Genie+ Pricing Structure

[Miffy]

We were there last month from March 5th to the 15th, and G+ was never only $15 during that period, but the highest we saw it was $29. The lowest was, maybe (not sure and ThrillData is down right now), $18 or $19.

I definitely wouldn't budget for $15. You're likely to be disappointed.

 

[Genie+]

$15 is likely for the slowest days say in Sept and Jan where there’s less of a need to buy in the first place.

Even at $35 currently, it’s relatively not expensive when considering how often WDW visitors buy $100+ dessert parties (which they can swap for 3 days of G+), $150+ After Hours and $200 holiday parties.

However, I don’t think WDW will hike G+ and ILLs up to Universal’s costs. The sweet spot likely is prices that force the majority to pick and choose over buying all the options everyday, so the overall system works well enough to maintain decent guest satisfaction. Affordable but not too affordable. If you look around these boards, even people who’ve decided G+ and ILL are a good value to them are generally not buying G+ plus 2 ILLs for all 5 or 9 days of their trip. I think that’s the intentional balance they desire when pricing.

 

[bakerworld]

Luckily for us, we're older and our kids have kids so the parks are not a necessity for us. We've become 'those' people who I use to stare at in my 30's wondering why they are wasting their $$ at a theme park. LOL Needless to say, no G+ for us.

 

[PaladinButters]

$15 was the "introductory rate". I expect the lowest base price to go up in a couple months when we see next years ticket & room pricing but that's just me remembering that MaxPass went up really fast at DLR.

When thrill data is back up you could probably take a look at what prices were on crowd level days that match your projected days to get a guess at what the prices looked like but there's not a great data set to look at with the variable pricing being so recent.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Wait, are you saying it WAS that high at the end of 2022, or is this what you are predicting at the end of 2023?

That is a guess. Genie+ was $15 Christmas 2021 and $29 Christmas 2022.

 

[SL6827]

Wait, are you saying it WAS that high at the end of 2022, or is this what you are predicting at the end of 2023?

Predicting-2023

 

[AstridOrbitor]

Went in September and in January and both times it was $15 during the week and $17 Friday-Sunday. Doesn’t seem like they have any true formula or set pricing which is really frustrating when planing for a larger party. Since there’s no established rate or formula, they’re at free will to keep upping it like they did this week.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

It can be the regular Disney fans but I think right now Disney is also attracting many people who have not travelled in a few years. They may have budgets that allow for a bit more or, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime trip so adding a few dollars doesn't make a big difference in the grand scheme of things.

For those of us who are blessed to go more often and can compare to what it used to be, it's a hard change to accept. For others who don't know any different, they pay what then need to.

It isn't that they don't know any different, it is that they believe it is worth it to not stand in as many lines. Disney is making a conscious choice to thin the crowds by increasing prices. This is basic supply and demand. We only paid $20 per person in October but had it been $50 per person I would have paid it as I value my time and it allowed us to experience more during our time.

 

[Miffy]

It isn't that they don't know any different, it is that they believe it is worth it to not stand in as many lines. Disney is making a conscious choice to thin the crowds by increasing prices. This is basic supply and demand. We only paid $20 per person in October but had it been $50 per person I would have paid it as I value my time and it allowed us to experience more during our time.

Disney could thin the crowds if they wanted to without raising prices. They could just simply limit the attendance.

In the same way, they could just simply limit the sales of G+, no matter what the price would be. I feel compelled to point this out since it's rarely mentioned here.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Disney could thin the crowds if they wanted to without raising prices. They could just simply limit the attendance.

In the same way, they could just simply limit the sales of G+, no matter what the price would be. I feel compelled to point this out since it's rarely mentioned here.

Yes, you're right they could do both of these things but both would mean decreased $ for Disney and that's not the way most companies work. Supply and demand.

I sadly think we're going to see the price of Genie+ rise during busier weeks until enough people choose not to purchase it and then it will level out again.

For the 4th day in a row, G+ has sold out. The last 3 days at it's most expensive to date ($35) it has been around 10AM. At this point I'm sure there are a certain amount of people who are choosing to purchase it at whatever price it is, just to be sure they can get it.

Personally, I anticipate an increase in the price again tomorrow. Time will tell....

 

[Miffy]

Yes, you're right they could do both of these things but both would mean decreased $ for Disney and that's not the way most companies work. Supply and demand.

I sadly think we're going to see the price of Genie+ rise during busier weeks until enough people choose not to purchase it and then it will level out again.

For the 4th day in a row, G+ has sold out. The last 3 days at it's most expensive to date ($35) it has been around 10AM. At this point I'm sure there are a certain amount of people who are choosing to purchase it at whatever price it is, just to be sure they can get it.

Personally, I anticipate an increase in the price again tomorrow. Time will tell....

If there were a sad-but-true emoji, that's what I would've used!

