Disney Genie+ and ILL$ Details & FAQ - Launches 10/19 at WDW, Paid "FastPass" at WDW and Disneyland (date TBD)

[Tigger's ally]

There is definitely availability but it is hard to find a single room type across a weekend and a whole week, and definitely not for two weekends at one room. I think, especially if budget shopping--you would have to book somewhere for Friday-Sunday or saturday-Sunday, and then run a separate search looking at Sunday-Friday or Monday-Thursday etc. Doing that I see a lot of rooms and plenty of value resorts. However, in my experience this changes a lot, and very frequently. Before I discovered the wonders of DVC rentals, I was shopping for my family in October. I ran a search like 20 times in one hour and got different results like every 5 minutes. Looking over the next few days and weeks, sometimes there would be a long stretch with no change, and then changes in availability would start falling like rain. Don't know why, but that is what I was observing.

In my opinion, if using the Disney website, you should book what you can in different roomtypes/hotels. Then search regularly for updates, book when you find a better option and then cancel. After talking to Disney, they had no problem eliminating any fees for cancelations so long as I still had a reservation and was still coming.

Reason I know it is busy is no resorts available and also the ADR's of which I have been trying for are very very limited. If I want to eat breakfast at lunchtime, I can get a couple places. Almost zero sit down restaurants our week when I became available to get them.

 

[Marionnette]

Reason I know it is busy is no resorts available and also the ADR's of which I have been trying for are very very limited. If I want to eat breakfast at lunchtime, I can get a couple places. Almost zero sit down restaurants our week when I became available to get them.

Interesting. We will be there the first week of December and I got all of the ADRs I wanted, albeit with considerable website/app issues. And aside from the usual suspects (BOG, CRT, Space 220, Steakhouse 71) there's still availability if you dine early or late.

As for room availability, AllStar Sports will remain closed indefinitely. That's 1920 rooms, which affects inventory.

 

[Karin1984]

Ok, this is not about Disney Genie or WDW or DL, but I wanted to add this to the discussion.

It just was announced that in Disneyland Paris for the show Lion King - Rhythm of the Pridelands (not new, but 2nd show to return after covid), you can pay 15 euro p/p (about same amount in $) for guaranteed access to the show...
Yes, the show was popular, there is not a lot of entertainment and DLP still has reduced capacity, but still!

My first thought: what the PEEP?

 

[ZeeWP]

Ok, this is not about Disney Genie or WDW or DL, but I wanted to add this to the discussion.

It just was announced that in Disneyland Paris for the show Lion King - Rhythm of the Pridelands (not new, but 2nd show to return after covid), you can pay 15 euro p/p (about same amount in $) for guaranteed access to the show...
Yes, the show was popular, there is not a lot of entertainment and DLP still has reduced capacity, but still!

My first thought: what the PEEP?

Disneyland Paris is different then the American parks, from what I understand. Their ticket prices are at a lower price point and people are more willing to pay for individual rides/shows. I think that's why WDW only has 2 rides per park, whereas DLP has a lot more. So I think that's why DLP does it.

I can never see myself paying for a show, except maybe prime seating for a nighttime show.

 

[Karin1984]

Disneyland Paris is different then the American parks, from what I understand. Their ticket prices are at a lower price point and people are more willing to pay for individual rides/shows. I think that's why WDW only has 2 rides per park, whereas DLP has a lot more. So I think that's why DLP does it.

I can never see myself paying for a show, except maybe prime seating for a nighttime show.

Ehm... not entirely true. The ticket prices are conform the market in Europe. However, their new paid fastpass is not selling as well as they thought it would. Their previous version of a paid fastpass wasn't exactly a big hit either.

In Europe you would not pay that for just a show or a ride. With other upsell things,they added more benefits
In 2019 with this show they had a package deal for 99 euro, it came with guaranteed and the best seating (now it's just guaranteed), a drumming session with the musicians, a character lunch (with Rafiki & jungle Mickey), souvenir mug, and a 15 euro gift card. That was great value. I can't imagine many people will see value in this offer.

Anyway, there was only a short time between DLP announcing their new paid fastpass and WDW/DL announcing Disney Genie. If they think guests will pay for LL, I would be surprised if these people will pay for shows as well.
With a show you get at least 25 minutes of entertainment, that's better value than a 2 minute ride.

 

[Liquidice]

Ok, this is not about Disney Genie or WDW or DL, but I wanted to add this to the discussion.

It just was announced that in Disneyland Paris for the show Lion King - Rhythm of the Pridelands (not new, but 2nd show to return after covid), you can pay 15 euro p/p (about same amount in $) for guaranteed access to the show...
Yes, the show was popular, there is not a lot of entertainment and DLP still has reduced capacity, but still!

My first thought: what the PEEP?

Wow, maybe the recently announced return of Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular will carry a price tag too? Doubt it, but that is surprising.

Although, Genie+ could offer Lightning Lane access to shows I guess? They had Fastpass for certain shows and character meet & greets in the past. Would be really surprising if they did a IA$ for a show or character meet & greet, but I guess if it were new and popular enough - maybe?

 

[ZeeWP]

Ehm... not entirely true. The ticket prices are conform the market in Europe. However, their new paid fastpass is not selling as well as they thought it would. Their previous version of a paid fastpass wasn't exactly a big hit either.

In Europe you would not pay that for just a show or a ride. With other upsell things,they added more benefits
In 2019 with this show they had a package deal for 99 euro, it came with guaranteed and the best seating (now it's just guaranteed), a drumming session with the musicians, a character lunch (with Rafiki & jungle Mickey), souvenir mug, and a 15 euro gift card. That was great value. I can't imagine many people will see value in this offer.

Anyway, there was only a short time between DLP announcing their new paid fastpass and WDW/DL announcing Disney Genie. If they think guests will pay for LL, I would be surprised if these people will pay for shows as well.
With a show you get at least 25 minutes of entertainment, that's better value than a 2 minute ride.

That's interesting! I wonder how that affected the decision for the paid stuff stateside (if it did at all).

 

[Stephi9678]

I might have missed it - do we know when genie + is launching?

 

[PepperjackDragon]

I might have missed it - do we know when genie + is launching?

Sometime this fall.

 

[snowwhite84]

Today feels like a good day for some news!

 

[SkyGuy]

Today feels like a good day for some news!

I agree! Twitter seems…I don’t know, prime?

 

[rmclain73]

Today feels like a good day for some news!

I think you may get some.

 

[SkyGuy]

There are rumors out there already, but I’ll let you find them for yourselves because I’m not sure how accurate the sources are. Let’s just say that some of the rumors posted correlate with some that have been posed in the past.

 

[snowwhite84]

There are rumors out there already, but I’ll let you find them for yourselves because I’m not sure how accurate the sources are. Let’s just say that some of the rumors posted correlate with some that have been posed in the past.

Can I get a hint? A clue?! Lol I’m desperate

 

[Willow1213]

From the rumors I've seen it looks like my next trip might get VERY interesting. Don't know if I'm excited or nervous for Disney IT...

 

[snowwhite84]

From the rumors I've seen it looks like my next trip might get VERY interesting. Don't know if I'm excited or nervous for Disney IT...

When is your trip?

 

[Willow1213]

When is your trip?

Soon

 

[snowwhite84]

Soon

I’m there October 14. Will I be happy or sad

 

[rmclain73]

I’m there October 14. Will I be happy or sad

That depends if you want Genie or not.

 

[snowwhite84]

That depends if you want Genie or not.

Want it!!