G+ and ILL$ for Our Trip???

[DisneyStarWisher]

We have a split stay between AKV value studio/CCV studio/SSR studio coming up in February. For those of you have been researching G+ and ILL$ more than I have, would you recommend either for a trip like this?
Rides are listed in order of priority. The ones with * are the ones we must do.
Day 1:
AK (Early entry)--FOP*, Safari*, NRJ
Epcot (Evening)--Remy*, Soarin'

Day 2:
DHS (Early entry)--RotR*, MMRR*, SDD*, TSM*
MK (Afternoon and Evening)--Splash*, HM*, PotC*, 7DMT, BTMRR, JC, PP

I'm thinking the ILL$ would be good on Day 1 to ride Remy, and then G+ on Day 2 since we have more rides. Remy, RotR, and MMRR are musts since we haven't ridden them before, but if we miss 7DMT, we would be okay. I'm thinking RotR and MMRR can be done in that order during Early Entry, and then use G+ for all the other rides. For all the experts out there, would this be best? We are going the Thursday and Friday before President's Day.

 

[Sandisw]

I think it’s sounds like a good plan.

 

[BamaGuy44]

If you don't want to do ILL$ for ROTR, I would do that first at rope drop, and get a regular G+ early in the day for SDD, since they have been "selling out". If the timing works out you might be able to do standby for MMRR while you wait for your SDD window.

Unless you're toward the front of the line for ROTR at rope drop, MMRR will already have a decent standby line by the time you get there. This is all based on recent crowds, not sure how your week will compare.

 

[DeeCee735]

How far in advance can ILL be added to a park reservation, or is it day of?

 

[Sandisw]

How far in advance can ILL be added to a park reservation, or is it day of?

Day of for the IAS rides.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

If you don't want to do ILL$ for ROTR, I would do that first at rope drop, and get a regular G+ early in the day for SDD, since they have been "selling out". If the timing works out you might be able to do standby for MMRR while you wait for your SDD window.

Unless you're toward the front of the line for ROTR at rope drop, MMRR will already have a decent standby line by the time you get there. This is all based on recent crowds, not sure how your week will compare.

Thank you for the suggestion. This is kind of what we were planning. Just trying to figure out how TSM will fit into the plan. If I understand correctly, we can make a SDD right at 7:00 a.m. for say around 11:30, and then at 11:00 (if the park opens at 9:00), we can make one for MK. Then at 11:30 when we check in for SDD, we can make another one for MK. Is this correct?

 

[BamaGuy44]

Thank you for the suggestion. This is kind of what we were planning. Just trying to figure out how TSM will fit into the plan. If I understand correctly, we can make a SDD right at 7:00 a.m. for say around 11:30, and then at 11:00 (if the park opens at 9:00), we can make one for MK. Then at 11:30 when we check in for SDD, we can make another one for MK. Is this correct?

You can book LL for SDD at 7 am, but I'm not sure what time you would get. With the "regular" LL reservations, you don't get to pick your return time, you will automatically get the first available.

But yes, you're correct on being able to "stack" the LLs like that. 1 at the 2 hour mark, and another after you check in. Another stacking trick is you can book a LL when the end time of your current one expires. You can still check in up to 15 minutes after the end time. Then book another after you check in.

Example: You have a LL for SDD at 2pm. You arrive at 1:55, but instead of checking in, wait until 2. Then you can book your next LL. After you check in at SDD at say 2:02, you can book another one. Not sure I explained that very well...

 

[zavandor]

I wouldn't (actually, I won't) buy G+ at AK unless you're going at a very busy time. If you buy FoP, then the rest of the park shouldn't be a problem at al. Start with Navi, then Safari and continue moving clockwise. You'll comfortably ride all attractions by lunch time. Also, I don't think Epcot will require G+ as well.
In early December I'm planning on buying G+ one day only at MK and DHS and maybe only RoTR as ILL$. However I'll be with friends with toddlers and maybe they won't be able to be in the parks early enough to rope drop, so if they buy G+ more days I'll do as well just so we can tour together.

