Disney World Genie+ No longer sold pre-arrival, subject to availability

[xdan0920]

All we know is that they say it’s subject to availability now. We have no idea what that will look like or when G+ might potentially sell out. For all we know, this change could be a great thing. Fewer people allowed to use LL will keep more availability open to those guests and allows the standby lines to move quicker. The real question is…what are the two magic numbers: the price of G+ and the number they sell on a given day? Tons of factors here to consider here.

What has Disney done in the past decade to show you that they will actually cap this at a meaningful number?

Here is what will happen folks.

They will use dynamic pricing, raise the price, and still sell as many as they can.

 

[SeasonneRose]

This has nothing to do with capping sales. It's to raise the price by demand.

I agree and disagree. It is about capping sales but to also raise the price. Genie+ is ineffective as it stands because too many people have it. To reduce demand you have to raise prices. That could also mean a net positive on the balance sheet as well If prices are raised enough.

This could also be a marketing strategy to roll a genie+ “benefit” into deluxe level resort stays like Universal. It may not be free but they may get it as a “discounted” rate and early ability to purchase.

 

[Liquidice]

Out of curiosity....when was the last time Disney implemented a big change like this that was a positive change? People love to say "let's wait and see" but Disney's track record on this hasn't been encouraging at all.

I wouldn't necessarily call this a largely positive change ... If you consider Genie+, paid FP+ a negative change, then this is just a very very small step backwards for Disney to making Genie+ a little bit better. In the scheme of things, this is still negative lol.

The last real guest experience friendly changes haven't occurred since the early 2000s when they introduced things like Magic Hours.

You can say 2013 when Fastpass+ was rolled out was maybe the last positive change. Despite it being controversial - I do think Fastpass+ was in response to guest feedback of not wanting Paper fastpasses and having to walk to each ride to get them.

Honestly, while Chapek gets a lot of the blame if you consider Bob Iger took over in 2005 - there really hasn't been a true positive guest experience change since he took over. Iger did invest a lot in the parks to build Galaxy's Edge, etc - but did not do anything to improve things like park crowds (by expanding the parks rather than replacing older attractions).

 

[qwerty2k]

Not sure if anyone knows but is this also true of international tickets/packages? From the uk we can add on genie+ for the length of the ticket 7 or 14 days) for a reduced price.

 

[Liquidice]

Not sure if anyone knows but is this also true of international tickets/packages? From the uk we can add on genie+ for the length of the ticket 7 or 14 days) for a reduced price.

Can you buy 2023 tickets / packages yet? I think that will be the indicator of whether it impacts International tickets/packages if you can still do it for dates in 2023.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Yeah, maybe a little bit like Express pass? But express pass works because it is so expensive that most people don't choose to purchase it. Disney would need to make Genie+ significantly more expensive to have it work like Express pass imho.

If they can at least limit Genie+ so on crowded days all of the Lightning Lanes (other than the rides/entertainment with a short wait anyway) don't sell out before noon - that would certainly be a positive.

Exactly. That's what Disney should have done in the first place, IMO. That's what we were hoping this would be...

 

[PalmettoPath]

Not sure if anyone knows but is this also true of international tickets/packages? From the uk we can add on genie+ for the length of the ticket 7 or 14 days) for a reduced price.

Apparently the ability to do that will end as of June 8. So buy now...that's what many are scrambling to do.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Yeah, maybe a little bit like Express pass? But express pass works because it is so expensive that most people don't choose to purchase it. Disney would need to make Genie+ significantly more expensive to have it work like Express pass imho.

If they can at least limit Genie+ so on crowded days all of the Lightning Lanes (other than the rides/entertainment with a short wait anyway) don't sell out before noon - that would certainly be a positive.

It doesn’t even need to be as expensive as Express pass for people to run away from it. Even if they tripled it or up to $50 a day per person that would severely restrict sales.

