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Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
See here.
Disney announces plan to bring advance booking of Genie+ and Lightning Lane reservations to Walt Disney World
Disney announces plan to bring advance booking of Genie+ and Lightning Lane reservations to Walt Disney World
www.wdwmagic.com
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
Well, there are other things they can do, including extending hours. But that costs money instead of making it, so it seems very unlikely.
The main thing I hate about all these systems is that they create the feeling of "haves" and "have-nots," which I had never experienced before at a Disney park. For a long time I was definitely in the "have not" group, but I felt like Disney was a place that welcomed me anyway. Once I walked through the front gate, we were all equal and just having fun. There's a real psychological cost to watching people stream by you while you stand in line, and it's not a feeling I had ever had at Disney before. It adds a nasty component to the parks that for me damages the brand and my entire perception of the place. Even when I'm the one with the pass, I still find it uncomfortable.
The world is such a divided and angry place now, I want my one place where we all get to be in the same happy boat. Too dramatic for a silly theme park? Probably, but it's one of the things that contributed to making Disney the happiest place on earth, and now it's gone.
The main thing I hate about all these systems is that they create the feeling of "haves" and "have-nots," which I had never experienced before at a Disney park. For a long time I was definitely in the "have not" group, but I felt like Disney was a place that welcomed me anyway. Once I walked through the front gate, we were all equal and just having fun. There's a real psychological cost to watching people stream by you while you stand in line, and it's not a feeling I had ever had at Disney before. It adds a nasty component to the parks that for me damages the brand and my entire perception of the place. Even when I'm the one with the pass, I still find it uncomfortable.
The world is such a divided and angry place now, I want my one place where we all get to be in the same happy boat. Too dramatic for a silly theme park? Probably, but it's one of the things that contributed to making Disney the happiest place on earth, and now it's gone.
JD80
Well-Known Member
It'll be all about the pre-purchasing. Not prebooking.
bmr1591
Well-Known Member
You can realistically do everything you want to do at 3/4 parks without Genie+. Allowing people the option to pay to skip some lines is fine. It's not a requirement and shouldn't ruin anyone's day. Heck, if you see people walking the Lightning Lane and have a sense of belittlement sweep over you, that sounds like a personal problem. No one in the Lightning Lane is thinking any less of people in a regular line. It's pay for convenience and it's not going away.
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
Ha, I am definitely a goofball when it comes to Disney. I'd argue, though, that they very much want people to be goofballs about Disney. That's why they need to carefully examine using these Six Flags-style add-ons in its parks. Does everyone do it? Sure. But you'll notice that Six Flags doesn't sell timeshares and $1000/night rooms. Disney can't sell that stuff unless people are little nutty about it.
Try googling "Disney has lost its magic" and you'll start to see what these types of decisions are doing to the brand. In my opinion, Genie+ and especially individual Lightning Lanes are tacky and lead to frustration and disillusionment about just how much pixie dust Disney has left to offer. If they do come up with some new adjustment, I think it needs to be something that fundamentally feels more "Disney" than these tacky amusement park ideas. It's above my pay grade to specify exactly what it would look like, but I think it takes a lot more than just shifting the booking time to the night before or similar.
Try googling "Disney has lost its magic" and you'll start to see what these types of decisions are doing to the brand. In my opinion, Genie+ and especially individual Lightning Lanes are tacky and lead to frustration and disillusionment about just how much pixie dust Disney has left to offer. If they do come up with some new adjustment, I think it needs to be something that fundamentally feels more "Disney" than these tacky amusement park ideas. It's above my pay grade to specify exactly what it would look like, but I think it takes a lot more than just shifting the booking time to the night before or similar.
Chi84
Premium Member
During the COVID pandemic?
Ayla
Well-Known Member
Yes, before Genie+ was dreamt up.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Disney doesn't care about lines; in fact, they love long lines.
It makes folks think they must purchase Genie+ to do anything.
Actually, in my opinion, the existence of Genie+, causes the lines, creating the need to purchase Genie+.
It makes folks think they must purchase Genie+ to do anything.
Actually, in my opinion, the existence of Genie+, causes the lines, creating the need to purchase Genie+.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
They previously had pre purchasing. The way this has been presented it almost certainly includes prebooking at least one ride in advance of the day
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
If it’s the day before that makes it even worse in my opinion while people are on vacation
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
Yep and if they add more attractions the need for paying for genie+ goes down so they would be spending money and making less
tpoly88
Well-Known Member
i have had this arguement with others that if there were no fast pass line, what would the standby be. if youre in the standby line you are always going backward in a sense do to the LL people jumping ahead. I do have to say though i dont mind paying for the LL to get on GOTG though!!
ChrisM
Well-Known Member
This is exactly what I'm expecting.
Pre-booking will likely be something like 24 hours in advance and limited to one selection. And all for an additional fee.
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
Do we really think they'd be insane enough to make it even *more* complex by adding an additional feature to the already convoluted system? That is, everything stays as it is, but now there's an additional feature for one pre-booking at an additional cost? Disney would never be so crazy to try something like -- wait [checks notes] -- ok, it's not impossible.
So I haven’t been able to keep up with this thread today because of work, I appreciate the link @DCBaker so I can catch up.
Could it be the setup where I pay for G+ and LL ahead of time and select my rides just to show up to the park that day realize it’s not crowded and I just wasted my money?
Could it be the setup where I pay for G+ and LL ahead of time and select my rides just to show up to the park that day realize it’s not crowded and I just wasted my money?
SirLink
Well-Known Member
Didn't say it wasn't but it got worse under Iger and then again under Chapek. The whole point of Fastpass for its introduction was folks not standing in queues but spending in the stores which failed on each iteration.
JD80
Well-Known Member
I very much bet there will be more options and thus make it more complicated.
If I had to guess, you'll be able to prepurchase G+ like you could previously, for your whole stay as part of a package. Then on top of that you'll be able to purchase "packages" of themed LLs which will give you something like anytime LL for that attraction on your account.
Maybe G+ reverts to $15 (or some kind of baseline cost) a day and the packages are $5-10 addons or something stupid.
Chi84
Premium Member
And when park capacity was limited and people were afraid to travel/go to crowded theme parks.
Genie+ planning was well underway prior to the pandemic.