Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Aschwenker]

As crazy as that sounds, I think realistically they could easily go to somewhere around $75, and peak to $99.

Universal Orlando's Express Pass starts at $89.99, so I agree that's where Disney is headed. I'm sure there are tons of complaints flooding Guest Services right now from people who are upset they can't buy Genie+ for Disney to justify a further price increase to improve the "guest experience".

I have no problem with Disney trying to find a price point where only 30% of people buy it and no one is upset they didn't buy Genie+. However, there are three reasons this won't happen:

1. Most if not all of the "how to go to Disney" articles/blogs/videos/etc. are telling people they need to buy Genie+ to have a good experience, which creates artificial and inelastic demand
2. Lightning Lane is heavily preferenced over Standby when it comes to merging the queues. This further enhances the belief that Genie+ is required to have a good experience, further increasing demand
3. Disney has covered their collective butts by disclaiming the average guest receives 2-3 Lightning Lane passes per day, which allows them to wave away complaints from guests who had a poor experience with Genie+

 

[Touchdown]

I agree but Disney has made it that way because if you want to experience the parks like we all once were able to (with fastpasses) many feel like they have to use G+

This is where I link to that glorious Fastpass 1 hour video and try to beat it into FP fans head that it actually was worse with FP.

 

[UNCgolf]

Universal Orlando's Express Pass starts at $89.99, so I agree that's where Disney is headed. I'm sure there are tons of complaints flooding Guest Services right now from people who are upset they can't buy Genie+ for Disney to justify a further price increase to improve the "guest experience".

That would be such a bad look for Disney, considering the Express Pass is like 100x better/more useful than Genie+.

Of course the Express Pass often costs far more than $89.99.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

That would be such a bad look for Disney, considering the Express Pass is like 100x better/more useful than Genie+.

Of course the Express Pass often costs far more than $89.99.

Yes, and sometimes a lot more .... On the flip side guests staying at Deluxe resorts get it for "free"

So if G+ does get significantly higher then I hope some additional benefit goes to folks staying on property (even if not "free", maybe a lower price or ability to book your first one earlier or something)

 

[HauntedPirate]

wow, very quick, and despite it being at a record price.

We know what this means...

Bob is listening… to the sound of cash registers ringing with Genie- sales? And thinking, “Why not sell for even more?”.

 

[zombiebbq]

That would be such a bad look for Disney, considering the Express Pass is like 100x better/more useful than Genie+.

Of course the Express Pass often costs far more than $89.99.

That's the rub for me, I feel like Universal's gives me value for that price (or higher). And the funny thing is when were there last we didn't even need it. at all. (We didn't buy it) as opposed to our one day at Disney where we also didn't buy Genie + but I could see how people would feel pressured to. The value is not there for me, especially so should they dramatically increase the price. IMO It's barely justifiable now with how lame the whole system is.

 

[Lil Copter Cap]

If Genie+ continues down the a la carte booking method, I can't see it getting too high and staying there (thus the sliding scale price, I'm sure). If it were to work like the Express Pass, allowing access to the priority queue at all attractions minus a select few (for demand/newer attractions), then I could see it being priced at $99, or above, and staying there. But something tells me this isn't the avenue Disney is going to take.

I am very interested to see how this all plays out in the long term with guest loyalty and repurchasing from folks that did not see the value add during their vacation.

 

[GhostHost1000]

This is where I link to that glorious Fastpass 1 hour video and try to beat it into FP fans head that it actually was worse with FP.

Depends on what we refer to as “it”

 

[Coaster Lover]

Is there a reasonable guess on how much Disney makes on this per day (especially a busy day)? If I look back at the 2019 numbers, estimates are that all of WDW saw 58.78 million visitors, which (divided by 365) rounds out to about 160,000 guests per day at the four main parks. I'm assuming there is some double counting going on here (park hoppers?) and I'm not sure that 2023 levels are back to 2019 levels, so, I think it would be very conservative to say that all four parks see 100,000 unique visitors (combined) per day on average in 2023 (and that is on an average day, busy days like today would be more). If we estimate that 40% of guests get Genie+ (which seems to align with what Disney had said before, could possibly even be low), than that's 40,000 guests (resort wide) spending $35 per guest or a revenue from Genie+ or $1.4 million on a day like today. Does that math look right? If so, that's pretty crazy... and that doesn't even factor in what they make on ILL...

 

[JusticeDisney]

Bob is listening… to the sound of cash registers ringing with Genie- sales? And thinking, “Why not sell for even more?”.

It’s called supply and demand. Disney is a for-profit business and they would be absolutely foolish to not raise the price if the consumer appetite continues to be there for it.

 

[Riviera Rita]

So long as people are happy to pay the money then they will continue to squeeze the money out of customers.
I am considering my tactics for my early September trip and cost will be a massive factor.

 

[JusticeDisney]

That would be such a bad look for Disney, considering the Express Pass is like 100x better/more useful than Genie+.

Of course the Express Pass often costs far more than $89.99.

