Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[mikejs78]

I'm sorry... How is Genie+ not paid FastPass+? In what way is it different?

• 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.

 

[mikejs78]

Hence my advocacy for everything being demand priced ILL.

Capacity constraints appeared to be an unresolvable problem for the foreseeable future. You have a relatively known quantity for FP/LL-style access throughput. Price said access based on demand and you've solved that problem.

Even if you think that's the best, I don't think Disney will ever go that route in Orlando. From what I've heard the offering is not that popular in Paris with the exception of a few rides.

The ILL experiment in Orlando showed that there are only a handful of rides people will pay for. People are much more likely to buy a bundle like G+. That would likely result in significantly decreased revenue for Disney.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hence my advocacy for everything being demand priced ILL.

Capacity constraints appear to be an unresolvable problem for the foreseeable future. You have a relatively known quantity for FP/LL-style access throughput. Price said access based on demand and you've solved that problem.

Ok…so what do you get with your ride all day, all inclusive ticket (since the 1980’s)??

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Even if you think that's the best, I don't think Disney will ever go that route in Orlando. From what I've heard the offering is not that popular in Paris with the exception of a few rides.

The ILL experiment in Orlando showed that there are only a handful of rides people will pay for. People are much more likely to buy a bundle like G+. That would likely result in significantly decreased revenue for Disney.

I tinkered with the system a little because it was my first time. But to apply that to “standard” for everything will collapse almost immediately.

And before anyone says “most people are first timers, they don’t care, and it’s luxury and they’re all rich”

Wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong.

That isn’t the model in Florida at all.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Even if you think that's the best, I don't think Disney will ever go that route in Orlando. From what I've heard the offering is not that popular in Paris with the exception of a few rides.

The ILL experiment in Orlando showed that there are only a handful of rides people will pay for. People are much more likely to buy a bundle like G+. That would likely result in significantly decreased revenue for Disney.

My take on ILL is that when fewer people purchase it, which means fewer riders, Disney will simply use that to say that since people aren't riding it, then we don't have to worry about maintenance or upgrading that attraction.

 

[Lou Filerman]

Well this new news stinks. I was hoping those rides would go back to ILL so I could be guaranteed to get on them. I’d rather pay the money then risk it with genie +.

 

[sullyinMT]

• 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.

So it's more like the old 4th and beyond FP+. We had mixed success with that system based on our willingness to zig-zag the park just to be ride warriors (we're pretty balanced in wanting rides and ambiance). I'm still withholding my final judgement until our trip next year, which will be our first since G+ launched.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well this new news stinks. I was hoping those rides would go back to ILL so I could be guaranteed to get on them. I’d rather pay the money then risk it with genie +.

“Mr. Chapek would like to buy you a drink…
Do you like Milwaukee’s Best?”

 

[ChrisM]

Ok…so what do you get with your ride all day, all inclusive ticket (since the 1980’s)??

The standby line, of course.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So it's more like the old 4th and beyond FP+. We had mixed success with that system based on our willingness to zig-zag the park just to be ride warriors (we're pretty balanced in wanting rides and ambiance). I'm still withholding my final judgement until our trip next year, which will be our first since G+ launched.

It functions more like maxpass than the old completely usuals fastpass+ charade.

Some days you’re rolling…other days you can be jammed up/frustrated and then still get a block of 4 rides later that kinda settles it out.

It does require constant phone attachment. Unfortunately.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The standby line, of course.

Yikes. Then you’re heading to the point where they don’t move unless you cap sales at a low level.

Which is why they killed fastpass+.

 

[Jrb1979]

Ok…so what do you get with your ride all day, all inclusive ticket (since the 1980’s)??

You can ride standby like it's done in every other park.

I get it that Disney isn't on the same level theming wise and that there is lots to do besides the parks. At the the end of the day the parks themselves are still Theme Parks. I know they lack capacity but you could add 10 rides to each park tomorrow and it won't solve much. There will never be enough capacity for everyone to have any skip the line system they use.

I don't give a you know what that Disney is different and littles can't wait in long lines, there is a reason every other park limits the availability of their systems. They don't work when everyone has it.

Yikes. Then you’re heading to the point where they don’t move unless you cap sales at a low level.

Which is why they killed fastpass+.

That's what has been needed since day 1. They need to price people out unfortunately.

 

[sullyinMT]

It functions more like maxpass than the old completely usuals fastpass+ charade.

Some days you’re rolling…other days you can be jammed up/frustrated and then still get a block of 4 rides later that kinda settles it out.

It does require constant phone attachment. Unfortunately.

The last part is my biggest issue. But I also won't necessarily mind signing my (then) 15yo into my MDE account and letting him roll with it for 10-15 minutes at a time in other lines or while "soaking it in." He's a sweet boy, but it's not like he's overly engaged with his family at this stage of his life.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It does require constant phone attachment. Unfortunately.

That's because you're old .

I can book my next LL with one hand while I pee.

 

[Ricky Spanish]

“Mr. Chapek would like to buy you a drink…
Do you like Milwaukee’s Best?”

Milwaukee’s Best is generous.
I was thinking more like MD 20/20.

 

[ChrisM]

Yikes. Then you’re heading to the point where they don’t move unless you cap sales at a low level.

Which is why they killed fastpass+.

Not exactly. You reduce demand by jacking up prices, exactly like ride share "surge pricing".

There will be ebbs and flows during the day. Price per ride may vacillate drastically from between $2-$100 over the course of the day, but throughput would be regulated and no real planning required.

 

[Jrb1979]

It functions more like maxpass than the old completely usuals fastpass+ charade.

Some days you’re rolling…other days you can be jammed up/frustrated and then still get a block of 4 rides later that kinda settles it out.

It does require constant phone attachment. Unfortunately.

I don't see how you need to be on your phone as much as people say. You can only book 1 every 2 hours or after you used 1. The only way I see you having to be on your phone constantly is if you are trying to find optimal times.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't see how you need to be on your phone as much as people say. You can only book 1 every 2 hours or after you used 1. The only way I see you having to be on your phone constantly is if you are trying to find optimal times.

Which means when you come off, you look. And then you set reminders to look, then you look “before” you look to see where you want to try for.

It’s a habit…unfortunately.

 

[mikejs78]

It functions more like maxpass than the old completely usuals fastpass+ charade.

Some days you’re rolling…other days you can be jammed up/frustrated and then still get a block of 4 rides later that kinda settles it out.

It does require constant phone attachment. Unfortunately.

I honestly had decent success with it. Got a decent number of LLs every day and had few issues. I just hate the logistics of it, especially the 7 AM scramble. IMO, having used all of them:

FP+ > FP > Genie+ > Standby only. For me personally.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not exactly. You reduce demand by jacking up prices, exactly like ride share "surge pricing".

There will be ebbs and flows during the day. Price per ride may vacillate drastically from between $2-$100 over the course of the day, but throughput would be regulated and no real planning required.

The crowds have been re-engineered to depend on fastpass…so you can’t have everyone in standby and you can’t have everyone in an express program.

Because they don’t have the capacity to handle either.

Are you seriously suggesting a $49 fee for Peter Pan on 12/26?

There’s a “glass ceiling” on PR that even the mighty Disney can’t get through.