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

[Jake]

Two thing on my personal part. How long between lighting passes. If it’s three or four hours it will be worthless. That means only three lighting passes a day
Two I have to travel to get to the world. So with airfare, hotel, transportation , food. What another $15 pp p day. That only about 1% more per day of total vacation.
If I only can get there ever other year. It’s worth it to do more rides

 

[daisylovesdisney]

Young families will have an edge here I believe. Aging DisneyWorld guests may not be as savvy with their smart phones. Picking your choices, getting in the same area. Making lightning lane choices, then trying to get 2 Premium tickets. Sounds easier said than done

There is no way either of my parents could figure this out and keep booking things on their phones, it just won't happen.

 

[daisylovesdisney]

Any idea what the price will be for the E-tickets?

 

[Jrb1979]

Any idea what the price will be for the E-tickets?

Rumor is between $4 to $24.

 

[Liquidice]

Two thing on my personal part. How long between lighting passes. If it’s three or four hours it will be worthless. That means only three lighting passes a day
Two I have to travel to get to the world. So with airfare, hotel, transportation , food. What another $15 pp p day. That only about 1% more per day of total vacation.
If I only can get there ever other year. It’s worth it to do more rides

For a lot of people it totally depends on your situation. I think Genie+ is definitely geared towards people like yourself that may only come to WDW every other year, or perhaps once in a lifetime - and their thoughts are exactly like yours, whats another $15?

Three lightning lane passes per day is sort of what you got with FP+ though, with extras if you were able to use all your FP's early in the day. As far as how long between passes - it will really depend on what ride you select. I'd expect you'll pick your first ride and hopefully it will be as close to opening as possible, then as soon as you scan into that ride you'll select another, which will hopefully be close to the current time. With that methodology you could easily get more than 3, but if lets say after your first pass you pick another and it is 3-4 hours away - you'd have to wait until 2 hours have elapsed to pick your next pass.

The way I look at it though, it is $15pp per day. For my family of 4, we go to Disney 14 days a year - that is an additional $840 per year out of my pocket. I probably won't get Genie+ every single day of course, but just for comparison to how I would do it with FP+.

For locals that come to Disney World all the time, I assume they probably won't pay for Genie+ most of the time since it would be quite expensive to do all the time.

 

[daisylovesdisney]

Rumor is between $4 to $24.

Wow, that's quite a range!

 

[Liquidice]

Wow, that's quite a range!

It will be demand based pricing, the range is just a rumor too.

We don't know yet if the price will change based on how long the line is too - so for example if the posted wait time for RoTR is 200 minutes, does the price go up? But then if the line is 60 minutes, does the price go down?

But think about it this way, on a sold out day for Hollywood Studios - high demand like Spring break, expect to pay the top end (so $24 per person) for IA$ for RoTR.

But, during the low season like we're in right now - where RoTR currently has a 40 minute wait, maybe the price will be more like $10 per person for IA$.

For a less popular ride, rumor is that Space Mountain may be an IA$ ride until Tron opens - maybe it will be $4 per person.

If the price changes with the wait time, it will be interesting what happens if you buy IA$ when the line is the longest - but your selected time is later in the day and the line is much shorter when your time comes up - what will Disney do? Refund you to the lower price? It will seem kind of unfair if you paid $24 per person to ride and someone who waited longer to buy it paid only $15 per person lets say. For this reason, I think Disney may make the price static for the day based on the number of Park Passes for that park for that day.

 

[Jrb1979]

It will be demand based pricing, the range is just a rumor too.

We don't know yet if the price will change based on how long the line is too - so for example if the posted wait time for RoTR is 200 minutes, does the price go up? But then if the line is 60 minutes, does the price go down?

But think about it this way, on a sold out day for Hollywood Studios - high demand like Spring break, expect to pay the top end (so $24 per person) for IA$ for RoTR.

But, during the low season like we're in right now - where RoTR currently has a 40 minute wait, maybe the price will be more like $10 per person for IA$.

For a less popular ride, rumor is that Space Mountain may be an IA$ ride until Tron opens - maybe it will be $4 per person.

If the price changes with the wait time, it will be interesting what happens if you buy IA$ when the line is the longest - but your selected time is later in the day and the line is much shorter when your time comes up - what will Disney do? Refund you to the lower price? It will seem kind of unfair if you paid $24 per person to ride and someone who waited longer to buy it paid only $15 per person lets say. For this reason, I think Disney may make the price static for the day based on the number of Park Passes for that park for that day.

