*Confirmed* G+ Changes to Advanced Lightning Lane

[Smugpugmug]

I loved FP+ as well, but I've learned to deal with G+. One thing I truly miss is that you can use it only once per ride per day. I understand why they did this, but, still, I miss being able to use it like that.

And, btw, we now stay Mod instead of Deluxe. That's how much the cost of G+ has bitten into our budget.

I think a lot of people are taking a similar approach. They'll buy Genie+ but skip out on the more expensive hotels, won't buy overpriced merch and skip eating at a table service restaurant. ADR availability is amazing right now. You can go pretty much anywhere minus Topolino's breakfast and Space 220.

 

[Jrb1979]

It's hard to sympathize when someone puts 0 effort into planning a vacation. The information has always been readily available to everyone. This doesn't just go for Disney, either, there are tons of museums and attractions where you need to book well in advance or risk missing out.

I agree with planning to an extent and researching a trip before you go. At the same Disney is still a theme park and they are the only park that requires this much planning to ride rides.

IMO Genie+ should be scrapped altogether. Go the Universal route. It's a much simpler system and doesn't effect standby lines as much.

 

[DebbieB]

I agree with planning to an extent and researching a trip before you go. At the same Disney is still a theme park and they are the only park that requires this much planning to ride rides.

IMO Genie+ should be scrapped altogether. Go the Universal route. It's a much simpler system and doesn't effect standby lines as much.

Today, for 1 park, Universal Express Pass is $199, tomorrow is $149. How many people can afford that, especially for a family. Disney has too many Deluxe/DVC to give it free.

 

[Jrb1979]

Today, for 1 park, Universal Express Pass is $199, tomorrow is $149. How many people can afford that, especially for a family. Disney has too many Deluxe/DVC to give it free.

First of all I wouldn't give it away free at all. Second that's the point of making it cost that much. It's not meant for everyone one to have it.
When I hear people say "how can a family afford that" when it comes to Express pass, it tells me many don't visit other parks much. That's how these systems work. There isn't enough attractions for everyone to have it. It's why FP+ ran out for major attractions and why the same happens with Genie+. Too many guests have it each day.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Today, for 1 park, Universal Express Pass is $199, tomorrow is $149. How many people can afford that, especially for a family. Disney has too many Deluxe/DVC to give it free.

That is in essence the point of how pretty much all other theme parks are like. Even my regional park to get the Fast Lane (it's a Cedar Fair park...well no longer but yeah) is quite high in cost in relation to park ticket cost...because that's the point...which is to limit how many can have it. Even Silver Dollar City functions this way.

Disney front loads the cost to get into the park but low balls the cost for their get ahead of the line system and it's clearly not leading to much improvement overall is it?

 

[sadiecatie]

Real question - I see a lot of people complain about how on-site guests aren’t getting as many benefits anymore, and it’s not fair that off-site guests get the same access to Genie+, and the cost of Genie+ has made you downgrade the level of resort you stay at - what is the remaining attraction for you of staying on-site?

I looked into staying on-site for a hot second for our next trip, but between the cost/value of Disney resorts and what I see as actually not that convenient transportation (even at the “best” resorts you still have to bus to at least two of the four parks, and during busy hours buses can be full and take a while), it just doesn’t make sense for me. It’s one reason I don’t mind paying for Genie+ and ILL at all - I’m saving a fortune by not staying at Disney.

 

[Jrb1979]

Real question - I see a lot of people complain about how on-site guests aren’t getting as many benefits anymore, and it’s not fair that off-site guests get the same access to Genie+, and the cost of Genie+ has made you downgrade the level of resort you stay at - what is the remaining attraction for you of staying on-site?

I looked into staying on-site for a hot second for our next trip, but between the cost/value of Disney resorts and what I see as actually not that convenient transportation (even at the “best” resorts you still have to bus to at least two of the four parks, and during busy hours buses can be full and take a while), it just doesn’t make sense for me. It’s one reason I don’t mind paying for Genie+ and ILL at all - I’m saving a fortune by not staying at Disney.

The bubble

 

[drenalin'junkie]

We started staying at Airbnbs pretty much every trip.
For the price of a single moderate room we get a whole house.
It's usually several couples in a 6- 8 bedroom place.
The money we save goes to Express, QQ or FP but our SW and UO passes already come with limited usage without charge.
The only hotels worth asking price are the UO premium resorts as they include Express, are beautiful and have amazing restaurants onsite.
If you value your time more than minimum wage WDW is even less value with either the FP+ in the past or Genie+ now. We're good at it and get our rides often without LL but that's not tbe point. They've made it over complicated and cut benefits to locals and big spenders.

 

[afan]

Real question - I see a lot of people complain about how on-site guests aren’t getting as many benefits anymore, and it’s not fair that off-site guests get the same access to Genie+, and the cost of Genie+ has made you downgrade the level of resort you stay at - what is the remaining attraction for you of staying on-site?

