Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Chi84]

I would say Universal's system is better then FP+. I do understand why people loved FP+. It was free and accessible to everyone. IMO due to FP+ guests got used to not waiting in lines.

My question is how often to any of you visit parks not named Disney or Universal? Line skips are pricey at those parks and most people accept waiting is part of the deal when going to a park.

I think there is a reason a lot of people only go to parks named Disney or Universal. Both of these places offer much more to do than just go on rides. And those other things (water parks, restaurants, shows) need to be scheduled and take up a good part of the day. In that case, waiting in lines has a much more significant impact on one's day. If all you're interested in is going on one ride after another, waiting in line is part of the deal - which is why some people skip Six Flags and only visit parks like Disney and Universal. It's a different experience.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Second time at HS on my trip.

First morning - Tower, Rise down. Genie+ LL craziness for awhile

Today - Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Rise down and Tower opened a little later than 8am. (All back up now however) Genie+ LL craziness for awhile because of that and oh there was a brief period of time when My Tip Board didn’t work.

I’ve been here for 11 days and used Genie+ for each one. I have been a ton the last 20 years and this has been the single most frustrating, annoying, and stressful Disney vacation I’ve ever experienced and it’s honestly not as enjoyable anymore because I’m living on my phone not able to enjoy what I once did

 

[crazy4disney]

Second time at HS on my trip.

First morning - Tower, Rise down. Genie+ LL craziness for awhile

Today - Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Rise down and Tower opened a little later than 8am. (All back up now however) Genie+ LL craziness for awhile because of that and oh there was a brief period of time when My Tip Board didn’t work.

I’ve been here for 11 days and used Genie+ for each one. I have been a ton the last 20 years and this has been the single most frustrating, annoying, and stressful Disney vacation I’ve ever experienced and it’s honestly not as enjoyable anymore because I’m living on my phone not able to enjoy what I once did

Felt the same way in November & cant even
Imagine what im going go deal with in August

 

[Jenny72]

We go to our local park sometimes, which has a paid line skip system. We don't buy it because if a line is too long, we just do something else. When we went to Disney, my son noticed that we got free line skips and he thought that was pretty magical, to borrow a term. He thought it was awesome that everyone got it. Kids like fairness, in general.

I recently mentioned to him the changes at Disney and he was floored. He thought Disney was different and doesn't want to go until it changes. Mind you, he has a certain amount of adolescent idealism, but he hates the feeling of the real nickel and dime world entering into the bubble of magic we used to experience. Disney should feel different than the outside pay-to-play world. It's wildly ironic, but that's what we're paying the big bucks to escape.

Saying that people are unwilling to wait is factually inaccurate. They wait. A lot. They are waiting a lot as we speak. I don't think the appropriate response to this is, suck it up, people. Disney sells magic, and these new systems are the opposite of magic. I can't fathom how the current management is so unaware of their own brand.

 

[JTH781]

Question with Genie + if you book a return time for when a attraction is down when does it give you the anytime use pass i'm assuming its not till the actual time for entry and the attraction still must be down can anyone confirm.

 

[Jrb1979]

We go to our local park sometimes, which has a paid line skip system. We don't buy it because if a line is too long, we just do something else. When we went to Disney, my son noticed that we got free line skips and he thought that was pretty magical, to borrow a term. He thought it was awesome that everyone got it. Kids like fairness, in general.

I recently mentioned to him the changes at Disney and he was floored. He thought Disney was different and doesn't want to go until it changes. Mind you, he has a certain amount of adolescent idealism, but he hates the feeling of the real nickel and dime world entering into the bubble of magic we used to experience. Disney should feel different than the outside pay-to-play world. It's wildly ironic, but that's what we're paying the big bucks to escape.

Saying that people are unwilling to wait is factually inaccurate. They wait. A lot. They are waiting a lot as we speak. I don't think the appropriate response to this is, suck it up, people. Disney sells magic, and these new systems are the opposite of magic. I can't fathom how the current management is so unaware of their own brand.

Responding to you as you're the last person to post. I get the complaints about Genie+. I agree it's not a good system. The one thing we do know is its highly doubtful it goes back to advanced booking and being free. Since thats most likely the case what would you like to see them do without making it free or having advanced bookingm

 

[GhostHost1000]

Responding to you as you're the last person to post. I get the complaints about Genie+. I agree it's not a good system. The one thing we do know is its highly doubtful it goes back to advanced booking and being free. Since thats most likely the case what would you like to see them do without making it free or having advanced bookingm

I don’t have time to list it all but based on my 11 day experience. Prebook (not the day of), and be able to select your time and modify if needed without canceling and playing the lottery

 

[Thepuma]

Second time at HS on my trip.

First morning - Tower, Rise down. Genie+ LL craziness for awhile

Today - Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Rise down and Tower opened a little later than 8am. (All back up now however) Genie+ LL craziness for awhile because of that and oh there was a brief period of time when My Tip Board didn’t work.

I’ve been here for 11 days and used Genie+ for each one. I have been a ton the last 20 years and this has been the single most frustrating, annoying, and stressful Disney vacation I’ve ever experienced and it’s honestly not as enjoyable anymore because I’m living on my phone not able to enjoy what I once did

We've been 3 times a year to Orlando for 5 years running...our last trip (in May) we decided it just wasn't the same anymore and the whole Genie thing has totally ruined our experience, so we are not coming back unfortunately.

We will miss it as it has always been our go to happy place, but we've just had enough of the whole saga with Genie, LL, different times, extra costs etc etc..its just not as fun anymore.

We decided to buy a camper van and tour Europe instead.

We will probably come back once the 3rd Universal park is built, so probably won't be for 3 or 4 years.