I don't think they change the price as the day goes on. Whatever price it is that morning is likely the price that day.

 

[VAlegacy]

For a lot of people it totally depends on your situation. I think Genie+ is definitely geared towards people like yourself that may only come to WDW every other year, or perhaps once in a lifetime.

I would be interested to know (outside of this forum), what percentage of visitors not counting DVC come every other year or more. I bet its less than 10%.

 

[Liquidice]

I would be interested to know (outside of this forum), what percentage of visitors not counting DVC come every other year or more. I bet its less than 10%.

Obviously some percentage of people are locals who probably visit often. Outside of locals, there are a lot of people on the East Coast who regularly visit Disney though. I know for example when NJ has off of school in November for a teacher's convention, the Disney Parks get more crowded. I assume it is not just all first time visitors

Probably won't be able to get a real answer unless you have guest data from Disney.

Quite a few people I know though are not on a Disney forum or FB group and aren't DVC members but visit Disney regularly. I don't know if I can say for sure they visit every other year or more often - but definitely more than once

There are an estimated 220,000 DVC Families and over 500,000 individual DVC members.

A quick Google search showed that some "experts" estimate for WDW 10% locals, 20% that visit at least once a year - not sure what that number increases to when you expand to once every other year.

 

[poptart90]

It will be demand based pricing, the range is just a rumor too.

We don't know yet if the price will change based on how long the line is too - so for example if the posted wait time for RoTR is 200 minutes, does the price go up? But then if the line is 60 minutes, does the price go down?

But think about it this way, on a sold out day for Hollywood Studios - high demand like Spring break, expect to pay the top end (so $24 per person) for IA$ for RoTR.

But, during the low season like we're in right now - where RoTR currently has a 40 minute wait, maybe the price will be more like $10 per person for IA$.

For a less popular ride, rumor is that Space Mountain may be an IA$ ride until Tron opens - maybe it will be $4 per person.

If the price changes with the wait time, it will be interesting what happens if you buy IA$ when the line is the longest - but your selected time is later in the day and the line is much shorter when your time comes up - what will Disney do? Refund you to the lower price? It will seem kind of unfair if you paid $24 per person to ride and someone who waited longer to buy it paid only $15 per person lets say. For this reason, I think Disney may make the price static for the day based on the number of Park Passes for that park for that day.

I must have missed something. I thought the up-charge was for immediate boarding through the LL, not for a scheduled time later in the day. Did I get that wrong?

Also, has anyone heard what will be the policy if the ride goes down and you have paid the IA$? Refund? ME pass? Or a return pass for the IA$ you paid for any other time that day?

Speculation on that?

 

[Liquidice]

I must have missed something. I thought the up-charge was for immediate boarding through the LL, not for a scheduled time later in the day. Did I get that wrong?

Also, has anyone heard what will be the policy if the ride goes down and you have paid the IA$? Refund? ME pass? Or a return pass for the IA$ you paid for any other time that day?

Speculation on that?

IA$ will let you pick the time to ride, while Genie+ gives you the next available time. Consider that IA$ will be available at 7am to resort guests.

From the Disney Parks blog explaining IA$:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/08/introducing-disney-genie/

• Individual attraction selections (available for purchase): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.

This also confirms my earlier question that the pricing will vary by date only and not vary by time of day or how long the standby line is.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

For locals that come to Disney World all the time, I assume they probably won't pay for Genie+ most of the time since it would be quite expensive to do all the time.

I feel like this is important, Disney doesn't seem to be in love with the locals, they come to the parks, and don't spend nearly as much as people on an actual vacation, and on top of that, they essentially "rob" their shops by purchasing in mass quantities of new products, so that they can resell on eBay, (something Disney has recently tried to crack down on). I've read a few articles that make it pretty clear Disney does not want to deal with locals, and if this makes it a little more difficult for them, drives them away from the parks, or clears up some people from using LL it would be a win for Disney

 

[daisylovesdisney]

I am really not planning to pay $125 so my family can skip the line for one ride, that's just a bit too crazy. The Genie + I can deal with I guess, though I don't see any upside for this vs the FP+ system for us, just an extra expense. I wish for guests staying in their very pricey resorts it was included.

