Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[GhostHost1000]

FWIW, Genie+ has actually been pretty good over the last 2-4 weeks. It's no where near the poor experience over the Spring. I still think more significant changes are coming but in my opinion it's absolutely worth the 15 bucks.

At this moment, it's after 1PM and nearly every attraction still has availability (including Slinky and Frozen).

Add in the ability to select times, modify times, book 1 30 days in advance for each day of your trip (so no 7am day of vacation scramble), and being able to book a second after entering the park for resort guests (or something a little more beneficial for resort guests) and we might have something to work with

 

[Jrb1979]

Add in the ability to select times, modify times, book 1 30 days in advance for each day of your trip (so no 7am day of vacation scramble), and being able to book a second after entering the park for resort guests (or something a little more beneficial for resort guests) and we might have something to work with

Why not just bring back FP+ while we're at it and spreadsheets.

 

[LittleBuford]

Why not just bring back FP+ while we're at it and spreadsheets.

Yes please!

 

[Jrb1979]

Yes please!

No I hate the systems Disney uses. I wish they went with Universals system.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Why not just bring back FP+ while we're at it and spreadsheets.

Don’t tease

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Im going 8/26-9/5. How much slower is it really gonna be. Im truly not expecting much of a diminished crowd in comparison to what was there during my November trip and anything “slower” to me is offset by all the rides/attractions/restaurants that are still closed.

8/10-15 to Labor Day weekend is the slowest time of the year now by many estimates…looks like you got a 50/50 split there.

August doesn’t have the desired weather now and a majority of American schools are either in session or ramping up activities then.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Why not just bring back FP+ while we're at it and spreadsheets.

Yes please!

Because they thought it sucked? Which means there’s a 99.9% chance it did for their goals

No I hate the systems Disney uses. I wish they went with Universals system.

Wouldn’t work…or they would have done it long ago

Don’t tease

It’s more like a fantasy

 

[mikejs78]

Because they thought it sucked? Which means there’s a 99.9% chance it did for their goals

Wouldn’t work…or they would have done it long ago

It’s more like a fantasy

I still think they could stand to borrow a few of FP+'s features but stick overall with the Genie system.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I still think they could stand to borrow a few of FP+'s features but stick overall with the Genie system.

That’s reasonable…If those features help crowd flow and ancillary sales…

Because that’s what + failed at. But what legacy did incredibly well.

 

[Jrb1979]

That’s reasonable…If those features help crowd flow and ancillary sales…

Because that’s what + failed at. But what legacy did incredibly well.

That is part of the reason IMO the system fails. They are trying to use it for something that most parks don't.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That is part of the reason IMO the system fails. They are trying to use it for something that most parks don't.

Ok…

You do see the difference between Disney parks and all others with the Partial Exception of universal Orlando…right?

Because you Frame every park with rides the same.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I agree. FP+ should have just had a price tag added and be done with it.

View attachment 657594

Except you’d have a lot of the same problems you have now.

Is that a serious or rhetorical question? It’s definitely a paid version of a skip the line system. Other than that as i said i dk if your question is serious or not or just plain trolling. Either way. You can look up the answer yourself….. and thanks for the good laugh.

Neither FastPass, FastPass+ nor Genie+ are skip the line systems.

• You only can make one selection at a time.
• You have to make your first selection at 7 AM every day of your vacation
• You are at the mercy of the next return time. You can't select a specific return time (e.g. if you have a dining reservation)
• You can't modify an existing reservation. You have to cancel and rebook if you need to change times/see a better time.
• Capacity is diminished because one headliner attraction in each park is not part of Genie+
• It has the ability to have overlapping reservations and stacking reservations (positive)
• No tiers (positive)
• You can grab a return time and after you hit confirm, that return time can shift,.sometimes by hours.

None of these change the core of how the system works operationally. Ever closed gift shop also diminishes capacity. Every closed cashier at a quick service dining venue diminishes capacity. The problems with Genie+ are not because of these front end modifications to make a system work with the current constraints, they’re fundamental problems with virtual queue/reservation systems that Disney has been able to ignore and put off addressing.

That's FP+. Was that also the reason the paper FP system was created?

FastPass+ was about capacity, pushing people to underutilized corners to avoid having to build more. It was other aspects of NextGen that were supposed to get you to just spend more because you so enamored with the technology (MagicBand), Cast Members knowing your plans (killed for being creepy) and data driven marketing (killed for being creepy and a legal nightmare).

