*Confirmed* G+ Changes to Advanced Lightning Lane

[Disney Kidd]

Proximity makes better park hopping too, naturally.

And staying "offsite" is sometimes within walking distance and closer than the Disneyland hotels

 

[Suger Mag]

I believe max price hit $39....plus if you buy 2 ILL's, you will be well over $50pp

Missed that last hike up to 39 forGenie+

I was responding to a poster who said that Genie+ (just Genie+) was over $50.

Genie+ and ILL are two separate products. You do not have to buy one to use the other. I sometimes (when at Epcot) skip Genie and just use ILL.

Personally I like the a la carte to pick and choose

 

[MJJME]

Missed that last hike up to 39 forGenie+

I was responding to a poster who said that Genie+ (just Genie+) was over $50.

Genie+ and ILL are two separate products. You do not have to buy one to use the other. I sometimes (when at Epcot) skip Genie and just use ILL.

Personally I like the a la carte to pick and choose

Agree......I like being able to pick return times b we dont go to the parks until the late afternoon every day, especially during deluxe resort extra hour days........

When we go to Epcot, we wont go until 5pm and stay until 11pm

 

[HokieRaven5]

Agree......I like being able to pick return times b we dont go to the parks until the late afternoon every day, especially during deluxe resort extra hour days........

This is where if you just modify it to a couple of days or whatever before you can pick the time of your first G+ attraction you can sort of appease the rope droppers, late starters, and the folks who may want to book something for the park they plan to hop to. Doesn’t change the overall daily availability but allows for some pre-planning for those who like to do that.

 

[mamaofsix]

IMO get rid of VQ for new rides. If standby ends up being 3 hours or more so be it.

Completely agree!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Right now some people choose not to go because of the crowds.

That will always be the case. Everyone has a different threshold for crowds.

Disney for the most part has gone away from "people eating" attractions that got a lot of people in one swoop. Indy for example at DHS it's not new, even with some minor updates to the show it's not going to bring people in just to go to WDW, but having it filled up (which it does) can ease the crowds for DHS. What would ease it more is having more attractions that help absorb people for a while or ones that have a good hourly capacity that can run relatively smoothly. Rise breaking down frequently throughout the day will never help out DHS and is probably more detrimental because it's the main attraction ride at DHS.

The effect of crowds can be lessened by having a place for people to go instead of waiting in line after line after line for too little things to do.

If you go to a restaurant and its full do you say to the restaurant its their fault for not building a bigger place?

Well yeah depending on the restaurant. A restaurant that fails to adequately account for their patrons is going to run into issues. That could be size of the place, the location of the place, the type of building, etc.

Surely you've had a restaurant in your area have a location that did fantastic in one spot and bombed in another. To bring it back to Disney taking the shorter route worked for them for a while and the frustration level of their patrons (guests) is wearing thin. You don't need a new attraction, show or walk through every year or even every other year. You don't need the big attractions to be the only ones you build either. However, guests want to see a company look towards the future and plan out accordingly and balance that out. Stagnation only works for so long and so does long building times.

I don't follow Disney financials very closely but I believe that, while things are looking better, they took some heavy losses coming out of Covid.

At the end of the day Disney is a business and, right or wrong, drives their business with shareholders in mind first and foremost.

The concept of sacrifice all that you can to appease shareholders is a concept shared by more companies than it was in the past but that also leads to companies going out of business or making such big blunders they are forever damaged by them.

Disney Parks themselves isn't in danger of going out of business but without a doubt some of their business decisions for the Disney company as a whole have impacted their PR image, their financial status completely irrespective of the pandemic and we cannot use the pandemic as an excuse for their loss. The way they have chosen to run their Parks precedes that anyhow.

 

[feesh]

That will always be the case. Everyone has a different threshold for crowds.

Disney for the most part has gone away from "people eating" attractions that got a lot of people in one swoop. Indy for example at DHS it's not new, even with some minor updates to the show it's not going to bring people in just to go to WDW, but having it filled up (which it does) can ease the crowds for DHS. What would ease it more is having more attractions that help absorb people for a while or ones that have a good hourly capacity that can run relatively smoothly. Rise breaking down frequently throughout the day will never help out DHS and is probably more detrimental because it's the main attraction ride at DHS.

The effect of crowds can be lessened by having a place for people to go instead of waiting in line after line after line for too little things to do.


Well yeah depending on the restaurant. A restaurant that fails to adequately account for their patrons is going to run into issues. That could be size of the place, the location of the place, the type of building, etc.

Surely you've had a restaurant in your area have a location that did fantastic in one spot and bombed in another. To bring it back to Disney taking the shorter route worked for them for a while and the frustration level of their patrons (guests) is wearing thin. You don't need a new attraction, show or walk through every year or even every other year. You don't need the big attractions to be the only ones you build either. However, guests want to see a company look towards the future and plan out accordingly and balance that out. Stagnation only works for so long and so does long building times.




The concept of sacrifice all that you can to appease shareholders is a concept shared by more companies than it was in the past but that also leads to companies going out of business or making such big blunders they are forever damaged by them.

