Disney Genie announcement

[ElsasFan]

The irony is, with kids aged 11 & 19 Disney is the one time they're ok not constantly being on their phones.

Seriously! And I’m always telling them to put them away and enjoy the moment. Now I’ll be the one glued to the phone all day. Yuk.

 

[squirk]

Limiting it to no (length of stay) repeats doesn't really accomplish anything. Each day is new. Each day a new crop of people show up on their first day.

My thought was that prohibiting repeats would prevent everyone from jamming up, for example, RotR every day of their trip. This would make it easier for “new crop” people to get their own RotR IAS.

 

[Ssplashhmtn]

Yet another shameless money grab from Disney.

Yes, but even worse, it’s the loss of the magic, having to think about money everyday. Should I buy it, was it a mistake not to buy it?

Disney seems to have lost the focus on creating the feeling of being “on set” and out of the real world with these nickles and dimes— starting upon arrival with the remove of DME; now this daily purchase decision.

 

[luv2cheer92]

They better think of some incentive because there’s absolutely nothing to compel anyone to stay at a Disney resort.

Maybe for you, but I wouldn't say "anyone".

 

[luv2cheer92]

For what it's worth, @luv2cheer92 - I totally understand where you are coming from. I am a planner, too.
We CAN be planners and still be okay with these new features. I still will have the planning of my resort, my park reservation days, my meals, even my daily itineraries AND HOW THE USE OF GENIE+ and LL IAS will play into that ... which attraction to go for first, which to rope drop or do standby during the early morning hours.

Being a planner is not mutually exclusive to embracing this new resource and figuring out how to maximize its effectiveness.
In fact it could be a wonderful challenge for us planner-types.

Yes!! Now I have the challenge of thinking of plan A through ZZZ based on what is available, that's like a dream!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Maybe for you, but I wouldn't say "anyone".

ok enjoy

 

[Cynner]

1. so I pay for my season pass. 1 grand per family member x4. I’m using round numbers here.
2. so I’m 4 grand in. Fine.
3. now I got to pay 15x4 per day. So a 7 day trip is now 420 more per trip per year. So I do 2 trips a year. Sometimes 3.
4. So now my season passes at 4800!
5. Then I got to add the popular rides for even more money.

9. Oh and then I pay that extra money per day and I get ride time returns for 5 pm or 6pm. We are half day park people then to relax and swim. A nice dinner then back to park for night. Fast pass made that so nice. I don’t want to be in the parks all day dieing in the heat.

For me, as a frequent visitor and an AP owner, why would I need Genie+ or the LL+ tickets that often? I've ridden everything multiple times (I've ridden RotR 4 times even). I hate lines. Rope drop and then evening hours will probably do it for us on most days. So you can still do your half day park plan, it will probably actually work out pretty well even without Genie+.

Yea, not gonna continue to try and explain it. Not worth it apparently. Feel free to believe I'm not a planner, you'll just continue to be very, very, very wrong.
If most people saw my planning process for a one day trip to a nearby town, they would think I was certifiably insane. Every single possible situation/scenario is thought of, with corresponding solutions. My Disney plans would blow many peoples minds. Like 20 pages for a 4 day trip, and I go multiple times a year.
But again, you don't have to understand it.

I'm an IT Project Manager by trade, I manage millions of dollars, over a hundred team members, and integrate with dozens of other applications, an insane amount of customers to consider and try to keep happy (We have more users than Disney) and deal with government processes and bureaucracy the whole time. If we f-up, it's front page news.
Believe me - I know I read every blog, have tons of spreadsheets and informational and planning subscriptions. Everything I do is automatically planned for efficiency and certainty. From planning vacations, for grocery shopping, to doing laundry and chores in the house.
That's actually why this is stressing me out so much - each day of my trip will be UNCERTAIN. I will be 'hoping' we get the rides I wanted for the family. And as a PM, HOPE is a four letter word!