 

[Sandisw]

Thank you for the suggestion. This is kind of what we were planning. Just trying to figure out how TSM will fit into the plan. If I understand correctly, we can make a SDD right at 7:00 a.m. for say around 11:30, and then at 11:00 (if the park opens at 9:00), we can make one for MK. Then at 11:30 when we check in for SDD, we can make another one for MK. Is this correct?

You can not choose your return time for any ride that is part of GP+. It’s next available. If you don’t like what you are first given, you do need to keep checking until you get what you want.

But, you can not make another one at a different park until after 2:00 pm as it is your hopping park. You can only hold one at a time, and the 120 minutes only applies when the one you are holding is farther out in the day.

So, you can’t make one at 11:00 am at MK and then another one at 11:30 am. If you make one at 11:00, you can’t make another 1:00 pm, unless the one you hold happen before the 2 hours are up.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

You can not choose your return time for any ride that is part of GP+. It’s next available. If you don’t like what you are first given, you do need to keep checking until you get what you want.

But, you can not make another one at a different park until after 2:00 pm as it is your hopping park. You can only hold one at a time, and the 120 minutes only applies when the one you are holding is farther out in the day.

So, you can’t make one at 11:00 am at MK and then another one at 11:30 am. If you make one at 11:00, you can’t make another 1:00 pm, unless the one you hold happen before the 2 hours are up.

Yes, I understand it's first available. I just figured SDD would be later, like around 11:30.

I should have clarified the part about making one for MK. Yes, I know we can't park hop until 2:00, but can't we make a selection for MK for 2:00 at 11:00 (if something is available that far out)? Then when we check into SDD, we can make another one? Isn't that what stacking is?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The abbreviations are making my head spin.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, I understand it's first available. I just figured SDD would be later, like around 11:30.

I should have clarified the part about making one for MK. Yes, I know we can't park hop until 2:00, but can't we make a selection for MK for 2:00 at 11:00 (if something is available that far out)? Then when we check into SDD, we can make another one? Isn't that what stacking is?

When we were there, the SDD was available before 11:00 am when we logged on at 7 am to book for the day. The girls decided they would rather do RNR first so we kept an eye on it and booked it when they were leaving the resort because the time was not that far out. Had they wanted to get there at open, they would have gotten SDD much earlier.

We did not try and stack, but the way it was explained was 120 minutes starts once you book something that is at least 120 minutes into the future. So, say you do get SDD at 11:30 am, park opens at 9:00 and they let you book something after 2:00 pm at 11:00 am the next time you would be able to book that second one is 1:00 pm...not when you exit SDD... no matter what time the MK one is at since you have to wait 2 hours between bookings when the one you hold is more than 2 hours out.

So, I don't think it will work the way that you are explaining, unless I am still misunderstanding. As I said, we didn't actually need to stack, but when I chatted with a CM, this is how they explained it would work.

ETA: This explains it but it does sound like if you book something more than 2 hours out, at MK, you would need to do another 2 hour waiting period.

ETA2: We also found that bookings later in the day didn't happen for quite awhile for many of the rides at the different parks. For the most part, you really could maximize GP+ to get a lot of the rides quickly with very little time between booking and riding.

https://allears.net/2021/10/21/how-can-you-stack-multiple-disney-genie-reservations/

 

[DeeCee735]

I was trying to add Genie+ service prior to our December trip and cannot do it. I have everything linked ….park passes, park reservations, resort reservations to MDE. I called DVC to find out why I can’t add now. They told me it’s because I’m using a 10 day park hopper no expire ticket from awhile back and my husband is using a 2 day park hopper comped ticket from our horror of a trip in Feb 2020 and our DVC friends are using annual passes (they can’t add Genie +to their days either). CM said can’t add Genie + to these types of tickets until we’re in the park and go to guest services. I understand the system is new, but I wish when Disney decided to go this way, they would have considered repeat customers first ( no expire and ap ticket holders, as well as DVC members who are more likely to hold such tickets)when designing this system. Guest services, in my experience when new things are involved, is a colossal waste of time. we won’t be adding Genie+ to our tickets unless and until Disney figures out a way to do so easily with our types of tickets. As repeat customers and for years yet to come, I find being so inconvenienced to pay yet more money to the mouse, well, too inconvenient to bother.
anyone hear anything different or was the information I received correct?

