BREAKING: Walt Disney World Introduces Date-Based Variable Pricing for Genie+ Service

[Scalemaster34]

I didn't realize the $15-$22 range was just the increase for October. I would be stunned if it isn't at least in the $25-$30 range over Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I think what most are concerned with is where it will be a few years from now.... $50, $75?

The cost is pretty significate if you looking at a Family over a week long trip. Combined with other increases, it's just making a Disney Vacation much more costly overall. Resort Rates, Parking, Food Cost, Theme Park Entry and now Attraction "tickets". All of which a subject to increases. While Genie+ is optional at times, it become more important as crowd levels increase... but also less valuable at those times. Last Friday Figment, Nemo or Spaceship Earth hit 1 hour wait times, so having Genie+ would have been important at Epcot. Problem is most the big rides where sold out before the second window dropped, those that could book, were looking at late evening. It would keep you from waiting an hour to do Figment, then you could book one of the other "B" attractions. But only getting one "E" attraction our of Genie+, is very frustrating for some.

But my biggest issue is still your at the mercy of whatever times come up... no way to really do things in order on make any real plans like a resort break or even Park Hopping, and it even gets hard to work around dining. Especially when you have something like Guardian's that is a VQ. I got a 6:30PM window at 7AM... which interfered with dining and plans to do the Eat to Beat Concert. Thankfully as the day went on the time moved up (but that could be an issue for others).

 

[snikki]

Instead of free dining in August/September it'll be free G+ with your stay. They can give away a product as a discount that costs them nothing.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Also where is the data showing 100% of guests were using FP+ just because it was available? How many of those guest that did use it planned 3 and that's it meaning they weren't taking capacity from other rides? How many people re-rode things taking "double" capacity out of a different ride? Why is Gamora? Nobody knows.

I don't think anyone knows the answer tbh but when my sister worked at MK when Fastpass+ was around she was constantly asked by guests what Fastpass+ was and how it worked. They also didn't know what MDE was and didn't realize that you had to book 2 months prior to their visit. Wasn't even 1 or 2 people a day. It was all the time. This issue exists with Genie+ too - last time I was at the parks I overheard a woman asking a CM what Genie+ was and she had no idea that Fastpass+ didn't exist anymore.

 

[set88]

Also where is the data showing 100% of guests were using FP+ just because it was available? How many of those guest that did use it planned 3 and that's it meaning they weren't taking capacity from other rides? How many people re-rode things taking "double" capacity out of a different ride? Why is Gamora? Nobody knows.

You're right - bad assumption that FP+ was 100%. That's definitely an exaggeration, there's no way it was literally 100. Significantly higher than Genie+, yes, but not 100%. I apologize for saying that.

 

[Miffy]

I don't think anyone knows the answer tbh but when my sister worked at MK when Fastpass+ was around she was constantly asked by guests what Fastpass+ was and how it worked. They also didn't know what MDE was and didn't realize that you had to book 2 months prior to their visit. Wasn't even 1 or 2 people a day. It was all the time. This issue exists with Genie+ too - last time I was at the parks I overheard a woman asking a CM what Genie+ was and she had no idea that Fastpass+ didn't exist anymore.

Yes, this. Also, let's not forget that more than a few people still have no clue that you have to make park reservations in advance. Yes, they should know but that doesn't mean they do.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Fastpass - worked best for the early bird, since once fast passes ran out, there were no more.
Fastpass + worked best for the Floridian AP holder and those who've been a ton - they'd be happy with 3 rides or so and didn't care if they rode more.
Disney is moving G+/LL to work best for the wealthy and the once-in-a-lifetime trip taker. I fully expect the prices to keep increasing so the product gets its max revenue at its max price, and those who partake will eventually only be those who can.

 

[cakebaker]

Everyone who enjoyed their time with FP+ needs to understand that their enjoyment came at the direct cost of enjoyment for many others.

All those others who stood in line longer due to FP+ had the choice not to. They prioritized and made the choice not to use it and/or not to stay on site- for whatever their reasons were. They were not blocked in any way from using it exactly as I did.

The same is true of Genie + which I assume causes standby to go slower as well. You can buy it or not, but the option is yours.

 

[cakebaker]

Instead of free dining in August/September it'll be free G+ with your stay. They can give away a product as a discount that costs them nothing.

I doubt you'll ever see that offer. The LL would be so long they'd get nothing but complaints. Those not staying on site and paying full price for it would be screaming for refunds.

 

[set88]

All those others who stood in line longer due to FP+ had the choice not to. They prioritized and made the choice not to use it and/or not to stay on site- for whatever their reasons were. They were not blocked in any way from using it exactly as I did.

The same is true of Genie + which I assume causes standby to go slower as well. You can buy it or not, but the option is yours.

I'm not going to go through the whole explanation again but this is definitely not true. ALL people would not be able to get truly beneficial FPs if everyone had the knowledge and motivation to try. There were just not enough truly beneficial FPs to go around. Some people literally HAD to come out as losers from that system.

 

[cakebaker]

I'm not going to go through the whole explanation again but this is definitely not true. ALL people would not be able to get truly beneficial FPs if everyone had the knowledge and motivation to try. There were just not enough truly beneficial FPs to go around. Some people literally HAD to come out as losers from that system.

I never said it worked well for everyone- I said people could choose to do what it took to make it work well for them. You could choose to stay on site and stay for at least 5 days to get just about any ride you wanted during the course of your stay. Of course not everyone was willing to do it, but the option was there. Had everyone going to WDW decided to opt in, of course it wouldn't work- but that was never going to happen and Disney knew it.

