Goodbye, Maxpass. Hello, Disney Genie.

[GatorChris]

The more I read about this thing, the more I hate it. At least in the MaxPass days, you could get ALL of the ride attractions on the app. And if you didn't want the app, you could walk from one end of the park to other. Either way, we were all on equal footing. Now it will be like being at Universal, when you see those handfuls of people hit the Express Pass lane, which you know will make your line wait longer. All because they have more expendable cash. Now we'll feel the same at Disney. Forget the Magic. Give into the class warfare hate. Disney has had some bad ideas. This one has got to be up there with the worst of them. If not THE worst.

What it should've been called...

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

As someone who doesn’t go to Disneyland often, I will gladly pay what they want for a guarantee to ride the new virtual line rides that don’t offer standing in line. The thought of going and not getting to ride is disappointing.

Everyone saying they feel forced to pay due to having little kids and long lines, I get that feeling, but try to embrace the experience. Some of our favorite memories was standing in lines. We met new people, kids played with kids in lines. My daughter was 7 when meeting Anna and Elsa was a huge deal, they were at Disneyland and Olaf was on the roof. She chose to stand in that line for almost 3 hours. We had the best time. Moms took turns taking girls on potty breaks and making snack runs. I loved that. There were really awesome moms at Disneyland that week.

At 7 years old, I can see this. Not at 3 or 4 or even 5 honestly. Although I have boys and their threshold for patiently waiting is so much less than any of my nieces’. My 6 year old can wait about 30 minutes but only once or twice a day. He really couldn’t (wouldn’t) wait in a hour-long line.

 

[Drewski77]

You could only ever have one Maxpass until the boarding window opened, which allowed you to book another one. Pretty sure this is the same concept, just less attractions.

I remember having multiple passes at the same time, based on a 90 minute wait for the next one, not checking in for a ride.

And the “just less attractions” fundamentally changes this new program, because the attractions omitted are the very best ones.

And these previously included attractions, were a huge reason why people purchased the Maxpass in the first place.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

You could only ever have one Maxpass until the boarding window opened, which allowed you to book another one. Pretty sure this is the same concept, just less attractions.

You could hold more than one MaxPass at a time. You either had to wait 90 minutes or until you used the Maxpass if the return window was less than 90 minutes. Once 90 minutes passed, you could book another Maxpass regardless of whether or not you have used the previous one, resulting in holding more than one Maxpass at once.

 

[Chickinvic]

I didn't like having to figure out what 3 rides at what park, 60 days in advance! Crazy!! So yes, sucked hard!!

And that was obviously with you staying on the Disney property. With staying off site, try finding any of the really good ones 30 days in advance after they've all been picked over to death. I HATED that dumb system. I will be welcoming a more level playing field. I'm not kidding myself - because I know WDW will still find ways to screw over the people who dare to stay off site and rob them of even more money they could be getting from us...

 

[Chickinvic]

While I agree that Space Mountain very much could be one of the "for purchase" rides in Disneyland, I do believe that screen shot was for Magic Kingdom at WDW. There is no guarantee that just because a ride is "for purchase" at one park, the same ride at the other park will also be "for purchase". I feel pretty confident though they will put at least one of Space Mountain or Indiana Jones on the additional purchase list.

Well, WDW's Space Mountain isn't as good as Disneyland's version, so I'd be pretty shocked if it was for $ there and not at DL.

 

[Chickinvic]

The more I read about this thing, the more I hate it. At least in the MaxPass days, you could get ALL of the ride attractions on the app. And if you didn't want the app, you could walk from one end of the park to other. Either way, we were all on equal footing. Now it will be like being at Universal, when you see those handfuls of people hit the Express Pass lane, which you know will make your line wait longer. All because they have more expendable cash. Now we'll feel the same at Disney. Forget the Magic. Give into the class warfare hate. Disney has had some bad ideas. This one has got to be up there with the worst of them. If not THE worst.

