Genie+ for all 3 days or just 2?

[ZanyToes]

I'm changing our plans due to the ticket deal and we will end up with 1 half day and 2 full days. I'm wondering if it's worth it to get genie+ for all 3 days so I just do it now, or if I call and add it to just the last 2 days later (or day of, can't remember how it's done currently) We will get to the area on the first day at around 4 so probably won't be at the parks until 5. We're thinking just a more slow evening, walk, eat, see the fireworks, etc.. Since it's actually CHEAPER to add the 3rd day now. But would it make it more possible to actually ride a bit more if we had it all 3 days? We're a crew of 8 so it adds up lol.

 

[LKing]

When is your trip?

In my opinion, if you aren't arriving until 4 pm, it probably isn't worth it.

It is tough to corral a group of 8 to do anything. I think using the first day/evening to get your bearings is a good idea. I would look at doing a meal and show that first night - maybe a 1st show Fantasmic dining package with fireworks over Rivers of America afterwards. Another night you can do World of Color and another you can do fireworks at the castle or Galaxy's Edge.

 

[ZanyToes]

When is your trip?

In my opinion, if you aren't arriving until 4 pm, it probably isn't worth it.

It is tough to corral a group of 8 to do anything. I think using the first day/evening to get your bearings is a good idea. I would look at doing a meal and show that first night - maybe a 1st show Fantasmic dining package with fireworks over Rivers of America afterwards. Another night you can do World of Color and another you can do fireworks at the castle or Galaxy's Edge.

July 19-21

 

[LKing]

July 19-21

It looks like July 19 and 20 there are 1st show Fantasmic packages (party of 8) available at both River Belle and Rancho del Zocalo. On July 21, there is only one Zocalo option.

If you want to do a Fantasmic dining package, I would book it sooner rather than later.

 

[Aspencreek]

Genie+ will definitely help you ride more, but not sure it would be worth it on that first day due to how late you are arriving. Many of the bigger/popular rides will run out of LLs by the time you can start getting them. So even if you had Genie+ on that first evening you might find that rides like Indy, Space Mtn, Runaway Railway, Roger Rabbit, Matterhorn, etc., might be unavailable for any more LLs. You could get through a bunch of the other rides quickly, but for the cost it might be better just to take it slow and hit up FantasyLand and other rides that have Standby-only that evening. Then get Genie+ for the other 2 days and do all the LLs.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I would decide if you want to buy genie for the 3rd day on the 3rd day. We bought each day as we entered the park. I felt Genie wasn't as good of a benefit at CA as it was at DL

 

[Artygal90]

We also added a half-day to our two-day trip because of the ticket deal. We opted not to get genie+ for that half-day to save costs and because we would only get good use out of it for 2 hours or so in the late morning. I definitely wouldn’t in your case since you’re arriving in the evening and you have 8 people (that’s $240! Almost the cost of our tickets for 3 days). You could have travel delays, many of the popular rides will be sold out of LL by the time you tap in and others will have return times far in the future, wait times will drop from 9 pm onwards, and you probably will want to spend some time unpacking etc. I would save that money for a Fantasmic dining package personally. Or a lot of Dole Whips.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

We did this just a few weeks ago. Arrived at Disneyland at 5:30 pm after driving in from Yosemite.

In 5 and a half hours we hit 11 attractions, almost all with Genie+. It was well worth the price for a half day. Just be sure to book and modify and you can string those G+ attractions one right after the other.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

So even if you had Genie+ on that first evening you might find that rides like Indy, Space Mtn, Runaway Railway, Roger Rabbit, Matterhorn, etc., might be unavailable for any more LLs.

The good thing about Genie+ is that “sold out” is almost always just temporary. It’s usually very easy to refresh a few times to get any ride to pop up as available then a few more refreshes will move the time up.

 

[Pluto468]

I'd buy 2 days now and add on the 1st day if you feel like you're getting into the park early enough to use it. As mentioned above, you could have delays, etc. It would certainly come in handy on that half day, but it isn't essential if you're planning on just having a relaxed evening.

 

[jimmymc]

I don't think it's worth doing the first day. If anything, you can get an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers if you really want to do those. Otherwise, I'd just go for regular lines the first evening.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I don't think it's worth doing the first day. If anything, you can get an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers if you really want to do those. Otherwise, I'd just go for regular lines the first evening.

I would recommend the opposite. On our recent visit, the posted wait time for Rise that evening was 50 minutes but the actual wait was less than 20.

I would prefer buying the Genie+ at $30 and saving several hours over purchasing the $ILL at $25 to save a few minutes.

 

[jimmymc]

I would recommend the opposite. On our recent visit, the posted wait time for Rise that evening was 50 minutes but the actual wait was less than 20.

I would prefer buying the Genie+ at $30 and saving several hours over purchasing the $ILL at $25 to save a few minutes.

Do you think you can save several hours of wait time between 5 pm and closing?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Do you think you can save several hours of wait time between 5 pm and closing?

Yes, we did this very thing just a few weeks ago. We arrived at 5:30 pm and hit 11 attractions before closing time, almost all of which were Genie+. You just have to know how the refresh/modify feature works and you can line these up one right after the other.

It seems to make more sense financially to save 20 minutes 8-10 times for $30 over saving 20 minutes one time at $25 for a single $ILL.

 

[jimmymc]

Yes, we did this very thing just a few weeks ago. We arrived at 5:30 pm and hit 11 attractions before closing time, almost all of which were Genie+. You just have to know how the refresh/modify feature works and you can line these up one right after the other.

It seems to make more sense financially to save 20 minutes 8-10 times for $30 over saving 20 minutes one time at $25 for a single $ILL.

Ok, that could be a good option. I'm surprised that many spots were available after 5.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Ok, that could be a good option. I'm surprised that many spots were available after 5.

That’s what refreshing is for. Genie+ availability changes constantly and even attractions that appear to be “sold out” will become available as the evening progresses.

For example, you may find Mickey & Minnie’s to be unavailable at 6 pm, but then refresh a few times and a 9 pm pops up. Take that one but continue to check and you may eventually find a 6:30 opening or maybe even a 6:10.

Start repeating the process as soon as you scan in for that ride and it’s pretty easy to knock out several attractions in a short time period. We had 6 in our group so I don’t know what the results would be if you have more.

I find this much more efficient than $ILL as those lines get shorter as the day wears on anyway.

 

[LKing]

If you can see the Rise queue outside the building, the wait is over 25 minutes. If you see it winding back and forth before entering the building, the wait is closer to an hour.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

If you can see the Rise queue outside the building, the wait is over 25 minutes. If you see it winding back and forth before entering the building, the wait is closer to an hour.

Disney has processed in place known as “Line Stacking” to make the lines appear to be longer than they really are. This is often used at closing time to discourage late riders, but they might also be doing it earlier to encourage $ILL purchases.

Our line was definitely zig-zagging outside the building but we were in the first preshow in just under 20 minutes.

 

[BriannaRuth]

Disney has processed in place known as “Line Stacking” to make the lines appear to be longer than they really are. This is often used at closing time to discourage late riders, but they might also be doing it earlier to encourage $ILL purchases.

Our line was definitely zig-zagging outside the building but we were in the first preshow in just under 20 minutes.

Did you have an ILL? Was this late in the evening?

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Did you have an ILL? Was this late in the evening?

No, we waited in the standby line. The posted wait was 50 minutes with an actual wait less than 20. We arrived at 5:30 pm and went straight to Rise first.

This was on a Grad night and Disneyland was packed with grads killing time before heading over to DCA for their party. There was virtually no one using the $ILL entrance, which probably helped speed things up.