*Confirmed* G+ Changes to Advanced Lightning Lane

[Suger Mag]

For us, and I feel like we are pretty decent G+ users, it is almost impossible to really get good use of it at Epcot. So in the morning you have to pick one “major attraction” (test track or rat or frozen). And that’s it. Your are going to struggle to get any of those when your next window opens. For any time during the rest of the day. So we never ride rat or frozen bc we always choose test track. Guardians we always pay for the LL so we get that. Epcot was never good for FP and it’s still not good with G+.

With the old fast pass (FP+) at MK there was always more availability than now and you could re-ride. It’s really no contest, at least at MK, how much better FP+ was than G+. We would at least get 6 rides a day but most days probably 8-10. And it wasn’t a struggle most days.

I may not purchase it at Epcot now. Glad for your insight.

I use it at other parks, but I dont like getting Genie+ at Epcot. I just dont use enough. Epcot is about walking, eating, shopping and then a few rides. But for us those are limited.... not a big fan of Ratatouille (hate moving 3D rides... my bifocals and those silly glasses just dont work together). Really just like to ride Guardians... Spaceship Earth.. and Soarin at Epcot and then eat and drink the World.

I have had good luck getting guardians multiple times by using both the Virtual Q and the ILL. If you go on a extended hour day you can potentially do it 3x... once with either the 7am or 2pm VQ... then a ILL and then again with the 6pm VQ for the extended folks.

 

[jimmymc]

For us, and I feel like we are pretty decent G+ users, it is almost impossible to really get good use of it at Epcot. So in the morning you have to pick one “major attraction” (test track or rat or frozen). And that’s it. Your are going to struggle to get any of those when your next window opens. For any time during the rest of the day. So we never ride rat or frozen bc we always choose test track. Guardians we always pay for the LL so we get that. Epcot was never good for FP and it’s still not good with G+.

Epcot is definitely the biggest struggle for G+. We're always OK going single rider on test track, so the race is to get both Frozen and Ratatouille. I can almost always get it, but sometimes you end up either not getting one or the only times being right before fireworks.

 

[Disneychick13]

Epcot is definitely the biggest struggle for G+. We're always OK going single rider on test track, so the race is to get both Frozen and Ratatouille. I can almost always get it, but sometimes you end up either not getting one or the only times being right before fireworks.

Off topic, but how is the single rider line for Test track? I might try your strategy next time!

 

[BrianL]

Off topic, but how is the single rider line for Test track? I might try your strategy next time!

Single Rider for Test Track works great - it's actually one of the best becuase of how they fill the cars. There are two rows of three, and so even groups of four will be split to two-and-two, leaving two empties for singles. They don't typically seat a party of two front-to-back. This line is a major time saver usually. If it is pushing out of the building, it might take a bit longer, but otherwise go for it. Even inside, there is a hold point, so it doesn't go all they way most of the time.

 

[Disneychick13]

Single Rider for Test Track works great - it's actually one of the best becuase of how they fill the cars. There are two rows of three, and so even groups of four will be split to two-and-two, leaving two empties for singles. They don't typically seat a party of two front-to-back. This line is a major time saver usually. If it is pushing out of the building, it might take a bit longer, but otherwise go for it. Even inside, there is a hold point, so it doesn't go all they way most of the time.

Thanks so much for the info! I’m trying it next time at Epcot

 

[Leigh L]

Thanks so much for the info! I’m trying it next time at Epcot

My teen does single rider for TT all the time! She loves it.

We tried it for Soarin' too (didn't know that was a thing until our December Epcot visit) but that ended up taking just as long as the standby line. Not sure we'd do that again on a really busy day.

 

[BrianL]

My teen does single rider for TT all the time! She loves it.

We tried it for Soarin' too (didn't know that was a thing until our December Epcot visit) but that ended up taking just as long as the standby line. Not sure we'd do that again on a really busy day.

Yeah, SR for Soarin does not work well. I didn't even know that was an option at WDW (it is at DLR). Honestly, Soarin' moves fast enough, especially with the three thaters now, that they don't need it. I also find that SR for Rock'n Roller Coaster is not really that efficient.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Single Rider for Test Track works great - it's actually one of the best becuase of how they fill the cars. There are two rows of three, and so even groups of four will be split to two-and-two, leaving two empties for singles. They don't typically seat a party of two front-to-back. This line is a major time saver usually. If it is pushing out of the building, it might take a bit longer, but otherwise go for it. Even inside, there is a hold point, so it doesn't go all they way most of the time.

