Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[nickys]

Gets rid of the early wake up but also keeps inventory available throughout the day and allows WAY more flexibility on touring plans

And reports are saying that inventory is appearing on refreshes.

I wouldn’t read too much about availability based on today.

For the next few days, there will be lots of people out testing the new system. And therefore cancellations happening all the time, along with constant modifications.

We won’t see the true result of the new system for a few days.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

It IS odd to do so to the level of obsession.

The point isn't trying to find out its 'worth'. The point is that obsessively trying to maximize every second of your day to the point where you find yourself 'stuck' in your phone is whats taking away from the perceived 'value'.

You can try to say 'people value things differently' all you want, but you're still spending the money on those things. If you're worried about maximizing the $30 LL but not the $500 hotel, that doesn't jive with each other. Get the cheaper hotel and not worry as much about needing to hit every single ride and filling every single minute.

Having a few hundred extra dollars in your pocket doesn't make G+ magically work better. If you wanted to maximize your value and time in the parks then you needed to check the app more often than FP+ or LLMP. Just because you didn't care that much doesn't mean others didn't. You keep discussing a subjective experience as if there's 1 definitive right answer and all other opinions are wrong. Some people liked G+. Others prefer this. Neither is wrong because their preference is what worked for them specifically.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Wish they would combine Genie+ and FP+......allow pre booking of your first ride, ILL's and VQ's 7 days in advance to eliminate the 7am wake up and then institute the 120 min rule to allow stacking and spontaneity

Why is that so hard? What are the downfalls of this?


Gets rid of the early wake up but also keeps inventory available throughout the day and allows WAY more flexibility on touring plans

Even let resort guests (only resort guests so it doesnt take up a ton of inventory) book 1 Tier 2 ride along with the Tier 1 ride if thats what they need to do (can even reconfigure the tier and put more in Tier 1)......That way resort guests would have 2 ILL's, 1 tier 1 and 1 Tier 2 for a total of 4-5 rides booked (if they got a VQ also) 7 days in advance its WAY better than this system

Assuming not a drastic change, that is what I was hoping for. Basically keep G+, but let people prebook their 1st one to avoid the 7am thing.

I do know people that really do value having to prebook 3 to help ad structure to their day, and being able to select return times can help with planning

But yeah, I think they could have just done the first prebook and avoided tiers, etc

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

And reports are saying that inventory is appearing on refreshes.

I wouldn’t read too much ch you not availability based on today.

For the next few days, there will be lots of people out testing the new system. And therefore cancellations happening all the time, along with constant modifications.

We won’t see the true result of the new system for a few days.

Yes but even the Tier 2 rides dont have return times until late evening.....I enter the park with my 7 and 9 year old at 10:30 and we will leave by 6pm i cant get on anything other than my first 3 until 8pm, thats 100% not worth it...........

 

[easyrowrdw]

It brings back the terrible aspects and memories of FP+ (which they wanted to get rid of BTW) except its WORSE because now you have to pay for it and there are fewer rides available because of ILL's

Another thing to keep in mind is that they removed character meets from the list of attractions. So there are even fewer options than before.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

Assuming not a drastic change, that is what I was hoping for. Basically keep G+, but let people prebook their 1st one to avoid the 7am thing.

I do know people that really do value having to prebook 3 to help ad structure to their day, and being able to select return times can help with planning

But yeah, I think they could have just done the first prebook and avoided tiers, etc

This system takes away too much inventory

 

[SageOfTime]

11:30am on day one. I see the following attractions sold out:
MK: Big Thunder, HM, JC, Pooh (coming in and out), Pirates, SM, Tiana. Buzz is also past 9pm
EPCOT: Frozen, Mission Space, Remy. SSE is bast 8pm
DHS: Indy, RNRC, Slinky, TSMM, ToT
AK: Kali, Navi

This system is a travesty. Spaceship Earth return times should never have to go that far out. A tiered system doesn't work the way the parks are operated today, and adding bookings in advance only serves to disadvantage those who take shorter trips, or take their park days earlier in their visit. Horrific. I would have rather kept G+.

 

[DCLcruiser]

I think everyone is a little heated over day 1 issues. As stated, the parks are probably packed with YT and IG personalities, or Disney is limiting availability.

For how long have we heard that the parks are empty, yet today, you can't get a LL until 8PM?

Clearly, something is up and can be fixed going forward.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

This system is a travesty. Spaceship Earth return times should never have to go that far out. A tiered system doesn't work the way the parks are operated today, and adding bookings in advance only serves to disadvantage those who take shorter trips, or take their park days later in their visit. Horrific. I would have rather kept G+.

