Disney Genie announcement

[StarrySkye21]

If you have a park reservation one day but don’t check into an on-property hotel later that night, do you get the 7 am LL advantage and extra 30 minutes in the morning?

We fly into Orlando extra early on a Monday and plan to hang out at Epcot all day and then check in to the hotel after nighttime show. Just wasn’t sure if the bonus 30 minutes and 7 am LL reservations would apply to that days visit.

 

[TangledHairDon'tCare]

If you have a park reservation one day but don’t check into an on-property hotel later that night, do you get the 7 am perk and extra 30 minutes in the morning?

We fly into Orlando extra early on a Monday and plan to hang out at Epcot all day and then check in to the hotel after nighttime show. Just wasn’t sure if the bonus 30 minutes and 7 am LL reservations would apply to that days visit.

Unless they make a major change, all of your on site privileges begin at 6am on check in day and extend through midnight on check out day. I would imagine that would include your genie+ and IAS selections.

 

[TangledHairDon'tCare]

Unless they make a major change, all of your on site privileges begin at 6am on check in day and extend through midnight on check out day. I would imagine that would include your genie+ and IAS selections.

Just wanted to add, make sure to do online check in!

 

[bsmcneil]

Disney owes you a free fast pass system? I’m confused I don’t see that in the terms and conditions of my annual pass please explain.

The person wrote, "My point was not that Disney owes us a free FP system." The word not seems to be pretty important there, given your "confusion".

 

[squirk]

Disney owes you a free fast pass system? I’m confused I don’t see that in the terms and conditions of my annual pass please explain.

Please re-read my post.

You’re trying too hard with your attempt at sardonic wit.

 

[cakebaker]

If you have an on-site package, Genie+ is all-or-nothing for length of stay.

I actually like this. We'd buy every day of our trip and having to do it each day would be a pain.

 

[cakebaker]

I actually just finished a Genie training session. Genie+ is $15/person per day and includes unlimited Lightning Lane reservations for select attractions, but these reservations can only be made one at at time

Did we ever get clarification on whether or not you could pick up another LL reservation after a certain amount of time? For example, if I get one at 9am for a 2 pm time, can I get another one after 2 hrs, at 11?

 

[ThistleMae]

Yes if you purchase Express Pass on a busy day in a prime week it costs a lot. However you could also pay that fee(sometimes less) and get a night in one of their deluxe resorts and get unlimited express pass for your entire party for both your check in day and check out day. Plus, unlike Disney their deluxe resorts are truly deluxe and cost less and you're a short walk or boat ride away from the parks. You don't have to be on a schedule, you can ride all but 2 rides as many times as you want to or can with express and there is no stress of getting up early and scrambling for a reservation and you can park hop back and forth if you want. As for the 2 non-express rides, on busy days Hagrids runs a VQ(which even allows you to push back your return time if something happens and you might not make it) and Velocicoaster runs like a beast and churns through people pretty quickly. Plus they are so amazing even waiting for an hour for them is worth it and with the rest of the rides having express that time in line isn't going cause you to loose out on other attractions.

Universal Express is expensive compared to the Genie+ but it doesn't work like Genie+ at all. There is no scheduling, there is no other up charges and you are not limited in anyway other than with the 2 rides not on it. And like I said, you can get it for the whole family for two days with just a one night resort stay if you want.

I get what you're saying but...Universal is not Disney! I guess if you like the more intensive rides, but I feel Universal is more of an amusement part compared to Disney being a theme park. I can't do more than one day at Universal unless I'm doing HHN, which is totally awesome. But that's just me.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Did we ever get clarification on whether or not you could pick up another LL reservation after a certain amount of time? For example, if I get one at 9am for a 2 pm time, can I get another one after 2 hrs, at 11?

Isn't that the way the old paper FP system worked? Hard to remember! I do recall stacking FPs. Now that I think about it it was because they didn't enforce the return windows...so you could pull on for say 10am and then at 10am pull another one etc until you had several for use in the afternoon whenever you wanted.

 

[ThistleMae]

Ya know.. I am not going to go with the crowd here..
I’m excited for this. I think that given a chance this could really be something good.
Yes it’s an up charge and the “I’m tired of paying more for less” crowd are going to struggle..

but I think this will overall make a more enjoyable expirence in the parks and just like everything else we will learn to navigate and strategize it.

I hope so!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

According to the training session, offsite guests will not be able to make Genie+ or separate Lightning Lane reservations until they physically enter the park. Hypothetically then, an on-site guest could make their first MK Genie+ reservation at 7am, take advantage of early entry and get either SM or 7DMT then, get in line for the other, be ready to scan into their first Genie+ reservation (and make another) in the first hour of park opening...all before an offsite guest even scans into their first Genie+ reservation. That would be a HUGE advantage for on-site guests.

And with all 4 parks having early entry it won’t be as mobbed.

My trip isn’t until late next year and I’m going to be reading strategies and trip reports. I know the experts will have it down to a science by then.

Im still not happy about paying for this but I think it will work out.

 

[cakebaker]

Isn't that the way the old paper FP system worked? Hard to remember! I do recall stacking FPs. Now that I think about it it was because they didn't enforce the return windows...so you could pull on for say 10am and then at 10am pull another one etc until you had several for use in the afternoon whenever you wanted.

Stacking FP was because they weren't enforcing the return times, but they did have a policy of 2 hrs or expiration for paper FP. I hope they have it with Genie+ as well.

