Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[G00fyDad]

I will be honest I never understood this line of thinking. It seems extremely self centered based on your individual preferences.

Besides the above (and maybe park reservations, which seems to me a no brainer, you buy a ticket to a park, you need to pick where your going) nothing else is required for trip to Disney. No one says you HAVE to use Genie ++, Lightening Lanes, make early dining reservations, or make appointments to build droids or any other activity. You want to have a spontaneous trip just doing whatever you feel like as it happens, go for it, no one is stopping you. I however like to micro manage my trip to wring out every minute of the day. We are going to be up at 6:45 with 4 phones out ready to snag LL and Genie plus selections. We were setting alarms 60 days out to get dining reservations (back in the FP days when selections opened day of at midnight, we were setting alarms then to make selections.) We don't mind snagging Genie + after Genie plus, logging in for the next available stacking as many as we can. Thats how we like to tour the parks. We like having the options to manage our trip that way, and don't think Disney should limit our planning/managing ability just because you and some families don't like it. You do Disney your way, we will do it ours. Disney right now is giving you more options, whether you use them or not is completely up to you.

Precisely. Just because I like to plan things it doesn't make my park touring habits any less valid. I don't understand people who get up and go to the parks without any sort of plan whatsoever but that's their way of doing it and more power to them. I'm up at 6:00 AM every single day of our trip anyway. I get up before the alarm goes off. That's just the way I am. It doesn't make my way of vacationing silly or ignorant as someone here might say. We haven't been able to truly go to the parks without any sort of plan whatsoever and still be able to do everything and in at least 15 or 16 years. As a matter of fact, I'm such a micromanaging planner that I have watched every single video on the Internet that people have posted at the Tampa International Airport showing how to get from the concourse, to the luggage pick up area, up to the rental car location, and then to the rental car garage. I know it forward and back. I can go there right now and not even look at a single sign and know exactly where I need to go. That's who I am. That's what I do. I don't like going on a vacation and spending $15,000 and not know what to expect. I watch some people on this forum state that they absolutely hate getting up at 7:00 AM just to be able to ride anything and then call everyone else who doesn't mind doing so names or try to belittle them. It's quite silly. I'll tour the parks my way, and they can tour the parks their way.

 

[matt9112]

Wait, you think a significant number of people buy into DVC without planning to go to the parks? Going to Disney is not the reason people are buying into DVC properties in WDW?

I think when your talking about a 50 year period of time there is a significant difference in use from year 1 to year 50. I also did not say people didn’t do that so don’t feel personally attacked or something. I’m saying there are 100% people that visit orlando as a whole using dvc that do not go to the parks at least on every visit.

 

[pdude81]

It's not about the enjoyment of the parks. Its more that it sours me on Disney as a whole.

With as much time as you've spent on this thread, you know how to operate Genie+ pretty efficiently. I expect you'd have a great time as long as you accept spending a lot of time on your phone. I always felt I had to do that already in FP+ time.

 

[Thelazer]

No one says you HAVE to use Genie ++, Lightening Lanes, make early dining reservations, or make appointments to build droids or any other activity. You want to have a spontaneous trip just doing whatever you feel like as it happens, go for it, no one is stopping you.

No one says you have to, but they can sure force you to do so when available for the non LL / Genie etc is sucked up and pushed only to the paid methods.

 

[G00fyDad]

You don't see how many many people just don't want this on a vacation?! This was not an option in the past yet the parks were much more enjoyable.

We had our honeymoon in St. Lucia.. We planned the flights, and the resort.. Everything else was spur of the moment and it was very enjoyable. I think the only time we had to schedule a meal were two of the more in demand restaurants.

Who cares?! As has already been stated you can tour the parks how you feel you want to tour the parks. We will do the same. No one's forcing you to get Genie+. This monster has already been let out of the cage. They're never gonna go back to a full nothing but standby option. Never. So you can either get used to planning, you can continue to go and not plan, or you can just stop going.

 

[JD80]

So a better experience is only valid if it suits you?

I'm saying that the world is different today than it was 20 years ago.

Not only that, comparing an all inclusive resort experience to a WDW vacation experience is apples to oranges unless you only want to compare personal enjoyment vs. dollars spent. Which is something you should always do when planning a vacation. If you don't think WDW retains any value for the money spent, then obviously your money is better spent elsewhere. Everyone's got a line on where it doesn't become worth it anymore.

