Here Now & Just Back - A Place To Share Your Recent Experiences

[MainMom]

my point is I couldnt get another pass even after the second check point until 2 hours had passed since my last booking.

Correct. The double checkpoint has nothing to do with booking unless it’s your most recently booked LL.

 

[gzh6464]

OK so if I had gotten a pass for 9:30 AM double tapped at 9:40 AM I would be eligible for another pass at 9:40 and not wait until 11 AM? If so why couldnt I get one at 12:40 after I double tapped after the 12:30 reservation.

Essentially double tapping only works if you get early passes before the 2 hr rule is invoked. I had no chance to get any benefit from double tapping bc my pass was for 12:30 which was after my earliest chance to get a pass at 11 AM. Double tapping at 12:30 was of no benefit since I was eligible after 11 AM anyway.

Why has disney made this so complicated and not made it as simple as universal.?

 

[MainMom]

OK so if I had gotten a pass for 9:30 AM double tapped at 9:40 AM I would be eligible for another pass at 9:40 and not wait until 11 AM? If so why couldnt I get one at 12:40 after I double tapped after the 12:30 reservation.

Essentially double tapping only works if you get early passes before the 2 hr rule is invoked. I had no chance to get any benefit from double tapping bc my pass was for 12:30 which was after my earliest chance to get a pass at 11 AM. Double tapping at 12:30 was of no benefit since I was eligible after 11 AM anyway.

Why has disney made this so complicated and not made it as simple as universal.?

I think you’re stuck on the double tapping being something that it’s not. Some people will try to book their next LL after the first tap, see it’s not working and give up not realizing they have to tap a second time. When you see talk of double tapping it’s just to let people know that SOME lines have 2 checkpoints. There is no additional benefit. The benefit is if you have checked into your most recently booked LL or not. If it’s your most recent THEN you need to tap twice before the system will allow you to book again.

 

[jbish]

OK so if I had gotten a pass for 9:30 AM double tapped at 9:40 AM I would be eligible for another pass at 9:40 and not wait until 11 AM? If so why couldnt I get one at 12:40 after I double tapped after the 12:30 reservation.

Essentially double tapping only works if you get early passes before the 2 hr rule is invoked. I had no chance to get any benefit from double tapping bc my pass was for 12:30 which was after my earliest chance to get a pass at 11 AM. Double tapping at 12:30 was of no benefit since I was eligible after 11 AM anyway.

Why has disney made this so complicated and not made it as simple as universal.?

But by 12:30, you had already booked two G+. The one you got at 7 am and the one you got at 11 am. That means the next one you could get would be 1 pm, which is exactly what you experienced. If your 7 am booking had been around 9:30 am (as in your example above), yes, you would have been able to book your second one after the second tap. The EXACT scenario you are describing where you had booked one at 7 am and booked your second at 11 am, then tapped into your first G+ reservation at 12:30, does NOT open up another booking "thread" for you. That is the loophole that was closed by Disney, which is what others have been trying to say in response to your original post. You obviously saw earlier strategies postings where, basically, you had two different booking windows open up - one based on the two hour "cooling period" and one based on entering the ride queue (and double tapping). You only have ONE booking thread now.

From what I gather, previously it was an "AND" situation: you could book another G+ after you had tapped into your G+ reservation AND after 2 hours from your first reservation, and every two hours thereafter. Now it is "OR" - whichever comes first.

The next booking opportunity is based solely off of your most RECENTLY booked G+. Your THIRD booking opportunity is based on your SECOND G+ reservation, which, in your case, occurred at 11 am. Now, had your 11 am booking been for a ride at 11:30, which then you went through the queue (and had double tapped, if needed), then you would have immediately been able to book your THIRD G+.

[ETA: I have not been yet but this is my understanding of how things are RIGHT NOW - please correct me if I'm wrong. And who knows what it will be in April when I actually go.]

 

[snikki]

But by 12:30, you had already booked two G+. The one you got at 7 am and the one you got at 11 am. That means the next one you could get would be 1 pm, which is exactly what you experienced. If your 7 am booking had been around 9:30 am (as in your example above), yes, you would have been able to book your second one after the second tap. The EXACT scenario you are describing where you had booked one at 7 am and booked your second at 11 am, then tapped into your first G+ reservation at 12:30, does NOT open up another booking "thread" for you. That is the loophole that was closed by Disney, which is what others have been trying to say in response to your original post. You obviously saw earlier strategies postings where, basically, you had two different booking windows open up - one based on the two hour "cooling period" and one based on entering the ride queue (and double tapping). You only have ONE booking thread now.

