Disney Genie announcement

[davidbridgman]

It is very disappointing because I booked a November 8 trip assuming the system would be up by then. I'm more than willing to pay to skip lines and I hate waiting in line. There is no way I would even want to go without some system in place to reduce waiting.

 

[shawthorne44]

As incompetent and ham-fisted as this entire process has been, I am nonetheless shocked that Disney was not able to get Genie up and running by now. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the biggest celebration in park history. The crowds are expected to be huge, and the media will be watching. For Disney to have no mechanism in place to distribute crowds efficiently, and no option available to skip the lines --- despite having announced and hyped the impending arrival of a whole new and supposedly revolutionary system weeks ago --- is stunning.

Even just the Genie would have been logical. Since there isn't a charge for that. People could played with that in a low stakes, no-money way.

 

[Lalalyn]

As everyone anxiously awaiting this, I've booked two hotels for our trip -- one on site and one off -- and am waiting for pricing to decide. The 30 minute early entry seems nice, but knowing my family, we will never quite get there to fully take advantage of it. I could spend $1000 less on a hotel and pay for Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, car rental seem less than $400, and get a much bigger hotel room with washer/dryer. In other words, the more expensive it is, the more likely I am to stay off site.

Now, of course this assumes Lightning Lanes don't sell out for off site guests. But does anyone expect that to happen?

 

[OhDannyBoy]

As everyone anxiously awaiting this, I've booked two hotels for our trip -- one on site and one off -- and am waiting for pricing to decide. The 30 minute early entry seems nice, but knowing my family, we will never quite get there to fully take advantage of it. I could spend $1000 less on a hotel and pay for Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, car rental seem less than $400, and get a much bigger hotel room with washer/dryer. In other words, the more expensive it is, the more likely I am to stay off site.

Now, of course this assumes Lightning Lanes don't sell out for off site guests. But does anyone expect that to happen?

Well, is the chance to play Lightning Lane Bingo for your opportunity to pay to ride the ride you already paid to ride faster worth $1000 plus the fee if you win the lotto?

Because that's all you'll really get staying on site. Pay more for the chance to pay more to do what you already paid more to do, only faster.

 

[CWTC]

As incompetent and ham-fisted as this entire process has been, I am nonetheless shocked that Disney was not able to get Genie up and running by now. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the biggest celebration in park history. The crowds are expected to be huge, and the media will be watching. For Disney to have no mechanism in place to distribute crowds efficiently, and no option available to skip the lines --- despite having announced and hyped the impending arrival of a whole new and supposedly revolutionary system weeks ago --- is stunning.

I might be a complete cynic but I firmly believe they are waiting for the 10/2021 crowds and wait times to be insanely high. THEN they can release Genie+ and IA$ as this great and generous solution to help people with the wait times. If they release it ahead of time (given recent wait times), it doesn’t seem nearly as valuable.

I could be wrong. Maybe it really is an IT issue which is not wholly surprising but I suspect it is a calculated move.

 

[Lalalyn]

Well, is the chance to play Lightning Lane Bingo for your opportunity to pay to ride the ride you already paid to ride faster worth $1000 plus the fee if you win the lotto?

Because that's all you'll really get staying on site. Pay more for the chance to pay more to do what you already paid more to do, only faster.

Not really. If I stay on site, I go in 30 minutes before off-site guests and have a prayer of getting on a headliner without more than an hour wait. But I've already come to the realization that I'm paying more than my ticket price to ride the headliners. I either pay by staying on site and getting there 30 minutes early for on-site rope drop or I'm buying the Lightning Lanes. This trip is two years in the making after our last one got cancelled and we weren't comfortable (and wasn't worth it to us) going during COVID. I've got three kids. Only time we can go is over spring break. It is what it is.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Not really. If I stay on site, I go in 30 minutes before off-site guests and have a prayer of getting on a headliner without more than an hour wait.

"but knowing my family, we will never quite get there to fully take advantage of it."

And I know that struggle for sure....

 

[jthornton94]

I might be a complete cynic but I firmly believe they are waiting for the 10/2021 crowds and wait times to be insanely high. THEN they can release Genie+ and IA$ as this great and generous solution to help people with the wait times. If they release it ahead of time (given recent wait times), it doesn’t seem nearly as valuable.

