Disney Genie announcement

[ZellyB]

I went back to try and quote someone who I think made a very good point that I wanted to agree with, but since I can't find it, I'll just reiterate.

I think a lot of people are naturally thinking about G+ as this process that just sort of layers onto their old experiences during FP+ days. But, the big unknown is how well G+ will work now that FP+ is out of the picture. So, previously FPs were consumed very early by visitors booking 3 of them at 30-60 days out. So, in effect, everyone visiting that wanted to was consuming 3 FP slots early and keeping them all likely through their park day. Now G+ only allows you to hold one LL at a time thus leaving many more LL available slots out there for people to get. And, likely not everyone will choose to purchase G+ so fewer people who can book LL for tier 2 rides. So, are people sort of thinking about what it was like to try and get that 4th FP as being how G+ will work after you've gotten and used your first LL, because I think it will be quite different than that? Only being able to hold one at a time (similar to MaxPass but even more so if no stacking is allowed) availability for those LL should be much better and stay available later in the day than we used to see in the old FP+ days. That is what gives me some hope that G+ might work reasonably well. If as well fewer people are hold LL (or old days FP+) at any given time, theoretically standby lines should move a tiny bit faster.

I don't think any of us can fully guess that impact until G+ is up and running, but I think Disney likely has a good idea given their access to the data about how FP+ worked. I find it unlikely they would create a paid system that only let you score one or two LL for tier 2 rides per day. I mean it's certainly possible, but if so, likely fewer people will pay for it. If that happens then you'll see adjustments as Disney works to find the "sweet spot" of value for money spent for the customer and max revenue for Disney.

Anyway, just some thoughts I had to try and hope that this won't be as big of a mess as I'm fearing it will be.

 

[Paula25]

Just watched the video. I'm confused about the photo aspect of Genie+. Does it mean with Genie+ you basically get a Memory Maker for each day you purchased Genie+?

 

[Turksmom]

I think "disadvantaged" will depend on how standby lines are affected. If G+ is so heavily used that it's now a 40 minute wait for Nemo, you are definitely at a disadvantage for not purchasing. If standby waits remain the same as they have been historically- then you aren't really disadvantaged, even though you don't get to move through as quickly as people who paid for G+.

 

[Turksmom]

Just watched the video. I'm confused about the photo aspect of Genie+. Does it mean with Genie+ you basically get a Memory Maker for each day you purchased Genie+?

Only at Disneyland. WDW has AR photo filters instead

 

[itf]

Sure, but I'd say if you spent what a WDW vacation costs and either didn't put int he time to find out how to use FP+ or didn't even know it existed, you put yourself (and family) at a (severe) disadvantage. Not having 3 pre scheduled rides and not knowing you could keep grabbing them after that, meant you wasted unnecessary hours in line.

This happened to us - we had 1 day at WDW on the way to a cruise from Port Canaveral last January. We'd had a fine day at Seaworld the day before, ridden some rides, seen the shows etc... then got to WDW on an expensive single day ticket purchased direct from Disney, who sent us no information, gave us no clues. We had no idea about FP until we arrived at the park - my wife and I hadn't been since before it existed, which meant we hadn't booked anything, it turned out to be a busy day and my then 3 year old barely got to ride anything all day, it was a very expensive waste of time - hence I'm here and planning for next year's trip.

 

[disneyseniors]

Remember when letting people bring dogs to certain hotels would ASSUREDLY create rabid packs of terrorizing animals just looking to sink their teeth into toddlers? Another huge sky-is-falling drama that turned out fine. This will too.

Yes, but this time if feels different. I don't know if it is the multiple changes over and over again plus this new genie pay to ride business??
Whatever it is , it feels different to me.
We are voting with our wallets and there is no disney in our future at this point. WE are thinking of a trip to DL, but if they have this genie thing, then we will rethink it. We will see how this all plays out, who knows? I just know that our family has hit it's breaking point.

 

[JakeAZ]

Yes, but this time if feels different. I don't know if it is the multiple changes over and over again plus this new genie pay to ride business??
Whatever it is , it feels different to me.
We are voting with our wallets and there is no disney in our future at this point. WE are thinking of a trip to DL, but if they have this genie thing, then we will rethink it. We will see how this all plays out, who knows? I just know that our family has hit it's breaking point.

Genie will be at both WDW and DLR

 

[raidermatt]

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.

Lol, ok,

 

[luv2cheer92]

Yes, but this time if feels different. I don't know if it is the multiple changes over and over again plus this new genie pay to ride business??
Whatever it is , it feels different to me.
We are voting with our wallets and there is no disney in our future at this point. WE are thinking of a trip to DL, but if they have this genie thing, then we will rethink it. We will see how this all plays out, who knows? I just know that our family has hit it's breaking point.

They were announced at the same time for both WDW and DLR. It costs more at DL ($20/day per person), but includes photos.

 

[ZellyB]

Lol, ok,

I understand where @luv2cheer92 is coming from. I'm a big planner and so all of this makes me a little twitchy, but as another poster said, I more imagine that my planning just becomes different. It changed when FP+ replaced legacy FP and it will change again with G+. I'll still have to plan my park days because of park reservations. I'll still need to plan my ADRs. I'll plan which fireworks shows I'll be watching based on the park I'm in that day. And then I'll have a general plan of attack for G+, LL and IF we do IAS. I don't know what that looks like yet, but I'm hopeful that before my January trip it will have been used by numerous folks here and I can do my planning accordingly. It's weird to have my planning have to change this way, but I really do think I'll still be a planner, it will just look a bit different.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I understand where @luv2cheer92 is coming from. I'm a big planner and so all of this makes me a little twitchy, but as another poster said, I more imagine that my planning just becomes different. It changed when FP+ replaced legacy FP and it will change again with G+. I'll still have to plan my park days because of park reservations. I'll still need to plan my ADRs. I'll plan which fireworks shows I'll be watching based on the park I'm in that day. And then I'll have a general plan of attack for G+, LL and IF we do IAS. I don't know what that looks like yet, but I'm hopeful that before my January trip it will have been used by numerous folks here and I can do my planning accordingly. It's weird to have my planning have to change this way, but I really do think I'll still be a planner, it will just look a bit different.

