Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Touchdown]

Well I won’t be purchasing Genie+ anytime soon so long as I can do this rope drop MK (with EE):
-SDMT
-PPF
-BTMRR x2
-Splash
-PotC
-HM
-Pooh
-Mermaid
-Space
-Peoplemover
-Tiki Room
-CBJ

Leave MK at 2, 2 hour break in hotel, Sci Fi Drive In dinner, I get in my first line at 5:25:
-Rise
-MFSR
-A:SS
-TSMM
-Slinky
-MMRR
-ToT x3

21 rides, longest wait was Slinky at 35 min. I was aided by an afternoon rain storm but I would have been just as content dropping MFSR, A:SS and one ToT ride which is what I assume the rain gifted me. I got on every ride at Epcot yesterday save for Nemo and LwtL, I didn’t see any indoor shows but did watch Alberta Bound, hit the shops from the International Gateway clockwise to Norway, eat at Yachtsman and see Harmonious, pretty good for arrival day starting at 1:20.

 

[SirWillow]

Well I won’t be purchasing Genie+ anytime soon so long as I can do this rope drop MK (with EE):

I take it then that wait times were generally short with the lines moving?

This is what I'm most interested in knowing right now, is how is Genie+ affecting the ride wait times, and if it's anywhere near like fastpass+ used to slow them down.

Seems like a mixed bag so far on those that are actually using it from what I'm reading, but for those that aren't it seems like it's working well on not impacting them much.

 

[Touchdown]

I take it then that wait times were generally short with the lines moving?

This is what I'm most interested in knowing right now, is how is Genie+ affecting the ride wait times, and if it's anywhere near like fastpass+ used to slow them down.

Seems like a mixed bag so far on those that are actually using it from what I'm reading, but for those that aren't it seems like it's working well on not impacting them much.

Outside of Frozen where it took 40 min for me to get to the boats when the queue was only just outside the doors 10-20 ft (and it took me 25 min to reach the plaza, after that the standby queue got pulsesed in 2 massive waves.) The lines have moved quite fast. I think ops noticed because a CM in a plain orange polo walked up to the end of very long LL line just as I reached the plaza and afterwards the amount of people who entered LL significantly decreased.

 

[dirtnap101]

Yesterday was rated a crowd level 1 in HS according to Touring Plans. Today is rated a 7.

Yesterday Rise ILL sold out between 11:45-Noon, and SDD G+ became unavailable between 12:50 and 1pm.

Today Rise ILL sold out between 9:08-9:20, and SDD G+ became unavailable between 9:26-9:35.

 

[pdude81]

This old Disney World ad really puts things into perspective..

As you noted it's an old ad. That's a shiny new MB 1.0. I do miss straight up Extra magic hours though

 

[Ayla]

I really just wish the bumped up the price of admission instead of the nickel and diming per ride. It just feels so dirty.

Considering the ticket price increase at DLR, you may get your wish.

 

[JohnD]

I do think it is in Disney's best interest to make Lightning Lane a flat rate for all attractions, and not change that price based on day, time of year, etc.

It's about peace of mind in planning...they make it complex and confusing for people it just makes people less happy about their experience and, in some cases, less positive about visiting in the first place.

Lightning Lane is just one small part of MANY changes people are having to worry about and hearing those who do Disney planning for a living (DISUnplugged, etc.) it is a lot of work.

By your logic then resort rates should be the same all year as well. "It's about peace of mind in planning", right? It's not like they weren't up front about it. If you don't like it, don't use it.

 

[corsairk09]

So about all these inflated wait times I just realized another benefit Disney derived from inflating the wait by 10-20%. All those people using DAS get assigned return times based on that wait, ergo increasing the wait time decreases the amount of attractions DAS people “hijack” LL for free.

Seen a lot of back and forth on the wait times. When we were there in Sept. 2020 the wait times were way off (they always went much quicker than advertised). DH and I assumed that it was because parties were seperated by 6 feet and the lines took up more space.

Comments here seem to suggest that it is intentional.

Anyways...... visiting next week and curious.... can I trust the posted wait times at all?

 

[Jeff4272]

I paid a little over $300 for a one day ticket to Universal, including a one-park basic Express Pass, a few weeks ago. Disney prices are not all that bad compared to some other parks nearby. There are people in the area who are willing to spend that much per day and Disney just wants to get in on some of that money.

You should have booked one night in at the hard roxk

I paid a little over $300 for a one day ticket to Universal, including a one-park basic Express Pass, a few weeks ago. Disney prices are not all that bad compared to some other parks nearby. There are people in the area who are willing to spend that much per day and Disney just wants to get in on some of that money.

