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

[CWTC]

Its possible for them to update the app early and slow roll it to everyone and then activate the changes on 10/19/21.

Whether they choose to do it that way or force everyone to download an app update at midnight on 10/19/21, who knows though - it is Disney IT after all

My bet is they drop the app at 655am.

 

[Liquidice]

The new virtual video chat function to obtain DAS Advance launched today and Disney IT in its infinite wisdom has you open a chat window with a chatbot, but after you answer the bot's questions, it just says "Thank you! A Cast Member will be with you as soon as they are available." and then it is completely silent. One person in the disAbilities forum said they have been waiting since 4pm today with no indication of when they will get through to someone.

Every other chat function I've used when you're waiting to talk to someone either pings you every so often to say you're still on hold and someone will be with you shortly, or the better ones will tell you your place in the queue and how long it will be roughly until you talk to someone.

Disney's version - just silence. Really confidence inspiring especially for the big Genie launch on 10/19/21.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

One person in the disAbilities forum said they have been waiting since 4pm today with no indication of when they will get through to someone.

There is a certain dark irony in Disney designing a system for people with a disability that prevents them from waiting in line that forces them to wait in front of a computer screen for a huge and unspecified amount of time.

 

[Liquidice]

There is a certain dark irony in Disney designing a system for people with a disability that prevents them from waiting in line that forces them to wait in front of a computer screen for a huge and unspecified amount of time.

I know right? It is kind of surprising that they decided to work it this way - you would think they would allow you to make an appointment of some sort instead.

 

[RamblingMad]

My bet is they drop the app at 655am.

SO we transition from planner to early wake up call.

 

[CWTC]

SO we transition from planner to early wake up call.

I mean, sorry not sorry. I feel very strongly Disney has short sightedly failed to invest in their IT infrastructure.

 

[RamblingMad]

I mean, sorry not sorry. I feel very strongly Disney has short sightedly failed to invest in their IT infrastructure.

We'll see when this rolls out. I do remember them laying off a bunch of their IT staff.

I feel confident that Disneyland will be fine given that they're transitioning from MaxPass. No idea about how WDW will turn out.

 

[shawthorne44]

We'll see when this rolls out. I do remember them laying off a bunch of their IT staff.

And, their IT has been bad for forever.
A friend of mine said her daughter is studying computer science and one of the top choices of internships was Disney. This shocked her since she knew how bad they are. But, thinking about it, if you have IT being mostly the kids that are interning ...

 

[Aprilshack]

With a DAS pass are you only allowed to book 2 rides per day and that's it? They are letting you on 2 rides, then tough, suffer all day? Or am I understanding it wrong?

 

[Liquidice]

With a DAS pass are you only allowed to book 2 rides per day and that's it? They are letting you on 2 rides, then tough, suffer all day? Or am I understanding it wrong?

No, more details are available in the DAS thread or the disAbilities! forum, but you get the 2 pre-booked rides and you can still use DAS the traditional way of getting a return time based on the current standby line.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...ook-2-rides-book-return-times-in-mde.3849392/

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

With a DAS pass are you only allowed to book 2 rides per day and that's it? They are letting you on 2 rides, then tough, suffer all day? Or am I understanding it wrong?

You get two rides pre-selected, and then throughout the day you can pull additional rides the normal way (except now using the app), by getting return times. Basically DAS is the old fastpass system with prebooking plus you still get return times.

 

[Aprilshack]

No, more details are available in the DAS thread or the disAbilities! forum, but you get the 2 pre-booked rides and you can still use DAS the traditional way of getting a return time based on the current standby line.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...ook-2-rides-book-return-times-in-mde.3849392/

Thank God for that, I'm OK in queuing but 2 of my party would not be. As long as they are ok.

 

[Brocktoon]

Its possible for them to update the app early and slow roll it to everyone and then activate the changes on 10/19/21.

Whether they choose to do it that way or force everyone to download an app update at midnight on 10/19/21, who knows though - it is Disney IT after all

I'm wondering if the G/G+ is already cooked into the MDE app ... so no update needed and it could just activate the code on 10/19.

BUT, I think the last MDE update (for iOS at least) was way back in late August so I'm not sure if they would have had the code update pushed that far back?

My guess is that we'll see an app update pushed by Friday with the coding update that will then go live around the 19th

 

[Liquidice]

I'm wondering if the G/G+ is already cooked into the MDE app ... so no update needed and it could just activate the code on 10/19.

BUT, I think the last MDE update (for iOS at least) was way back in late August so I'm not sure if they would have had the code update pushed that far back?

My guess is that we'll see an app update pushed by Friday with the coding update that will then go live around the 19th

Absolutely possible - they are testing it for select people, so right now they could easily use your MDE login to give you special access to Genie/Genie+ and then when it goes live, change the access so everyone has it.

But they just as easily could be testing it and having people download a Beta MDE release too. Only people who could tell us would be people testing the system right now.

 

[PepperjackDragon]

Absolutely possible - they are testing it for select people, so right now they could easily use your MDE login to give you special access to Genie/Genie+ and then when it goes live, change the access so everyone has it.

But they just as easily could be testing it and having people download a Beta MDE release too. Only people who could tell us would be people testing the system right now.

This is a reasonable assumption, that select guest are being offered a trial run, but it is just an assumption correct?

 

[tony67]

And, their IT has been bad for forever.

Yeah - Disney is shockingly bad - I've said it in many other threads - this should have started mid September in a test mode - maybe at a discounted price so it could be properly vetted - then roll it out on whatever day officially. Maybe even have it available Mon-Thursday or on random days. They had a ton of options - make it available to AP only for a week of testing.

It is really poor planning - but that seems to be the Disney way - especially with IT.

 

[Liquidice]

This is a reasonable assumption, that select guest are being offered a trial run, but it is just an assumption correct?

There are definitely people testing it, not necessarily guests - but definitely CMs testing it. I don't know if any guests or journalists have been allowed to test it yet.

 

[tony67]

This is a reasonable assumption, that select guest are being offered a trial run, but it is just an assumption correct?

Another thread mentioned there were some people with VIP passes that were using LL

 

[luv2cheer92]

Another thread mentioned there were some people with VIP passes that were using LL

People have been using the LL (FP) lines all along. VIP being one of several groups that can use them. Was it that or something different?

 

[tony67]

People have been using the LL (FP) lines all along. VIP being one of several groups that can use them. Was it that or something different?

Was VIP pass of some sort mentioned - Ive also seen FP using it (like from when a ride breaks down)