Also, if they roll the benefit into a deluxe stay resort for the original $15 that “could” increase DVC sales or deluxe reservations with zero loss to income.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Exactly. That's what Disney should have done in the first place, IMO. That's what we were hoping this would be...

Express pass is not perfect though. It’s not really a skip to the the front pass. They say that it is only meant to make your wait time about half of what the standby line is. I’d much prefer a dedicated time to come back than the expensive half time.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Express pass is not perfect though. It’s not really a skip to the the front pass. They say that it is only meant to make your wait time about half of what the standby line is. I’d much prefer a dedicated time to come back than the expensive half time.

Personal preference. We much prefer how Express Pass works (time slots are annoying), and it was the same with the VIP FastPass we would get with Club Level at Disneyland Paris when they had that.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Details here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/genie/lightning-lane/#drawer-card-drawerRecommender

In Disney's first attempt to fix the problems that exist with Genie+ at WDW they are no longer selling Genie+ ahead of time starting June 8th, you will only be allowed to purchase day of and Genie+ will be subject to availability meaning it may be limited by the number of people buying Genie+.

I think this could be a really good thing if it is executed properly, especially with people not getting more than 1-2 Lightning Lanes per day.

The wording is still there however that 2-3 attractions or experiences per day is the average.

Hmmm now I guess they will raise the price of Genie+ that would be a step to possiBly cut back on number of guests purchasing.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Personal preference. We much prefer how Express Pass works (time slots are annoying), and it was the same with the VIP FastPass we would get with Club Level at Disneyland Paris when they had that.

The way it stands now, I agree, I like Express Pass more. But if Disney raised the prices and genie+ demand went down drastically where ride times are more available and say within an hour of looking - I’d prefer that.

 

[qwerty2k]

Can you buy 2023 tickets / packages yet? I think that will be the indicator of whether it impacts International tickets/packages if you can still do it for dates in 2023.

Yes you can buy 2023 tickets and packages.

Apparently the ability to do that will end as of June 8. So buy now...that's what many are scrambling to do.

Ah ok cool, thanks , will get purchasing my 14 day ticket then.

 

[xdan0920]

It is about capping sales

Do you honestly believe Disney will set an impactful cap on this?

 

[PalmettoPath]

The way it stands now, I agree, I like Express Pass more. But if Disney raised the prices and genie+ demand went down drastically where ride times are more available and say within an hour of looking - I’d prefer that.

Yes, that would be good as well. As soon as they announced the pricing I knew it was too low. It should be a premium experience (almost VIP Tour light). We've done two VIP Tours in the past year because of this, so it's getting costly, lol.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Yes, that would be good as well. As soon as they announced the pricing I knew it was too low. It should be a premium experience (almost VIP Tour light). We've done two VIP Tours in the past year because of this, so it's getting costly, lol.

I absolutely agree. It was WAY too low. I think it needs to triple or quadruple in price to make it effective. I’ve joined a VIP tour and looking for another one too. I’d pay $100 a day for genie+ personally if it made it more usable.

 

[lcmckenzie2022]

Disney World is way too expensive - WAY too expensive. The idea that it might be even more difficult and more expensive to get on rides going forward is a huge turn off. Why did I just drop thousands of dollars on tickets then…was that not good enough? and thousands on a Disney resort…and thousands on Disney food? I have to consider the ROI on our end, too. And I feel like this is getting out of control. I would cancel our upcoming 2023 trip if I didn’t already have a non refundable voucher for a dvc rental …but even then, my husband is urging me to just throw the voucher/$ away and forget about it so that we don’t have to drop any more money (the thousands and thousands and thousands more that Disney World requires). This is going to be our last trip if we do go. But I’m starting to want to just walk away from our voucher too… I can’t justify it anymore. It’s becoming too stressful in combo with too expensive. Not worth it anymore.

