Are People now having to walk around on their phones all day?

[Donald13]

And imo genie+ is not worth it. So if you don’t have it, you don’t need your phones all day.

 

[Biggen]

I'm only on day 2, keeping some notes, trying to keep an open mind ..... but the one thing that hit me today is YES YOU ARE ON YOUR PHONE too much. It's the only way to dine, even most quick serve and if you buy Genie+ you want your monies worth so you work to roll it. I've been more aware of folks on phones, standing to side on their phone and eating while on their phone.

There have been more CMs asking to see your LL or ADR on your phone, more guests pulling out their phone and waving it at CMs in frustration about whatever.

Honestly the Genie+ forces you to last minute decide what to do over and over all day long. Now if you don't book ADR and want to wing it, you likely won't get in anywhere. We ate at Tony's today - usually not a popular place and they were turning away people.

If you book dining reservations ahead of time, then you don't need your phone for that, right? I mean you are already in. We don't ever do QSR. Ours are always sit down reservations in the park.

 

[HeatherC]

I think it all

And imo genie+ is not worth it. So if you don’t have it, you don’t need your phones all day.

Even during busy weeks? Do you think we could get away with not having it Presidents Week?

 

[Donald13]

Even during busy weeks? Do you think we could get away with not having it Presidents Week?

We were there last week and it was busy but manageable. We used it one day and don’t think it’s worth the money

 

[HeatherC]

We were there last week and it was busy but manageable. We used it one day and don’t think it’s worth the money

Thank you for your insight! Very much appreciated.

 

[Donald13]

Thank you for your insight! Very much appreciated.

No problem! Enjoy your trip

 

[Jennasis]

This isn't anything new. Being on your phone all the time to plan etc has been a thing at Disney for the last 10+ years.

 

[OhThePain]

If you book dining reservations ahead of time, then you don't need your phone for that, right? I mean you are already in. We don't ever do QSR. Ours are always sit down reservations in the park.

Most restaurants request you use your phone to scan a QR code to look at the menus. CG gave out menus to keep and I think maybe Topolino's and 1 other restaurant gave us menus. All other restaurants we scanned. I would think they do have physical menus if you ask (could just be disposable paper menus), but we just scanned to make it easy and never asked for a menu.

 

[shh]

The way I think about this is that so many people are constantly on their phones, that Genie can’t be that big of a deal. Social media, movies, we’re all on our phones. Sad really.

some of us aren't thankfully. I'm fully in the moment and immersed on vacation - I don't post to social media, constantly text or call people, etc. I don't even look at my phone - it stays in my bag. If others like being on the phone all day, that's awesome for them, but I will not be forced to vacation that way.

 

[PaladinButters]

I find this interesting how everyone seems to have a different idea of what "on your phone all day" means.

To me - absolutely not. No more than with fast passes and all of that is optional. You can show up and do nothing but standby lines if you want. You can run around the park not knowing what the (alleged) wait times are for attractions if you want so you never have to open the app for it. Even if you are grabbing passes on your phone, you don't have to do a militant refresh all day to get them, just pick one and then put your phone back in your bag for the next hour or more until you need to do that again.

Maybe a couple extra minutes in an 12 hour long park day to mobile order at a QS? I wouldn't call a few minutes "on your phone all day" either but if that is to you than you can always go find the CM that assists people with their orders instead. Choose your own adventure.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you book dining reservations ahead of time, then you don't need your phone for that, right?

You can use the phone to check in for your dining reservation. When you do that, you can bypass going to the desk and they will just text you when your table is ready. You can also do things like alter the number of your party (add or remove people if offered). But you can still go to the check-in podium if you prefer that.

They will give you a QR code to scan for menus, which is handy, but if you want to keep the phone out of sight you can likely request a paper menu. As noted, some of the signatures still have menu books

 

[lovethattink]

With all the changes to their system, are people having to constantly be on their phones all day between Genie, LL, Mobile Ordering, etc..? Is there anyway at all to just go and decide what you want to do when you get there or is that now a recipe for disaster? Trying to decide if it is worth it. Not sure we want to on our phones all day on vacation. What are your experiences with it?
Thanks!

We went to MK yesterday and totally winged it. The only plan was to get a dole whip and take pictures for Christmas cards.

The only time I had my phone out was for taking photos and to make a mobile order for dole whips.

I think it is whatever you make it. We went for a relaxing evening. We rode 3 attractions (Big Thunder Mt, Potc, and Jingle Cruise), had our dole whips, took photos, and watched the fireworks.

 

[HopperFan]

If you book dining reservations ahead of time, then you don't need your phone for that, right? I mean you are already in. We don't ever do QSR. Ours are always sit down reservations in the park.

No you are good except there were no paper menus. We had to scan QR code to pull up menu.

They also told us our table was ready with a text even though we checked in person.

 

[wisblue]

I think everyone should agree that using a phone to scan a menu while sitting at a table in a restaurant shouldn’t be a factor in “walking around looking at your phone all day”. You aren’t walking and you only have to use the phone for a few minutes a couple of times a day at most.

And the restaurants have to have printed menus available for people who don’t have phones or don’t want to use them to see their options.

 

[C&Jx2]

Can you use it on Apple watches yet?

 

[Donald13]

And you don’t have to use genie plus. It’s not mandatory. I’m sorry. But throw whole
Thing is making me nutty. Yes not everyone is on their phones but most are, and you are all using devises to post on here. Why suddenly you can’t be on your phones all day is a mystery to me….

 

[DVC92]

Glad I still have my flip phone so I can stand upright and enjoy the scenery around me. There are going to be a lot of people with posture problems in the future. I always do ADRs for dinner and walk-ins at the resorts for brunch so I don't need mobile ordering. Further, w/o FP+, I'll just wait in line for rides as long as they aren't too long and take in shows.

 

[ktlm]

If you have to actually pick out what you want to eat on a tiny phone screen for five people, that is a pain! Not EVERYONE is on their phones all day and I certainly don’t want to “have” to be tied to it to plan every single minute of a visit to Disney. I think it is a legitimate question/concern.

Yep- we were at DLR in October, and mobile order was a real pain. I was the one that had to do it for everyone. Plus, DH has no clue how to pull up menus on his phone and so I had to read the menu or show him my phone every time. DD didn't want to pull up the menus on her phone, but she wanted to look at them on mine before I ordered. DLR was really pushing mobile order too. We had other issues with mobile order as well-like our orders taking way too long to be ready etc.

 

[gharter]

Yes not everyone is on their phones but most are

Maybe we were paying more attention to this, but it did seem like we saw more people walking around, head buried in the screen and with earbuds, so even missing the sounds.
I felt sad that you had all this amazing theme around you, even in some of the queues and people were totally missing it. Felt like a lot of them were missing the moment.
yes, my phone was out checking waits, mobile ordering or Genie + at a few parks. But I still tried to put it away as much as possible.

 

[HeatherC]

And you don’t have to use genie plus. It’s not mandatory. I’m sorry. But throw whole
Thing is making me nutty. Yes not everyone is on their phones but most are, and you are all using devises to post on here. Why suddenly you can’t be on your phones all day is a mystery to me….

No one is saying it’s mandatory. And once again, not everyone IS on their phones all day. If people can only go during busy weeks, this takes away from the spontaneity of a vacation because the you DO have to plan if you want to do anything other than stand in lines. It obviously doesn’t bother you. That’s awesome…really! But some of us prefer to not have to preplan every detail and that is valid too.