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

[NuJoy]

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[DefnotDLav]

Reports are that TT will be one of the LL$ rides that are not included with Genie+ (along with Remy). So it will actually be worse than that!

So everyone on G+ will just be pulling times for FEA and Soarin?

But since they paid for it, they will be grabbing SE and Nemo, just like FP+.

I just don't see how this works at EPCOT currently. I think standbys will still suffer as people will have to use G+ on something....

And with RD being 30 mins resort guests only, getting on TT is going to be a tall order without either staying on site or a good neighbor hotel, or paying for LL. I guess last thing at night would work as well.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have complete faith in Disney IT when it comes to the free genie service..............

 

[crgrfg]

Honestly, we are disappointed that Disney has done this. My husband and I go at least once a year because we have a 2nd home that we hope to retire to that is within a 3 hr drive, but I think of the many families who save and plan for a WDW vacation, now to have added fees, removal of complimentary transportation from their WDW hotel, and increasing ticket prices. Is this to make up for being closed last year? Is it to, just as someone else said, to see how far we willing to go? We love Disney( we've visited both CA and Paris twice). My entire extended family does as well, but as much as we love it, we are questioning whether it is worth it.

 

[Pyotr]

I’m excited for the changes and think it was the right decision. FP+ was great for a vast majority on the DIS, who knew how to work the system, but terrible for the casual day guests.

 

[Marionnette]

I’m excited for the changes and think it was the right decision. FP+ was great for a vast majority on the DIS, who knew how to work the system, but terrible for the casual day guests.

I keep reading comments on how this is better for the casual guest, offsite guests and "people who don't know how to game the system".

But there will always be guests who are better informed and who will know how to maximize their use of the system. That won't be the casual day guest. They're the ones who, at 10 AM, will book HM for 3 PM because that's the next time that's available and they really want to ride HM. The power user will figure out a way to not only ride HM, but to get 2 or 3 LL passes between 10 AM and 3 PM to minimize their time in line.

The casual day guest is less likely to understand Genie+ and how it works. They will tie up their one LL pass on an attraction that has historically low wait times because Genie says "It's on your list. Go for it!" They're more likely to rely on going where Disney tells them to go, naively believing that going from Frontierland to Tomorrowland for Monsters Laugh Floor is a good idea because "the next show starts in just 10 minutes and we've got room for YOU!" Disney will be able to easily manipulate these guests in order to disperse crowds in congested areas.

Is it better than the current version of MDE? Yes. I believe that for a casual visitor, the itinerary planning in Genie can be a useful tool. But I don't believe that Genie+ does anything to level the playing field between guests any more than FP- evened things out.

 

[TioAdis78]

I keep reading comments on how this is better for the casual guest, offsite guests and "people who don't know how to game the system".

But there will always be guests who are better informed and who will know how to maximize their use of the system. That won't be the casual day guest. They're the ones who, at 10 AM, will book HM for 3 PM because that's the next time that's available and they really want to ride HM. The power user will figure out a way to not only ride HM, but to get 2 or 3 LL passes between 10 AM and 3 PM to minimize their time in line.

The casual day guest is less likely to understand Genie+ and how it works. They will tie up their one LL pass on an attraction that has historically low wait times because Genie says "It's on your list. Go for it!" They're more likely to rely on going where Disney tells them to go, naively believing that going from Frontierland to Tomorrowland for Monsters Laugh Floor is a good idea because "the next show starts in just 10 minutes and we've got room for YOU!" Disney will be able to easily manipulate these guests in order to disperse crowds in congested areas.

Is it better than the current version of MDE? Yes. I believe that for a casual visitor, the itinerary planning in Genie can be a useful tool. But I don't believe that Genie+ does anything to level the playing field between guests any more than FP- evened things out.

it doesn’t matter if it *is* better or not, the casual guest just wants to feel like they “won”. So if the app says they do, they’ll be less likely to complain about the system.
Power users can still find a way to maximize their usage of G+, obviously, and I’m sure that part of the knowledge will now be what days of the week, the month or what have you, is it convenient or not to purchase it.

 

[cakebaker]

I keep reading comments on how this is better for the casual guest, offsite guests and "people who don't know how to game the system".

I agree. If a guest wouldn't bother to figure out how FP+ worked, they sure aren't going to figure this one out. It's not like it's a more simple system. I'd argue that knowing how to use a system does not equal gaming it. As you say, those of us who take the time to learn how it works, will learn how to use it more effectively making the uninformed guest at just as big a disadvantage as they always are.

I find the handholding features of Genie irritating but I suppose if you don't know anything about WDW and don't want to learn, it could be useful. I suspect a great many of those guests still won't know you can now buy FP's and how to do it, so the side eyes will still continue as they try to figure out why people are getting to use that shorter line and are bypassing them.

The bottom line is, Disney didn't implement this to make it more "fair" or to make it easier for the uneducated guest to use. They did it to make money.

 

[New Mouse]

The real answer for what Genie should have been....includes ALL rides (save maybe your boarding groups). Is free for on site (deluxe?) Guests....maybe discounted for other resorts. Cost is $30-50 per person.

Call it a day and avoid destroying your brand in the process.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I keep reading comments on how this is better for the casual guest, offsite guests and "people who don't know how to game the system".

But there will always be guests who are better informed and who will know how to maximize their use of the system. That won't be the casual day guest. They're the ones who, at 10 AM, will book HM for 3 PM because that's the next time that's available and they really want to ride HM. The power user will figure out a way to not only ride HM, but to get 2 or 3 LL passes between 10 AM and 3 PM to minimize their time in line.

