Genie Service

[WilsonFlyer]

I think the free fast pass system we had was fine, and that a fee could have been added for more than 3 passes. I wonder if cash guests will still find the deluxe resorts, without the free parking, free fastpasses, free airport shuttles, and so forth worth the prices? If not, things will change, as Disney does not want to be stuck with thousands of empty onsite rooms. And this may even affect DVC sales, as people do buy in for the onsite experience. Right now, Disney is riding high on the 50th anniversary stuff, but after that is over, we may see attendance drop significantly.

I liked fast pass because it was much simpler to schedule table service meals between FP times, and plan the day overall.

Maybe a topic for another thread... (I think I will) but very briefly, I firmly believe that given all the conversions of "deluxe" space to DVC, I think it's only a matter of time before the "moderates" become the new deluxes and the deluxes become virtually all DVC with the possible exception of the main house at GF and the Contemporary. I'm not sure that hasn't been the plan for a while now but it's just been masked by doing it slowly and deliberately. Make DVC a true "category" and boom, no more "deluxe" benefits for DVC unless you pay to play. I could go on and on, but it fits right in with what's going on with genie (little "g") and sort of right in with this thread from a 10k foot view.

 

[davper]

Yes and no.... if it was a dinner at a premium location or paying an upcharge for a shorter line, I'm still removing myself from one and putting it into another. It'll be one less person in quick service or one less person in stand by line.

While Moving from the line at QS to a Premium TS meal will improve the wait for those at the QS restaurant. The same is not true for ride queues
Moving from the Standby line to the Lighting line is not a zero sum for the person waiting in Standby. You are removing yourself from the end of the line to the front of the line. And now, everyone who was in front of you has to wait longer as a result.

 

[Thegoatfeeder]

But you understand all those people who now aren’t in the FP line will be in the standby line with you?

Not sure that is necessarily the case, I mean currently you book FPs 60 days out, if you aren't able to do that it means people may be more spread out.

I could be bang wrong on this, I just think that the amount of FPs that were given out before COVID had a massive negative impact on people who didn't/couldn't plan far in advance. Sure you could say well thats their mistake, but I think there's other ways of looking at this.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Yes, Genie+ & Disney are getting killed on Twitter, their website, here.... "Cheap-ek Money Grab" to sum it up.

I find it doubtful though that Disney execs will listen. This is a bigger deal than the noodles being put back on the menu at Ohana.

But I am hoping that this genie gets put back in its bottle.

GENIE has been in the works for over 12 years. DME was the first layer.
Disney has spent and invested billions ( with a s).
The execs see the big picture and the bottom line. Like it or not.

 

[limace]

Not sure that is necessarily the case, I mean currently you book FPs 60 days out, if you aren't able to do that it means people may be more spread out.

I could be bang wrong on this, I just think that the amount of FPs that were given out before COVID had a massive negative impact on people who didn't/couldn't plan far in advance. Sure you could say well thats their mistake, but I think there's other ways of looking at this.

We are mainly DL travelers so I think there, with all same day FPs, it’s the same group of folks.

 

[justadreamaway77]

I am waiting to see how this plays out too. From what I saw it’s just two and then the rest have to be based on the regular DAS system…except you will now be able to schedule on the phone vs having to find the blue shirt people or crisscross the park to get your return time

But it did seem to indicate if you scheduled the ones ahead there would be limits later. It’s not clear.

Honestly, though, I would hope we won’t see an increase in abuse as not sure what the benefit would be now that one can get the unlimited use.

This just makes me want to pull out my MS "card" which I never do. Not sure why they couldn't leave the DAS program alone.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

GENIE has been in the works for over 12 years. DME was the first layer.
Disney has spent and invested billions ( with a s).
The execs see the big picture and the bottom line. Like it or not.

You mean like the nba experience?

 

[BikeFan]

While Moving from the line at QS to a Premium TS meal will improve the wait for those at the QS restaurant. The same is not true for ride queues
Moving from the Standby line to the Lighting line is not a zero sum for the person waiting in Standby. You are removing yourself from the end of the line to the front of the line. And now, everyone who was in front of you has to wait longer as a result.

Exactly this. Plus, meal lines at Disney certainly were not operating at max capacity at all times, unlike a Tier 1 attraction like Flight of Passage. I've been to WDW at peak times like Christmas, and I could always find a food option without more than a 10 minutes wait if I wasn't too picky about the location or time of day.

 

[wnielsen1]

Don't worry everyone, once the dust settles, Genie+ will be included in DVC stays *


* for blue card members staying on direct points only

 

[SL6827]

Ok, here goes....

#1- We can still do rope drop and get in the stand by lines for SDMT, SDD, Test Track, Soarin, and other "Big" rides
each morning?

#2- After paying the $15 per day for the Genie, will we still have to pay to get a fast pass for rides like POTC, BTMR,
Dumbo, FEA, Barnstomer, ect?

#3- Will there be any headliner attractions that the only way you will be able to ride that you MUST pay to get on?

Thanks, I am so very confused about all this.

 

[Sparky984]

GENIE has been in the works for over 12 years. DME was the first layer.
Disney has spent and invested billions ( with a s).
The execs see the big picture and the bottom line. Like it or not.

You are right - The execs expected this reaction to it. Don’t let their enthusiasm for your flexibility fool anyone. They are excited for money, that’s their job. They are “confident” in the program and know that many guests are reluctant to change. Nothing is changing towards the guests favor until the supply/demand hurts the bottom line. Until then, benefits, perks, whatever will continue to erode and the cost of everything will increase.

