Genie Plus - Experiences and Reviews

[meeshy1342]

Just a general warning, based on what we experienced when we were there the last week of September: MANY Lightning Lanes were sold out by mid-day each day, especially on super popular rides like Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones. This was different from what we experienced in September of 2022, when it seemed like Lightning Lane reservations for later in the evening were still available to book in the afternoon.

There were certain rides we knew we would want to do in the evening, so we made sure to monitor the LL reservations and when the ride time we wanted came up, we booked it. Example: we booked a LL for 6:30PM for Haunted Mansion around 12:00 PM. This worked fine for us, since we would leave the park in the afternoon to take a nap/do some pool time, so the 2-hour restriction between LL bookings was not a big deal.

I definitely think Genie+ and the ability to book LL's was critical to us having a more enjoyable time at the parks. Wait times were insane this year - often over 75 minutes for many rides, and we didn't see the typical dip around lunch and dinner that we've seen in years past, just steady high wait times throughout most of the day.

 

[Philsfan77]

Just a general warning, based on what we experienced when we were there the last week of September: MANY Lightning Lanes were sold out by mid-day each day, especially on super popular rides like Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones. This was different from what we experienced in September of 2022, when it seemed like Lightning Lane reservations for later in the evening were still available to book in the afternoon.

There were certain rides we knew we would want to do in the evening, so we made sure to monitor the LL reservations and when the ride time we wanted came up, we booked it. Example: we booked a LL for 6:30PM for Haunted Mansion around 12:00 PM. This worked fine for us, since we would leave the park in the afternoon to take a nap/do some pool time, so the 2-hour restriction between LL bookings was not a big deal.

I definitely think Genie+ and the ability to book LL's was critical to us having a more enjoyable time at the parks. Wait times were insane this year - often over 75 minutes for many rides, and we didn't see the typical dip around lunch and dinner that we've seen in years past, just steady high wait times throughout most of the day.

Thank you for this! Holiday Overlay seems to have led to a spike in genie+ use there this year for Haunted Mansion.

 

[meeshy1342]

Thank you for this! Holiday Overlay seems to have led to a spike in genie+ use there this year for Haunted Mansion.

I think that definitely contributed. I also wondered whether that indicated that Disney is taking some people's feedback to heart and starting to limit the number of LL's they offer for the rides (to try to keep the LL lines down), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean you have to get creative if you are trying to "stack" LL's or plan for evenings in the park. If we hadn't stacked some LL's for our return to the parks after dinner, it would have been a lot of waiting (and not just on Haunted Mansion).

 

[TinkAgainU]

Thank you for this! Holiday Overlay seems to have led to a spike in genie+ use there this year for Haunted Mansion.

I only Really wanted to do the Haunted Mansion ride my latest visit, so did not do the G+. While the line was L-O-N-G, the outside decorations were interesting and weather was nice. BUT. The music was SOOOO LOUDDDD that I had a miserable headache by the time I entered the ride. Just a heads up to anyone who is migraine prone that a G+ is really helpful for this ride

Also, just as a side-note (and I called to talk to Customer Service today to double check), if you are there on a Magic Key Pass, you can Only purchase the G+ after you have checked into DLP or DCA that day. If you purchase a separate ticket (not Magic Key), you can add G+ at the time of purchase, but if you do not, you can also Only purchase G+ after checking into DLP or DCA that day. It is clear, even at the high prices, G+ sells out some days. The other side to that is I've had times we got the G+ a bit later in the day and it was not that helpful since the rides we wanted were no longer offering entry times on LL (or only offered very close to park closing).

 

[pindecisive]

This is the crux of my question - is the high customer experience business model dead? More and more I feel like my time at Disney is being monetized. It's not about how much value I get from buying a ticket to have a nice outing at the park with my family (that's just the entry fee) but about how much value Disney can extract from me once I'm through the gates for the opportunity cost of standing in line.

Here's another good question, does the youth generation want a high customer experience model?

Many of the younger generation prefer self-checkout. They check online for answers instead of calling a company directly. They order stuff online and have it delivered. They rent apartments with doggy spas and rock walls that also have refrigerators downstairs for Whole Foods grocery deliveries - all so they can do things in house.

They want as little interaction with other humans they don't know as possible. The older generation might find this sad, but the younger generation loves automation and engaging online, not in person.