Yes and no. In theory, EP is way better because you get to use it on basically all of the rides, whereas with G+ you may only get to use it on a handful of rides. That said, unlike with G+ and the Lightning Lane, the waits with EP can still be relatively long, even approaching 30-45 minutes. Add to that, as you said, I have seen the EP cost as much as around $150, obviously significantly more expensive that G+.

 

[Ayla]

So long as people are happy to pay the money then they will continue to squeeze the money out of customers.
I am considering my tactics for my early September trip and cost will be a massive factor.

But you're still going, so expect nothing to change.

 

[UNCgolf]

Yes and no. In theory, EP is way better because you get to use it on basically all of the rides, whereas with G+ you may only get to use it on a handful of rides. That said, unlike with G+ and the Lightning Lane, the waits with EP can still be relatively long, even approaching 30-45 minutes. Add to that, as you said, I have seen the EP cost as much as around $150, obviously significantly more expensive that G+.

The potential wait time is the only issue with EP, but the one time I had it every ride was less than a 10 minute wait and most were walk-ons.

Even with the potential for a wait the benefits still dramatically outweigh anything Genie+ offers, though -- no scheduling a time in advance and only being able to use it for a handful of rides. Plus, Genie+ sometimes has 15-20 minute waits too.

 

[Riviera Rita]

But you're still going, so expect nothing to change.

Booked it in May 2022 and it's my 60th birthday trip. With the extras I got from Disney, I'm not cancelling it, I'm just not planning to spend too much of my own money, just the $700 in dining credit and gift cards.

 

[JusticeDisney]

The potential wait time is the only issue with EP, but the one time I had it every ride was less than a 10 minute wait and most were walk-ons.

Even with the potential for a wait the benefits still dramatically outweigh anything Genie+ offers, though -- no scheduling a time in advance and only being able to use it for a handful of rides. Plus, Genie+ sometimes has 15-20 minute waits too.

All fair points, but I don’t think we can gloss over the fact that EP can cost upwards of 6 or 7 times as much as G+.

 

[UNCgolf]

All fair points, but I don’t think we can gloss over the fact that EP can cost upwards of 6 or 7 times as much as G+.

Agreed, but that was the original point -- that if Disney eventually charges $90-100 for Genie+ there's an issue when their competitor offers a much better value.

The real steal is staying in one of Universal's deluxes and having the unlimited version of EP included in the room rate (which is still much cheaper than a Disney deluxe).

If only Universal had a more interesting attraction lineup!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Iger never promised low costs for all people at all times.

He promised affordable pricing at some times for families that can't afford premier pricing. E.g., keeping the one-day ticket price low... during the off-peak season.

The corollary is that peak season is fair game for surge pricing.

Some of our anti-dusters were crowing about how the parks weren't that crowded a month and a half ago (as a sign of Disney failing). At that time, tickets and Genie+ were at their lowest. People could have taken advantage of that at that time.

But if they wait for Spring Break and Easter... pricing surges, MK's reservations are locked out, and Genie+ sells out. And there are long lines.

I rather purposefully avoid WDW during peak times for those reasons.

When you show up at a tourist destination and complain its so crowded... you're part of the problem. The $35 Genie+ fee is a warning that you're competing against others for limited resources. Enjoy your vacation.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The real steal is staying in one of Universal's deluxes and having the unlimited version of EP included in the room rate (which is still much cheaper than a Disney deluxe).

If you can afford a Disney deluxe, then $35 Genie+ should not be an issue.

The deluxe Uni hotels (with Express Pass) start at $400/night. Five nights there is $2,000.

A value hotel room at WDW is about $120/night. Add in Genie+ (at $35) for four is $140/night. Total is $260/night. Five nights is $1,300. A $700 savings.

I take issue with the idea that staying at Uni Deluxe hotels with free Express Pass is always 'cheaper' than staying at WDW and buying Genie+.

The only way that happens if you're going to stay at a deluxe at either park. And if can afford deluxe prices, the extras should be also affordable in comparison to the cost of the room.

For now.

 

[UNCgolf]

If you can afford a Disney deluxe, then $35 Genie+ should not be an issue.

The deluxe Uni hotels (with Express Pass) start at $400/night. Five nights there is $2,000.

A value hotel room at WDW is about $120/night. Add in Genie+ (at $35) for four is $140/night. Total is $260/night. Five nights is $1,300. A $700 savings.

I take issue with the idea that staying at Uni Deluxe hotels with free Express Pass is always 'cheaper' than staying at WDW and buying Genie+.

The only way that happens if you're going to stay at a deluxe at either park. And if can afford deluxe prices, the extras should be also affordable in comparison to the cost of the room.

For now.

I didn't say anything about cheaper. I just said it was a better value compared to a Disney deluxe (the after hours are a nice perk, but not nice enough to make up for the unlimited EP and the cheaper room rate).

It's also a moot point if Universal doesn't offer what you want. I had fun at Universal, but they only have a handful of attractions that are actually interesting/fun to me and I'm not in any rush to go back. WDW's attraction lineup (not to mention other things) is vastly superior to Universal's for me personally.