I looked into staying on-site for a hot second for our next trip, but between the cost/value of Disney resorts and what I see as actually not that convenient transportation (even at the “best” resorts you still have to bus to at least two of the four parks, and during busy hours buses can be full and take a while), it just doesn’t make sense for me. It’s one reason I don’t mind paying for Genie+ and ILL at all - I’m saving a fortune by not staying at Disney.

I often go solo so I don't want to deal with a rental car. I like being able to walk to the bus or skyliner for rope drop or after a late park night. It's easier to hop since I don't have to move a car. I don't have to remember where the car is . And safety plays into it, not a false sense but I feel better walking to a bus stop at 130am than I would to the parking lot and then an off site hotel.

I can change my mind on a whim because of this too. I also enjoy a mid day break in my room to relax or nap. And it's just easier, though without ME and airport check in it's not as easy. I don't mind getting my suitcase but man I hate having to wait in line to check it at the airport. That's what I'd like back as a perk more than free fp, Genie whatever.

 

[New Mouse]

The bubble

The bubble is long gone. Service has fallen off a cliff.

 

[sadiecatie]

I often go solo so I don't want to deal with a rental car. I like being able to walk to the bus or skyliner for rope drop or after a late park night. It's easier to hop since I don't have to move a car. I don't have to remember where the car is . And safety plays into it, not a false sense but I feel better walking to a bus stop at 130am than I would to the parking lot and then an off site hotel.

I can change my mind on a whim because of this too. I also enjoy a mid day break in my room to relax or nap. And it's just easier, though without ME and airport check in it's not as easy. I don't mind getting my suitcase but man I hate having to wait in line to check it at the airport. That's what I'd like back as a perk more than free fp, Genie whatever.

This is all fair - we usually go with a group of 6-11 depending on the trip, and we couldn’t even afford a value resort for what we spend on a house or condo type place where we all get our own rooms. It’s different math when you’re traveling alone (both literally and figuratively).

 

[DebbieB]

First of all I wouldn't give it away free at all. Second that's the point of making it cost that much. It's not meant for everyone one to have it.
When I hear people say "how can a family afford that" when it comes to Express pass, it tells me many don't visit other parks much. That's how these systems work. There isn't enough attractions for everyone to have it. It's why FP+ ran out for major attractions and why the same happens with Genie+. Too many guests have it each day.

Giving it free to Premier Hotels is how they get people to stay at those hotels.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Giving it free to Premier Hotels is how they get people to stay at those hotels.

Well it's reflected in the rates, they do describe it as based on an average savings. EP is dynamic in pricing and so there's a range in which they give. Presently that average savings printed is listed as "^Based on average price of a 2-Park Universal Express Unlimited™ pass ranging between $84.99 and $189.99."

It's not always cheaper to book a Premier hotel as opposed to purchasing EP separately (even doing the Unlimited that is included in Premier resorts) especially if you only have 1 or 2 people and your sole purpose is getting a Premier hotel just for the EP benefits. Main advice is to do the math, generally works out but isn't a given. Plus if you're only doing one park per day you'll want to double check your math there too.

Having stayed at Royal Pacific its location is one of the biggest pluses, as would Hard Rock and Portofino Bay. The included EP is absolutely an attractive feature of staying at one of the highest level there's no doubt about it and it's a reason we tried out a split stay between levels at Universal. But those hotels are also quite nice. The pool at Royal Pacific while we didn't use it was amazing looking as were the grounds of the hotel and the boat a nice way to get to the parks but walking was just as easy. Although I preferred the parking garage that Endless Summer Surfside had for where our rental vehicle was located at.

On the flip side I lost count on all the comments of people on the Boards who have spoken about booking a Deluxe resort at Disney just to get evening EMH so clearly at Disney it's making people book specifically there when they may not have before or continue to book there even if they may have chosen elsewhere. So specifically booking the highest level of accommodation for a presently included perk is also happening at Disney.

 

[starlite_]

I had a couple of last-minute trips during the FP+ era and was able to get everything I wanted, often sometimes the day of, by being persistent and using refresh, and I don't mean spending hours staring at my phone and hitting "refresh," i mean trying for maybe 5 minutes at a time, refreshing, and jumping on something the moment I saw it.

How is this any different than refreshing a few times on Genie+???

 

[loves to dive]

I'll just say I'm glad we don't use it, rarely used FP+, maybe used the old FP where you went to the kiosk and got the paper FP more often but even that not a lot. Even with the original FP we would end up deciding we either didn't want to ride any of the rides available or would get the FP and decide to hop out of the park and ended up giving it to someone walking into the park. We just aren't planners, even two hours out was too much ahead for us. Sometimes with the old FP+ if I was standing in line I'd look to see what was available around the time we thought we would be off the current ride but we would never choose anything that was more than 1/2 hour from that time. I'm just glad they are making park hopping available for any time instead of two pm. I have an AP (at least until mid-April next year when I have to decide if I want to renew) so I still have to make park reservations. The free day of no park reservations that is supposed to randomly pop up for AP holders really is only an advantage if you are local. I'm 7 1/2 hours away so it's not like I can see I don't have to make a reservation today and it's any advantage. But, it will be nice to be able to hop out of whatever park I had to make a reservation for earlier than 2. I figure I'm doing a public service by not tying up the Genie+ system for someone else.

