Goodbye, Maxpass. Hello, Disney Genie.

[PirateBrigade]

They're simply adopting the "pay to play" platform that stupid mobile games have been using forever. Sure, you can play Candy Crush for free and wait 20 minutes to unlock the next level, OR pay to unlock it immediately. There are ALWAYS people who are willing to pay for faster access. I've never paid a penny to a mobile game to unlock anything. I also won't pay for a LL ride. If enough people don't pay, Disney will change it. I can honestly see the pay to ride portion of Genie backfiring on them. A year from now, they will walk this whole system back under the guise of being heroes and turn Genie into what Maxpass was all along. This is their attempt at quick cash. I don't think it will work at Disneyland specifically. I can see it being successful at WDW, though. I just don't think enough frequent DL visitors feel like they NEED to pay to ride anything.

I've spent over $3000 (over 3 years) on a very expensive multiplayer online game -- not exactly proud of that fact writing it down, but it was definitely one of those games that warranted its own google calendar, share documents, and online server similar in service to Slack but for gamers. I was probably in the middle quartile of spend.

But I also have paid $0 to Zynga for Candy Crush, lol.

 

[PirateBrigade]

Your mobile food order costs $35 and has a 45 minute wait, but for just $10 you can jump in line and it will be ready in 20 minutes…

Oh God I'd pay that, I get hangry.

Lightning lanes for fried chicken or grilled cheese? Sign me up!

 

[brentm77]

Oh God I'd pay that, I get hangry.

Lightning lanes for fried chicken or grilled cheese? Sign me up!

I know you are just being playful, so my comment isn't directed at you. But this example is just another reason the new system stinks. Let's say they add this option to mobile order one day. Now, they actually make more money by understaffing the food service locations to bolster the need to buy the upgrade. If they focus on efficiency, proper staffing, and quick service, they only hurt their bottom line.

The same goes for the new upgrades for premium rides. Always try to keep the parks filled to an uncomfortable capacity to maximize sales. Slow day? Make sure you run rides at reduced capacity to keep those LighteningLame sales at maximum!

I just miss the days when the focus was a better product for everyone, which would increase sales and maximize the prices you could charge for incidentals, like hotels and food. And like I said above, this isn't about the expense for us. We would gladly pay more for improved experiences, but that isn't what they are offering for our family. We like models where we pay upfront (think Disney cruising) and have everything included. We simply don't enjoy vacations where every little thing costs extra (even if the end price is the same), or where every little thing must be planned in 15 minute increments to work well.

 

[JWelch62]

Make sure you run rides at reduced capacity to keep those LighteningLame sales at maximum!

This may have been mentioned already, but my first thought was that we should keep an eye on the number of BGs distributed for ROTR and WS. I mean, there's no financial incentive for them to keep those low, right?

 

[TikiTikiFan]

This may have been mentioned already, but my first thought was that we should keep an eye on the number of BGs distributed for ROTR and WS. I mean, there's no financial incentive for them to keep those low, right?

I'm worried about how much harder it might be to get a boarding group now.... better practice those skills!

 

[SeaDis]

FreshBaked Genie+ predictions... Interesting thoughts from David:

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Seems like it would make more sense to do BG for RSR than for WS soon - WS's popularity seems to be going down a little bit and doesn't have quite the staying power that RotR has had, meanwhile RSR has consistently been a must-ride ever since carsland opened. That is quite some staying power! Even MFSR doesn't have the kind of lines RSR sees.

I'm an out of town visitor, who has never had an AP. My initial reaction to this seems more in-line with the reactions from local AP holders than my fellow-out of towners.

I also am reading a lot of the 'this could be better' comments and reminded that FP+ was also meant to make things better because it allowed you to plan in advance, and we all know how miserable that was. I think Genie+ will be better than FP+, but probably not the smashing success MP was. It seems like an upgrade for WDW, but a bit of a downgrade for DLR.

Love hearing all the different perspectives, and finding it interesting which posts I read and think yup yup yup, and which ones I think wow, never thought of that, now I have to re-think things.

Mainly appreciating the civility of the discussion

 

[squirt9999]

Not having the ability to stack after 90minutes is a loss. I thought that was a reasonable accommodation for the extended time of 'FP' wait for a paid benefit.

As for yearly - that's a lever Disney will probably pull as it figures out the attendance and buyup rate from Key passholders or simply just going without it if wait times remain low. eg ROTR BG still open at 1217pm today. Space 20min; Soarin' 10min; GOTG 5min; even non Genie+ 45min (read probably 30min) --- Really need Genie+? Not for Key holders with those waits.