TIA
Dee

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

When we were there, the SDD was available before 11:00 am when we logged on at 7 am to book for the day. The girls decided they would rather do RNR first so we kept an eye on it and booked it when they were leaving the resort because the time was not that far out. Had they wanted to get there at open, they would have gotten SDD much earlier.

We did not try and stack, but the way it was explained was 120 minutes starts once you book something that is at least 120 minutes into the future. So, say you do get SDD at 11:30 am, park opens at 9:00 and they let you book something after 2:00 pm at 11:00 am the next time you would be able to book that second one is 1:00 pm...not when you exit SDD... no matter what time the MK one is at since you have to wait 2 hours between bookings when the one you hold is more than 2 hours out.

So, I don't think it will work the way that you are explaining, unless I am still misunderstanding. As I said, we didn't actually need to stack, but when I chatted with a CM, this is how they explained it would work.

ETA: This explains it but it does sound like if you book something more than 2 hours out, at MK, you would need to do another 2 hour waiting period.

ETA2: We also found that bookings later in the day didn't happen for quite awhile for many of the rides at the different parks. For the most part, you really could maximize GP+ to get a lot of the rides quickly with very little time between booking and riding.

https://allears.net/2021/10/21/how-can-you-stack-multiple-disney-genie-reservations/

I have read this article a thousand times, and I'm still confused. Based on what I read, it seems that this would work...
7:00 a.m.: book SDD for @11:30
8:30 a.m.: Early Entry (ride RotR)
9:00 a.m.: park opens (ride MMRR and TSM)
11:00 a.m.: book Splash for @2:00 (This can be booked since it's two hours after park open.)
11:30 a.m.: ride SDD and book BTMRR for @2:30 (This can be booked because we checked into SDD.)
1:00 p.m.: book JC for @3:00. (This can be booked because it's two hours after Splash was booked.)

These are different stacks, but I'm not sure how many stacks there are. Totally confused on that! Actually, I'm totally confused on all of it. This seriously makes me not really want to go. When I get overwhelmed, I tend to throw in the towel. Someone help me get this so I don't end up cancelling my trip. LOL!!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

This is all stressing me out lol. I don’t want to spend hours figuring it all out to then spend my nose in my phone all day.
I hope people will post After experiencing the new system.

 

[BamaGuy44]

I have read this article a thousand times, and I'm still confused. Based on what I read, it seems that this would work...
7:00 a.m.: book SDD for @11:30
8:30 a.m.: Early Entry (ride RotR)
9:00 a.m.: park opens (ride MMRR and TSM)
11:00 a.m.: book Splash for @2:00 (This can be booked since it's two hours after park open.)
11:30 a.m.: ride SDD and book BTMRR for @2:30 (This can be booked because we checked into SDD.)
1:00 p.m.: book JC for @3:00. (This can be booked because it's two hours after Splash was booked.)

These are different stacks, but I'm not sure how many stacks there are. Totally confused on that! Actually, I'm totally confused on all of it. This seriously makes me not really want to go. When I get overwhelmed, I tend to throw in the towel. Someone help me get this so I don't end up cancelling my trip. LOL!!!

Hang in there, dont cancel your trip, I think you have it! I think it’s one of those things that’s confusing on paper but after you do it for a day in the parks it will click. If it’s stressful you could just use the LLs one at a time and not try to maximize with the stacking.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Hang in there, dont cancel your trip, I think you have it! I think it’s one of those things that’s confusing on paper but after you do it for a day in the parks it will click. If it’s stressful you could just use the LLs one at a time and not try to maximize with the stacking.