 

[Chi84]

I think when your talking about a 50 year period of time there is a significant difference in use from year 1 to year 50. I also did not say people didn’t do that so don’t feel personally attacked or something. I’m saying there are 100% people that visit orlando as a whole using dvc that do not go to the parks at least on every visit.

I think there are very, very few DVC who go to WDW without going to the parks. It's certainly not the way DVC is sold. Have you ever seen a DVC newsletter?

 

[bhg469]

Who cares?! As has already been stated you can tour the parks how you feel you want to tour the parks. We will do the same. No one's forcing you to get Genie+. This monster has already been let out of the cage. They're never gonna go back to a full nothing but standby option. Never. So you can either get used to planning, you can continue to go and not plan, or you can just stop going.

You're right.. and I truly hope they price genie + so high that only a hand full of people actually use it. It is a great system but far too many people have access to it. Myself? I am AP holder so Disney doesn't want me there anyway.

 

[JD80]

No one says you have to, but they can sure force you to do so when available for the non LL / Genie etc is sucked up and pushed only to the paid methods.

I don't think anyone is happy or praising the G+ experience. But everyone here should know what they're getting in to when going to WDW today. Either don't go (which is a valid argument and opinion) or if you do go know what to expect. If you're not using ILL or G+ then you're waiting longer and potentially not getting on some attractions.

I've known plenty of people having a good experience and having fun at WDW without G+. So I think we're really arguing around the margins here.

 

[G00fyDad]

You're right.. and I truly hope they price genie + so high that only a hand full of people actually use it. It is a great system but far too many people have access to it. Myself? I am AP holder so Disney doesn't want me there anyway.

I doubt they'll do that. They are making too much money off G$ right now.

 

[bhg469]

I'm saying that the world is different today than it was 20 years ago.

Not only that, comparing an all inclusive resort experience to a WDW vacation experience is apples to oranges unless you only want to compare personal enjoyment vs. dollars spent. Which is something you should always do when planning a vacation. If you don't think WDW retains any value for the money spent, then obviously your money is better spent elsewhere. Everyone's got a line on where it doesn't become worth it anymore.

I used to be the guest that would purchase the dining plan when it had a value to it, we would plan down time in as well. That was as close to all inclusive as it needed to be so no, they aren't apples to oranges. If you want down time now? You're better off adding several days off site at a nicer hotel.

 

[matt9112]

Why stop at 20 years ago, why not compare vacations your parents had 50 years ago?

Why do you try so hard to defend disney?
Seems abused not to hold something you enjoy to some level of standard. It disney doesn’t make money the shareholders would burn it down. But as a customer you don’t care if the experience is negatively impacted. The only way I see the slew of changes having zero impact on a disney vacation is if money is no object. If you stay at deluxe exclusively maybe own a few dvc contracts able to easily afford genie and lightning lane with no issue day after day.

The Truth appears to be the vacation hasn’t changed and maybe even got better if money is no object. If it is however a factor the vacation likely became shorter or less frequent or worse.

 

[crazy4disney]

Until Genie+ was available this is more or less how it was. However, there were still a lot of people in the FP queue from DAS. I imagine with free fastpass there were a lot of people who just used that system to get by who would have qualified for DAS but just didn't use it. Others may have been dishonest after they got used to a line skip system and suddenly had to wait outside in the summer sun. But there were times when you'd see crowds streaming by the ramp on Soarin while the standby queue was locked up.

Now I believe they need to have a line skip system anyway, and obviously at this point it's going to be fee based.

1. Newer ride queues were designed for fastpass and there isn't enough space to put all the people who'd want to be on a standby line.
2. They have to have a skip system anyway for those who are unable to wait in line (DAS), so they would still need the LL queues to exist. This removes the potential solution to #1 of combining queues where possible.
3. If they need the physical and digital infrastructure to manage any line skip system, they may as well have a paid version at the same time to bring in revenue.

But before FP arrived or was created the parks were different and there was more capacity, hours, entertainment, less downtime bc maintenance was top notch & ride efficiency was also as its best... attendance was less than what it was now and they have done nothing imo to accommodate it either... so you cant compare the 2 imo its like how people were saying when parks opened after covid look see no FP and there are no lines... leaving out the most important variable that crowds were at their lowest probably in decades....

