Genie Questions and Answers (with no commentary)

[kylenne]

8. I think Genie plus and lightning lane are the same thing. Buying Genie plus gives you access to the lightning lane. For upcharges, they've only announced a few. Rise of the Resistance, Remi's Ratatouille Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers, and Spiderman will all be extra cost, but they haven't announced the price yet. They specifically mentioned Smuggler's Run and Big Thunder will be included in the standard Genie plus, which leads me to believe that only 1 or 2 rides per park will be upcharges.

“Lightning Lane” is just the replacement name for the FastPass+ queue. Buying Genie+ will allow you to use the LL queue. The pay per ride thing has no actual name from what I can tell but it will also allow you to access the LL queue at specific rides that will not be included in the “all inclusive” G+ service.

Seeing a lot of very understandable confusion about this everywhere.

 

[jimmymc]

I don’t think the bolded is true. The info page on the WDW page specifies they are 2 separate things:

“For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying our theme parks, through a queue we are introducing called the Lightning Lane entrance that also saves you time in line:

• Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort.
• Individual attraction selections (available for purchase): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.”

It doesn’t really specify if you’ll have to buy Genie + to access the individual attractions. I think we might need more info to know for sure.

For both options it mentions the "Lightning Lane Entrance". Genie+ is what you purchase in the app, while Lightning Lane is the name of the queue.

Somewhere else in the announcement it mentions that Genie+ and the individual attractions are separate. So you can buy a one time pass to Seven Dwarfs without purchasing the Genie+ service.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

How long are the time slots? An hour? Half hour?

 

[jimmymc]

“Lightning Lane” is just the replacement name for the FastPass+ queue. Buying Genie+ will allow you to use the LL queue. The pay per ride thing has no actual name from what I can tell but it will also allow you to access the LL queue at specific rides that will not be included in the “all inclusive” G+ service.

Seeing a lot of very understandable confusion about this everywhere.

Yes, that's what I was trying to say but your version is much clearer.

 

[CarolynFH]

“Lightning Lane” is just the replacement name for the FastPass+ queue. Buying Genie+ will allow you to use the LL queue. The pay per ride thing has no actual name from what I can tell.

Seeing a lot of very understandable confusion about this everywhere.

The pay per ride is referred to as “individual attraction selections” in the Disney Parks Blog announcement, so I’m calling them IAS for now. There might have been other terminology or acronym used in the 16-minute Parks Blog video, but I don’t have time to rewatch that now!

 

[kylenne]

The pay per ride is referred to as “individual attraction selections” in the Disney Parks Blog announcement, so I’m calling them IAS for now. There might have been other terminology or acronym used in the 16-minute Parks Blog video, but I don’t have time to rewatch that now!

Good catch, I didn’t see the actual DPB post.

 

[focusondisney]

For both options it mentions the "Lightning Lane Entrance". Genie+ is what you purchase in the app, while Lightning Lane is the name of the queue.

Somewhere else in the announcement it mentions that Genie+ and the individual attractions are separate. So you can buy a one time pass to Seven Dwarfs without purchasing the Genie+ service.

Ah, sorry. I thought you were saying you have to buy Genie + to buy the individual rides. But I agree with you & @kylenne, “Lightening Lane” is just the relabeled fastpass return line everyone will use.

 

[CarolynFH]

Good catch, I didn’t see the actual DPB post.

The DPB post is HERE, in case you want to read it. There are two videos, and the longer one (16 minutes) is definitely worth watching.

 

[HopperFan]

I believe there will be a subset of the "E-Ticket" attractions (apparently 2 per park?) that had been FP+, but will not be Genie+ because they'll be Virtual and/or Lightning (paid) attractions. For example, Mine Train had been FP+, but will likely be the paid Lightning access now (if you don't want to do standby) and not Genie+. Way more clarification needed!

I'm not reading it that way. I'm reading it that virtual will not have Genie+ which I understand. No where did I read there will be 2 per park offered. What I read is you can purchase 1-2 per day. This makes sense if there is only 1 at one park (7DMT) but you hop to another so can get another OR there is a park that might have 2.

My concern is down the road they might offer it at 1, 4 or 6 attractions each park if they think people would pay. This is about $$ so you might see it at Peter Pan, it doesn't have to be just an "E" ticket. Many kids don't ride "E" ticket rides, but parents might pay the extra to get them on Frozen faster. That will really impact Genie+.

Direct from Disney regarding Genie+

"You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability)."

The more places they let you roll times, the more time you have to spend money.

Direct from Disney regarding paid Lightning Lane

"Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance"


And if they are making rides that are virtual only and remove time slots for paid slots .... meaning less chance of getting boarding passes ... they could turn more people away since they won't want to waste a reservation on a park like DHS or Epcot. Our group in July skipped DHS because it wasn't worth it to them without the Rise boarding pass. I will likely continue to skip Epcot most trips if it means Remy is virtual only. Unless they make the paid option very reasonable (we'll skip dining there and just pack a sandwich) I could save lots of walking around a dated mall and food court construction zone. They need to remember that for many guests they will rob Peter to pay Paul and Disney won't make any more money from them, but then there is basically no cost of goods for LL so ... win/win?


But I agree, every facet of this will need clarification, we are only 24 hours in. I am actually surprised we got as much info as we have.

 

[kylenne]

The DPB post is HERE, in case you want to read it. There are two videos, and the longer one (16 minutes) is definitely worth watching.

