Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Wendy Pleakley]

I think the reason they’re hesitant to do the pricing the majority out strategy to make whatever version of paid FP work more efficiently is it really exposes how lacking some of the parks are attraction wise when you’re talking numbers like $100-200 per person on top of a ticket and it nets you maybe 2-3 rides that have significant waits unless it’s an extremely busy time.

I also think the hypothetical numbers that get thrown around when a true express style system is discussed are almost always too low. Unless you’re quoting VIP guide prices, you’re valuing unlimited and unscheduled entries lower than Disney does.

Years of free Fastpasses have conditioned us to see them as necessary when visiting the parks.

The new system is priced low enough that most people will use it.

At the end of the day, it's just a ticket price increase above and beyond the norm, disguised as something else.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

If this is how its going to go with this system, its worse than i could have even imagined it.....

What a disaster

We really need the full picture of drops and the ease of refreshes.

FP+ looked often terrible too at a single glance like that but was plentiful if you knew how to game it - like Genie, with actual usage in the parks I found more success with the rolling FP+ than the rolling Genie+ LL.

Edit - I just gave Epcot 10 refreshes to see, chose Epcot because there’s realistically only 2 rides to keep track of there. FEA showed up twice with 2 difference times, Remy showed up 3 times with 2 different times.

 

[gorillaball]

I see your point and would probably agree I’d be turned off, but you could always just not buy in. For the Small World example you could still ride for free but you just have to wait 15 mins in standby. For someone who really doesn‘t want to wait they pay the $3 and skip the wait.

I agree with others that this system would never happen, but it would be an interesting psychology experiment.

Got it, I was misunderstanding the "proposal"

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

We really need the full picture of drops and the ease of refreshes.

FP+ looked often terrible too at a single glance like that but was plentiful if you knew how to game it - like Genie, with actual usage in the parks I found more success with the rolling FP+ than the rolling Genie+ LL.

I have heard that but my experience was opposite...I did have success with FP+, but i had a lot more success with Genie+ and i think thats due to the inventory being more spread out........when i was there a couple weeks ago, at 7pm at MK when it closed at 10pm, i could get POC, Small World, Buzz, Thunder and HM as a walk on as my next Genie+ selection.........Most of those rides will be long gone by 7pm under this new system, never mind on a busy day

 

[JD80]

If this is how its going to go with this system, its worse than i could have even imagined it.....

What a disaster

Someone just posted that they did a day at DHS and got everything with low to moderate refreshing. So disaster is a bit much.

 

[Riddick]

As an international guest this feels like another kick in the teeth from Disney.
Especially when we could previously book FP+ both in app / online previously so it's clearly possible.

I'm an international passholder who does week long trips staying on site but Disney have effectively locked me out of LL unless I'm willing to spend all day refreshing and hoping.

Given that international guests cannot:

• Buy magicbands as part of a resort stay (which used to work and then only worked with a VPN and now doesn't work at all)
  • This includes AP Magicbands so I will never get mine
  • This doesn't even work when I'm in the US because the account is region locked?!
• Book dining in the app (which used to work!)
• Book experiences like horse drawn carriage without a VPN
• Buy APs without a VPN

And now LL? I can't imagine how international travel agents explain how much Disney does not want you there...

 

[Purduevian]

If this is how its going to go with this system, its worse than i could have even imagined it.....

What a disaster

Remember that all the users have 2 or 3 better LLs already booked than what is shown... This is probably pretty similar to what G+ looked like ~5 hours later (6:30pm). I actually think the availability looks ok.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Someone just posted that they did a day at DHS and got everything with low to moderate refreshing. So disaster is a bit much.

This is what my playing around with the system has lead me to believe will be possible too. I think with the caveat that you have to be happily willing to pay for all your possible options, ride people - in particular those who don’t wish to take breaks where they leave the park, will learn this system like all the others before it and have an experience similar to ones they’ve had in the past.

