Disney Genie announcement

[scrappinginontario]

Will there be a separate thread for "live" or a "we've tried Genie+ and these are our results" kind of thread or will those things be seen here on this thread?

To start with, comments can continue to be made here. We will start an 'Everything Genie' thread but until we have enough details to make the information valuable, comments can continue to be made on this thread. We will transfer any relevant information into that thread.

 

[shawthorne44]

can I also pre-purchase ILL for certain days.

You have to wait until the day-of. 7 am if you are onsite, once tapped into a park otherwise.
I believe that adding G+ to just part of your trip will have to be day-of also. You can prepurchase G+ by adding it to your tickets for every day.

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

You have to wait until the day-of. 7 am if you are onsite, once tapped into a park otherwise.
I believe that adding G+ to just part of your trip will have to be day-of also. You can prepurchase G+ by adding it to your tickets for every day.

That is not what the CM told me. I specifically said I only wanted to purchase the Genie+ for 2 specific days and she said I would be able to do that and just need to link it to my tickets already linked in MDE. I'll know for sure tomorrow and will report back.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I spoke yesterday evening with a CM to make sure I had the process correct. I was told: 1) the App should auto update on the 19th. If not, re-do the download from the App store. (but unlikely to be needed); 2) Once that updates I can purchase Genie+ for the 2 days out of 4 that we want to use it. Yes, only for the 2 Magic Kingdom days because the Granddaughters are 4 yo and 2 yo so no need for the other parks that have limited little kid rides. What I'm interested in seeing is if I can pre-purchase the Genie+ days (the option...not actually securing rides), can I also pre-purchase ILL for certain days.

My understanding (as of now) is that if you only want to purchase G+ for certain days of your trip, you will need to wait until at least 12:00:01 AM to do so. I don't think you can buy it in advance if you're only purchasing for select days.

ILL$ rides can be purchased day of. If you're staying onsite that will start at 7:00AM. For offsite guests, those will be available once the park is open.

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

My understanding (as of now) is that if you only want to purchase G+ for certain days of your trip, you will need to wait until at least 12:00:01 AM to do so. I don't think you can buy it in advance if you're only purchasing for select days.

ILL$ rides can be purchased day of. If you're staying onsite that will start at 7:00AM. For offsite guests, those will be available once the park is open.

I guess they should give their CMs better cliff's notes. Of course, since you can't secure rides until the day of anyway, it makes no sense to not let you purchase them ahead of time. We are staying on property so guess I'll have to do the purchase each of those 2 days along with a potential ILL$ ...just more "paperwork" for everyone involved.

 

[lorileahb]

If you purchase Genie+ before your trip, that just means you are set to click on your first Lightening Lane at 7 a.m. (correct?) - then after that one is used in the park, you can pick the next available and so on throughout the day (only 1 ride on the available Genie+-level rides each day).

For LL+ (or whatever is called), if you are staying on site, at 7 a.m. you can buy the time you want (hopefully, or the time that is left) for your first of two-available headline attractions. At 9 a.m. (or if you have used your first LL+) you can buy/book your second/final of the day. And, if you are staying off site - you can buy your first one when the park opens/you are in the park.

Does that sound right? A little confused still.. LOL

 

[scrappinginontario]

I guess they should give their CMs better cliff's notes. Of course, since you can't secure rides until the day of anyway, it makes no sense to not let you purchase them ahead of time. We are staying on property so guess I'll have to do the purchase each of those 2 days along with a potential ILL$ ...just more "paperwork" for everyone involved.

I look at it as giving the purchaser the option to change up their plans. If I book MK for Monday and purchase G+ in advance, what would happen if I changed my plans, decided to go to Epcot and no longer wanted G+ for that day? My thoughts in why they 'appear' to be leaving it until day of to add is so that hopefully plans are finalized to save guests trying to get a refund if their plans change.

But as with much of this, that is just a guess on my part.

 

[trompettecon]

I spoke yesterday evening with a CM to make sure I had the process correct. I was told: 1) the App should auto update on the 19th. If not, re-do the download from the App store. (but unlikely to be needed); 2) Once that updates I can purchase Genie+ for the 2 days out of 4 that we want to use it. Yes, only for the 2 Magic Kingdom days because the Granddaughters are 4 yo and 2 yo so no need for the other parks that have limited little kid rides. What I'm interested in seeing is if I can pre-purchase the Genie+ days (th.e option...not actually securing rides), can I also pre-purchase ILL for certain days.

No. ILL is day of. And if you are not going to be staying on site, you will have to wait until the park opens to book your ILLs.

 

[shawthorne44]

I guess they should give their CMs better cliff's notes. Of course, since you can't secure rides until the day of anyway, it makes no sense to not let you purchase them ahead of time. We are staying on property so guess I'll have to do the purchase each of those 2 days along with a potential ILL$ ...just more "paperwork" for everyone involved.

My personal theory is that the way it has been described is easier on Disney IT, since they don't have to figure out what day you are buying. If you add it to the ticket, like park hopper, it is for every day. If you add it for a day, it is that day. Yes, it shouldn't be that hard, but this is Disney IT we are talking about.

 

[fumanchu2488]

This is going to be quite the show. I am here now and spoke with several cast members who all have no idea what is going on.

I asked if there was an update needed for the App or if it would show up. They think Genie will get pushed to the app without an update. Then I started asking about timing, virtual queue for Remy vs ILL for Remy and how that works with everything starting at 7. Also asked about how we load our preferences for standard Genie. When we can pay for Genie+ and then book our first ride. How we do all of that at 7 am and have to buy it first. They don’t even know when we can buy it. After a few minutes all 3 cast members I spoke with gave up and said they wished they had more answers but my guess would be as good as theirs.