I could be wrong. Maybe it really is an IT issue which is not wholly surprising but I suspect it is a calculated move.

The only reason I disagree is that most people don’t track wait times if they aren’t at the park. Someone going the first week of November probably isn’t watching crowds in October. And those there is October won’t be swayed as most won’t be returning soon. Chances are the crowds will be lower after Oct. 11th anyways,

 

[bookgirl2632]

The only reason I disagree is that most people don’t track wait times if they aren’t at the park. Someone going the first week of November probably isn’t watching crowds in October. And those there is October won’t be swayed as most won’t be returning soon. Chances are the crowds will be lower after Oct. 11th anyways,

I sure hope so! We arrive 10/12.

 

[DLgal]

I'm trying to figure out why anyone would try to find something for later in the day? You would never get your money's worth doing that.

It worked great when you had midday lunch plans or wanted to take a midday break back at the hotel. You'd then have late afternoon/evening fastpasses waiting to be used when you went back into the parks.

 

[CWTC]

Chances are the crowds will be lower after Oct. 11th anyways,

Here’s hoping you are right about that - we arrive 10/16!

 

[itf]

I might be a complete cynic but I firmly believe they are waiting for the 10/2021 crowds and wait times to be insanely high. THEN they can release Genie+ and IA$ as this great and generous solution to help people with the wait times. If they release it ahead of time (given recent wait times), it doesn’t seem nearly as valuable.

I could be wrong. Maybe it really is an IT issue which is not wholly surprising but I suspect it is a calculated move.

Do they really want to launch IA$ at maximum capacity with the highest 'surge' price potentially? It's just more bad PR.

 

[shawthorne44]

Do they really want to launch IA$ at maximum capacity with the highest 'surge' price potentially? It's just more bad PR.

And if they started IA$$$ during a super busy and only charged IA$, then a great many people would buy it and they'd be unhappy about still waiting in a long line, and the people in standby would be unhappy about being downgraded to the FPP standby experience.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Geesh, Disney has taken the fun out of Disney.
Just too much work now.

 

[fly girl]

Do they really want to launch IA$ at maximum capacity with the highest 'surge' price potentially? It's just more bad PR.

I think they want to appease shareholders and make money. IIMHO, if they could've launched it, they would have.

My guess, the abysmal IT doesn’t have it seamless yet, and they didn’t want to have the headline, “Walt Disney World 50th Plauged with Chaos by New App.” No doubt in my mind if it was ready to go live they would’ve done it.

I am really hoping it launches soon. We are going end of October and after our April visit we said we wouldn’t return until some form of FP was back. After reading rumors in August it was going to be first week of October I felt comfortable booking the trip. Hope I don’t regret it.

 

[elgerber]

And another potential update, no clue how accurate...

https://allears.net/2021/09/30/disn...ep0Y2MyBEDXHHzJ5Pp2zB8xSjstG-gxTfrsRQovIbO0ok

 

[FRANKTSJR]

Our annual October trip is coming up in two weeks. I know it is going to be crowded and really no way to avoid the stand-by lines at this point. Not gonna be good!

 

[kristenabelle]

And another potential update, no clue how accurate...

https://allears.net/2021/09/30/disn...ep0Y2MyBEDXHHzJ5Pp2zB8xSjstG-gxTfrsRQovIbO0ok

Seems like it's pretty accurate; this is what all the media preview folks have been reporting. I'm assuming they've been embargoed from giving a release date because based on one video they were able to ask the CM questions.

Carlye Wisel mentioned she'd be sharing even more details in her podcast next week, so possibly an update then or between then?

 

[Jrb1979]

Our annual October trip is coming up in two weeks. I know it is going to be crowded and really no way to avoid the stand-by lines at this point. Not gonna be good!

I don't it will be that crowded. From what many are saying is there is a lot of availability.

 

[katyringo]

I don't think the crowds are coming. Idk... just a hunch. My November trip I'm seeing lots of dinning and booking availability. I think many folks have planned for 2022. Tomorrow will be busy in MK but I don't think the resort will be busy. International crowds still aren't there. Idk.. just my thoughts.