Thanks, I caught the longer video on the way home from work yesterday but fell asleep on it lol

 

[1lilspark]

I’m not a theme park journalist but from my understanding

Note: This is a thread for those who wish to learn more about Genie and discuss how it will work. Please do not add any color commentary or opinions on whether it’s good or bad for the consumer, etc. We all have opinions on that, but this thread is not the place to air those. Thank you for adhering to the spirit of this post.

I have questions about functionality; I’m sure others do as well. Perhaps there aren’t clear answers yet, but if others know the answers, please share.

1. Virtual queues will still be in play, correct? We’ll still have the ability to get a boarding pass for ROTR (and Remy, and potentially other attractions in the future, like Tron), and not pay?
Yes… though it will be interesting to see if these rides still have two virtual queue drops and the % of ride capacity for virtual boarding groups vs a flex priced pay to play lightning lane pass
2. See #1; if we aren’t able to get a boarding pass for one of the VQ attractions, will we have the opportunity to purchase Lightening Lane for them?
Yes… price is a flex price so will vary based on time of year/park capacity/demand…
3. Will we be able to purchase Genie+ for singular days and for individual people, or is it all or nothing?
It’s per person per day…. From my interpretation you add it by the day and not as a length of ticket add on to packages/APs though that is definitely subject to change
4. Do you have to purchase Genie+ to be able to access Lightening Lane?
From my interpretation you can spend the $15 a day for booking return times on rides available on genie+ AND/OR purchase up to two premium lightning lane attractions for optimal flexibility
5. Will this create a scenario where additional attractions won’t have an opportunity for a standby line? (I understand virtual queue attractions already don’t have standby.)
I would assume that like FP+ before there will be an arbitrary amount of bookable “lightning lane” slots via genie+ or pay to play depending on the attraction per hour (for example 60% of hourly ride capacity filled by potential lightning lane slots 40% by standby)

only Rise, Remy (and Web Slingers in California) won’t have a free standby option (just boarding group lottery or flex price pay to play)

 

[1lilspark]

6. How will this work with DAS? In the past, you could hold a FP+ while also having a DAS return time. Will guests with a DAS be allowed to purchase Genie+ (G+), book a return time that way and still have a separate DAS return time for another attraction?

I know there are enhancements to DAS like being able to “enroll” via video chat 30 days prior to your park pass and book up to two attractions at that time…

I also read the current system will still be in tact as well

7. How will purchasing G+ be handled if you already have a ticket or AP? Will it be a simple in-app purchase or will a visit to GS be required to add it to your pass?

For APs there is no add on to your pass as of now you need to pay $15 day of if you want to use G+ service

as far as multi day tickets and packages I assume it’s the same way

on-site you can buy in/book first ride 7am off site you need to tap into park first


8. Which attractions will be G+ attractions and which will be LL attractions? How much will LL cost for each attraction (just having a range for prices would be helpful)?
Confirmed for G+ are haunted mansion, thunder mountain and smugglers run
Confirmed for lightning lane premium are mine train, radiator springs (DCA) + RotR, Remy, Webslingers (DCA) w/o a boarding group

 

[kylenne]

Blog Mickey posted a really helpful breakdown of what we know so far.

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/differences-between-disney-genie-disney-genie-and-lightning-lane/
There is also a very nice infographic from Scott Gustin explaining it.

 

[Skicks35]

I just wanted to follow up on question #4 - any other thoughts on if you are required to purchase Genie+ as a prerequisite in order to then pay for additional tier 1 attractions, or can you do that without purchasing Genie+?

 

[Marionnette]

I just wanted to follow up on question #4 - any other thoughts on if you are required to purchase Genie+ as a prerequisite in order to then pay for additional tier 1 attractions, or can you do that without purchasing Genie+?

I believe that you will not need to purchase G+ in order to be fleeced - I mean happily purchase LL$.

 

[Skicks35]

I believe that you will not need to purchase G+ in order to be fleeced - I mean happily purchase LL$.

Ha, thank you! I just watched the 15 min video and it seemed to confirm this belief as them being separate, but who knows

 

[bnf0522]

This may have been covered already and, if so I'm sorry for asking it again....

Can we add the Genie+ service while we're on our trip or does it have to be done before check-in? I'm wondering if we'll be able to see how busy the parks are on the first few days of our trip then add Genie+ if necessary for the last few days.

 

[CarolynFH]

This may have been covered already and, if so I'm sorry for asking it again....

Can we add the Genie+ service while we're on our trip or does it have to be done before check-in? I'm wondering if we'll be able to see how busy the parks are on the first few days of our trip then add Genie+ if necessary for the last few days.

You can/will add Genie+ each day, as early as 7 AM if you're staying onsite and as early as park open if you're offsite. So you can decide each day, based on what you're seeing in the basic Genie app (which takes the place of MDE).

 

[Sherlee]

Will we still use our Magic Bands to access everything?

 

[Miffy]

Park-hopping questions--and I understand if no one knows the answer, since info is sparse.

(1) If I park-hop, do I have to purchase a new G+ for the new park?

(2) Regarding the E-ticket paid attractions: Is this just a maximum of two of these per day, no matter which park you're in? So if I use up my 2 paid E-tickets for FoP and NRJ (assumption here that both Pandora rides will still be tier 1), then park-hop to DHS and wanted to buy more tier 1 rides, could I? Or did I use up the 2 for the day?

(3) I've assumed that the extra-fee rides are separate from G+. Yes? And that the LL is the same LL for both G+ and extra-fee purchases?

I must have about 100 more questions, but I'll stop here. Thanks in advance for more insights.