Thanks for the encouragement! I won't cancel our trip, but we have decided to reduce the number of our trips during the next few years, just because of all the changes that have happened recently. We are more into relaxing trips, not stress-induced trips! This trip is our last for a while. We thought of just doing a resort stay, but since it will be a while before we go back, we will do two days in the park. In the future, if we want a resort stay, we will go to HHI, our favorite resort.

 

[Sandisw]

I have read this article a thousand times, and I'm still confused. Based on what I read, it seems that this would work...
7:00 a.m.: book SDD for @11:30
8:30 a.m.: Early Entry (ride RotR)
9:00 a.m.: park opens (ride MMRR and TSM)
11:00 a.m.: book Splash for @2:00 (This can be booked since it's two hours after park open.)
11:30 a.m.: ride SDD and book BTMRR for @2:30 (This can be booked because we checked into SDD.)
1:00 p.m.: book JC for @3:00. (This can be booked because it's two hours after Splash was booked.)

These are different stacks, but I'm not sure how many stacks there are. Totally confused on that! Actually, I'm totally confused on all of it. This seriously makes me not really want to go. When I get overwhelmed, I tend to throw in the towel. Someone help me get this so I don't end up cancelling my trip. LOL!!!

Its this part that makes me think you can’t Do it that way,



It says that if you book a second one at 11 am, for say 5 pm, you can’t book a second one until you do another two hour window, In the example, the SDD is at 7 pm which is why they can end up with more.

So, the first two hours would be for the SDD one, But, if the next one you book at MK is more than 2 hours later, 2:00 pm then it starts a new window and doesn’t allow another once you use SDD, because it’s based on the one you made for 2 pm.

I think it only works like the article in which the two initial are in the evening and you have done a two hour window for each.

That is the way it is explained to me. Now, if you do get something at MK at 2:00 pm booking at 11:00 am…remember, you cant pick the time for a specific ride…must take next available…then at 1:00 pm can can secure another one at MK, and it may be possible to get something similar time to what you want.

Now, I think if you book an MK one after checking into SDD…and start your 2 hour clock over at that time, you can get another one so by the time you get to MK, you would have two of them booked.

Certainly don’t cancel! Just go in hoping to get what you can!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Its this part that makes me think you can’t Do it that way,

View attachment 619475

It says that if you book a second one at 11 am, for say 5 pm, you can’t book a second one until you do another two hour window, In the example, the SDD is at 7 pm which is why they can end up with more.

So, the first two hours would be for the SDD one, But, if the next one you book at MK is more than 2 hours later, 2:00 pm then it starts a new window and doesn’t allow another once you use SDD, because it’s based on the one you made for 2 pm.

I think it only works like the article in which the two initial are in the evening and you have done a two hour window for each.

That is the way it is explained to me. Now, if you do get something at MK at 2:00 pm booking at 11:00 am…remember, you cant pick the time for a specific ride…must take next available…then at 1:00 pm can can secure another one at MK, and it may be possible to get something similar time to what you want.

Now, I think if you book an MK one after checking into SDD…and start your 2 hour clock over at that time, you can get another one so by the time you get to MK, you would have two of them booked.

Certainly don’t cancel! Just go in hoping to get what you can!

Thank you. I definitely won't cancel. As you can see from my original post, we don't have to do a lot. Just a few of our favorite rides. Maybe just booking one at a time would be best for me, since I want a more relaxing trip.

 

[Sandisw]

Thank you. I definitely won't cancel. As you can see from my original post, we don't have to do a lot. Just a few of our favorite rides. Maybe just booking one at a time would be best for me, since I want a more relaxing trip.

You may also find that when you get there, you will be able to book one at a time anyway and still get it all in!