 

[G00fyDad]

I used to be the guest that would purchase the dining plan when it had a value to it, we would plan down time in as well. That was as close to all inclusive as it needed to be so no, they aren't apples to oranges. If you want down time now? You're better off adding several days off site at a nicer hotel.

We did. Disney has nickel and dimed us so much that we cut back several days off of our trip that we normally take and we are now spending the last few days of our trip at Clearwater Beach relaxing. I'm still going to go to Disney and plan, plan, plan, plan and have a great time but in the end I've chosen to knock off several Disney days from our trip and spend that at the beach relaxing.

 

[crazy4disney]

I agree 1,000,000%...........BUT thats not going anywhere..................So as long as you have to plan flights, hotels, park passes, dining reservations, ogas for a drink, bibbidi for your daughters so you know what park you're in, what time you're eating, where in the park you're eating..............Why wouldn't you want to pick your top 3 rides to make your touring plan work?

makes no sense to me

exactly... imagine doing ALL of that and then you end up with a prized Rise ILL or GoTG and it overlaps with another pre planned activity ie bibbidi for your daughter and now you have to choose? Disney simply conveniently used their "surveys" again to make it fit the narrative they wanted to charge for FP which again I have no issue with at all but they tried to be cute and convince people it was a different system that was better and what they wanted.... As ive stated simply charge for FP and see what happens... i assure you it cant be worse than what genie is and then come january if you think theres a problem still come up with another solution BUT until you build rides and capacity and maybe a night parade to gobble more people up this will be an ongoing problem

 

[JD80]

Why do you try so hard to defend disney?
Seems abused not to hold something you enjoy to some level of standard. It disney doesn’t make money the shareholders would burn it down. But as a customer you don’t care if the experience is negatively impacted. The only way I see the slew of changes having zero impact on a disney vacation is if money is no object. If you stay at deluxe exclusively maybe own a few dvc contracts able to easily afford genie and lightning lane with no issue day after day.

The Truth appears to be the vacation hasn’t changed and maybe even got better if money is no object. If it is however a factor the vacation likely became shorter or less frequent or worse.

Who is defending Disney? I've said multiple times that the systems in place are awful. People should complain about them everywhere and anywhere. Especially at the state of the parks being overcrowded, under-maintained and without the investment in growing capacity as demand rose over the years.

My only point of discussion is that I'm baffled by peoples entitlements and expectations of a WDW vacation without some level of planning.

 

[JD80]

We did. Disney has nickel and dimed us so much that we cut back several days off of our trip that we normally take and we are now spending the last few days of our trip at Clearwater Beach relaxing. I'm still going to go to Disney and plan, plan, plan, plan and have a great time but in the end I've chosen to knock off several Disney days from our trip and spend that at the beach relaxing.

A lot of people are doing this and ultimately if it continues it'll hit Disney's bottom line. Speak with your wallet.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Are you serious? Is that how it works?

When I was there in Jan/Feb, I purchased at 6:45ish and then made my first selection at 7am. For now, that should still be fine. As far as I can tell, there is no need to purchase at midnight.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

When I was there in Jan/Feb, I purchased at 6:45ish and then made my first selection at 7am. For now, that should still be fine. As far as I can tell, there is no need to purchase at midnight.

We don't know how the limiting will be in the future but everything I have seen/heard the chance of G+ running out so quickly that people need to stay up to midnight to buy it is basically nin- existent ... If it happens it would be more like late morning/midday that sales would stop - if more people buy than expected or lots of rides are down so capacity lower, etc

So for now getting up at 6:45am is fine .... But that could change in the future

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

We don't know how the limiting will be in the future but everything I have seen/heard the chance of G+ running out so quickly that people need to stay up to midnight to buy it is basically nin- existent ... If it happens it would be more like late morning/midday that sales would stop - if more people buy than expected or lots of rides are down so capacity lower, etc

So for now getting up at 6:45am is fine .... But that could change in the future

I don’t think they can do much to limit the sales until January at the earliest. Many people already have it as part of their package. I would like to think at that time, they would change the time as to when Genie+ can be purchased. Maybe purchase at 6:30, first selection at 7.