Disney Parks themselves isn't in danger of going out of business but without a doubt some of their business decisions for the Disney company as a whole have impacted their PR image, their financial status completely irrespective of the pandemic and we cannot use the pandemic as an excuse for their loss. The way they have chosen to run their Parks precedes that anyhow.

To be clear - I am not saying I don't wish Disney would work on improvements. My original comment was based on the idea that people seemed owed something from them.

I don't really agree with the comment about companies that focus on shareholders go out of business. What does happen in my view is that the company we once loved and/or maybe was in more of a niche market, gets butchered and changed into something unrecognizable over time that the original followers no longer align with. But the mass market is still ready to give their dollars to. When Disney started, Walt's ideals created a fantastic place. You can still see some of it today, but more and more is being lost in the face of capitalism. But they still make some kick *** rides. And my kids still beg me to go.

Right or wrong, if you look at the CEO of companies, their success (i.e. their salary/bonuses) is tied to targets of profit and/or share price and usually not customer satisfaction. I get how one plays into another, but at Disney level, there will be enough people who just get happily wrapped up in the bubble no matter what happens, that I don't think some unhappiness will make a difference.

I can certainly see how people are wearing thin. I booked a return this year after 5 years and the sticker shock was tough to swallow. But for every family that decides "ENOUGH!", another family will gladly take their place. The best example I can think off is live sports. Prices for sporting events have gone crazy over the last 2 decades, I need to wait in a line in the cold to get in (at least in my area), pass through multiple checks, pay through the nose for food/drinks, have no space to move around, fight for a bathroom etc - yet valuations for franchises are through the roof. At the end of the day, Disney can still be very successful with less people there if they profit more on a per person perspective. Things like dynamic pricing, more or more special days at extra costs, genie+ etc is just them squeezing all the money it can out of everyone.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't really agree with the comment about companies that focus on shareholders go out of business.

I never said that it's cause and effect nor that every company is like that. The fact is some and progressively more in recent years of well-known companies have folded, gone into bankruptcy protection, etc and when you follow most of them the trail leads largely to decisions that look good on paper or look good to stockholders but don't often look at their customers in the long run once they start doing things just for the stockholders.

I was not saying Disney Parks would go out of business, just that they don't have an obligation to stockholders, that's a corporate strategy and not everything works out with that strategy.

My original comment was based on the idea that people seemed owed something from them.

I think people blow that out of proportion. I really don't even read comments from posters here in general that come close to that vibe. Wanting a company to not take 5-7 years to build something or wanting a company to not let their parks get stagnant for years to come never will equate to someone thinking the company owes them anything. The comments on the DIS that have an air of "the company should do what I want" are the stockholders (those that have identified themselves). Not all of course but of the comments I see that think the company owes them something it's normally them. I would also say sometimes from DVC members too but many of the DVC owners also understand what is written in the contracts is all they are actually going to get extra stuff is just extra.

But the mass market is still ready to give their dollars to.

Not necessarily and not what I was talking about. JCP is one of the most prominent examples of bringing in someone who on paper looked like they'd be good for the shareholders but ended up running off many of their core base and they are continuously on the brink of death. Bed Bath and Beyond once they tightened the coupons and stopped sending them out much also lost a lot of their customers. It's not even surprising anymore when I see in my news feed yet another company going out of business or entering in bankruptcy protection. I'm not saying it's a single reason but that it does absolutely influence one's long-term financial security of a company for the route of stockholders.

but at Disney level, there will be enough people who just get happily wrapped up in the bubble no matter what happens, that I don't think some unhappiness will make a difference.

Never said otherwise and in past comments over the years have said the same thing, it takes a lot for Disney to do anything due to guest dissatisfaction although it does happen (MK tents are ones I usually give example of)

another family will gladly take their place.

Never said otherwise. Same as above comment.

You are making comments about people on this thread and the general vibe of the DISboards is in fact being worn thin on Disney, those who I saw gushing about how great Disney Parks were when I first joined are not that way now. The public image of Disney has for a myriad of reasons lost its shine on people, will that net to much? Probably not. Doesn't mean people can't make that observation.

About the only thing I think has gained a huge following in recent years despite any negative image out there is Minnie and Mickey ears and Loungefly backpacks, those are a money market machine that can't be stopped lol. I remember how few choices were in the parks in 2017 and now it's a new collection it seems like every few weeks.

 

[WendyZQ]

While I appreciate all the other discussion here, what I would really like to hear is if anyone has a guess on when a G+ update is going to be announce?

We have a late Feb trip planned, and I’m checking every day to make sure I don’t miss something. Just tell us already!

 

[mamaofsix]

While I appreciate all the other discussion here, what I would really like to hear is if anyone has a guess on when a G+ update is going to be announce?

We have a late Feb trip planned, and I’m checking every day to make sure I don’t miss something. Just tell us already!

My guess is that an announcement will be made sometime this month. A few people "in the know" have recently hinted at news about this breaking soon.