 

[Chickinvic]

Not having the ability to stack after 90minutes is a loss. I thought that was a reasonable accommodation for the extended time of 'FP' wait for a paid benefit.

What makes you think this is the case? Is this confirmed and definite? I think everyone should just wait until this rolls out.

 

[ClaudiaKincaid]

This is so spot on to me!

Here is the new “Premium” Disneyland Experience:

Reserve a room at the Grand or Disneyland Hotel for $500+ a night and a magical trip awaits, right???

Early Morning Magic…Nope

O.K., but we can just buy our park tickets and go on the two newest rides ROTR and Webslingers…well, actually, no guarantee with the VQ or LL.

So, we can work around this stuff and buy Genie+ and at least get on all the other rides in a reasonable time…well, no, you see you’ll have to pay extra for the top attractions and only while supplies last.

But hey, at least we’ll be on our phones and in lines all day to see what we “might” be able to do at Disneyland!

You. YOU get it. It's this, exactly. Grrrrrr.

 

[EmJ]

You. YOU get it. It's this, exactly. Grrrrrr.

Hold up. Early morning magic is gone??

I have a lot to catch up on....

 

[Drewski77]

Hold up. Early morning magic is gone??

I have a lot to catch up on....

My guess is if it does come back, then it will be an upgrade you can pay for.

 

[EmJ]

My guess is if it does come back, then it will be an upgrade you can pay for.

Okay, so I just looked into this a bit. From what I can tell, DL "suspended" Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning due to park capacity issues. But it hasn't been officially discarded, like MaxPass. Is it just an assumption that these benefits won't be back in the future or won't be back in the same form? Or is there something else going on that I missed?

 

[whoever]

Okay, so I just looked into this a bit. From what I can tell, DL "suspended" Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning due to park capacity issues. But it hasn't been officially discarded, like MaxPass. Is it just an assumption that these benefits won't be back in the future or won't be back in the same form? Or is there something else going on that I missed?

EMH is a good chunk of what you pay for to stay on-site money-wise (easily a $1-200 per-day perk). Not having it is a major detractor from paying Disney bubble prices. Not all that jazzed about the MM on 3-day park hoppers for those staying offsite either. Disneyland is CRAZY busy during EMH on those days that they offer it. DCA is always a hoot during EMH as it doesn't have the MM option. If they don't bring it back, that's a huge part of the draw of staying on-site.

 

[DLgal]

What makes you think this is the case? Is this confirmed and definite? I think everyone should just wait until this rolls out.

Disney has said so. According to their own graphics, you can only have ONE Genie+ reservation at a time and cannot get another until you redeem that one at the ride.

 

[EmJ]

EMH is a good chunk of what you pay for to stay on-site money-wise (easily a $1-200 per-day perk). Not having it is a major detractor from paying Disney bubble prices. Not all that jazzed about the MM on 3-day park hoppers for those staying offsite either. Disneyland is CRAZY busy during EMH on those days that they offer it. DCA is always a hoot during EMH as it doesn't have the MM option. If they don't bring it back, that's a huge part of the draw of staying on-site.

Understood. I guess we will have to wait and see if it comes back in the future.

 

[dieumeye]

Early theme park entry is back at WDW in October (although I believe it’s only 30 minutes), so hopefully at least some early entry returns to DLR for hotel guests soon.

 

[JWelch62]

wrong thread

 

[dina444444]

Disney has said so. According to their own graphics, you can only have ONE Genie+ reservation at a time and cannot get another until you redeem that one at the ride.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1428425393242005508

 

[StormyCA]

So, 90 mins or 2 hours, but this is not actually confirmed, right?

This, if true, would put Genie+ almost back to MP standards and would definitely increase the user base. Assuming of course that the previous FP/MP attractions remain the same. The only thing 'missing' (and it's a big thing) would be the rides that are 'reserved' for LL+.

And TBH they really haven't said enough about exactly how LL+ will work; Will there be one a day or two a day? Will they change day to day, week to week, month to month? Will there be some type of schedule to check (not that that would help 'out of towners' much) or will it just be 'you pays your money and you takes your chances'? Will they be like FP/MPs and 'run out' for the day like FP/MP have or will they be continuous no matter how many people 'indulge' in them? Too many questions and not enough answers from Disney.

I half think they're right now madly googling Disney fansites and scribbling down all our 'yeas and nays' in order to formulate their actual policy.