 

[Disturbia]

My personal theory is that the way it has been described is easier on Disney IT, since they don't have to figure out what day you are buying. If you add it to the ticket, like park hopper, it is for every day. If you add it for a day, it is that day. Yes, it shouldn't be that hard, but this is Disney IT we are talking about.

I had issues with payment processing; sometimes it shows up on my app sometimes it doesn’t; on my iPad I have to use a safari saved credit card as my Disney visa card never auto populates (CMs can see it saved). Hence it make sense to purchase ahead of time. And I don’t want to wake up all of the kids together at 7 am while trying to scan my card and quietly screaming in my head.

 

[Disturbia]

screen Shot and print everything (ADRs, tickets etc) before you update. My account got messed up because Disney had me erase my history (MBs wouldn’t show tickets and we had to wait 2 hours outside Epcot-DD was in fleece pants). I did it by opening a new account and then they deleted stuff and then went back to my original email. They erased something so I don’t show up as a visacardholder and I don’t get notifications sent at midnight (my tickets get grayed-I didn’t get the notification on ROTR change). No compensation as we got close to park closing and the rude CM said you have extra magic hours.

Same thing with Halloween tickets, we had to wait 1.5 hrs even though I showed them my purchase and they wouldn’t give a wristband. They couldn’t care less and there was no anytime fast pass or anything Issued (we missed 2 Each day).

 

[bsmcneil]

I guess they should give their CMs better cliff's notes. Of course, since you can't secure rides until the day of anyway, it makes no sense to not let you purchase them ahead of time. We are staying on property so guess I'll have to do the purchase each of those 2 days along with a potential ILL$ ...just more "paperwork" for everyone involved.

Financially for TDWC, it might make more sense because there might be the hope that people just do the simplest thing, which is opt-in for all days which would increase how much TDWC brings in (vs. having people think and debate and only choose certain days). From a consumer perspective, I agree it doesn't make total sense/seems like you should be able to do what you're thinking - but it doesn't surprise me (and I don't mean that pejoratively) that this is the default route.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I'm guessing (and nothing official to back this up), that they're hoping most non-Disney/first timers/people who don't go on a regular basis, will purchase Genie+ for the entire length of their stay.

Some may purchase because they feel they 'need' it. Others may think they 'have' to. Others, well, they just will.

I think those of us who are going to purchase it only as needed will be in the minority. I think most people will either be all in or all out and not pick and choose.

 

[MJJME]

Apparently there will be a limit of rides with Genie Plus. I heard 8...

not true....you can ride every ride once

 

[slo]

How and when do you buy the lightning lane at WDW?
I have to confess - I haven’t been to WDW since 2012 and my DH just surprised me with a trip in November. I have to update my WDW knowledge before then.

*I apologize if this is a repetitive question. I hang out at The Community Board so I don’t know what transpires on the other boards.

 

[scrappinginontario]

not true....you can ride every ride once

Just to qualify this, yes you can, as long as there is LL availability. Some rides will fill to capacity for the day so it will be interesting to see if it's even possible to get a LL for each. Off the top of my head, I think it will be extremely difficult to do.

 

[MrBellatrixLestrange]

Under normal circumstances I would strongly consider buying the Genie+ for MK and HS but not for Epcot or AK. Still undecided on the IAS rides but I'll have an answer in a couple weeks.

 

[Disturbia]

not true....you can ride every ride once

That was Maxpass which allowed acces to 22 rides; Genie+ in Disneyland is confirmed to have access to less than that (around 15)

We don’t have confirmation on WDW Genie+

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/08/18/how-is-disney-genie-different-from-maxpass-in-disneyland/

 

[MJJME]

If you purchase Genie+ before your trip, that just means you are set to click on your first Lightening Lane at 7 a.m. (correct?) - then after that one is used in the park, you can pick the next available and so on throughout the day (only 1 ride on the available Genie+-level rides each day).

For LL+ (or whatever is called), if you are staying on site, at 7 a.m. you can buy the time you want (hopefully, or the time that is left) for your first of two-available headline attractions. At 9 a.m. (or if you have used your first LL+) you can buy/book your second/final of the day. And, if you are staying off site - you can buy your first one when the park opens/you are in the park.

Does that sound right? A little confused still.. LOL

No thats not correct....you have them flip flopped

one Genie+ ride can be booked at 7am for all guests then a second can be booked either after you check in for your first one OR 120 mins after booking your first one even if you havent used it........the 120 mins does not start until park opening

(for eg, you book at 7am for TT in epcot and get the first Genie+ return at 11am when park opens......as soon as you check into TT at 11am, you can book your second Genie+ ride.........OR.........you slept in and then woke up late and booked at 9am for TT in epcot and get a return time of 2:15 (because everyone that booked from 7am until 9am took the earlier times)....your 120 mins window starts at park opening so at 1pm you can book a second Genie+, thus having 2 at the same time, the TT at 2:15 and whatever you booked for a second...


So you can see in this second scenario, it is a BIG disadvantage if you dont book at 7am because i wouldnt be able to book my second Genie+ until way later as opposed to when i booked at 7am, whether i used my first Genie+ reservation or not



For LL, both can be purchased at 7am by resort guests and park opening for non resorts guests....they can both be booked at once and you get to pick your return time (Think FP+)