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

[set88]

I am wondering, once it goes into effect and we get some feedback, if we won’t be able to use the ticket prices as a guide. For example, perhaps the days that have the highest prices for tickets will also have the highest Genie prices and then based on the ticket prices, we can have a fairly good idea of where Genie prices will fall.

I think it’s really bad to have a flexible price item that you can only buy day of, but can’t price out ahead of time. How is a family supposed to budget around that? Tickets we can find out in advance, hotels, even dining for the most part (apart from the occasional surprise increase). Guests should have this information available in some form. It would help if they would even post a range, like Dates for XX through XX will be $15-$18, based on demand, and Dates for XXY through XXY will be $19-$22, based on demand. There has to be a way they could give a guideline and have flexibility at the same time.

I have to believe there will be an advance calendar eventually.

If there isn't one now, it's likely because they haven't decided how high the prices are ultimately going to be for very far in advance.

They may be even higher than what's being stated now for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

But if this system sticks around in its current form after this year, I would expect a price calendar similar to ticket prices.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I'm not sure how to budget as they're not sharing future pricing. My understanding is that the $15-$22 range is only for October 2022. After that, they are not guaranteeing those prices.

Variable Disney Genie+ Prices Could Go Even Higher Next Month at Walt Disney World.

I believe we may see the high end of the current pricing structure around Thanksgiving and Christmas but, that doesn't help those planning for trips taking place November and December of this year.

So many unknowns. Too many unknowns.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Really?

Yes. It is too cheap. It needs to at least double. The truth is: it’s not exclusive enough - too many people have it rendering it worthless.

It’s simple supply and demand. Demand is outpacing supply. You control that by raising prices. Which they need to keep doing.

 

[MillauFr]

I own a business. It’s not my mission to gouge my customers.

If you are turning away many customers because you can’t meet demand why wouldn’t you raise prices?

 

[SeasonneRose]

When you say "you," you mean someone who can afford it. It never ceases to amaze me how many posters on the DIS seem to have an unlimited supply of vacation money. I wish I did!

Some people have more money than others. That’s just how capitalism works. Not everyone can afford to have the premium experiences. And Disney is making skipping lanes a premium experience.

 

[HopperFan]

I have to believe there will be an advance calendar eventually.

If there isn't one now, it's likely because they haven't decided how high the prices are ultimately going to be for very far in advance.

They may be even higher than what's being stated now for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

But if this system sticks around in its current form after this year, I would expect a price calendar similar to ticket prices.

Disagree. They will want as long as they can to move the price up on any given day. If they commit too early they might miss out on some money. Since no one can purchase it prior to day of (don't think that wasn't step one towards the dynamic pricing) it doesn't really matter if you know in advance. You'll know it's anywhere from $15 to maybe $50 a day. Not any table service, quick service, snacks, merchandise ... are guaranteed prices - they cost what they cost on the day you are there.

I think at best there might be a monthly calendar released.

 

[Kingoglow]

I'm not sure how to budget as they're not sharing future pricing. My understanding is that the $15-$22 range is only for October 2022. After that, they are not guaranteeing those prices.

Variable Disney Genie+ Prices Could Go Even Higher Next Month at Walt Disney World.

I believe we may see the high end of the current pricing structure around Thanksgiving and Christmas but, that doesn't help those planning for trips taking place November and December of this year.

So many unknowns. Too many unknowns.

Does anyone recall this time last year? Wasn't there some limitation on Genie + going into Christmas in 2021?

 

[Kingoglow]

Some people have more money than others. That’s just how capitalism works. Not everyone can afford to have the premium experiences. And Disney is making skipping lanes a premium experience.

So Disney imagines the Genie+ product to me more premium than a stand alone park ticket but less premium than a VIP tour? Just remove Genie+ and force everyone to buy the $1,000+ tour and be done with it.

 

[SeasonneRose]

So Disney imagines the Genie+ product to me more premium than a stand alone park ticket but less premium than a VIP tour? Just remove Genie+ and force everyone to buy the $1,000+ tour and be done with it.

No, because there is a consumer in between buying just a ticket and a VIP tour. In fact, there's probably more than just one so my guess is you'll start to see even more tiered levels of a "genie+" at some point.

 

[cakebaker]

So Disney imagines the Genie+ product to me more premium than a stand alone park ticket but less premium than a VIP tour? Just remove Genie+ and force everyone to buy the $1,000+ tour and be done with it.

If the VIP tour were "only" 1k, you'd see it glutted to the point of useless as well. It's only because it is so expensive that it works so well. You can bet I'd buy it at that price.

 

[Hisgirl]

And they will continue to increase the price. 22 to 24 to 26 to 28 to 30 to 32 to 34 to 37 to 40 to 42 per ride etc etc ad nauseam.