 

[Jrb1979]

Except you’d have a lot of the same problems you have now.

Neither FastPass, FastPass+ nor Genie+ are skip the line systems.

None of these change the core of how the system works operationally. Ever closed gift shop also diminishes capacity. Every closed cashier at a quick service dining venue diminishes capacity. The problems with Genie+ are not because of these front end modifications to make a system work with the current constraints, they’re fundamental problems with virtual queue/reservation systems that Disney has been able to ignore and put off addressing.

FastPass+ was about capacity, pushing people to underutilized corners to avoid having to build more. It was other aspects of NextGen that were supposed to get you to just spend more because you so enamored with the technology (MagicBand), Cast Members knowing your plans (killed for being creepy) and data driven marketing (killed for being creepy and a legal nightmare).

The whole thing stinks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If they just jacked the price up on line skip…as many here seem to think would work…they would have a nightmare scenario of a different scenario than the ones they have tried to ignore/make go way to this point.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The whole thing stinks.

In many ways it does. It’s 50/50 fault. Half for Disney not addressing capacity while spray tan Bob went to sun valley and Moody’s and said that it’s a “bottomless pit” of profit potential with low investment costs…
…the other half are those that continue to buy this product for more in spite of diminishing return. If consumers continue to spend their money without discretion, they have no complaints in legitimate terms.
I’m not saying “don’t have fun”…I do…but don’t go for EVERYTHING. Next battle will be DONT pay for a $110 daily dining plan. It’s coming…just don’t. Do the math and eat what you want…not more.

 

[Jrb1979]

If they just jacked the price up on line skip…as many here seem to think would work…they would have a nightmare scenario of a different scenario than the ones they have tried to ignore/make go way to this point.

Oh no guests may have to use standby.

 

[Jrb1979]

Ok…

You do see the difference between Disney parks and all others with the Partial Exception of universal Orlando…right?

Because you Frame every park with rides the same.

I do see the difference. The big one is rides aren't the only thing to do and is not necessarily a priority for everyone. At the same time none of these systems work if everyone has access to it.

It amazes me that everyone agrees they lack capacity and that they need to limit Genie+ for it to work. Any suggestion of pricing people out or capping sales is a hard no.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Oh no guests may have to use standby.

Oh no…I need to point the aggregate attendance has increased 25% (it would be more like 30%+) since 2000 while their functional attraction capacity has increased perhaps 5% during that time.

Oh no…the problem they’re trying to avoid address with these rationing systems is that there simple isn’t enough seats to run a Disney park operation as is traditional/expected. They crossed the river and instead of massive capex and operational costs…are trying to convince people through system that they’re getting a good return from the escalating costs.

The bobs. Period.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I do see the difference. The big one is rides aren't the only thing to do and is not necessarily a priority for everyone. At the same time none of these systems work if everyone has access to it.

It amazes me that everyone agrees they lack capacity and that they need to limit Genie+ for it to work. Any suggestion of pricing people out or capping sales is a hard no.

It’s because of the cost and what you require people to be comfortable with just to get there. That is the difference.

So how many hard cap $100 express passes do you sell? What do you say when half if not more decide they want it in magic kingdom?
Disney complaints aren’t like six flags complaints. They ruin the ambience and that is a big part of what they sell.

They’re trying to “ration”
Without openly advertising why they have to…and thread a needle and make profit.

Gonna be a lot more fights in fantasyland if they make getting on Pooh with the kids a dog eat dog world

 

[Chi84]

I do see the difference. The big one is rides aren't the only thing to do and is not necessarily a priority for everyone. At the same time none of these systems work if everyone has access to it.

It amazes me that everyone agrees they lack capacity and that they need to limit Genie+ for it to work. Any suggestion of pricing people out or capping sales is a hard no.

Where rides are not as high a priority, people will be “priced out” at a number much lower than at other parks. Pricing people out of a line skip system at WDW isn’t going to drive them into the standby lines; it’s more likely to have them choosing a different vacation spot. I know you don’t want to hear it, but WDW is qualitatively different from standard theme parks.

Disney needs people in its restaurants, water parks, resorts, shopping venues, etc.
Those people still want to go on rides without a prohibitive wait but they’re not going to pay Universal type prices to do it because there just aren’t enough rides to justify the cost.

And if Disney does decide to sell very expensive passes to people, those people may well decide to pound the rides more than they would otherwise just to get their money’s worth. How is that going to help anything?