For what it's worth, @luv2cheer92 - I totally understand where you are coming from. I am a planner, too.
We CAN be planners and still be okay with these new features. I still will have the planning of my resort, my park reservation days, my meals, even my daily itineraries AND HOW THE USE OF GENIE+ and LL IAS will play into that ... which attraction to go for first, which to rope drop or do standby during the early morning hours.

Being a planner is not mutually exclusive to embracing this new resource and figuring out how to maximize its effectiveness.
In fact it could be a wonderful challenge for us planner-types.

Yes, I'm already thinking about the most efficient way to plan with the new tools - and I would do the FP+ game after we used our 3 FPs and do Tower of Terror 4 times in a row - BUT - it can be a hassle. It was 'fun', because I already got the main course of the meal, and the extra FPs at that point were just icing on the cake.
We go so often that I'm not terribly stressed for us if we get a certain ride or not in most cases (though I will be rope dropping Jungle Cruise this time!). For me, it's that I also plan trips for friends and family who go with us that it's their rare visit or trip of a lifetime. Not being able to be certain that they will get to experience the rides they really want to is going to stress me out to no end.

I really really hope, that there is enough LL+ paid availability that if you bite the bullet and want to buy one that they will still be available.

I remember them with great loathing. They were a lot more strict about the return times back then. You got to go all the way to the ride, trying not to get run down by speedy youngsters acting as their family runner, get the paper, then lurk in the area so that you didn't miss your time. Unless the time was hours away, you rarely had time to go stand in another line and risk missing your pass, so you wound up haunting gift shops. Great for Disney, I'm sure, but frustrating.

Yep - hated running to the back of the park to get the paper passes and having to run from one side to the other all day. Great for my steps - but we get plenty of that at the park anyways!

That's too funny--I was also thinking about the analogy with the dining plan and totally agree.

I think Disney is overlooking the perceived value part of the equation. I can tell you that If I paid $20+ per person for a specific ride like SDD, I would NOT be a happy camper 3 minutes later for my family of 4. But if I have that ride included in my overall purchase price (even if way higher) my reaction wouldn't be so harsh. Same thing for the new Mickey/Minnie ride (which I didn't enjoy much when free, LOL). I probably would have been fine with a $20 upcharge for FOP and ROTR, but I'd be judging some of the other rides pretty harshly. I suspect this could happen with Remi depending on the amount they charge. I *loved* it when we did it in France, but we had an express pass there Not sure if I would love it as much at $20+ pp a pop!

That's why packages work, whether it's dining packages, cruises, etc. People get picky and more demanding when choosing a la carte
....
Ha! I had the same though. We've done VIP tours before, and they are suddenly looking reasonable

I suspect we will be visiting Universal more often. I prefer the universal model of one big upcharge for an "express pass" for exactly the reason you mentioned--you know what you are getting and you know what you are paying. I'm also not judging each experience based on the cost.

I get it - I hate the single paid pass idea, but as I've been chewing it over - I really kinda see it now. Using your Dining Plan vs a la carte comparison - I really do not want to eat as much as the DDP leads me to do on every day for every trip. They'd have to roll me out of the park. I game the DDP system so hard it is ridiculous. But I only get it like once a year to really hit all the character dining and festival carts. I do not get it every time. So though at first I was like - Yay! do it like Universal! Unless they offer the big unlimited front of the line version, I wouldn't get it either. In most parks, for me, Disney just does not have that many 'must ride rides' that need that front of the line access that it would be worth it all the time. Unlimited front of lines though - FOP here I come!

Now, if they included all ride access in the deluxe hotels - I'd be absolutely sure to stay in an deluxe everytime like I do with Universal.
I absolutely think they should be adding Genie+ to some resort stays, and maybe even offer the LL+ passes free to Deluxe resort guests. But they're not going to until they see how many people actually pay for them. If the demand ends up being low - they'll throw them into the resort 'perk' pool.