The various system have all favoured different types of guests, but what they’ve all had in common was the ability of a determined and strategic guest to push it to its max, far above the average experience. If your goal is just park, park, park, it’ll be a good enough system I think. This shift hurts people most who can’t or won’t plan, or who like to arrive late. But all day riders should be okay.

 

[Disstevefan1]

As an international guest this feels like another kick in the teeth from Disney.
Especially when we could previously book FP+ both in app / online previously so it's clearly possible.

I'm an international passholder who does week long trips staying on site but Disney have effectively locked me out of LL unless I'm willing to spend all day refreshing and hoping.

Given that international guests cannot:

• Buy magicbands as part of a resort stay (which used to work and then only worked with a VPN and now doesn't work at all)
  • This includes AP Magicbands so I will never get mine
  • This doesn't even work when I'm in the US because the account is region locked?!
• Book dining in the app (which used to work!)
• Book experiences like horse drawn carriage without a VPN
• Buy APs without a VPN

And now LL? I can't imagine how international travel agents explain how much Disney does not want you there...

What a total failure for Disney.

There needs somebody in the company to review things before they release them.

This must be simple incompetence on Disneys part, I don’t want to think they do not value their international guests!

It it turns out to be true they intended to release the system this way because they determine their international guests do not spend enough so they don’t value them, that is just sad!

If it turns out to be true, I shouldn’t be surprised, I see how they treat their APs as they determined do not spend enough money to be valued.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

The overlooking of the international guests is ridiculous. They never should have moved back to prebooking without every guest having the ability to do so if they chose to.

 

[bungle2317]

I used the new LLMP system at MK yesterday (July 25th) having purchased it at 7am on the 24th as this was my only day in MK on this trip and wanted to do as many rides as possible.
Have to say I found the system incredibly similar to the old Fastpass system, with the 3 pre visit reservations and then as soon as scanning in, being able to book another one.
I was able to get 11 LLMP bookings in the day which meant I rode every ride bar Space and Astro Orbiter at least once, which on a busy July day is incredible.
My only gripe (apart from having to pay $29 for it now) is that it's a 1 and done system per ride, as some people like to ride a specific ride 2+ in a trip.
I'd estimate I saved approx 5hrs of listed waiting time.
For me, depending on the day its now a no brainer for MK.

 

[easyrowrdw]

Yeah, there’s no way that everyone purchasing G+ or LLMP could all get a pass for every eligible attraction. The capacity just isn’t there. I would spitball and say the average number of attractions that can be booked is probably around 4 per purchaser, maybe 5.

In order the have it function as a “everyone gets one pass for every eligible ride” system they would have to sell a ton fewer G+ or LLMP. And if they did that, we’d be looking at a price many times greater (like $75-100 per person per day) to make up for the revenue. And that would have bad PR I would think both in being unaffordable for “regular” families and also being unfavorable compared to Uni’s system that is more similar but allows unlimited rides.

With the exception of MK I totally agree, not many people could justify another $200, on top of the $150 ticket price, for the half dozen rides where you’d benefit from a line skip system at HS, AK, or EP.

We struggle to justify buying the relatively cheap LL, it’s also one of the biggest problems with charging for FP, to get your moneys worth you feel like you need to go on more rides, it’s actually increasing demand because people are trying to justify spending the money they did.

At current prices many people don't feel like it's worth it, but charging enough to make it a truly great service is untenable. All the more reason that I think Disney would be better with the way it used to be - free!* They would "lose" out on the LL money, but satisfaction would be higher and I have to imagine they'd sell more tickets. Instead of trying to squeeze more out of fewer people, they could try to attract more people again.

*I know; it'll never happen.

 

[Horizons '83]

At current prices many people don't feel like it's worth it, but charging enough to make it a truly great service is untenable. All the more reason that I think Disney would be better with the way it used to be - free!* They would "lose" out on the LL money, but satisfaction would be higher and I have to imagine they'd sell more tickets. Instead of trying to squeeze more out of fewer people, they could try to attract more people again.