Agree - TT single rider is by far the most effective of the attractions. With a long standby and no LL, it can really be worth it to do single rider there.

 

[jimmymc]

Off topic, but how is the single rider line for Test track? I might try your strategy next time!

Works fantastic. You bypass the car creation, head right to the cars, and are usually in a group within 5 minutes, 10 on a busy day.

 

[BrianL]

Works fantastic. You bypass the car creation, head right to the cars, and are usually in a group within 5 minutes, 10 on a busy day.

Yes, and if you want to do car creation, there is a console that allows for a quick pick of a premade car in the SR line, or you can go in through the exit shop and there are full terminals that you can use. Once saved to your band you can use it for every ride.

 

[Smugpugmug]

There is a section if you want to make a car (albeit it's limited compared to the standby car creation area) but 99% of people don't stop to make the car, so they will pass you if you plan on making one.

 

[SL6827]

If you weren't going to buy Genie + for Epcot, would you advise entering at the I.G. entrance for Remy?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

My kids went the first weekend of December and did Epcot without G+ and it worked great for them. This was a busy weekend as the new night time show had just started that week. They said the park was really full but waits weren’t that bad.

I did buy them a ILL for guardians at 9 am (for 11 am) and I didn’t get the VQ but they got it at 1 pm which was called by 3 pm if I remember correctly.

They stayed offsite and ubered over to BC and entered through IG. They were let in right when offsite guests were allowed and went straight to remy. Posted wait of 50 minutes and they were off the ride in 30. After that they had breakfast in France and did every other ride in the park except for Frozen. Most waits were 20 minutes with TT being 50 minutes. I told them to do single rider but they like to ride together and design a car so they waited. They had plenty of time to do WS, get snacks and watch the fireworks.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

If you weren't going to buy Genie + for Epcot, would you advise entering at the I.G. entrance for Remy?

Yes that is what my kids did and it worked out well for them. They stayed offsite, ubered to BC, were let in at 9 am with other offsite guests and were off remy in 30 minutes. It had a posted wait of 50 minutes and they were debating on if they should wait it out but I told them to just do it and they were glad they did.

 

[jeters_boy]

Park reservations wont be needed, but other than that I don't think anything else will change... except the price of Genie+ could be higher.
I'm going the 27th, so let us know.

Thanks, will do!

I'm mainly interested in whether pre-booking LL's will make a comeback by the end of this month (similar to the old FP+ system). There was some talk it will happen in 2024, but no firm details from what I can gather.

 

[pigletto]

I’m late to this thread and not really understanding the proposed changes. Is there a summary somewhere I could read? Or did this all amount to no changes?

 

[lentesta]

While we've been counting guests in line, we've noticed a new phenomenon around DAS use: When a group returns to use DAS, a CM seems more likely to ask to see the person for whom the DAS was issued.

This seems to be resulting in many more guests leaving the DAS line without riding. For example, recently at DHS we saw a group of young men get turned away after a CM asked "And which one of you is Kaylee?"

I'm not sure if this is a holiday-specific process. So far we've seen it at DHS and MK. We'll keep counting.

I've not forgot about this post. Waiting for confirmation on something.

 

[Acup313]

I’m late to this thread and not really understanding the proposed changes. Is there a summary somewhere I could read? Or did this all amount to no changes?

Nothing confirmed yet. The changes are probably still coming and the only thing they said was the ability to preplan.

 

[pigletto]

Nothing confirmed yet. The changes are probably still coming and the only thing they said was the ability to preplan.

Ok. Thank you!

 

[MJJME]

I’m late to this thread and not really understanding the proposed changes. Is there a summary somewhere I could read? Or did this all amount to no changes?

Here are the potential changes from Len.

Everything I've heard has been along the lines of:

• 7-day advance booking window for on-site guests
• 3-day advance window for off-site guests and APs
• 3 advance reservations
  • All the parks will have "tiers" of attractions (I think the MK did not have FP+ tiers)
  • Like FP+, you'll be able to select one from the top tier and two from the next tier