Yes, but even worse, it’s the loss of the magic, having to think about money everyday. Should I buy it, was it a mistake not to buy it?
Disney seems to have lost the focus on creating the feeling of being “on set” and out of the real world with these nickles and dimes— starting upon arrival with the remove of DME; now this daily purchase decision.

How do you NOT already have the 'should I buy it or was it a mistake' all day at Disney anyways? So many souvenirs - do you really need them? What's going to happen to them when you get home? Do you really need that appetizer? Or another glass of wine?
Unless you have an unlimited budget (or just say screw it! like I do far too often) you are thinking about what you should spend money on or not all day anyways.

 

[mom2rtk]

How do you NOT already have the 'should I buy it or was it a mistake' all day at Disney anyways? So many souvenirs - do you really need them? What's going to happen to them when you get home? Do you really need that appetizer? Or another glass of wine?
Unless you have an unlimited budget (or just say screw it! like I do far too often) you are thinking about what you should spend money on or not all day anyways.

I never get this argument. "There's some of this already, so why not layer on a ton more!". I don't particularly like onion, but have enjoyed many dishes that included a little bit of it. If there's too much, I push it away and find something else to eat.

It's a matter of degrees. This is exponentially worse. People can put up with a little bit of something and not want to double down on it.

And this is about the core Disney experience, the attractions that we get to experience when we visit the parks. The very attractions we already paid to experience with the pricey tickets we already purchased before walking through the gates.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/gues...y-genie-starting-at-midnight-on-day-of-visit/

So, not only get up before 7 am to reserve your ride, but stay up until midnight so you can be first to pay for the privilege?

 

[Haveforkwilleat]

From the UK, family of 3 for 14 nights that’s an extra $630 dollars for the trip, plus no DDP. Paid parking etc.

For us to keep coming we will have to leave the ‘Disney Bubble’ and stay off property in a hotel or villa. So we’ll probably save money with cheaper accommodation and food off site

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

So, not only get up before 7 am to reserve your ride, but stay up until midnight so you can be first to pay for the privilege?

Yeah, I don't get this at all. If we have to book parks in advance, obviously we have tickets for those days. Why couldn't we just be allowed to purchase Genie+ at the time of park booking?

Or does booking a park turn a non-date-based ticket into a date based one?

There really are tickets that aren't date based, if anyone is wondering.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

How do you NOT already have the 'should I buy it or was it a mistake' all day at Disney anyways? So many souvenirs - do you really need them? What's going to happen to them when you get home? Do you really need that appetizer? Or another glass of wine?
Unless you have an unlimited budget (or just say screw it! like I do far too often) you are thinking about what you should spend money on or not all day anyways.

at least I’m walking away with something when I buy a souvenir. I think there will be a different feel when people plop down cash for a 3 minute ride. Buyers remorse will be much higher. Good thing is if you don’t like it after doing it once you don’t have to do it the next day.

 

[disneyworldsk]

I cant imagine that all opportunities will be only at 7am. They must (must?) be going to also drop a bunch at 9am so at least off site guests can get some times. And/or release times throughout the day so you arent stuck with your second LL late in the day and cant get another till then.

so then why does it feel like a punishment for the resort guests if that's the case? if i'm a resort guest i have to do 7 a.m. (not have to, but you know what i mean), but others can saunter into the parks at 9 and casually buy it? then why wouldn't i just do that, the resort guest too? what's the catch?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Like I said previously, why would you buy an IAS before actually seeing the wait times. IMO the only ones thst will sell out will be ROTR, remy and maybe FOP. I know I will not buy an IAS ahead of time except for maybe the 3 I mentioned. I would be highly annoyed if I bought one for SDD and I get there and it’s a manageable wait time. I don’t see these going as fast as some think they will. I could be wrong.

 

[Gentry2004]

at least I’m walking away with something when I buy a souvenir. I think there will be a different feel when people plop down cash for a 3 minute ride. Buyers remorse will be much higher. Good thing is if you don’t like it after doing it once you don’t have to do it the next day.