The younger generation loves paying only for the things they want and not having to interact with anyone for it.

 

[starlite_]

Here's another good question, does the youth generation want a high customer experience model?

....

The younger generation loves paying only for the things they want and not having to interact with anyone for it.

Yes. There is nothing that gives me more anxiety than having to call customer service for anything.
Once at a store, there was this very insistent worker that keep asking if I needed help. I left the store and will leave any store if I am asked more than once by the same person. If I need help I will ask.

 

[BuzzlightHead]

Here's another good question, does the youth generation want a high customer experience model?

Many of the younger generation prefer self-checkout. They check online for answers instead of calling a company directly. They order stuff online and have it delivered. They rent apartments with doggy spas and rock walls that also have refrigerators downstairs for Whole Foods grocery deliveries - all so they can do things in house.

They want as little interaction with other humans they don't know as possible. The older generation might find this sad, but the younger generation loves automation and engaging online, not in person.

The younger generation loves paying only for the things they want and not having to interact with anyone for it.

I'm trying to understand how this is a response to more parts of Disneyland being monetized that were previously free... I would consider myself 'younger', (31), and I do much of what you listed out of convenience, not for a straight refusal to interact with people, (checking for answers online generally results in a fast response than waiting on hold for customer service, ordering non-essential items online is convenient, self-checkout is great when you are only buying a handful of items, etc.).

Fast Passes required exactly 0 human interaction to obtain, yet those have now been monetized as a virtual commodity. I don't think either the younger generation or older generation are happy about this. Nobody likes individual lightning lanes except for the wealthy. Everyone but the super wealthy prefer having more value for their money, (and younger generations are far less wealthy than older generations... Millennials and Gen Z are not swimming in cash).

 

[Eeyore1220]

Hello -- I looked in this thread and didn't see this answered, but my apologies if it was. We are going to be at DL for the first time on Dec. 22. We do not have Genie+ on our ticket. I have heard that Genie+ is selling out... is there any data on how early in the day that is happening? I assume if it's happening now it will definitely happen right before the holidays. Thanks in advance for the help and any guidance you can offer!

 

[Philsfan77]

Hello -- I looked in this thread and didn't see this answered, but my apologies if it was. We are going to be at DL for the first time on Dec. 22. We do not have Genie+ on our ticket. I have heard that Genie+ is selling out... is there any data on how early in the day that is happening? I assume if it's happening now it will definitely happen right before the holidays. Thanks in advance for the help and any guidance you can offer!

As far as I've seen, it's only sold out a handful of times. I would anticipate it possibly selling out if you're there covering Christmas (which it looks like you might be) as last year it sold out a few times during that Christmas period. With that said, you can't buy genie+ at Disneyland until you scan into the park (if you didn't pre-purchase), and you can't use it until you scan into the park. As long as you're there early to start your day, I don't forsee an issue getting it.

 

[TinkAgainU]

Philsfa77 covered it well. I would consider being there at opening (30 mins before) more helpful than Genie+. But then you need a mid day break to make it to fireworks lol. On a holiday, I would buy it - at least one - just for group photo benefits. Get 2-3 photos if you can - some shots photographers are better than others. But at least one photo is a nice memory.

 

[Varty Yo]

Philsfa77 covered it well. I would consider being there at opening (30 mins before) more helpful than Genie+. But then you need a mid day break to make it to fireworks lol. On a holiday, I would buy it - at least one - just for group photo benefits. Get 2-3 photos if you can - some shots photographers are better than others. But at least one photo is a nice memory.

Off topic a bit but for the photos do they all add those dumb effects to them? Ive seen friends posting picture and i dont want any of that in my photos.

 

[Philsfan77]

Off topic a bit but for the photos do they all add those dumb effects to them? Ive seen friends posting picture and i dont want any of that in my photos.

Some add the magic shots on their own...sometimes you have to ask for them. I would just let them know you don't want any magic shots for your pictures when taking them.