You should have booked one night in hard rock and you would have got free express pass for the 2 days (day you checking and day you check out for probably $400 total, lowering your cost to $200 instead of $300 and getting another day in the park...............you save a TON of money if its your family of 5 staying in the hotel

 

[UNCgolf]

Yesterday was rated a crowd level 1 in HS according to Touring Plans. Today is rated a 7.

Yesterday Rise ILL sold out between 11:45-Noon, and SDD G+ became unavailable between 12:50 and 1pm.

Today Rise ILL sold out between 9:08-9:20, and SDD G+ became unavailable between 9:26-9:35.

Sounds like Genie+ may not be worth it on really busy days for some people if times for major attractions are going to be gone that early.

That or Disney will end up shifting to add more capacity to Genie+ and remove it from standby.

 

[Jeff4272]

I think if I were at one day at hollywood studios I would spend the 15 on rise and just go early to do the rest, but if that return time ended up being really late, could I ask for some sort of refund because I couldn't even park hop and used a hopper to enter? I would not be on site and would prob get a late time. Do they let rise run late that once can get in standby last minute? So they give 2 hours worth of line compensation if it breaks down?

No refund....if its a late return time, just dont book it

 

[jpinkc]

I think my biggest fear for this besides the additional Blood Money, is when we start seeing 7,8,9.10 crowd levels. I think this thing is gonna have a Melt Down that will make Chernobyl look like a firecracker, and will be right in the middle of it during Thanksgiving........

 

[doctornick]

Yesterday was rated a crowd level 1 in HS according to Touring Plans. Today is rated a 7.

That seems like a huge jump especially going from a Sunday to a Monday. Is there something special this week?

 

[nickys]

That seems like a huge jump especially going from a Sunday to a Monday. Is there something special this week?

Halloween?

 

[yensid1967]

How I miss the old days of planning! When you didn't HAVE TO plan EVERYDAY, EVERY HOUR or your every move BEFORE YOU GET THERE!(so it seems) It was less stressful, but now everyone seems to want that certain time for dining, certain everything that you have to plan for even before you get there!

 

[HauntedPirate]

I really just wish the bumped up the price of admission instead of the nickel and diming per ride. It just feels so dirty.

What makes you think they won’t do both, plus a bump in food and beverage prices?

 

[Club Cooloholic]

So price increased from $2 to $17 for some rides I. A matter of days. Usually that sort of increase on something takes Disney at least a few years....Warp Speed Ahead!

 

[Cousin Huet]

I take it then that wait times were generally short with the lines moving?

This is what I'm most interested in knowing right now, is how is Genie+ affecting the ride wait times, and if it's anywhere near like fastpass+ used to slow them down.

Seems like a mixed bag so far on those that are actually using it from what I'm reading, but for those that aren't it seems like it's working well on not impacting them much.

So, I can only speak for Oct 17 to Oct 22 but crowds were pretty low for the most part even with Fall Break in full swing. The only time I saw it really busy was when we park hopped from Animal Kingdom to MK on the 18th and that night MK was a zoo so we left quickly. Animal kingdom was slow that morning as we had the entire park done by 1pm including a meal in Pandora. This included every attraction and Festival of the Lion King. We didn’t have LL options this day either as it started the next day. We didn’t rush either as we got a snack early. Now we did do the 30min early entry to get FOP in quickly but even after that everything was walk on except 15-20 min at the Safari line.

Oct 19 at Epcot was pretty calm and the LL options made it easy.

Oct 20 at MK was relatively busy but not crazy and with LL it was bad at all.

Oct 21 at DHS was the same as MK but I saw ROTR hit 55min at one point I think so it wasn’t miserable or super crowded.

weather being good always helps too and those days were great weather.

 

[Ayla]

So price increased from $2 to $17 for some rides I. A matter of days. Usually that sort of increase on something takes Disney at least a few years....Warp Speed Ahead!

No, it was a $2 increase.

 

[ChrisFL]

By your logic then resort rates should be the same all year as well. "It's about peace of mind in planning", right? It's not like they weren't up front about it. If you don't like it, don't use it.

That's a huge difference. Resort rates are something that have a whole industry that historically changes rates based on time of year, weekdays vs. weekends etc. People have expected that for decades. This is entirely new and not like what other parks offer at all.

I don't care either way, as I won't likely use those options, but I'm saying the average guest could be more overwhelmed by this, I'm already seeing a lot of people saying it.