7DMT comes to mind when you mention buyers remorse. Can you imagine a newcomer paying for the IAS for their family to ride that ride and what they would likely feel getting off? I’m happy to ride it for free with FP+ but it’s a really short quick little ride.

 

[disneyworldsk]

will single rider lines still be options? because if i have rope drop and single rider as both free options why don't i continue to use those for those couple of main rides? test track, etc.

 

[mom2rtk]

will single rider lines still be options? because if i have rope drop and single rider as both free options why don't i continue to use those for those couple of main rides? test track, etc.

Next up: single rider fees, but only HALF PRICE!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

7DMT comes to mind when you mention buyers remorse. Can you imagine a newcomer paying for the IAS for their family to ride that ride and what they would likely feel getting off? I’m happy to ride it for free with FP+ but it’s a really short quick little ride.

Yup. Exactly what I was thinking. Also, Safari is rumored to be on the list. Imagine being a first timer, buying it at 7 am and arriving to a 15 minute wait. That’s a quicker moving line But they probably wouldn’t know that. I would have serious buyers remorse.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

will single rider lines still be options? because if i have rope drop and single rider as both free options why don't i continue to use those for those couple of main rides? test track, etc.

I mentioned in the poll thread that I'm willing to take one for the team and spend $30 for my wife and I on October 1st at MK to test out G+ (if it's available by then) and report back about what we were/weren't able to ride using the LL.

I'm already formulating strategies for how we would possibly use it in the future.

MK: Use G+ for tier 2 rides, SB for SM and 7DMT or just skip them until next time. Tron will be the game-changer when it opens. I might pay for IAS depending on the cost (and SB wait) but, more likely, I'd just wait in SB (assuming it's not a 3 hour wait).

DHS: Try for a ROTR BG. Maybe pay for IAS (depending on cost) if unsuccessful. Use G+ for tier 2 rides. Will ToT, SDD, MMRR be tier 1 or tier 2? We love these, but wouldn't pay extra. If not included in G+, then SB for us. Skip RnRC if not included with G+ (unless SB is reasonable). I've always found SR to be a losing proposition on RnRC.

AK: No G+ purchase. Use SB for all rides. Maybe purchase IAS for FOP depending on price and the SB wait. SR line for EE (if available).

EP: No G+ purchase. Use SB for all rides. Possibly SR line for TT (if available) or skip if SB is too long. Try for a Remy BG. If unsuccessful, would probably skip it. We've ridden it at DLP and it's great, but would not pay extra for IAS unless the price was very low (highly unlikely).

As I mentioned in the other thread, whether or not G+ is "worth" it for us depends on how many rides we're able to use the LL for throughout the day. If it's only a few, we would probably not purchase it again. If it's 5-6+ then it's more palatable. We would only use IAS sparingly, if ever.

There are only a handful of rides that I would even consider paying ala carte for and even those would depend on the price tag. ROTR is amazing, but I'd have a hard time convincing myself to drop $20+ pp to ride it. Even at $10 (I doubt we would ever see such "bargain basement" prices for it), if I did pay the extra, it would be very begrudgingly. And how does that affect your enjoyment of the experience?

ETA: It seems crazy that they would roll this out on October 1st, but I wouldn't put it past them. But if they do, and we're able to use LL for a decent number of rides on a day as insanely packed as the 50th Anniversary (we're only planning to try and ride 3-5 rides considering the likelihood of long lines for everything, but maybe G+/LL would be a game-changer) , then it just might work for us.

 

[Disneylover99]

at least I’m walking away with something when I buy a souvenir. I think there will be a different feel when people plop down cash for a 3 minute ride. Buyers remorse will be much higher. Good thing is if you don’t like it after doing it once you don’t have to do it the next day.

Agreed. And you can always return your souvenir days later for a full refund if you decide you don’t really want it. There’s no comparison.