Everything Genie, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane - Please Read Posts 1-7

[hayesdvc]

Trying to understand G+
.

I have a LL for 9AM. I know I can make my next a LL when either the LL I have expires (10AM) or I scan in to use it. Since I can scan in 15 minutes late, can I book another LL, say at 10:05 (system says expired),then scan my 9AM LL b4 10:15,then when I scan make another?

 

[mickey916]

It goes by your last action, so in your scenario the last one was the one you booked at 10:05, so you can book next two hours later (12:05) or whenever you scan into that one that you booked at 10:05.

 

[hayesdvc]

It goes by your last action, so in your scenario the last one was the one you booked at 10:05, so you can book next two hours later (12:05) or whenever you scan into that one that you booked at 10:05.

Thanks for your reply. I have read about getting more than one at a time. So, if I book my first one at 11:00 and the park opens at 8:30, I can book another one at 10:30. I would then have two. When I use one of the two I have booked, can I get another one and then when I use the second one can I get a another one? Does it matter if the first one I use is the 10:30 or 11:00 pass? Thanks again

 

[GBRforWDW]

Thanks for your reply. I have read about getting more than one at a time. So, if I book my first one at 11:00 and the park opens at 8:30, I can book another one at 10:30. I would then have two. When I use one of the two I have booked, can I get another one and then when I use the second one can I get a another one? Does it matter if the first one I use is the 10:30 or 11:00 pass? Thanks again

Still only goes by the last one selected. There used to be a glitch back in the first month of genie that allowed this, but now only your last selection matters. So if your 1030 selection time is after 1230, you can select at 1230. If it's before 1230, you can select another after checking into the 1030 selection only.

The 7am selection for the 11am return time no longer matter as far as when you're able to book again.

 

[hayesdvc]

Still only goes by the last one selected. There used to be a glitch back in the first month of genie that allowed this, but now only your last selection matters. So if your 1030 selection time is after 1230, you can select at 1230. If it's before 1230, you can select another after checking into the 1030 selection only.

The 7am selection for the 11am return time no longer matter as far as when you're able to book again.

Thank you so much. I follow you, but one last question. If the second one I made at 10:30 is used before the first one I made at 11:00, I will not be able to make another selection when I scan in. Right? I can only make my next one once I scan into the 11:00 made pass also. Right?

 

[GBRforWDW]

Thank you so much. I follow you, but one last question. If the second one I made at 10:30 is used before the first one I made at 11:00, I will not be able to make another selection when I scan in. Right?

it's only based on most recent selection. If your 1030 selection is for 1045 and you go straight there and scan in, you can make another selection. If your 1030 selection is for 1055 and you go to the 11am ride first, you'll need to wait until you check into the 1055 ride to book a new selection.

 

[hayesdvc]

it's only based on most recent selection. If your 1030 selection is for 1045 and you go straight there and scan in, you can make another selection. If your 1030 selection is for 1055 and you go to the 11am ride first, you'll need to wait until you check into the 1055 ride to book a new selection.

In summary, so the most unused LL you can have at one time is two? We were there lastly the day G+ was released and definitely some changes have been made.

 

[fireflyer]

I have a trip coming up in March, 1 day park-hopper at Disney World. It seems like the issues with Genie are well-known, pervasive, un-fixable, and are causing tons of people on almost every travel forum I've looked at to say they won't be going back, Disney has lost its edge, is overpriced, etc. I want to do the trip as planned, but it's looking like the negatives are outweighing the positives. The dissatisfaction isn't only on travel forums, it's all over investment chat-groups too, and reflected in DIS fallen stock price.

You all have provided a ton of factual info, and I'd just like to make sure I understand a few of the principles correctly. This is what I'm gathering (speaking in general):
--During spring break when park levels are at 9 or 10, the only chance of avoiding hours-long lines is to use Lightning Lanes and Genie+ to reserve rides.
--To get reservations for mid-morning/early-afternoon rides, you need to be on Genie+ between 7am - 7:15am.
--You can only reserve rides on Genie+ on the DAY OF VISIT.
--You can only get on Genie+ at 7am IF YOU STAY ON-SITE... OFF-site must wait until park opens.
--If staying OFF-site (thus waiting 'til 9 or 10am to book through Genie+), all the earlier reservations will already be booked by ON-site guests. In fact, perhaps ALL the reservations will already be booked before park opening.
--My best chance of MAXIMIZING the number of popular rides in my 1 day is to stay ON-SITE hotel, AND pay for Genie+, AND buy 2 lightning passes too.

I understand there are probably exceptions, but from my readings, the listed assumptions seem likely true, usually. Can you tell me if my facts are generally correct?

I don't need help deciding whether or not to do our trip. But I do need help understanding the general truths. Thanks in advance!

 

[GBRforWDW]

In summary, so the most unused LL you can have at one time is two? We were there lastly the day G+ was released and definitely some changes have been made.

No, again, it's based off the last pass selected.

Let's say at
7am - you book SDD for 6pm
11am (9am opening at DHS) - you book TSM for 6:30pm
1pm - you book AS2 for 5:30pm
3pm - you book star tours at 4:30
(Here you have 4 stacked up)
4:35pm - after checking into star tours - you book Frozen Sing Along for 7:30
You can check into AS2 at 5:30, SDD at 6:00 and TSM at 6:25 (5 minute early check in). But since your most recent selection was made at 4:35, you would have to wait until 6:35 to make another selection. Of course, these are all wildly speculative as it's hard to get that many Lightning Lane passes at DHS, but mainly just to show how it could work.
6:35pm - you book MFSR for 7:35pm
7:25pm - check into Frozen show
8:15pm - check into MFSR
8:15pm - you book Soarin' at Epcot for 8:45 because you want to hop over and watch Harmonius.
8:45 check into Soarin', immediately book for living with the land at 9pm

In October/November, if you booked a ride for around 2 hours after park opening you could wait for your 2 hour window to expire, book a ride, go on your first ride selection and immediately book another ride. That loophole was closed by thanksgiving.