*I know; it'll never happen.

They were on the right path a few years ago when the reverted back to free parking, but I just think they are making too much $ with lightening lane it would be hard for them (bean counters) to pull that back as well.

 

[Purduevian]

I used the new LLMP system at MK yesterday (July 25th) having purchased it at 7am on the 24th as this was my only day in MK on this trip and wanted to do as many rides as possible.
Have to say I found the system incredibly similar to the old Fastpass system, with the 3 pre visit reservations and then as soon as scanning in, being able to book another one.
I was able to get 11 LLMP bookings in the day which meant I rode every ride bar Space and Astro Orbiter at least once, which on a busy July day is incredible.
My only gripe (apart from having to pay $29 for it now) is that it's a 1 and done system per ride, as some people like to ride a specific ride 2+ in a trip.
I'd estimate I saved approx 5hrs of listed waiting time.
For me, depending on the day its now a no brainer for MK.

Extremely impressive. Do you possibly know the order/times in which you were able to book things? We don't have many firsthand accounts. (BTW I am not doubting you at all, just curious on prebooks, booking order, and how much refreshing you needed to do).

 

[xxbradonxx]

Looking at the tier list and how quickly some rides are unavailable genie+ seems way better. I could do at least 3-4 tier 1 attractions a day and 10 tier 2 attractions easily. I think if you are going to use a system like this genie+ is as good as you could get without using something like universal has. Most days in the parks we could get on 15 to 20 attractions easily. We are going again in September and will try this out but it doesn’t seem nearly as good as genie+ based on the availability of attractions after 11 and how far out most of the times are.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

As market research, they should just have an average guest planning a WDW vacation with their family read this thread.

They will immediately book a trip to Hawaii to relax and have fun.

This entire mess continues to show that the people making these decisions do not actually use (nor spend their money on) their product.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

Looking at the tier list and how quickly some rides are unavailable genie+ seems way better. I could do at least 3-4 tier 1 attractions a day and 10 tier 2 attractions easily. I think if you are going to use a system like this genie+ is as good as you could get without using something like universal has. Most days in the parks we could get on 15 to 20 attractions easily. We are going again in September and will try this out but it doesn’t seem nearly as good as genie+ based on the availability of attractions after 11 and how far out most of the times are.

!00% agree with this.....It's a simple formula of inventory being spread out throughout the day vs taken up in advance....I obviously preferred the Genie+ spread throughout the day

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Yall taking my post way too seriously.

Same, I made a similar tongue in cheek post, Disney has made it so confusing that any system seems reasonable in comparison.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Looking at the tier list and how quickly some rides are unavailable genie+ seems way better. I could do at least 3-4 tier 1 attractions a day and 10 tier 2 attractions easily. I think if you are going to use a system like this genie+ is as good as you could get without using something like universal has. Most days in the parks we could get on 15 to 20 attractions easily. We are going again in September and will try this out but it doesn’t seem nearly as good as genie+ based on the availability of attractions after 11 and how far out most of the times are.

If you had time and flexibility in the day to ride 15-20 majority being LL - and I’m assuming this had to involve hopping too at some points given the lack of repeats, my gut says a guest like you will be completely satisfied with this new system. It was possible under the most similar comparison we have, FP+, to do everything you wanted to.

You’ll need to learn how to play with it, but Genie+ absolutely didn’t spit out that kind of day without effort either.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

So checking this morning, I see that every single LLSP is already sold out, which seems odd as that would never happen this early in the day before

On the flip side, some LLMP that were sold out for advance bookings for today when I checked yesterday (e g., Haunted Mansion) now shows as being available so they definitely added "day of" capacity

Several people have reported that even though they could see supposed availability, they were not able to book it. As if that time option was a ghost or glitch.