The next booking opportunity is based solely off of your most RECENTLY booked G+. Your THIRD booking opportunity is based on your SECOND G+ reservation, which, in your case, occurred at 11 am. Now, had your 11 am booking been for a ride at 11:30, which then you went through the queue (and had double tapped, if needed), then you would have immediately been able to book your THIRD G+.

[ETA: I have not been yet but this is my understanding of how things are RIGHT NOW - please correct me if I'm wrong. And who knows what it will be in April when I actually go.]

 

[jbish]

View attachment 650828

I mean, basically.....

 

[gzh6464]

I was there the same time as you and agree with what you said. I also had issues with selecting another G+ ride after tapping into my ride. I had read tons of information before our trip and thought I understood how it worked. We were able to tap in 5 minutes before the return time and it turned the Mickey green. From what I understand NOW is that once you use the last G+, then you can select another. So if your first was at 12:35 and at 11:00 you picked one for 12:55, then after you tap in for the 12:55, you can make another selection and get in front of everyone trying at 1:00. By the time I figured this out, we were done with our park days, so I didn't get to try it out myself. We could never find options with near time return times, everything was for the late evening. We ended up with stacked G+ all overlapping for the late evening. It didn't seem to limit the number of overlapping selections.

Also figured out that if you are on a ride right at 11:00, then you get behind everyone the rest of the day and by 3:00 you are just out of luck! I overheard so many conversations waiting in line of confused people on how the system works and frustration on wasting money to get nothing. The lines were always so long at the Guest Experience tent that I never went to complain myself because I didn't want to waste time from my vacation.

For those of you watching and testing your plans at home, let me warn you that nothing is guaranteed until you get through the entire reservation process. I had ILL+ times change after the payment page, or worse say it was no longer available. Many, many times I clicked on a G+ and then it was no longer available. I thought my party of 2 would be easy to get reservations for, I can't imagine how difficult it is for a large group!

Yes I found the entire experience frustrating and in some cases a huge waste of money.


1- Getting on at 7A. Seeing availability for a ride at 10 (not sure why so late if it was only seconds after 7), pressing the reservation button and having a confirmed reservation for 12:30 !
2- Knowing I could get another pass at 11 so I did....but what this did is lock me into an every 2 hour pass. Double tapping had nothing to do with reservations as the next time I tried it told me I wasnt eligible until 2 hours after my last reservation.

3- G+ unnecessary at AK or Ep ( if you get up early or use evening hours)

4- Biggest frustration was DHS!!!! We paid for G+, got ToT at 11 ( after booking at 7A thinking we were getting 10 A). By the time our next window at 11 opened there was nothing left on any thing (all was gone by 11:05 on major rides. So we paid G+ at DHS for essentially paying a $15/per person charge to ride ToT once ( and no other rides - ok we di star tours but could have walked on anyway later in the day). A huge rip off and disappointment.


Universal has the express system down pat and much more customer friendly.

Only plus of the weeek if it was a plus was that Space and Frozen were on G+ and not ILL$

 

[gzh6464]

But by 12:30, you had already booked two G+. The one you got at 7 am and the one you got at 11 am. That means the next one you could get would be 1 pm, which is exactly what you experienced. If your 7 am booking had been around 9:30 am (as in your example above), yes, you would have been able to book your second one after the second tap. The EXACT scenario you are describing where you had booked one at 7 am and booked your second at 11 am, then tapped into your first G+ reservation at 12:30, does NOT open up another booking "thread" for you. That is the loophole that was closed by Disney, which is what others have been trying to say in response to your original post. You obviously saw earlier strategies postings where, basically, you had two different booking windows open up - one based on the two hour "cooling period" and one based on entering the ride queue (and double tapping). You only have ONE booking thread now.

[ETA: From what I gather, previously it was an "AND" situation: you could book another G+ after you had tapped into your G+ reservation AND after 2 hours from your first reservation, and every two hours thereafter. Now it is "OR" - whichever comes first.]

The next booking opportunity is based solely off of your most RECENTLY booked G+. Your THIRD booking opportunity is based on your SECOND G+ reservation, which, in your case, occurred at 11 am. Now, had your 11 am booking been for a ride at 11:30, which then you went through the queue (and had double tapped, if needed), then you would have immediately been able to book your THIRD G+.

[ETA: I have not been yet but this is my understanding of how things are RIGHT NOW - please correct me if I'm wrong. And who knows what it will be in April when I actually go.]

OK so if you get bookings soon and close together you can get this benefit. In a high volume period like this past week where booking times escalated quickly into the PM hours this will almost never happen. Maybe in low volume periods or on rides with low demand. But in those periods and in those cases you really wouldnt need G+ in the first place.

