could only buy a ILL for right now and only if you were within a few hundred feet of the entrance to the attraction. $2 for every 15 min wait. As more people bought the ILL, the standby line would go up and the price would rise. A
Dynamic pricing based on the estimated current wait time. Also eliminate it on most of the smaller rides.
Basically at 1:30pm right now I would say

Ride	Current wait time	Price to enter the LL
Splash Mountain	45	$6
Space Mountain	50	$6
Pirates of the Caribbean	60	$8
Jungle Cruise	65	$8
Haunted Mansion	80	$10
Peter Pan	80	$10
7 Dwarf	120	$16
Big Thunder	Temporarily closed	Not available for purchase
Soarin	55	$6
Mission: Space	60	$8
Test Track	65	$8
Remy	70	$8
Frozen	80	$10
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster	50	$6
Toy Story Mania	55	$6
MMRR	60	$8
MFSR	95	$12
SDD	100	$12
TOT	110	$14
ROTR	Temporarily Closed	Not available for purchase
Dinosaur	45	$6
Everest	45	$6
Kali	50	$6
Kilimanjaro	85	$10
Navi	115	$14
Fight of Passage	165	$22

Back a few pages I suggested essentially this but ditch the app. There would be a dynamic price and current LL wait time posted on a sign at the entrance. You set up a payment method in advance. If you want to skip standby line and enter the LL you just tap and go and your credit card gets charged for whatever the current price is.

Basically, I'm suggesting that LL should work exactly like tolled express lanes on highways work. The LL price would go up based on how many people are currently in the LL queue, not what the standby wait is. There would, of course, be a minimum cost for any LL.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

My issue with FP+ and Genie+ is the whole return time thing.

I've seen a lot of allusions to this, you guys mean that when you do secure a G+ booking, it is whatever random time Disney offers you, you can't pick a time slot. Is that the complaint?

 

[Jrb1979]

Going with the ILL on everything route... what if it was location based and you could only buy a ILL for right now and only if you were within a few hundred feet of the entrance to the attraction. $2 for every 15 min wait. As more people bought the ILL, the standby line would go up and the price would rise. A
Dynamic pricing based on the estimated current wait time. Also eliminate it on most of the smaller rides.
Basically at 1:30pm right now I would say

Ride	Current wait time	Price to enter the LL
Splash Mountain	45	$6
Space Mountain	50	$6
Pirates of the Caribbean	60	$8
Jungle Cruise	65	$8
Haunted Mansion	80	$10
Peter Pan	80	$10
7 Dwarf	120	$16
Big Thunder	Temporarily closed	Not available for purchase
Soarin	55	$6
Mission: Space	60	$8
Test Track	65	$8
Remy	70	$8
Frozen	80	$10
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster	50	$6
Toy Story Mania	55	$6
MMRR	60	$8
MFSR	95	$12
SDD	100	$12
TOT	110	$14
ROTR	Temporarily Closed	Not available for purchase
Dinosaur	45	$6
Everest	45	$6
Kali	50	$6
Kilimanjaro	85	$10
Navi	115	$14
Fight of Passage	165	$22

It's still more complex than it needs to be.

 

[Jrb1979]

I've seen a lot of allusions to this, you guys mean that when you do secure a G+ booking, it is whatever random time Disney offers you, you can't pick a time slot. Is that the complaint?

In general having a time when I can ride something. FP+ had return times as well. You have to book a time to ride a ride.

 

[mikejs78]

I've seen a lot of allusions to this, you guys mean that when you do secure a G+ booking, it is whatever random time Disney offers you, you can't pick a time slot. Is that the complaint?

Correct for Genie+. You can select a time (if available) for the individual attraction selections.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

I need to get up at 7am to simulate it for testing now that I am a G+ customer....but is it possible to secure AM LL slots if you are fast? I keep testing it mid morning and by then most of the LL are either rides with little to no standby anyway, or much later in the afternoon/early evening (4-6pm or even later).

 

[pdude81]

I need to get up at 7am to simulate it for testing now that I am a G+ customer....but is it possible to secure AM LL slots if you are fast? I keep testing it mid morning and by then most of the LL are either rides with little to no standby anyway, or much later in the afternoon/early evening (4-6pm or even later).

Anything is possible. Especially if you want a ride that isn't a huge draw. Otherwise you have to wait for the random drops and hope you click at the right time.