What it should've been called...
View attachment 598434

I think this system will improve WDW vastly since their FP+ system was so completely unfair to anyone not staying on site (plus it sucked in general). For DL, I will wait and see. I think it might actually improve the standby lines.

I honestly would rather just return to the way it used to be before all these "systems". Everyone had a level playing field, and that was that. Life is about choices. Don't want to wait so long for one ride, then do something else. And frankly, back then a 45 minute wait for Space Mountain was about the longest line I remember and that was during busy spring break (and long before the 2nd park). But, I realize those days are long gone.

 

[brightlined]

You could hold more than one MaxPass at a time. You either had to wait 90 minutes or until you used the Maxpass if the return window was less than 90 minutes. Once 90 minutes passed, you could book another Maxpass regardless of whether or not you have used the previous one, resulting in holding more than one Maxpass at once.

My favorite (weekday) MaxPass strategy (which might work for G+) was to pile up FPs for later in the day while the early-day lines were short. Snag a 4:30pm RSR FP in the morning, a 5pm Guardians FP in the early afternoon, etc, and have a solid run of the good stuff once the late-day crowds started to arrive.

 

[Chickinvic]

My favorite (weekday) MaxPass strategy (which might work for G+) was to pile up FPs for later in the day while the early-day lines were short. Snag a 4:30pm RSR FP in the morning, a 5pm Guardians FP in the early afternoon, etc, and have a solid run of the good stuff once the late-day crowds started to arrive.

What you used to be able to do with paper FP until they started enforcing return times. Ah, the good old days. I suspect this new system will work in a similar way. You'll be able to have more than one booked. I'll wait until it actually rolls out and people will be posting all the ways it works.

 

[Simba001]

Other random thoughts:

1) The TouringPlans, I mean, Disney Genie day planning system -- I wonder if it can outperform a) TouringPlans or b) park knowledge in terms of # of rides ridden. I think we need like, a scientific experiment where three people vie to ride a whole list of attractions and see who comes out ahead (not using any G+ or LL). Volunteers, please!

2) Why does WDW get augmented reality and DLR doesn't? It's literally.... fake pictures on a phone. Is it bad that I'm cynical and am thinking to myself, "well, this is one way to cut back on character experiences... just have them be AI augmented reality characters." Blah.

3) It's going to be a mad rush of people on their phones in the mornings -- 7am BG for ROTR, 7:30am (if 8am gate opening) rush to tag into the parks so you can purchase G+/LL, setting your Disney Genie agenda (maybe), getting mobile food orders placed. If you guys don't upgrade your phones often, it's probably a good time to do so.

Yes…. My iPhone 7 is not going to survive in the Parks . Eagerly awaiting the iPhone13 launch.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Since Indiana Jones breaks down so often I would bet Space Mountain will end up being the choice.

I imagine the rides with this up charge will also become extra popular to rope drop- I know that's what I'm going to do. Or ride at closing.

It's probably true that Space Mountain is more likely. Though I will point out that RSR and Rise both break down a lot, so I bet the frontline CM is not going to be loving the line of unhappy guests at City Hall every day once this thing gets implemented. Also, I still keep thinking that Peter Pan could end up on the pay to ride list, especially if that level of upcharge works more as a front of the line admittance with little queueing. I'm guessing that there will only be two rides per park on this upcharge list at least initially. That still leaves them a comfortable "more than 15" for genie+.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

That's true, but for all practical purposes when you're visiting with an under 5...maybe under 7...you are forced to pay because kids are not going to wait in a 70 min line for RSR. Disney knows this and that's a bit gross too - that an alleged family/small child friendly destination is backing families with small children into a corner. But I digress

I mean, I have to push back on this is a bit. I have waited in a LOT of Disney lines with a lot of different kids, including some whose parents were sure they "couldn't do lines." Does anyone want to wait in a 70-minute line with a four-year-old? Nope. But you certainly can. I'm not saying it's not a bummer, because it is, and you usually have to put some effort into entertaining them with word games and I Spy and whatnot. But people are acting like you literally cannot ride these rides without paying, and that's a bit dramatic...

It's probably true that Space Mountain is more likely.