 

[roctavia]

Yes I found the entire experience frustrating and in some cases a huge waste of money.


1- Getting on at 7A. Seeing availability for a ride at 10 (not sure why so late if it was only seconds after 7), pressing the reservation button and having a confirmed reservation for 12:30 !
2- Knowing I could get another pass at 11 so I did....but what this did is lock me into an every 2 hour pass. Double tapping had nothing to do with reservations as the next time I tried it told me I wasnt eligible until 2 hours after my last reservation.

3- G+ unnecessary at AK or Ep ( if you get up early or use evening hours)

4- Biggest frustration was DHS!!!! We paid for G+, got ToT at 11 ( after booking at 7A thinking we were getting 10 A). By the time our next window at 11 opened there was nothing left on any thing (all was gone by 11:05 on major rides. So we paid G+ at DHS for essentially paying a $15/per person charge to ride ToT once ( and no other rides - ok we di star tours but could have walked on anyway later in the day). A huge rip off and disappointment.


Universal has the express system down pat and much more customer friendly.

Only plus of the weeek if it was a plus was that Space and Frozen were on G+ and not ILL$

The problem in comparing to universal is that the volumes are just way too different for a system like universal has to work at disney.... Unless it's outrageously expensive...which for what people will pay at disney, it would probably have to be $200 + per person, and even then a lot of people would be *****ing that it sold out before they could buy it, since it would have be quite limited to work the way express pass does at universal. And disney already does have their VIP tours that will take you to the front of all the lines.... they're just expensive...

 

[Neener16]

Wow, my head is spinning.
So, let’s say at 7 am I book a ride for 4:00. Park opens at 9:00.
at 11:00, I book a ride for 12:30. After I scan my magic band at both locations (assuming there are 2), can I immediately make another reservation or must I wait till 1:00?

 

[Turksmom]

Wow, my head is spinning.
So, let’s say at 7 am I book a ride for 4:00. Park opens at 9:00.
at 11:00, I book a ride for 12:30. After I scan my magic band at both locations (assuming there are 2), can I immediately make another reservation or must I wait till 1:00?

In that scenario, you can book another immediately after scanning because you are using the most recently booked

 

[Neener16]

In that scenario, you can book another immediately after scanning because you are using the most recently booked

Thank you. I appreciate everyone posting their experiences. It should not be this hard.

 

[lockets]

In that scenario, you can book another immediately after scanning because you are using the most recently booked

ohhhhhkkkk now i finally understand why i wasn't able to get G+ after taps (like people mentioned all over the boards) but after the 2 hour brackets instead. On the day I went it was impossible to get successively booked rides. i.e. in the morning I already had to book one very popular ride for later afternoon so that kills this tapping thing. When I got back I kept reading about all these "tappers" and I couldn't understand why I wasn't able to be one! I do wonder how many of the "tappers" (i.e. people who successfuly book something after tapping in vs. having to wait till next booking window) have actually done this in reality and aren't just theorizing about it as a possiblity on the boards. In reality, at least from what I experienced using it, G+ is so messy with popular rides only available later that it's really challenging for the times to fall in line perfectly like that.

 

[jbish]

ohhhhhkkkk now i finally understand why i wasn't able to get G+ after taps (like people mentioned all over the boards) but after the 2 hour brackets instead. On the day I went it was impossible to get successively booked rides. i.e. in the morning I already had to book one very popular ride for later afternoon so that kills this tapping thing. When I got back I kept reading about all these "tappers" and I couldn't understand why I wasn't able to be one! I do wonder how many of the "tappers" (i.e. people who successfuly book something after tapping in vs. having to wait till next booking window) have actually done this in reality and aren't just theorizing about it as a possiblity on the boards. In reality, at least from what I experienced using it, G+ is so messy with popular rides only available later that it's really challenging for the times to fall in line perfectly like that.

I think that's an important point and one that really determines what path you are on for the day. In MK, which is probably the best park for the "tap and book as you go" strategy, it really depends on what your priorities are. If you want to book Jungle Cruise, because you know that will be the first G+ that gets sold out in the day, it is unlikely you will get an early enough return time to use "tap and book" method. Therefore, you are stuck in the "wait two hours" loop. If you don't want JC, there's a better chance you can get something good early enough in the day to set you up for the rest of the day.

 

[Westerner]

The rule about when you can book your next G+ is documented in the Everything Genie, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane summary thread pinned to top of this board. See post 3. Excerpt below.