Like a lot of people here who have been saying something similar - I didn’t mind spending the money before because I knew we were taken care of at Disney World - from the magical express, to fast pass where we could for sure grab the handful of rides everyone wanted ahead of time, etc - it was all the little things that just made everything seem more like a seamless and positive experience. I just can’t believe that we’re all supposed to now be on our phones on the day of our vacation at 7am (when it is supposed to be a vacation) fighting each other like wild animals to get something - and for the rest of us who don’t? How do we walk away from that expensive trip feeling good about that? Not to mention - this is always an IT disaster!!!! When you have that # of people trying to do the same thing, it’s just going to crash.

I don’t know - maybe if fast pass had never existed, it be easier to look at the Regular line ups with a different lens…but I can’t now. I liked Fast Pass. It worked for us. It was part of the vacation planning - which is where this sort of thing needed to live.

Can someone please tell me what was wrong with Fast Pass that they needed to get rid of it and replace it with this horrible sounding system?? We went to DW in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and we never had a problem with it and it seemed to be working ok??

 

[Marionnette]

Can someone please tell me what was wrong with Fast Pass that they needed to get rid of it and replace it with this horrible sounding system??

It didn't bring in any revenue. Plain and simple. Just like the resort parking fees, some suit saw an opportunity to capitalize on what "everyone else in the industry is doing" and a pandemic reset ushered in this new era of monetizing anything that they can put a price tag on.

 

[lcmckenzie2022]

It didn't bring in any revenue. Plain and simple. Just like the resort parking fees, some suit saw an opportunity to capitalize on what "everyone else in the industry is doing" and a pandemic reset ushered in this new era of monetizing anything that they can put a price tag on.

But why not just keep the same system and charge $15 for that? And leave the 60 and 30 day booking schedule. I wish they would have done that. I would have paid for the old system because at least I knew it worked and we liked it. But now people here are saying they need to make genie plus even more exclusive so even less people can afford it/get it? We’re going so far away from what fast pass was now it is really disheartening.

 

[SeasonneRose]

Disney World is way too expensive - WAY too expensive. The idea that it might be even more difficult and more expensive to get on rides going forward is a huge turn off. Why did I just drop thousands of dollars on tickets then…was that not good enough? and thousands on a Disney resort…and thousands on Disney food? I have to consider the ROI on our end, too. And I feel like this is getting out of control. I would cancel our upcoming 2023 trip if I didn’t already have a non refundable voucher for a dvc rental …but even then, my husband is urging me to just throw the voucher/$ away and forget about it so that we don’t have to drop any more money (the thousands and thousands and thousands more that Disney World requires). This is going to be our last trip if we do go. But I’m starting to want to just walk away from our voucher too… I can’t justify it anymore. It’s becoming too stressful in combo with too expensive. Not worth it anymore.

Like a lot of people here who have been saying something similar - I didn’t mind spending the money before because I knew we were taken care of at Disney World - from the magical express, to fast pass where we could for sure grab the handful of rides everyone wanted ahead of time, etc - it was all the little things that just made everything seem more like a seamless and positive experience. I just can’t believe that we’re all supposed to now be on our phones on the day of our vacation at 7am (when it is supposed to be a vacation) fighting each other like wild animals to get something - and for the rest of us who don’t? How do we walk away from that expensive trip feeling good about that? Not to mention - this is always an IT disaster!!!! When you have that # of people trying to do the same thing, it’s just going to crash.

I don’t know - maybe if fast pass had never existed, it be easier to look at the Regular line ups with a different lens…but I can’t now. I liked Fast Pass. It worked for us. It was part of the vacation planning - which is where this sort of thing needed to live.

Can someone please tell me what was wrong with Fast Pass that they needed to get rid of it and replace it with this horrible sounding system?? We went to DW in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and we never had a problem with it and it seemed to be working ok??

Disney has always been expensive and unattainable for millions. It’s just that they’re raising the threshold a bit so now people who were on the cusp of affordability are now falling below that line.