 

[Tom_E_D]

In summary, so the most unused LL you can have at one time is two? We were there lastly the day G+ was released and definitely some changes have been made.

You can, at least in theory, have more than two at a time. Book one before park open, another two hours after park open, another four hours after park open, etc. As long as you get times for all of them that are late enough in the day, you can have more than two.

 

[mickey916]

--You can only get on Genie+ at 7am IF YOU STAY ON-SITE... OFF-site must wait until park opens.

This part is inaccurate. Offsite guests can purchase Genie+ rides at 7 am but cannot buy ILL$ until park open.

 

[hayesdvc]

No, again, it's based off the last pass selected.

Let's say at
7am - you book SDD for 6pm
11am (9am opening at DHS) - you book TSM for 6:30pm
1pm - you book AS2 for 5:30pm
3pm - you book star tours at 4:30
(Here you have 4 stacked up)
4:35pm - after checking into star tours - you book Frozen Sing Along for 7:30
You can check into AS2 at 5:30, SDD at 6:00 and TSM at 6:25 (5 minute early check in). But since your most recent selection was made at 4:35, you would have to wait until 6:35 to make another selection. Of course, these are all wildly speculative as it's hard to get that many Lightning Lane passes at DHS, but mainly just to show how it could work.
6:35pm - you book MFSR for 7:35pm
7:25pm - check into Frozen show
8:15pm - check into MFSR
8:15pm - you book Soarin' at Epcot for 8:45 because you want to hop over and watch Harmonius.
8:45 check into Soarin', immediately book for living with the land at 9pm

In October/November, if you booked a ride for around 2 hours after park opening you could wait for your 2 hour window to expire, book a ride, go on your first ride selection and immediately book another ride. That loophole was closed by thanksgiving.

Thank you for taking the time to answer in these details.

 

[hayesdvc]

You can, at least in theory, have more than two at a time. Book one before park open, another two hours after park open, another four hours after park open, etc. As long as you get times for all of them that are late enough in the day, you can have more than two.

Without taking advantage of the "2 hour" booking period, it appears since the change is there is no way to have more than 2 unused.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Without taking advantage of the "2 hour" booking period, it appears since the change is there is no way to have more than 2 unused.

If you never wait two hours, and always tap into your most-recently-booked G+LL before the two hours (or expiration time) have passed, you'll never have more than one.

EDIT: added parenthetical phrase above.
Second EDIT: . . . unless the ride goes "down" and you get a "recovery" G+LL.

 

[Westerner]

Trying to understand G+
.

I have a LL for 9AM. I know I can make my next a LL when either the LL I have expires (10AM) or I scan in to use it. Since I can scan in 15 minutes late, can I book another LL, say at 10:05 (system says expired),then scan my 9AM LL b4 10:15,then when I scan make another?

Your question was answered by others but want to point out that it’s probably better to cancel your most recently booked LL rather than letting it expire if you want to book something else.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Your question was answered by others but want to point out that it’s probably better to cancel your most recently booked LL rather than letting it expire if you want to book something else.

Not if you intend to use it during the 15 minute grace period.

 

[Shadow02]

My best chance of MAXIMIZING the number of popular rides in my 1 day is to stay ON-SITE hotel, AND pay for Genie+, AND buy 2 lightning passes too.

This is what I feel like we have to do as well on our 1 day hoppers- but feeling now like we must do DHS to do all the Star Wars stuff instead of MK where we usually start.

 

[jmparry]

Read through the first few posts and didn't see an answer to this question: What happens if I book a Genie+ and by the time I confirm it switches to a time that falls when I have an ADR? I'm especially concerned about SDD that if that happens, I can't cancel and rebook since there may not be any availability...will guest services help? Do I go late to the ADR or SDD?

I had this happen to me on Monday, 1/31. We had an ADR for 50s Prime Time for 11:50am. At 7am, I booked ILL$ for ROTR. The time I selected was around 10am, but by the time I got my confirmation, it was for 11:30-12:30. We tapped in to ROTR at 11:32am and arrived at 50s at 12:06pm. The hostess said we had missed our ADR, but she made a call to someone inside and got permission to "reinstate our reservation." I don't know if this is typical. YMMV, but fortunately we were able to do both without a problem!

 

[mickey916]

I had this happen to me on Monday, 1/31. We had an ADR for 50s Prime Time for 11:50am. At 7am, I booked ILL$ for ROTR. The time I selected was around 10am, but by the time I got my confirmation, it was for 11:30-12:30. We tapped in to ROTR at 11:32am and arrived at 50s at 12:06pm. The hostess said we had missed our ADR, but she made a call to someone inside and got permission to "reinstate our reservation." I don't know if this is typical. YMMV, but fortunately we were able to do both without a problem!

That's what I'm afraid of but glad to hear that they worked with you to keep your ADR. I think I'll shoot for times that are way far away from my ADRs in hopes if the time drifts when I confirm that it will still be well away.

 

[CarolynFH]

That's what I'm afraid of but glad to hear that they worked with you to keep your ADR. I think I'll shoot for times that are way far away from my ADRs in hopes if the time drifts when I confirm that it will still be well away.

I’ve read multiple times that it’s better to show up late for the LL or ILL$ and explain you had a conflicting ADR. Sometimes people are asked to show the receipt or the ADR in MDE. I haven’t read of anyone being turned away. It’s easier to work you into the LL/ILL$ line than into a full restaurant.