It will swing back. It’s a matter of when and how hard. Until then, you pay the going rate or you don’t go.

 

[justadreamaway77]

Ok, here goes....

#1- We can still do rope drop and get in the stand by lines for SDMT, SDD, Test Track, Soarin, and other "Big" rides
each morning?

#2- After paying the $15 per day for the Genie, will we still have to pay to get a fast pass for rides like POTC, BTMR,
Dumbo, FEA, Barnstomer, ect?

#3- Will there be any headliner attractions that the only way you will be able to ride that you MUST pay to get on?

Thanks, I am so very confused about all this.

#1 All rides will have standby or virtual lines available.....they just will be less available spots (virtual) or slower moving lines (standby)

#2 Nobody knows what rides will require extra pay outside of what Disney said as an example....I know ROTR was mentioned by them.

#3 Again, all rides will have some type of chance to accessibility to all guests. (virtual lines would be the ones that could knock people out if they don't get a boarding group)

 

[wnielsen1]

Ok, here goes....

#1- We can still do rope drop and get in the stand by lines for SDMT, SDD, Test Track, Soarin, and other "Big" rides
each morning?

#2- After paying the $15 per day for the Genie, will we still have to pay to get a fast pass for rides like POTC, BTMR,
Dumbo, FEA, Barnstomer, ect?

#3- Will there be any headliner attractions that the only way you will be able to ride that you MUST pay to get on?

Thanks, I am so very confused about all this.

#1 - Yes
#2 - No with the exception of the roughly 2 attractions per park that are not included in Genie+
#3 - No with the exception of those that use a virtual queue that have already distributed all boarding groups (think ROTR)

 

[pianomanzano]

Don't worry everyone, once the dust settles, Genie+ will be included in DVC stays *


* for blue card members staying on direct points only

Ugh, that asterisk part I feel is a real possibility and I think would be the tipping point for going direct over resale for me at least. For a ~$60pp diff to have g+, merch/food discounts, and AP (if they reinstate those discounts), I'd go direct.

 

[SL6827]

#1 - Yes
#2 - No with the exception of the roughly 2 attractions per park that are not included in Genie+
#3 - No with the exception of those that use a virtual queue that have already distributed all boarding groups (think ROTR)

Ok, well that is good, I think. We are big time rope droppers, so we will continue to do that every park morning. We will buy the $15 app purchase for our group next January (or whenever we get to go) and I will try to get in on some virual queues with the brand new rides.

Then after that, we are done with Disney for a long while.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

When is the charge for the toilets coming?

Now, that's been tried before. Disney won't try to do the same stupid thing. They will at least come up with some new stupid idea. (Does no one remember Ryan Air's attempt to do this in 2010?)

Need to charge up the GoPros. Gonna be some good YT footage when mama has to wait 20 minutes because 100 other people paid for it at the same time she did and her 4YODD is having a tired tamptrum at 5:00pm in 90 degree heat.

"But I PAID to go to the front of the (insert expletives here) lines!"

This is one of my bigger concerns. You do not get "instant" access. You get "the next available window". If at 10am on Genie+ I want to ride Peter Pan and I get a "come back at 4pm", that's going to be a problem. Even worse since I can't then ride something else until after that. To make this work, my window is going to have to be in the next 20 minutes or so, which means it will have to be a limited number of people buying it. Unless they limit the number of Genie+ tickets, this could be a problem. If they do limit it, we are back to "better be prepared to buy it within the first 0.000000000001 seconds of it going on sale".

Fact: It’s nothing more than a cash grab. <snip> Even if you can well afford paying another $500 a day per person for your entire stay, this should not sit well with you.

Fact: this is nothing more than an opinion.


For me personally, I think the devil is in the details. I will have to see how it pans out. One of the things I do not like compared to FP+ is that with FP+ I was at least guaranteed 60 days in advance to experience my rides of choice (minus a disaster on the ride in question). Plus, planning my WDW trips was half the fun for me. With Genie+, it may tell me that I will get on Peter Pan at 2pm, but day off, that could all change. If I could lock in the plan and keep it, that would work for me as an option.

Also, as mentioned before, I think a lot depends on how many people pay. If too many people pay for it, it will be a problem.

But overall, I like the possibilities and think it's going to be a more positive experience (I am ever the optimist).

 

[SL6827]

Ugh, that asterisk part I feel is a real possibility and I think would be the tipping point for going direct over resale for me at least. For a ~$60pp diff to have g+, merch/food discounts, and AP (if they reinstate those discounts), I'd go direct.

I agree, DVC will play into this in some way. You can be a "direct" member with only 25 direct points. But if you are staying at OKW on your 110 worth of resale points, it may not apply, even if you have those 25 direct points.

 

[davper]

Don't worry everyone, once the dust settles, Genie+ will be included in DVC stays *


* for blue card members staying on direct points only

I disagree. DVC is already a captured audience coming regardless. But I can see them doing promotions giving free g+ with package like they used to do with free dining.
But if they do that too much, it will diminish the value. It then becomes a required purchase just to stay on equal footing with other guests who got it "free" and becomes more distasteful. By keeping it a paid service, it is then perceived as premium and more exclusive.

 

[davper]

Fact: this is nothing more than an opinion.

 

[SL6827]

Right now, $15 per head for our party of three is $45 a day, times four = $180.00 for our next trip. Just think when that $15 a day is up to $30 or $35 a day. Whewwww, this will really cost much more in the future. What if a family has 4-6 people in the party. Cha-chinnnnngggggg!!!!