 

[TinkAgainU]

I've said no special effects - and I tend to get both anyway. But ask and you have a way better chance. You can usually tell because they'll ask you to pose oddly for those (for example - blowing on your hand, a hand up like something is resting on it) that will remind you to just say no

 

[Varty Yo]

I've said no special effects - and I tend to get both anyway. But ask and you have a way better chance. You can usually tell because they'll ask you to pose oddly for those (for example - blowing on your hand, a hand up like something is resting on it) that will remind you to just say no

Yes i dont like the staged pictures. Thanks for the tips ill mention it. We are going Dec 18,19,20

 

[starkweatherink]

Off topic a bit but for the photos do they all add those dumb effects to them? Ive seen friends posting picture and i dont want any of that in my photos.

They typically take several photos, with and without magical shots. It's not like you'll have one or the other exclusively.

 

[MickeyMouse420269]

Going to DL for 1 day with 2 kiddos, we bought Genie+ for the extra $30 per person.

Wondering what exactly that gets us as it’s unclear for us. I think I had read we only get 2 bookings or uses somewhere is that true?

If someone could give us the full breakdown of what we get or can use it for that would be amazing!

Haven’t been to DL since MaxPass days so this is all really new for us.

Thanks!

 

[Jawwdoc]

Going to DL for 1 day with 2 kiddos, we bought Genie+ for the extra $30 per person.

Wondering what exactly that gets us as it’s unclear for us. I think I had read we only get 2 bookings or uses somewhere is that true?

If someone could give us the full breakdown of what we get or can use it for that would be amazing!

Haven’t been to DL since MaxPass days so this is all really new for us.

Thanks!

Genie+ is similar to Maxpass, the major differences are 1) Only one lightning lane use per attraction per day. 2) Wait time between lightning lane reservations is 120 minutes vs 90 minutes (for Maxpass). 3)Does NOT include Individual Lightning Lane (RotR and RSR), these require paying an additional fee ($25) to skip the standby line. 4) Does include photo pass downloads. If you want to get into the “finer points” of Genie+ you can search the forums for: fishing for Multiple Experience Pass (MEP), stacking Genie+ and MEP acceleration of Genie+. For us the biggest change from Maxpass was waiting until later in the morning to start booking Genie + rides and also trying to stack rides later in the evening. I personally don’t spend much time fishings for MEPs.

 

[MickeyMouse420269]

Genie+ is similar to Maxpass, the major differences are 1) Only one lightning lane use per attraction per day. 2) Wait time between lightning lane reservations is 120 minutes vs 90 minutes (for Maxpass). 3)Does NOT include Individual Lightning Lane (RotR and RSR), these require paying an additional fee ($25) to skip the standby line. 4) Does include photo pass downloads. If you want to get into the “finer points” of Genie+ you can search the forums for: fishing for Multiple Experience Pass (MEP), stacking Genie+ and MEP acceleration of Genie+. For us the biggest change from Maxpass was waiting until later in the morning to start booking Genie + rides and also trying to stack rides later in the evening. I personally don’t spend much time fishings for MEPs.

So can we book multiple reservations at once as long as they’re all 120 minutes apart or is it ride one wait, then book and ride?

 

[Jawwdoc]

So can we book multiple reservations at once as long as they’re all 120 minutes apart or is it ride one wait, then book and ride?

You can book a second Genie+ entry window after 120 minutes of time has elapsed or you have scanned into your previous Genie+ attraction. For example at 10:00 am you book Space Mtn for a 11:30 am - 12:30 pm return window. If you scan into Space Mtn at 11:30 am you can then immediately book another Genie + reservation even though it had only been 90 minutes since you reserved Space Mtn. If you waited and didn’t scan into Space Mtn until 12:30 pm you would be eligible to book another Genie + reservation at 12:00 pm (120 minutes after initially booking Space Mtn). This second scenario is an example of “stacking” Genie + reservations.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

So can we book multiple reservations at once as long as they’re all 120 minutes apart or is it ride one wait, then book and ride?

Simple tool we use a lot. The MDE app will show you the exact time you're eligible to book your next G+/LL. It's at the top of the planning page and very easy to see. We'll set an alarm on our phone or watch a few minutes before that time to remind us we can make another. There's really no limit to the number of G+/LLs you can have during the day, even during overlapping time periods (if that's how it works out). You can only get 2 of the Individual LL attractions (the ones you pay for separately) during the day - but those are actually separate from G+ - you don't need to purchase G+ to purchase those. There is a lot of information and experiences out here on the board to help guide you.