Just like I could choose to made traditional FP work well for me- I could give up park hopping where by the time we got to an afternoon park, the passes were depleted. I chose being able to park hop over being able to get top tier rides- my choice.

And the same exact thing is true of Genie +- if everyone bought it, it would never work, but they won't so it does and the higher the price, the better it will work because more people will opt not to buy it. They get to save money, I get to save time.

 

[set88]

I never said it worked well for everyone- I said people could choose to do what it took to make it work well for them. You could choose to stay on site and stay for at least 5 days to get just about any ride you wanted during the course of your stay. Of course not everyone was willing to do it, but the option was there. Had everyone going to WDW decided to opt in, of course it wouldn't work- but that was never going to happen and Disney knew it.

Just like I could choose to made traditional FP work well for me- I could give up park hopping where by the time we got to an afternoon park, the passes were depleted. I chose being able to park hop over being able to get top tier rides- my choice.

And the same exact thing is true of Genie +- if everyone bought it, it would never work, but they won't so it does and the higher the price, the better it will work because more people will opt not to buy it. They get to save money, I get to save time.

I see. I agree - with the understanding that choosing to stay on-site for 5 days may not have been a viable option for everyone. So... it was largely a monetary based division just as Genie+ is.

 

[Jrb1979]

I see. I agree - with the understanding that choosing to stay on-site for 5 days may not have been a viable option for everyone. So... it was largely a monetary based division just as Genie+ is.

That's how all these systems work

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You could choose to stay on site and stay for at least 5 days to get just about any ride you wanted during the course of your stay.

Technically no. Because of tiers you couldn't or at the very least you would have to visit the same park many days in order to get all the rides in the tiers. What the approximate 5 or so days did was allow people to book FOP (which was the primary ride this was used for) for example at the back end of their trip with a greater success rate.

Now MK didn't have tiers because it had enough attractions.

I'm not sure if people are remembering the vast thread that was the FP+ strategy thread but it existed for a reason.

 

[DCLMP]

I never said it worked well for everyone- I said people could choose to do what it took to make it work well for them. You could choose to stay on site and stay for at least 5 days to get just about any ride you wanted during the course of your stay. Of course not everyone was willing to do it, but the option was there. Had everyone going to WDW decided to opt in, of course it wouldn't work- but that was never going to happen and Disney knew it.

Just like I could choose to made traditional FP work well for me- I could give up park hopping where by the time we got to an afternoon park, the passes were depleted. I chose being able to park hop over being able to get top tier rides- my choice.

And the same exact thing is true of Genie +- if everyone bought it, it would never work, but they won't so it does and the higher the price, the better it will work because more people will opt not to buy it. They get to save money, I get to save time.

Not everyone could or can afford to stay on sight. There is significant price difference between offsite and on. Is there an advantage to staying onsite with
genie?

 

[DCLMP]

Technically no. Because of tiers you couldn't or at the very least you would have to visit the same park many days in order to get all the rides in the tiers. What the approximate 5 or so days did was allow people to book FOP (which was the primary ride this was used for) for example at the back end of their trip with a greater success rate.

Now MK didn't have tiers because it had enough attractions.

I'm not sure if people are remembering the vast thread that was the FP+ strategy thread but it existed for a reason.

We used to go longer and spend 2 days at each park just to get all the rides in. Now I feel like with genie I just need one day at each park and I can ride everything I want….so from that aspect I may be spending less.
It wasn’t until 2019 did I get a better handle on how to use the refresh button. I learned that from research online. I would guess the vast majority of people had no idea about refreshing.

 

[Boski]

bring back paper fastpass

 

[xdan0920]

You're right - bad assumption that FP+ was 100%. That's definitely an exaggeration, there's no way it was literally 100. Significantly higher than Genie+, yes, but not 100%. I apologize for saying that.

I disagree. I think G+ might be more used. Since folks are paying. They feel they must use it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We used to go longer and spend 2 days at each park just to get all the rides in. Now I feel like with genie I just need one day at each park and I can ride everything I want….so from that aspect I may be spending less.
It wasn’t until 2019 did I get a better handle on how to use the refresh button. I learned that from research online. I would guess the vast majority of people had no idea about refreshing.

Refresh was a strategy unrelated to staying on site but yeah it was something that there were people who didn't know about it. I don't think I learned that online I just sorta played with the app (that's just how I am) and I remember switching our FP before our trip to Mission Space because that was reopening but not everyone I'm sure even thought they could change their FP once they initially selected it for pre-booking. I will say that having FP+ did help me feel more comfortable using MP even though they were a bit different. I do remember being nervous the first time I booked my FP+ because it was in 2017 when it had already been around for a bit and I hadn't been in 6 years to WDW. I had to figure out what strategy did I want to use (book early or book late).

 

[CampbellzSoup]

…can you believe this use to be free in your vacation stay?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Not everyone could or can afford to stay on sight. There is significant price difference between offsite and on. Is there an advantage to staying onsite with
genie?

No, there is no advantage at all to being onsite for Genie+ so it is equal to onsite and offsite guests.

ILL$ favours onsite guests as they can book at 7AM rather than park opening.

Honestly for what Disney charges for rooms, I'm thankful for the odd perk that comes with it as there sure aren't many of those left! For the first time ever we're talking about staying offsite next time we visit.