 

[DisneyfanMA]

Anything is possible. Especially if you want a ride that isn't a huge draw. Otherwise you have to wait for the random drops and hope you click at the right time.

When you say random drops, you mean just keep checking throughout the day right? And in terms of being able to actually book my 2nd LL via G+, I will need to have either:

• checked in at my first booking OR
• waited 2 hours post regular park opening time (so for a off property guest, if park opens at 9am, I can start randomly checking again at 11am on?) Sorry to be so needy, just trying to learn.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

When you say random drops, you mean just keep checking throughout the day right? And in terms of being able to actually book my 2nd LL via G+, I will need to have either:

• checked in at my first booking OR
• waited 2 hours post regular park opening time (so for a off property guest, if park opens at 9am, I can start randomly checking again at 11am on?) Sorry to be so needy, just trying to learn.

There are tens of thousands of people using Genie+ at any given time. People are constantly cancelling reservations. So if you're persistent enough, you can find reservations for the top attractions at any time.

 

[pdude81]

When you say random drops, you mean just keep checking throughout the day right? And in terms of being able to actually book my 2nd LL via G+, I will need to have either:

• checked in at my first booking OR
• waited 2 hours post regular park opening time (so for a off property guest, if park opens at 9am, I can start randomly checking again at 11am on?) Sorry to be so needy, just trying to learn.

Well there are some random drops throughout the day as suddenly a given ride will have an earlier time available, and it goes up in 5 minute increments if you keep refreshing.

But in the past there have often been good things that suddenly reappear about 7:10. You just have to also have the courage to not lock in something else, because cancelling and then trying to grab again is dangerous. That's something you need to watch for and practice at 7ish ahead of your trip. Try to get a sense of whether more G+ or ILL stuff shows back up at a particular time.

You not only have to be on your phone all morning using it, you also have to be on your phone all morning beforehand practicing!

 

[Purduevian]

It's still more complex than it needs to be.

True... it was just the best system I could think of that meets all of the following
1)No reduced revenue
2)No Pre-planning
3)Minimal Refunds (know what you pay for)
4)Shouldn't price the average guest out of the system completely
5)Still allows VIP tours to have a big advantage (ability to go on any ride at any time)
6) Doesn't block out people that learn about it at noon

 

[HauntedPirate]

I still don't understand why anyone would support paying for FP/LL. Charge now for what used to be free. Great way to tell consumers this - - while continuing to ignore the fundamental problem that has not been addressed in 15+ years.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I still don't understand why anyone would support paying for FP/LL. Charge now for what used to be free. Great way to tell consumers this -

I don't think anyone is advocating for it; it just is what it is and no amount of complaining will change it.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I don't think anyone is advocating for it; it just is what it is and no amount of complaining will change it.

Very true. I say - Vote with your wallet. It's the only way Disney pays attention these days, and the only way anything could possible change.

"But my little Johnny and Susie DESERVE their once-in-a-lifetime-or-until-we-book-another-one vacation! Don't you know how much I'm spending on this trip??? I'M NOT STANDING IN LINES, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST???!?" Very Veruca Salt-like. I want it and I want it now. Disney's dream guests these days.

 

[Jrb1979]

I still don't understand why anyone would support paying for FP/LL. Charge now for what used to be free. Great way to tell consumers this - - while continuing to ignore the fundamental problem that has not been addressed in 15+ years.

Yes they lack capacity but that's not getting fixed anytime soon. From my view Disney guests have been spoiled for a very long time with having a free FP system and it being available to everyone.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yes they lack capacity but that's not getting fixed anytime soon. From my view Disney guests have been spoiled for a very long time with having a free FP system and it being available to everyone.

Guests used to be treated the same once they walked through the gates. Now, you're no longer a guest, you're a consumer, a walking ATM to be milked for whatever amount they can get out of you. Disney, now more than ever.

 

[pdude81]

Guests used to be treated the same once they walked through the gates. Now, you're no longer a guest, you're a consumer, a walking ATM to be milked for whatever amount they can get out of you. Disney, now more than ever.

Still mostly the same after you walk in... they rob everybody. However, between midnight and park opening it's a different story.

 

[mikejs78]

The MDX team hasn't finished/released the ability to suspend sales yet. So while it's June 8th, it will likely be some time before we actually see Genie+ sales suspended on any given day.

MDX version 7.8 (released 2 weeks ago) did not include this ability. Hopefully we'll see it in the next release.

I just got MDX 7.9. Wonder if this includes the limit.