 

[MMSM]

Correct. They are separate and won't impact one another. I actually just finished a Genie training session. Genie+ is $15/person per day and includes unlimited Lightning Lane reservations for select attractions, but these reservations can only be made one at at time (onsite Resort Guests can make their first Genie+ reservation starting at 7am). A few super headliner attractions at each park will not be included in Genie+. Guests can access those by 1) Getting in the standby line (or joining a Virtual Queue for the few attractions that won't have standby, like RoTR and Rat); OR 2) Purchasing separate Lightning Lane access. For these super headliner attractions, there will be a limit of 2 Lightning Lane purchases per guest per day. Again, onsite Resort Guest can make their first purchase at 7am.

This is helpful. If I’m onsite and want to pay the LL for attractions do I make both at the same time or is that one at a time too?

 

[TitusPullo]

Stacking FP was because they weren't enforcing the return times, but they did have a policy of 2 hrs or expiration for paper FP. I hope they have it with Genie+ as well.

When people are talking about stacking FP with regards to Genie + they are comparing it to the Disneyland maxpass system. Heres an example using the 90 minutes later being allowed to pull another :

10am get Radiator Springs FP with a return time of 6pm.
11:30am get Mission Breakout ride with a return time of 6:15pm.
1pm get Indiana Jones fastness with a return time of 7:30pm.
230pm get Space with a return time of 8:00pm.
4pm get Big thunder with a return time of 8:25pm.

The question people currently have is if I pull a MFSR at 11am and it has a return time of 3:30pm do I have to wait until that is used or can I "stack" them by making another Genie + selection after a certain amount of time has elapsed.

 

[Cabius]

The question people currently have is if I pull a MFSR at 11am and it has a return time of 3:30pm do I have to wait until that is used or can I "stack" them by making another Genie + selection after a certain amount of time has elapsed.

Everything I've read from Disney suggests you would have to wait until 3:30 PM, whereas rumors of a 90-minute waiting period seem to be based on "that's how it worked at Disneyland" despite contradicting the plain text of Disney's announcement. I wouldn't count on it.

They seem to be trying to improve day-of availability and reduce the advantages to savvy guests vs newbie visitors (goals I agree with, despite it being against my own interests), and making folks wait until they've used their last pass does that best.

 

[cakebaker]

When people are talking about stacking FP with regards to Genie + they are comparing it to the Disneyland maxpass system. Heres an example using the 90 minutes later being allowed to pull another :

10am get Radiator Springs FP with a return time of 6pm.
11:30am get Mission Breakout ride with a return time of 6:15pm.
1pm get Indiana Jones fastness with a return time of 7:30pm.
230pm get Space with a return time of 8:00pm.
4pm get Big thunder with a return time of 8:25pm.

The question people currently have is if I pull a MFSR at 11am and it has a return time of 3:30pm do I have to wait until that is used or can I "stack" them by making another Genie + selection after a certain amount of time has elapsed.

Yes, we've done that many times at DLR, it's certainly not taking advantage, just knowing how the system works. The person I was responding to was talking about paper FP an stacking- which wasn't really stacking at all- just hoarding. It was based on being able to ignore the return times and just grabbing FP's as fast as you could.

I have the same question and honestly, I'd be very surprised if it doesn't work just like maxpass in that regard. The most popular rides will quickly have later return times and if they don't let people book other rides in between, they won't be maximizing the LL and minimizing standby times. It makes no sense not to be able to reserve another LL if you're hours away from your return time on your current one.

 

[StarrySkye21]

So it sounds like it may be best to get the soonest available genie+ ride offering and go from there.
For example: I’m in the park at 9am and am offered a Pirates pass for 10:15 or a BTMR pass for 3:30. It would probably be smarter to take the earlier pass (if it’s a ride I want) so that Im getting my moneys worth and not waiting all day for my pass.

 

[cakebaker]

So it sounds like it may be best to get the soonest available genie+ ride offering and go from there.
For example: I’m in the park at 9am and am offered a Pirates pass for 10:15 or a BTMR pass for 3:30. It would probably be smarter to take the earlier pass (if it’s a ride I want) so that I’m not waiting all day for my pass.

Only if they don't allow you to book another one after a certain amount of time has passed. If you're having to book a reservations hours away from ride time, you can bet it's going to run out quicker than others. If they allow us to book after 90 minutes or so, I'm booking the rides I think will be sold out first, then fill in with lesser rides. If they don't then I don't tie up my whole day waiting and as for me, I'll ride the more popular ones during the EE events or EMH's.

 

[Sandisw]

Did we ever get clarification on whether or not you could pick up another LL reservation after a certain amount of time? For example, if I get one at 9am for a 2 pm time, can I get another one after 2 hrs, at 11?

Has not yet been clarified. It would seem to make sense, but maybe they are hoping that things will work so well for most rides that getting a return time in less than 2 hours will be the norm.

 

[StarrySkye21]

Only if they don't allow you to book another one after a certain amount of time has passed. If you're having to book a reservations hours away from ride time, you can bet it's going to run out quicker than others. If they allow us to book after 90 minutes or so, I'm booking the rides I think will be sold out first, then fill in with lesser rides. If they don't then I don't tie up my whole day waiting and as for me, I'll ride the more popular ones during the EE events or EMH's.

but if they actually let us stack after a time , could you actually “fill in” with lesser rides or would all additional passes have to have come-back times after your first? For example: At 9 am on a crowded day you manage to snag a BTMR pass with a return time of 6:00 pm. After 90 minutes you can stack another with a return time sometime after 6:00 pm, but not earlier.