In addition to the possible breakdown issue, Space was a much more popular FP than IJ. If it's two per park, my guess would be ROTR and Space on the DL side, and we already have a confirmed Webslingers and RSR on the DCA side.

 

[SeaDis]

What you used to be able to do with paper FP until they started enforcing return times. Ah, the good old days. I suspect this new system will work in a similar way. You'll be able to have more than one booked. I'll wait until it actually rolls out and people will be posting all the ways it works.

We were there the day the signs went up, enforcing return times. Ah the memories.
ETA: It was February 2013, I believe.

If Genie+ doesn't allow stacking at the window, or 90 minutes (or less)... we're out. Easy decision for this family.

 

[Chickinvic]

We were there the day the signs went up, enforcing return times. Ah the memories.

If Genie+ doesn't allow stacking at the window, or 90 minutes (or less)... we're out. Easy decision for this family.

I think it will allow stacking. I'm fairly certain it will work similarly to the MaxPass in that regard.

 

[Chickinvic]

It's probably true that Space Mountain is more likely. Though I will point out that RSR and Rise both break down a lot, so I bet the frontline CM is not going to be loving the line of unhappy guests at City Hall every day once this thing gets implemented. Also, I still keep thinking that Peter Pan could end up on the pay to ride list, especially if that level of upcharge works more as a front of the line admittance with little queueing. I'm guessing that there will only be two rides per park on this upcharge list at least initially. That still leaves them a comfortable "more than 15" for genie+.

Well, Peter Pan would be an easy one for me to skip on lol. I will never understand the mad popularity of that ride. It's kind of cute, but that's about it. I just don't get it. And I would never wait in a huge line for it.

 

[SeaDis]

I think it will allow stacking. I'm fairly certain it will work similarly to the MaxPass in that regard.

Same here. I think it has to for all the reasons noted already.

 

[Malcon10t]

You could only ever have one Maxpass until the boarding window opened, which allowed you to book another one. Pretty sure this is the same concept, just less attractions.

MaxPass could be multiple if you selected a ride with a later time. Let's say at 10am, you chose Indy at 3p. At 1130, you could book BTMRR at 1145, then once you rode that, you could get one for Matterhorn at 130, then Indy at 3. My kids were really good at stacking rides.

That said, maybe I am old, but I don't get why kids can't wait in line. My grandson was able to wait 2 hours to ride Smugglers when he was 4. My kids grew up standing in lines if they wanted to ride. What do you do about Webslingers? My grandson (now 6) was able to wait (with siblings who are 8,9, 10) for the 90 mins to get on the ride, then we were stuck for an hour ON the ride. I guess I am mean because with my kids/grandkids it has been if you want to ride, you wait in line.

 

[Epicnemesis]

Yea my 5 1/2 year old certainly doesn’t like it, but she waits when she has to. The only line I don’t have her wait on is Peter Pan because it’s so cramped and in the sun. I’ll usually wait in line alone and have her and my wife join at the final ramp. It’s easy for them to hop on there, and it’s 1 boat regardless so it’s not like we are delaying anyone else’s ride.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Regarding "stacking" - one thing I haven't seen mentioned is that it's possible you won't be able to stack because return times won't be far enough out to support it.

If you don't have RSR snagging early demand, the other rides could be clustered much closer together. And with potentially way less people pulling FPs at all (depending on who decides to pay for G+)... it's possible that by noon, nothing has a later return than 2-3pm.

Of course, it could go other other way and if everyone buys it and there are fewer rides, the return times could spiral! Or something else could just take RSR's place as "by far the most popular FP," and it could work exactly the same way. There's no way to know. But it's a possibility.

 

[colormegreen]

So most likely if you do ride for purchase and it breaks down easy to assume no refund? I’d be pissed if I paid for Rise or webslinger (not saying it will be included) and got something else.

After thinking about it genie + is fine, but I have a problem with and then having a no refund option as I am only willing to pay for those once as my family has never risen them. Everything else would be waiting in line, if we move forward with the magic keys.