 

[lentesta]

Len, I will always fondly remember my first memorable encounter back in 2011

View attachment 823678

From then on you were ‘the guy that did the awesome room layout with tape in his driveway’

Oh sure, best selling books, computer/data guru, website and all that. But first and foremost? ^^^

Thank you! My neighbor - a very respectable doctor - told me I was lowering property values on the street.

 

[glocon]

While I appreciate all the other discussion here, what I would really like to hear is if anyone has a guess on when a G+ update is going to be announce?

We have a late Feb trip planned, and I’m checking every day to make sure I don’t miss something. Just tell us already!

I want to know too!

We are planning a trip in late May and that is the fastest trip I’ve ever had to plan. Less than 5 months!

I’m used to having closer to 10 months to a year to plan a trip and this G+ change is the biggest outlier.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

While I appreciate all the other discussion here, what I would really like to hear is if anyone has a guess on when a G+ update is going to be announce?

We have a late Feb trip planned, and I’m checking every day to make sure I don’t miss something. Just tell us already!

I have to think that after they give today's major changes a chance to be tested and verified they work technically, they'll move on to working on additional changes to G+. There are a lot of IT changes in place today with park hopping changes and park reservation changes. Get those working and then move on to the next batch......

 

[rmclain73]

My guess is that an announcement will be made sometime this month. A few people "in the know" have recently hinted at news about this breaking soon.

I have been privately chatting recently with several "people in the know" who usually break news on X (twitter), insta, and blogs. Usually these folks have very good track records as they don't speak about things unless they are fairly certain it will come true. All parties I spoke with this week, or last, have not heard anything about changes coming within the next few weeks. One said that they would be "shocked" if an announcement is made this month. Each has individually speculated the earliest we would see a Genie+ change would not be until closer to late March/April timeframe.

 

[MJJME]

I have been privately chatting recently with several "people in the know" who usually break news on X (twitter), insta, and blogs. Usually these folks have very good track records as they don't speak about things unless they are fairly certain it will come true. All parties I spoke with this week, or last, have not heard anything about changes coming within the next few weeks. One said that they would be "shocked" if an announcement is made this month. Each has individually speculated the earliest we would see a Genie+ change would not be until closer to late March/April timeframe.

WDWNT Tom Corliss was speculating that it would be within the next week or 2. The announcement will likely come then but the changes will prob not come until april

 

[SL6827]

I have been privately chatting recently with several "people in the know" who usually break news on X (twitter), insta, and blogs. Usually these folks have very good track records as they don't speak about things unless they are fairly certain it will come true. All parties I spoke with this week, or last, have not heard anything about changes coming within the next few weeks. One said that they would be "shocked" if an announcement is made this month. Each has individually speculated the earliest we would see a Genie+ change would not be until closer to late March/April timeframe.

Thank you!

 

[mamaofsix]

I have been privately chatting recently with several "people in the know" who usually break news on X (twitter), insta, and blogs. Usually these folks have very good track records as they don't speak about things unless they are fairly certain it will come true. All parties I spoke with this week, or last, have not heard anything about changes coming within the next few weeks. One said that they would be "shocked" if an announcement is made this month. Each has individually speculated the earliest we would see a Genie+ change would not be until closer to late March/April timeframe.

You're right - no changes coming in the next few weeks. I meant that an announcement about the changes may be coming within the next month. Best guess is an announcement in the next month about changes being rolled out in spring. We shall see I guess.

 

[SL6827]

I can now breathe with knowing no changes on the immediate horizon. Now it's time to really hunker down and learn Genie + in the next couple weeks.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Not even excited about any changes.

The nicest change would be " hey its all free now, like it use to be! " but don't make me laugh

Including for deluxe resort guests would be nice, or allowing people to choose 2 or 3 for free then pay for extra but who are we kidding?

They are not making any changes cause they are milking whatever dollar they can get. None of the changes will save us money, nor do I think they will make life easier.

We will still need to wake up at 7:00am to make reservations which is the most annoying part, along with VQ

I miss the old lemme just do it 2 months before my trip and be done with it. Not trying to wake up early when I don't need to during a vacation.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Not even excited about any changes.

The nicest change would be " hey its all free now, like it use to be! " but don't make me laugh

Including for deluxe resort guests would be nice, or allowing people to choose 2 or 3 for free then pay for extra but who are we kidding?

They are not making any changes cause they are milking whatever dollar they can get. None of the changes will save us money, nor do I think they will make life easier.

We will still need to wake up at 7:00am to make reservations which is the most annoying part, along with VQ

I miss the old lemme just do it 2 months before my trip and be done with it. Not trying to wake up early when I don't need to during a vacation.

Well, they're not likely to do away with the fees - that we can absolutely agree on. And they're not going to go back to the old FP+ or original FP systems. So perhaps somewhere in between......

Maybe a chance to book one a few days in advance for onsite guests? Maybe a chance to select an actual time when booking G+? Guess we'll see soon what changes they're going to roll out at some point.