Does WDW Still Need Planning with Genie+ and LL?

[Frozen2014]

We've been to Disney World once and Disneyland once. We have a trip coming up end of August and am looking at the new Genie+ and LL system. Feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm taking note of the recommended order to try for Genie + plus as per Disney Tourist Blog site, but aside from that, do you really need to plan much anymore? With FastPass+, I had a whole spreadsheet that specified the order of the rides for the day. But now WDW seems more like Disneyland in terms of getting on the rides where it's more select next FP available when there and watch current wait times. I'm a big planner and love the pre-trip but doesn't seem like much to do outside of figuring out any ADRs and if you want to purchase Lightning Lane rides.
(I also need to better understand the boarding pass thing so maybe planning is there?).

From our side, I can see us using LL for just Avatar and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. Any others worth it? I guess for us, a big thing is to avoid line ups when they are outside since our trip is August.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

It really depends what you wish to accomplish! First, a comment on the boarding groups at WDW. Right now, the only attraction with a BG option is Remy's. Remy's has ILL for purchase and the BG - no normal standby line if you want to try it. If you want to get a BG for Remy, you'll probably need to be online at 7AM to grab it. If you get one, it essentially allows you to enter the standby line, when you BG is called. I agree with you that the only attractions really worth paying extra for are Avatar and ROTR.

As for Genie+ planning? At least a minimal amount of planning is needed, else you probably shouldn't buy it. Plan which days you might be using it, determine if there is a hard-to-get G+/LL pass you'll want, and perhaps be online right at 7AM to get it (Slinky Dog, for example, has LL go very quickly). Then know if there might be another LL attraction you'll want later in the day, and be ready to check on it when you're next eligible to get one. If you have a park hopper, you can schedule a LL attraction at another park later in the day - many seem to use this feature.

But it's not like FP+ 60 days out. G+/LL attractions are 'next available' times, not select your own time window (like FP+ used to be). ILL/additional purchase selections allow you to select an available time window to return. I hope there might be a tidbit in here that helps you out, but you might already know all this. We've only used G+ twice and are still trying to determine the most effective ways to use it for us.

 

[MomOTwins]

We have a trip coming up end of August and am looking at the new Genie+ and LL system. Feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm taking note of the recommended order to try for Genie + plus as per Disney Tourist Blog site, but aside from that, do you really need to plan much anymore?

Read the two bolded sentences together and I think you will see the inherent contradiction in your own post. Genie+ and ILL are much harder to figure out than FP+ used to be in my opinion. You'll need to figure out whether you want to book length of stay or only purchase G+ for specific days/parks; choose which ILLs you want to purchase and which to do at rope drop/close (including factoring in the different booking times for onsite versus offsite and how that might affect your ability to book ILL); understand ride booking priority not just at 7am, but throughout the day; understand strategy of whether to book the next available after tapping in or booking something later in the day and "stacking" at the 120 minute mark; figure out what you might do via evening hours if you are a deluxe resort or EMH for other disney resorts... I think there's a reason you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. A lot of us are. Good luck.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thank you for the reply. We have 6 park days....prob 2 MK, 2 Epcot, and then HS and AK. Good to know about Remy. Kind of sucks though, but I guess we will have 2 chances to try for a boarding group. We are staying on-site if that makes any difference. Good to know I am on the right track with pay per rides.

When reading Tourist Blog, it seems to state that Genie+ is for the most part, helpful at MK but not as much for the other parks. Guess it depends on the line ups, and if those line ups are outside vs inside for an August trip.

With Genie+ and LL pay rides, it seems hard to plan your ADRs. How do you select a time when you don't know until you are there when rides are available? Seems like the hardest thing to coordinate.

 

[Frozen2014]

Read the two bolded sentences together and I think you will see the inherent contradiction in your own post. Genie+ and ILL are much harder to figure out than FP+ used to be in my opinion. You'll need to figure out whether you want to book length of stay or only purchase G+ for specific days/parks; choose which ILLs you want to purchase and which to do at rope drop/close (including factoring in the different booking times for onsite versus offsite and how that might affect your ability to book ILL); understand ride booking priority not just at 7am, but throughout the day; understand strategy of whether to book the next available after tapping in or booking something later in the day and "stacking" at the 120 minute mark; figure out what you might do via evening hours if you are a deluxe resort or EMH for other disney resorts... I think there's a reason you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. A lot of us are. Good luck.

Lol true. Just seems like a lot to learn with the new system and understand. And the whole boarding group thing is another layer. Would like to ride Remy and not sure if the Star wars one at HS is still using it. Our son will definitely want to try the Star Wars rides.

We would probably select Genie+ on some days...not all. Yes...I have noted the suggested order from Disney Tourist blog , which I seems to takes into account when they run out (and of course, there is personal preference).

We are staying at Contemporary if they have extended hours in August.

 

[MomOTwins]

Lol true. Just seems like a lot to learn with the new system and understand. And the whole boarding group thing is another layer. Would like to ride Remy and not sure if the Star wars one at HS is still using it. Our son will definitely want to try the Star Wars rides.

We would probably select Genie+ on some days...not all. Yes...I have noted the suggested order from Disney Tourist blog , which I seems to takes into account when they run out (and of course, there is personal preference).

We are staying at Contemporary if they have extended hours in August.

Contemporary will have the extended evening hours so if you don’t mind staying late that may be a great way to take care of rides you can’t get during the day.

No boarding groups for the two star wars rides. MFSR is on G+ and ROTR is an ILL purchase. Since you are onsite you can purchase ILL at 7am each day—same time as G+ so if you are doing both it is recommended to have at least two people on phones at 7am—one to get G+ and one to do ILL.

 

[Frozen2014]

Contemporary will have the extended evening hours so if you don’t mind staying late that may be a great way to take care of rides you can’t get during the day.

No boarding groups for the two star wars rides. MFSR is on G+ and ROTR is an ILL purchase. Since you are onsite you can purchase ILL at 7am each day—same time as G+ so if you are doing both it is recommended to have at least two people on phones at 7am—one to get G+ and one to do ILL.

Great. Thanks for the info. Our kids will be 17 and 13 so staying up late isn't an issue.