100% agree with this.......Typical Disney though...........

I dont think this system will last....My guess is it is completely redone before the end of the year

Its terrible and really punishes the vast majority of guests

I am having FP+ PTSD right now........That system was AWFUL and this is worse ($ and fewer rides b of ILL's)

 

[nickys]

Yes but even the Tier 2 rides dont have return times until late evening.....I enter the park with my 7 and 9 year old at 10:30 and we will leave by 6pm i cant get on anything other than my first 3 until 8pm, thats 100% not worth it...........

Except that inventory keeps re-appearing at different times. Availability is constantly changing.

 

[mattpeto]

So day of I was under the impression they would remove the Tier limitations completely. This is not the case, unfortunately.

Removing tier restrictions is based on the first LL redemption.

 

[Jrb1979]

And reports are saying that inventory is appearing on refreshes.

I wouldn’t read too much about availability based on today.

For the next few days, there will be lots of people out testing the new system. And therefore cancellations happening all the time, along with constant modifications.

We won’t see the true result of the new system for a few days.

While that's true somewhat, i can't see how this will be any different than any of the previous systems.

The issue is still the same. Not enough capacity for this to work.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

So day of I was under the impression they would remove the Tier limitations completely. This is not the case, unfortunately.

Removing tier restrictions is based on the first LL redemption.

I think that's a good thing, honestly. Otherwise, the 7 AM rat race would still be in full effect, but compounded by people trying to modify at least 2 of their 3 pre-selects instead of just trying to pick 1 LL with G+.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I think everyone is a little heated over day 1 issues. As stated, the parks are probably packed with YT and IG personalities, or Disney is limiting availability.

For how long have we heard that the parks are empty, yet today, you can't get a LL until 8PM?

Clearly, something is up and can be fixed going forward.

As a formerly avid FP+ user, the availability issues aren’t that surprising in my opinion. There are attractions down in MK and Epcot, there are less options to book (the meet and greets, parades, evening shows), and there is the removal of the ILL attractions from the pool for each park. The patterns are mimicking what I remember FP+ doing, in that an in demand tier 2 was sometimes harder than a lower demand tier 1.

The parks weren’t empty enough that Genie+ availability held all day at in demand attractions in the days prior to this. This is just that made worse by the ability to hold 3 immediately.

I am not all that optimistic that first day demand is moving the needle greatly, especially because it is a slower time and the general population likely wasn’t moving trips for this. I hope that’s the case though.

 

[mattpeto]

I think that's a good thing, honestly. Otherwise, the 7 AM rat race would still be in full effect, but compounded by people trying to modify at least 2 of their 3 pre-selects instead of just trying to pick 1 LL with G+.

I agree with your premise. 7 am duties are no more, which is great.

I don’t think the LL value will be as good as Genie+.

 

[Pretzels-in-Germany]

Both Genie+ (G+) and Lightning Lane Multi-Park (LLMP) have their pros and cons. However, one overlooked issue with G+ is the significant drop in table service reservations. My family, for instance, used to book several table service meals each trip, but the uncertainty of securing LLs and the risk of cancellation fees led us to opt for quick service instead, except for one early morning character meal on our most recent trip.

This trend seems widespread, as previously hard-to-get reservations like Cinderella's Royal Table or Be Our Guest are now often available last minute. Although changes like BOG's pre-fixe menu also affect bookings, the main issue seems tied to G+'s booking model.

Even if LLMP sells less or is less profitable than G+, it still may boost overall revenue by encouraging guests to stay on property and schedule more sit-down meals. Advanced planning and scheduling could lead to higher guest spending compared to same-day decisions influenced by menu prices and the in park feeling of being nickle and dimed.

 

[JD80]

Yes, but you are doing that on your downtime. In line, exhausted at lunch, etc. I never found it to get in the way of my trip and we only go to each park for 1 day, and ride everything we can.

Well yeah, but it's just more mental bandwidth you have to deal with. It never "gets in the way" of anything where you have to stop doing something. But it takes up space in your brain as something else to keep track of.

I'm a project manager in real life, I want to go on vacation too.

 

[DCLcruiser]

I agree with your premise. 7 am duties are no more, which is great.

I don’t think the LL value will be as good as Genie+.

Aren't you still up at 7 for the VQ?

 

[JAB]

So day of I was under the impression they would remove the Tier limitations completely. This is not the case, unfortunately.

Removing tier restrictions is based on the first LL redemption.

So this would mean the return of the "throwaway" selection as a strategy.

 

[JAB]

I think the possibly more interesting data will be what 7-day availability looks like in a week or two when long stays start to overlap the 7-day on-property booking window.