- BOOKING ELIGIBILITY: You become eligible to book another LL EITHER (1) after 2 hours (2 hours after park opening if the booking was done before park opening), OR (2) after double-tapping into the MOST RECENTLY BOOKED LL, whichever comes first.

To clarify OP's initial misconception: Tapping into a G+ LL that is NOT your most recently booked does nothing as far being eligible for your next LL. In practice, tapping into your most recently booked LL is only going to help you if you have a fairly early return time. The most common way for this to happen is for the 2nd LL. DHS Tap-In Example:

At 7AM Book MFSR for 955AM return time <= early return time is key
At 10AM tap in and book TSM.
Without the tap in rule you could only book your 2nd LL 2 hrs after park open e.g. at 11AM.

I personally used the tap-in rule several times.

 

[glocon]

I think the problem was that PP was not your most recent reservation when you tapped in. You had gotten a HM LL prior to that. So you were next eligible to get a new LL after your most recent reservation which was you HM not your PP.
it is very confusing.
Edit- I see my response was really late. Should have read more.

 

[lockets]

ohhhhhkkkk now i finally understand why i wasn't able to get G+ after taps (like people mentioned all over the boards) but after the 2 hour brackets instead. On the day I went it was impossible to get successively booked rides. i.e. in the morning I already had to book one very popular ride for later afternoon so that kills this tapping thing. When I got back I kept reading about all these "tappers" and I couldn't understand why I wasn't able to be one! I do wonder how many of the "tappers" (i.e. people who successfuly book something after tapping in vs. having to wait till next booking window) have actually done this in reality and aren't just theorizing about it as a possiblity on the boards. In reality, at least from what I experienced using it, G+ is so messy with popular rides only available later that it's really challenging for the times to fall in line perfectly like that.

I think that's an important point and one that really determines what path you are on for the day. In MK, which is probably the best park for the "tap and book as you go" strategy, it really depends on what your priorities are. If you want to book Jungle Cruise, because you know that will be the first G+ that gets sold out in the day, it is unlikely you will get an early enough return time to use "tap and book" method. Therefore, you are stuck in the "wait two hours" loop. If you don't want JC, there's a better chance you can get something good early enough in the day to set you up for the rest of the day.

E X A C T L Y. And of course we wanted Jungle Cruise lol. And all the other "more popular" rides like Haunted House, etc. Again - this makes me now question how many people are writing about the strategcy of tapping vs. having actually done it successfully in reality. I might start a post on that to learn more about the sequence of the rides they booked.

 

[Westerner]

TIP#6 - If you are using G+ you must be ready to use it at7A (resort guests) and (9A non resort guests or when ever park open that day. No learning the system last minute. Know exactly what you want and be prepared not to get it or not to get the times you want.

Correction to bolded portion: G+ is open to all guests at 7AM. It's $ILL rides eg RotR, FoP that are only open to onsite guests at 7AM and everyone else at park open. This is documented in the pinned summary thread I quoted above.

I personally booked multiple G+ LL's at 7AM while staying offsite.

 

[MaxsDad]

All this back and forth on double tapping and 2 hour rules and most recently booked just goes to show how absolutely ridiculous this system is. I am leaving today and super stressed out about trying to figure it all out.

 

[mfly]

We also were just at WDW, and I too found Genie+ unnecessarily complex. I’m pretty savvy, but my brain just shouldn’t keep track of exactly when I was eligible for booking the next LL. Frankly, I think the current booking rules are just absurd and need to be simplified.

My number one complaint about Genie+ and $ILL is that the booking time can change while you’re going through the process. This was so frustrating, particularly for $ILL booking. We’d see a time, go through the booking/payment process, and suddenly we’d be assigned a time 5+ hours later?

We were there over President’s Day Weekend, and $ILL booking was insanely competitive. Both days, we ended up being able to book what we wanted, but we didn’t get the times we wanted, which totally messed up our park hopping plans. I just don’t understand why Disney doesn’t pull whatever time it offers you from the current availability, give you a reasonable amount of time to check out (even a minute!), and then return that time to the availability if you don’t book within that window.

My other big complaint about $ILL and Genie+ is the inability to modify them. I assumed I’d be able to tweak my selections (both timing and attraction) like I used to be able to with FastPass+ (RIP). From what I could tell, I could only cancel my Genie+ selections and re-book, which it would only let me do if I was currently able to book another LL selection (i.e. I basically lost out on a LL window by swapping). $ILL doesn’t allow any modifications that I could find. It was frustrating when a better time for an $ILL or Genie+ selection would pop up, but there was nothing I could do to get it.