The casual day guest is less likely to understand Genie+ and how it works. They will tie up their one LL pass on an attraction that has historically low wait times because Genie says "It's on your list. Go for it!" They're more likely to rely on going where Disney tells them to go, naively believing that going from Frontierland to Tomorrowland for Monsters Laugh Floor is a good idea because "the next show starts in just 10 minutes and we've got room for YOU!" Disney will be able to easily manipulate these guests in order to disperse crowds in congested areas.

Is it better than the current version of MDE? Yes. I believe that for a casual visitor, the itinerary planning in Genie can be a useful tool. But I don't believe that Genie+ does anything to level the playing field between guests any more than FP- evened things out.

I’m hoping that genie+ limits that function Fp+ used to have, my hope is that if you get a LL to a ride, it will not allow a duplicate LL for that ride, that being said, I think this is a good step forward for Disney, again just my hopes for it

 

[Marionnette]

it doesn’t matter if it *is* better or not, the casual guest just wants to feel like they “won”. So if the app says they do, they’ll be less likely to complain about the system.
Power users can still find a way to maximize their usage of G+, obviously, and I’m sure that part of the knowledge will now be what days of the week, the month or what have you, is it convenient or not to purchase it.

Well, with all due respect, I was addressing those who are claiming that Genie/Genie+ IS better for the casual guest. And TBH, I'm not convinced that after crisscrossing the park multiple times they're going to feel like they "won" if Genie directs them from Frontierland to Tomorrowland and then to Adventureland in order to alleviate crowding but telling the guest that "this line is short, ride now".

 

[cakebaker]

The real answer for what Genie should have been....includes ALL rides (save maybe your boarding groups). Is free for on site (deluxe?) Guests....maybe discounted for other resorts. Cost is $30-50 per person.

Call it a day and avoid destroying your brand in the process.

While I would've loved that plan, the price is problematic. At $50 for all rides, too many people would buy into it to make it work well and at the same time the outcry that Disney was rewarding the "rich" would've been just as bad as it is now.

There is no paid system everyone would've welcomed. I do wish they had added a higher priced alternative similar to what Universal does though.

 

[New Mouse]

While I would've loved that plan, the price is problematic. At $50 for all rides, too many people would buy into it to make it work well and at the same time the outcry that Disney was rewarding the "rich" would've been just as bad as it is now.

There is no paid system everyone would've welcomed. I do wish they had added a higher priced alternative similar to what Universal does though.

Why wouldnt $50 work? If everyone else besides deluxe resort guests bought in at $50, it would be no different than the original fastpass system and disney still gets to make money while not disenfranchising those who are staying on property. Why Disney insists on shafting their most loyal customers still is an insane business model. Why should a resort guest be treated the same as a day guest?

 

[TioAdis78]

Well, with all due respect, I was addressing those who are claiming that Genie/Genie+ IS better for the casual guest. And TBH, I'm not convinced that after crisscrossing the park multiple times they're going to feel like they "won" if Genie directs them from Frontierland to Tomorrowland and then to Adventureland in order to alleviate crowding but telling the guest that "this line is short, ride now".

No, I agree with you. I just think the app will try to fool the casual guest into thinking they “won”, even if the seasoned veterans know they didn’t. It’s going to be interesting to see how they actually feel after, like you said, dashing from one end of the park to another just because the app told them to

 

[cakebaker]

Why wouldnt $50 work? If everyone else besides deluxe resort guests bought in at $50, it would be no different than the original fastpass system and disney still gets to make money while not disenfranchising those who are staying on property. Why Disney insists on shafting their most loyal customers still is an insane business model. Why should a resort guest be treated the same as a day guest?

It wouldn't work because it would be over used- not expensive enough to deter people from buying it. The old system had far too much demand on it much like EMH evenings did. I absolutely agree resort guests should get perks for staying on site, but I can bet those who don't stay on site would scream to the rafters- they always do anytime resort guests get something they don't. Regardless, if Disney opted for it, I'd be all in.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

$50 would work if what you were buying was basically Genie+ without the exclusion of the top-tier rides --- which I think is what New Mouse is suggesting. $50 would be way, way too low of a price for a product that resembles the Universal Express Pass --- guaranteeing you access to the Lightning Lane whenever you want on any and all rides all day long. The Lightning Lanes would become overrun with people, all of whom were livid that they paid $50 and still ended up having to wait in long line after long line. And the standby lines would be a disaster.

 

[New Mouse]

$50 would work if what you were buying was basically Genie+ without the exclusion of the top-tier rides --- which I think is what New Mouse is suggesting. $50 would be way, way too low of a price for a product that resembles the Universal Express Pass --- guaranteeing you access to the Lightning Lane whenever you want on any and all rides all day long. The Lightning Lanes would become overrun with people, all of whom were livid that they paid $50 and still ended up having to wait in long line after long line. And the standby lines would be a disaster.

Bingo. Why take your financial woes out on your guests willing to pay and or visit the most. Charge them $0 to $15 charge everyone else $50

 

[ThistleMae]

I can't wait to see what posters say after experiencing it! I hope it rolls out soon so I can develop a strategy for my Dec. trip. I'm already getting some ideas just by keeping up with all these posts.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I just want a start date! I have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to start right in the middle of my mid-October trip. And I am not happy to be the guinea pig.

 

[CWTC]

I just want a start date! I have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to start right in the middle of my mid-October trip. And I am not happy to be the guinea pig.

That’s when we are traveling as well: would love a start date so we have an idea for planning