 

[Jrb1979]

I don’t have time to list it all but based on my 11 day experience. Prebook (not the day of), and be able to select your time and modify if needed without canceling and playing the lottery

If they cap sales then a lot of your last 2 problems would be fixed. I don't see them going back to allowing people to prebook.

 

[mikejs78]

If they cap sales then a lot of your last 2 problems would be fixed. I don't see them going back to allowing people to prebook.

I actually think it's likely they will, although I wouldn't be surprised if it is a much shorter window - 7 days or two weeks, with resort guests getting length of stay booking.

I don't think they'll go back to free.

 

[JTH781]

If they cap sales then a lot of your last 2 problems would be fixed. I don't see them going back to allowing people to prebook.

I wish they would allow us to prebook it was great for planing your park day.

 

[Jrb1979]

I actually think it's likely they will, although I wouldn't be surprised if it is a much shorter window - 7 days or two weeks, with resort guests getting length of stay booking.

I don't think they'll go back to free.

Then you are back to the problems FP+ had. A lot of inventory would be gone. If you want to pre-book I would limit to 1 per day. That way it keeps inventory available for those who stay off site.

 

[JTH781]

I actually think it's likely they will, although I wouldn't be surprised if it is a much shorter window - 7 days or two weeks, with resort guests getting length of stay booking.

I don't think they'll go back to free.

Even if it was a shorter window for disney resort guests that would be great 7-14 days out.

 

[Jenny72]

I'm not a theme park specialist, nor am I a committee that has been hired to work on this, so I'm sure I don't have the perfect solution in my pocket. But whatever changes they make should be on brand. Disney parks brand = "magic." It's not "same as other parks, but with Disney characters." In my view, any paid line skip system is off brand, because the Disney experience is meant to be high quality for everyone. The ILLs are particularly tacky.

If I had to provide an on-brand solution, other than simply returning to FP+... It would probably be a constellation of improvements, for instance extending hours. That would take off a lot of pressure. But you could also offer live entertainment to people on lines, and of course add more things to do. Do what you can to make people feel like valued guests even if they're stuck on line. Sprinkle some pixie dust, as it were. You know, be Disney.

I realize that this is unlikely given the current management. But that, of course, is the problem.

 

[GhostHost1000]

If they cap sales then a lot of your last 2 problems would be fixed. I don't see them going back to allowing people to prebook.

if they don’t go back to prebooking they are making it way harder for anyone to plan and then you have to be on your phone playing the lottery the morning of and all throughout the day which takes away from the Disney experience and taking everything else in while you are there. That’s exactly what I have experienced the last week and a half. I’m spending much less times in stores, enjoying the areas, etc because I’m on my phone and constantly zig zagging from one end of the parks to another because of not able to plan ahead of time. It’s really bad compared to the previous system.

Another issue is we prebook dining but if the LL time showing to you is during that time you’re out of luck I guess since you can’t pick a time and you’re just at the mercy of whatever it gives you which is ridiculous. You can select ILL times but not LL times.

Seriously, did anyone that designed this system ever use the previous system and this system in the parks like normal guests or does it just look good in a PowerPoint presentation inside a conference room and then they spec and contract it out to the IT developer of the day?

As much money as we spend and how the Disney experience used to be, they should be ashamed how bad it has become. I think I have heard negative complaints from others every day in busses and in lines frustrated about all of this. It was alot of planning before but now we pay for it and just hope things work out and when they don’t, people start to question if it’s all worth it…including me…a long time guest, Annual passholder, and DVC member who has spent a ton of money in the past…the future however is much more questionable right now

 

[Jrb1979]

if they don’t go back to prebooking they are making it way harder for anyone to plan and then you have to be on your phone playing the lottery the morning of and all throughout the day which takes away from the Disney experience and taking everything else in while you are there. That’s exactly what I have experienced the last week and a half. I’m spending much less times in stores, enjoying the areas, etc because I’m on my phone and constantly zig zagging from one end of the parks to another because of not able to plan ahead of time. It’s really bad compared to the previous system.

Another issue is we prebook dining but if the LL time showing to you is during that time you’re out of luck I guess since you can’t pick a time and you’re just at the mercy of whatever it gives you which is ridiculous. You can select ILL times but not LL times.

Seriously, did anyone that designed this system ever use the previous system and this system in the parks like normal guests or does it just look good in a PowerPoint presentation inside a conference room and then they spec and contract it out to the IT developer of the day

As much money as we spend and how the Disney experience used to be, they should be ashamed how bad it has become. I think I have heard negative complaints from others every day in busses on in lines frustrated about all of this. It was alot of planning before but now we pay for it and just hope things work out and when they don’t which is more often than not, people start to question if it’s all worth it…including me…a long time guest, Annual pass holder, and DVC member

I agree the new system sucks but outside of people here, your average guest didn't like FP+ due to the planning. I do think there should be a middle ground. Let the planners have 1 per day pre booked.

 

[pdude81]

There are a lot of valid complaints, but conflict with dining is not one. They let you ride later if you show your dining receipt. Not 4 hours later, but if you show up a half hour after the window ends it's not a problem.

 

[mikejs78]

your average guest didn't like FP+ due to the planning.

What's your evidence for this ?

 

[Chi84]

There are a lot of valid complaints, but conflict with dining is not one. They let you ride later if you show your dining receipt. Not 4 hours later, but if you show up a half hour after the window ends it's not a problem.

That’s nice if you know it. Is it stated anywhere official? Because if it isn’t, people may not know it’s an excuse.

 

[Jrb1979]

What's your evidence for this ?

@disneyglimpses has mentioned many times.