 

[EdgeOfGlory]

Disney could thin the crowds if they wanted to without raising prices. They could just simply limit the attendance.

In the same way, they could just simply limit the sales of G+, no matter what the price would be. I feel compelled to point this out since it's rarely mentioned here.

Didn't the limiting of attendance happen around the holidays, as some reported parks were "sold out" on particular days?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Didn't the limiting of attendance happen around the holidays, as some reported parks were "sold out" on particular days?

Parks still require a reservation and reservations fill. MK has been full all of this week.

 

[sheilafri]

DH analogizes visiting WDW with an AP and buying G+ to having a golf club membership. He’s a member but still has to pay a small fee for each round. Unfortunately, he’s very willing to pay to not stand in line. I’m a bit more frugal but will buy for MK and HS. I’ll just skip long lines at Epcot and AK.

 

[EdgeOfGlory]

Parks still require a reservation and reservations fill. MK has been full all of this week.

Exactly! So they do "thin the crowds".

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Exactly! So they do "thin the crowds".

They are just spreading people across the parks. They say a park is "sold out" as to direct people to other parks. Disney is playing games behind the scenes and can make the limit whatever they want it to be for any park. I am not sure I have seen a day yet where all parks were sold out. For example, let's say that the most any one park can hold is 1000 guests. Behind the scenes they may make each park have a "limit" of 500 and it is then listed as "sold out" when those 500 spaces are reserved which then forces folks to then select another park. The parks are not truly sold out as it isn't like they are counting noses of how many are departing and then only allow a one for one as people park hop. If it looks as though things are filling to the 500 limit they can then adjust the limit up to allow more people in each park. It is better for Disney to spread people out so they do that by playing games with the reservations.

 

[Jrb1979]

They are just spreading people across the parks. They say a park is "sold out" as to direct people to other parks. Disney is playing games behind the scenes and can make the limit whatever they want it to be for any park. I am not sure I have seen a day yet where all parks were sold out. For example, let's say that the most any one park can hold is 1000 guests. Behind the scenes they may make each park have a "limit" of 500 and it is then listed as "sold out" when those 500 spaces are reserved which then forces folks to then select another park. The parks are not truly sold out as it isn't like they are counting noses of how many are departing and then only allow a one for one as people park hop. If it looks as though things are filling to the 500 limit they can then adjust the limit up to allow more people in each park. It is better for Disney to spread people out so they do that by playing games with the reservations.

I agree that's what they are doing. I saw this posted somewhere and think this would be the best solution to a lot of this.

Maybe they should take a leaf out of Tokyo Disneyland's book which pre-COVID on multi-day tickets enforced a visit to Disneyland and DisneySea before the third and any additional days.

For example a 4 day ticket would be one visit to each WDW park. A fifth day would be your choice or where to revisit.

Taking this a step further any additional days up to 8 you couldn't repeat a park more than twice until day 9.

 

[Dcgc28]

We were there last month from March 5th to the 15th, and G+ was never only $15 during that period, but the highest we saw it was $29. The lowest was, maybe (not sure and ThrillData is down right now), $18 or $19.

I definitely wouldn't budget for $15. You're likely to be disappointed.

We went 20th to 25th and I can back this up. It was 25 25 and 27 the days we purchased. I’d say as we get into the summer and even busier time it’s going to get to 40-50 sooner rather than later.

 

[austinelsa]

re: Genie pricing and selling out now 3 or 4 days in a row....

Especially given the $35 price pt, im convinced they've cut the G+ availability bucket down significantly. No way the parks are so crowded that even at $35 its selling out the same number of G+ subs daily as they sold over week 10 ($29) that only sold out 1 day.

I was there Week 10 and it was pretty darn packed. On property hotels were sold out. Local schools were off too.

Am I wrong? Is it even more insane this week?

 

[soniam]

I agree that's what they are doing. I saw this posted somewhere and think this would be the best solution to a lot of this.

Maybe they should take a leaf out of Tokyo Disneyland's book which pre-COVID on multi-day tickets enforced a visit to Disneyland and DisneySea before the third and any additional days.

For example a 4 day ticket would be one visit to each WDW park. A fifth day would be your choice or where to revisit.

Taking this a step further any additional days up to 8 you couldn't repeat a park more than twice until day 9.

TDR doesn't even offer that now, and they are limiting attendance through ticket sale and no APs. You can only buy single park tickets right now, except for some occasional PM single park tickets that would allow you to theoretically hop by purchasing 2 tickets. They are also using VQs, or similar methods, for some rides, shops, and restaurants to limit crowds.

I'm not sure how well enforcing people to attend every park would work at WDW. Even though I love all of the parks and could spend all day at most of them, Epcot, AK, and DHS are still fairly limited on their rides. You would be forcing people to buy a ticket for a "half day" park with nowhere to go for part of the day. Also, people could get around it possibly by buying 2 sets of tickets and theoretically resetting the park requirement. I think it would not go over well at all at WDW.