 

[TimbertopNJ]

There's some interesting discourse on here about G+, which got me thinking of a few things that I'd like to bounce off anyone on here who'd be willing to answer/ give their opinion:

1. Are Stand-By wait times more negatively impacted by G+ (and LL selections by extension), or an abuse of the DAS system?

2. There was a time where our local Great Wolf Lodge wouldn't let guests access the water park unless they were spending a night at the resort. Is there a world (no pun intended) where Disney bundles park tickets with on-site hotel reservations and only allows entry to APs and on-site guests? Probably wouldn't need G+ in this instance?

3. For anyone who thinks G+ isn't a solution to maximizing the overall ticketed guest experience, what solutions could Disney pursue? Every time I brainstorm this, the only solution I can think of is "make park tickets more expensive, lower park capacity/volume". In the spirit of WDW being a place for everyone, this doesn't feel like a solution, but I'm not sure what is. It seems like every idea lifts one group of people up, while simultaneously punishing a different group.

Thanks in advance for any anecdotal insight!

 

[Miffy]

How is this any different than refreshing a few times on Genie+???

It isn't. I was responding to a poster who was saying, essentially, that with FP+ you had to plan 60 days out or you were out of luck. That was not my experience.

 

[Jrb1979]

There's some interesting discourse on here about G+, which got me thinking of a few things that I'd like to bounce off anyone on here who'd be willing to answer/ give their opinion:

1. Are Stand-By wait times more negatively impacted by G+ (and LL selections by extension), or an abuse of the DAS system?

Standby wait times are definitely impacted by Genie+. My guess for each ride 50% comes from the Genie+.

2. There was a time where our local Great Wolf Lodge wouldn't let guests access the water park unless they were spending a night at the resort. Is there a world (no pun intended) where Disney bundles park tickets with on-site hotel reservations and only allows entry to APs and on-site guests? Probably wouldn't need G+ in this instance?

Can't see that happening as the majority of guests come from off-site.

3. For anyone who thinks G+ isn't a solution to maximizing the overall ticketed guest experience, what solutions could Disney pursue? Every time I brainstorm this, the only solution I can think of is "make park tickets more expensive, lower park capacity/volume". In the spirit of WDW being a place for everyone, this doesn't feel like a solution, but I'm not sure what is. It seems like every idea lifts one group of people up, while simultaneously punishing a different group.

Thanks in advance for any anecdotal insight!

My solution is raise the cost of G+ to $250 per person. Less people using Genie+ would make things much better. Standby would be less impacted.

 

[ChipnDale79]

3. For anyone who thinks G+ isn't a solution to maximizing the overall ticketed guest experience, what solutions could Disney pursue? Every time I brainstorm this, the only solution I can think of is "make park tickets more expensive, lower park capacity/volume". In the spirit of WDW being a place for everyone, this doesn't feel like a solution, but I'm not sure what is. It seems like every idea lifts one group of people up, while simultaneously punishing a different group.

i think at some point, crowds will go down no matter what price point disney is at.

I have zero data or knowledge to back this up, but i feel like travel goes in cycles, and certain things are more popular than others. Disney has always been extremely popular and crowded, but not to the level it has in the past 5 years or so, and some point, and we may already be seeing it, crowds will go back to a more "normal" level.

The past 5 years have been really weird historically. No traveling for a portion of that, then people got free money and used it on lots of things, including travel. Now with everything costing more, including vacations, i just dont think the crowds are going to continue to grow, or even stay at the same level. I mean, you're already seeing that with National Parks and other Theme Parks as well.

honestly it'll be interesting to see what holiday travel looks like this year.

 

[Miffy]

i think at some point, crowds will go down no matter what price point disney is at.

I have zero data or knowledge to back this up, but i feel like travel goes in cycles, and certain things are more popular than others. Disney has always been extremely popular and crowded, but not to the level it has in the past 5 years or so, and some point, and we may already be seeing it, crowds will go back to a more "normal" level.

The past 5 years have been really weird historically. No traveling for a portion of that, then people got free money and used it on lots of things, including travel. Now with everything costing more, including vacations, i just dont think the crowds are going to continue to grow, or even stay at the same level. I mean, you're already seeing that with National Parks and other Theme Parks as well.

honestly it'll be interesting to see what holiday travel looks like this year.

This is just a guess, but I think this has already happened. Why else would they have reinstated the bounceback offer, something that hasn't been available for years? Or opened up sales of APs?

One of the problems at the parks is that they're understaffed. This is just my observation, but I'd be very surprised to find out this isn't the case.