You will pay an exorbitant price for a ticket for the privilege of having the opportunity to pay to ride a ride.

And as long as you continue to open your wallet, they will continue to raise the prices.

We stopped.

We said "Enough."

And you know what? Life goes on. We have our thousands and thousands we would have spent for a handful of days riding the same old rides.

At some point, it's time to say enough.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

No surprise. I added G+ to my length of stay tickets for next month because I had a feeling price increases were coming.

Hopefully this will make G+ a better product for those that do purchase it. Selfishly I hope this makes less people purchase it next month while I am there.

I feel better now about buying the length of stay while we still could. I'd battled with wondering if it was worth it. If Thanksgiving week prices are on the higher end it, as I suspect they will, I too wonder how many people will purchase.

 

[toesmom]

This is starting to get crazy. I"m shocked

 

[glamdring269]

This is kind of ‘funny’. I was already doing a compare between cost of WDW/UO week long trip vs a week in Germany for next fall and it’s really quite amazing how expensive these Orlando trips are now vs Germany basically any other possible vacation option.

This thread is simply icing on the cake.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I can’t help but (unrealistically) think that if Genie+ was based on income/personal net worth, we might hear less, ‘raise the price’ chatter.

I think that’s what many are mourning, the loss of one aspect of Disney that allowed more people to enjoy perks normally afforded only by those with higher finances.

Does anyone recall this time last year? Wasn't there some limitation on Genie + going into Christmas in 2021?

No, Genie+ has never reached capacity.

 

[SLThomas318]

So they mentioned this was for October… are we thinking November and December will go past the $22?!

We decided after our first genie+ experience last November that it just wasn’t for us. We’ve been enough that paying more on top of our tickets to *maybe* skip some lines was not worth it. We had a great trip in June with-out it. Now we have a larger family trip coming up where everyone pre-bought genie+ with their tickets. We have annual passes (which we feel fortunate to have for now) and I’m dreading what the genie is going to make me pay come Thanksgiving. I’m just hoping the system doesn’t crash again like it did last Thanksgiving!

 

[jimmymc]

No, because there is a consumer in between buying just a ticket and a VIP tour. In fact, there's probably more than just one so my guess is you'll start to see even more tiered levels of a "genie+" at some point.

It's also beneficial for Disney to have some kind of Fastpass system. A long analysis by people who study this type of thing showed that any type of Fastpass system increases total capacity by encouraging people to go to less popular rides at the beginning and end of the day, knowing they have a fastpass for the top ride in the middle.

 

[DaviVascaino]

I can’t help but (unrealistically) think that if Genie+ was based on income/personal net worth, we might hear less, ‘raise the price’ chatter.

I think that’s what many are mourning, the loss of one aspect of Disney that allowed more people to enjoy perks normally afforded only by those with higher finances.


No, Genie+ has never reached capacity.

I think what some users are saying is that the parks have been super busy/crowded to a point that affects enjoyment. They think there is no other way to decrease demand other than pricing people out of it.


That is how I see it anyways. Nobody wants to pay more for the same service, even the wealthy. However, many are willing to pay more if means a better return (less people buying genie plus for example).

 

[danikoski]

Not happy since we, as guests at WDW jave to budget and plan for months in advance, then boom, Disney raises prices. Not for in 60 days, no. But this month, impacting my trip in just ten days. Luckily, most of our group bought Genie+ with the tickets in advance, but one person couldn't because she was having life/death surgery and we sisnt know if she'd be going. So good news, she survived and is going, bad news, she not only has to get up before 7 to buy it, the price is going to increase.

Oh, and I got an email they are raising lightsaber prices by $40 starting Oct. 18th. I had to book that 64 days in advance. Nice Disney. I shall be going and finding the guest services email and sending them a note.

ETA: A d I understand Disney raises prices. My problem is timing. If we jave to book events and experiences 60 days out, and make park reservations, it seems the least Disney could do is give us a little more notice of major price increases and changes to current systems.

 

[CeeCee101]

We haven’t been in over 10 years. When we bought our tickets months ago we included Genie+ in those tix and I am glad about it now. Still we would’ve paid more, much more—as now, even with this increase, from what everyone Is saying the parks will be crowded like they never were 10+ years ago, and if 50% of those people are also buying it, then the benefit seems to diminish. If the experience becomes bad for us (e.g. can’t get Rise at 7:00 am until 6:30 pm, parks packed, etc,) then we will be a “family from Denver” who doesn’t go back For another 10+ years. We’ve been doing Europe and I can say right now it’s a lot cheaper than Disney. It seems like the Universal model is better.