 

[Liquidice]

I feel like this is important, Disney doesn't seem to be in love with the locals, they come to the parks, and don't spend nearly as much as people on an actual vacation, and on top of that, they essentially "rob" their shops by purchasing in mass quantities of new products, so that they can resell on eBay, (something Disney has recently tried to crack down on). I've read a few articles that make it pretty clear Disney does not want to deal with locals, and if this makes it a little more difficult for them, drives them away from the parks, or clears up some people from using LL it would be a win for Disney

The one thing that would change this and potentially be Disney's nod to locals would be a Genie+ addon to Annual Passes for a flat fee per year. For MaxPass they offered this - it may not come immediately but perhaps it is something they will add.

I am really not planning to pay $125 so my family can skip the line for one ride, that's just a bit too crazy. The Genie + I can deal with I guess, though I don't see any upside for this vs the FP+ system for us, just an extra expense. I wish for guests staying in their very pricey resorts it was included.

I hope within the next 12-18 months as demand dies down for the 50th they start introducing or offering perks / promotions for onsite guests and maybe annual pass holders. Like I said above, a single annual fee for Genie+ would be nice.

For IA$ rides, I guess the one thing you can do is try to rope drop those rides for the park you start at.

 

[Jrb1979]

The one thing that would change this and potentially be Disney's nod to locals would be a Genie+ addon to Annual Passes for a flat fee per year. For MaxPass they offered this - it may not come immediately but perhaps it is something they will add.



I hope within the next 12-18 months as demand dies down for the 50th they start introducing or offering perks / promotions for onsite guests and maybe annual pass holders. Like I said above, a single annual fee for Genie+ would be nice.

For IA$ rides, I guess the one thing you can do is try to rope drop those rides for the park you start at.

I doubt they will ever go to giving Genie+ away for free. They just announced it I can't seem within the next few years giving it away for free.
I understand that the majority hate that it's an added cost when it used to be included. I can't see them ever going back to that.

 

[Garyjames220]

Sadly there will probably be a time not that far away were we all wishing genie plus is ”only” 15 dollars

with them saying this is introductory prices for me that’s a worry as this is already costly for us when we go for at least two weeks

I don’t think it will be that long and this will end up doubling to 30 dollars, sadly

 

[Leight19]

I doubt they will ever go to giving Genie+ away for free. They just announced it I can't seem within the next few years giving it away for free.
I understand that the majority hate that it's an added cost when it used to be included. I can't see them ever going back to that.

I actually view things the opposite. This is essentially a free revenue stream Disney created out of thin air. Since it litterally costs them nothing, my prediction is they offer it for free with certain packages in lieu of the free dining going forward. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if creating the paid fast pass was part of strategy to offer it for free as a low cost benefit they can tout as great new perk to save on more expensive perks. This would also serve as an advertisement for the product to get people used to using it so they pay during busy times when Disney isn’t running promotion.

 

[Liquidice]

I doubt they will ever go to giving Genie+ away for free. They just announced it I can't seem within the next few years giving it away for free.
I understand that the majority hate that it's an added cost when it used to be included. I can't see them ever going back to that.

Yeah I wasn't necessarily thinking free for Genie+ although you never know. Was thinking more like a single fee for Genie+ for APs for the entire year, and for onsite guests maybe a discount on Genie+ or an advantage where you can book early or something. Or maybe a discount on IA$ when you buy Genie+.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Yeah I wasn't necessarily thinking free for Genie+ although you never know. Was thinking more like a single fee for Genie+ for APs for the entire year, and for onsite guests maybe a discount on Genie+ or an advantage where you can book early or something. Or maybe a discount on IA$ when you buy Genie+.

I think the general consensus is that Disney will retool Genie in the future, and possibly provide it as a perk, in the near term, (the next 1-2 years) I assume Disney will just let it run as is, to get a real feel for how it affects the parks, and customer sentiment towards it. once they gather enough data, and work out all the bugs, then i could see them providing it as a perk, how they lay that out would be anyone guess. I can see a price increase coming down the road, but more on pace with inflation, just my opinion, but i don't necessarily think Disney views Genie as a money grab like so many on these boards think, i'm more in the line of thinking that Disney made Genie to address a problem within their parks, and monetizing it may actually help with line lengths, (for instance, locals who visit the parks frequently always took advantage of FP+, now that there is a charge associated with it, they may not take advantage of it as much, which could help