For me it allows me to come up with more plans for more possible scenarios, which to me is a planner's dream!! "If I get a LL for this, I can do this, but if I don't, then I'll do this" x100 for each day. Its a different kind of planning, but it absolutely still is planning.
I just find it funny when a total stranger thinks they know me better than myself haha

 

[bookgirl]

Don't know if it's been posted yet but a travel agent who does Social Media took the Genie Training Friday.

Resort guests will be able to start booking at 7am. Non resort guests will need to be in a park (after park opening) before they can make Genie reservations (and it kind of sounded like Virtual Queues are also 7am for onsite, after Park Opening for offsite).

That will be a big advantage in the new system.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Wow. I guess I always thought the day would come when Disney charged for FP...but now that it is here I am feeling surprised.

The biggest question to me is what will this do to stand by queues? Because I believe FP+ significantly increased SB waits from the old paper FP days. And it seems that when there was no FP system at all for the past year SB waits were pretty reasonable across the board. Maybe I am wrong about that I wasn't following too closely.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Don't know if it's been posted yet but a travel agent who does Social Media took the Genie Training Friday.

Resort guests will be able to start booking at 7am. Non resort guests will need to be in a park (after park opening) before they can make Genie reservations (and it kind of sounded like Virtual Queues are also 7am for onsite, after Park Opening for offsite).

That will be a big advantage in the new system.

Thats different than what has been shared numerous times so far. With anybody being able to make Genie + rides at 7, but only onsite could do the additional LL rides at 7.

 

[JakeAZ]

Resort guests will be able to start booking at 7am. Non resort guests will need to be in a park (after park opening) before they can make Genie reservations (and it kind of sounded like Virtual Queues are also 7am for onsite, after Park Opening for offsite).

IF this is true, that is a bigger on-site benefit. I still don't like having to be up at 7am each day, but if it gives me an advantage, I will.

I don't see how they can do the ROTR VQ for on-site at 7am and make everyone else tap into the park. Hard to believe there would be any spots left by then.

 

[JakeAZ]

And it seems that when there was no FP system at all for the past year SB waits were pretty reasonable across the board. Maybe I am wrong about that I wasn't following too closely.

Without true FP, yes the SB lines moved quicker, but it varied by time of year, based on crowd size and as WDW expanded capacity.

Based on occupancy starting October 1st, I doubt standing in SB line, after SB line for a week, would be anyone's idea of a good time. We'll see how this all shakes out soon.

 

[JakeAZ]

Yup - exactly... and the fact that they just expect we will pay for it is quite honestly insulting.

But 100% "on brand" for them.

 

[raidermatt]

I understand where @luv2cheer92 is coming from. I'm a big planner and so all of this makes me a little twitchy, but as another poster said, I more imagine that my planning just becomes different. It changed when FP+ replaced legacy FP and it will change again with G+. I'll still have to plan my park days because of park reservations. I'll still need to plan my ADRs. I'll plan which fireworks shows I'll be watching based on the park I'm in that day. And then I'll have a general plan of attack for G+, LL and IF we do IAS. I don't know what that looks like yet, but I'm hopeful that before my January trip it will have been used by numerous folks here and I can do my planning accordingly. It's weird to have my planning have to change this way, but I really do think I'll still be a planner, it will just look a bit different.

This makes sense. You are more like me. This level of planning all fits on a single spreadsheet. I do think the uncertainty over LL availability on any given day is going to cause more issues than you think, but other than that, a general outline for the day will look similar. We just won't have the ability to plan the early part of the day in more detail due to not having advance FP's.

But this is not the way a "100% type A, incredibly detailed planner" preps for a WDW trip. What you and I do is child's play for these folks. Their plans are like the battle plan for the Normandy invasion. Attraction sequence laid out for the entire day, all meals planned and timed (even counter service), everything for the day on a detailed itinerary with various if/then scenarios built in. If they are using a spreadsheet, each day is its own full sheet.

If you now tell one of these people they can no longer plan those FP's 60 days out, they are not happy. Period. Yes, they will adjust, doing a great deal more research and having to build more complex contingency plans. So they will deal with it, but they would MUCH rather have the certainty of those 3 FP's to build around. And even at the general outline level of planning we do, if we are being honest we would admit we would prefer those 3 FPs as well.

That is all I am saying. Not that it has to be a deal breaker. Just that if you like to plan, anything that takes away part of your ability to plan is a negative. And the more you plan, the bigger the negative.

 

[Katie Dawn]

I have seen several people say they think they will purchase G+ for certain parks, but not for others. Could anyone explain why G+ would/wouldn't be helpful in the different parks?

I don't remember which parks have fallen into which category, except I know several have said they likely wouldn't purchase G+ at HS. That is confusing to me since the lines at that park seem to be so much longer than at others. But is the general idea that there are fewer rides there so you wouldn't be able to use it as much?

 

[StarrySkye21]

The 7 am thing is irking me because I will be on my flight on the way to WDW and our first park (Epcot) and thus missing the virtual queue line for Remy and early genie+ selections.