How much of a learning curve is Genie+ .... good tutorial?

[Disneysince82]

We are going for the holidays this December for 5 days. I have listening to a few podcast talking about guides etc. and I started to get a little worried. How much of a learning curve(how much can I do ahead of time to learn it?) is Genie+? I am fairly familiar with the app and like to play around with it. I just hate the idea of being tied to my phone all day when I am in the parks. I am going to get Magicbands(still not 100% sure if the are worth it but will most likely by them in DTD on the day we arrive) and right now have Genie+ & Park Hoppers -- another thing Ive heard Yes/No on.

Can anyone recommend a good tutorial or am I over thinking it?

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Here is a video with some details but mainly

1) Indy, GOTG and sometimes Space have the long times between when you get a LL and when you can use it. Indy on many days will run out before 6 PM on busy days
2) You can modify LL reservations meaning if you have one for say Small World but can't make it during your Window time you can Modify it instead of cancelling it. For example say you get Indy LL at 8 AM and its for 9 AM you could keep moving the time until when your ready to get on the ride
3) You can get a new LL by using an old one or if its out longer 2 hours after you booked your last LL
4) Rides like Star Tours and Buzz normally have LL times within 30 mins of booking, so I'd suggest doing those later

Lastly make sure you rope drop, even if you have to go back to your hotel to nap. Those first toe hours you can literally walk on most Fantasyland rides and get on Matterhorn, Space and other bigger rides within 15 mins

 

[Disneysince82]

Here is a video with some details but mainly

1) Indy, GOTG and sometimes Space have the long times between when you get a LL and when you can use it. Indy on many days will run out before 6 PM on busy days
2) You can modify LL reservations meaning if you have one for say Small World but can't make it during your Window time you can Modify it instead of cancelling it. For example say you get Indy LL at 8 AM and its for 9 AM you could keep moving the time until when your ready to get on the ride
3) You can get a new LL by using an old one or if its out longer 2 hours after you booked your last LL
4) Rides like Star Tours and Buzz normally have LL times within 30 mins of booking, so I'd suggest doing those later

Lastly make sure you rope drop, even if you have to go back to your hotel to nap. Those first toe hours you can literally walk on most Fantasyland rides and get on Matterhorn, Space and other bigger rides within 15 mins

Thanks!!! I 100% plan to rope drop & was listening to a podcast about ride stop/park close but I could see that going very wrong & don't want to do that with a 5 yr old LOL I could see us trying to do that a couple days, and our 15 yr old doing it.....but I will be up 1st thing and rest to hit Fantasyland

 

[Kit Jackson]

@Disneysince82 Since you are going with a 5 year old, if you hadn't already planned to, consider taking some time to go back to the hotel in the afternoon to rest/relax, and then head out and do a few more things after. You will still be able to see and do everything you want.

I haven't used it, but I don't think you have to be tied to the phone using Genie+ any more than you want to be. Yes you will be using the app, but there are different ways to use the app which means you may be spending more or less time on it.

Personally, I do not think MagicBands are worth it at Disneyland unless you have a Disney Cruise or a WDW trip coming up, but if you want MagicBands, go for it. Genie+ and ParkHoppers are absolutely worth it. Genie+ includes PhotoPass, which is fantastic.

 

[DisneylandFan22]

@Disneysince82 Since you are going with a 5 year old, if you hadn't already planned to, consider taking some time to go back to the hotel in the afternoon to rest/relax, and then head out and do a few more things after. You will still be able to see and do everything you want.

I haven't used it, but I don't think you have to be tied to the phone using Genie+ any more than you want to be. Yes you will be using the app, but there are different ways to use the app which means you may be spending more or less time on it.

Personally, I do not think MagicBands are worth it at Disneyland unless you have a Disney Cruise or a WDW trip coming up, but if you want MagicBands, go for it. Genie+ and ParkHoppers are absolutely worth it. Genie+ includes PhotoPass, which is fantastic.

What are the benefit of MagicBands on Disney Cruises?

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Thanks!!! I 100% plan to rope drop & was listening to a podcast about ride stop/park close but I could see that going very wrong & don't want to do that with a 5 yr old LOL I could see us trying to do that a couple days, and our 15 yr old doing it.....but I will be up 1st thing and rest to hit Fantasyland

Yeah, I'm sure crowds have picked up a little since I went a few weeks ago but when I went besides Pan/Alice most Fantasyland rides are walk on's the first hour and even hour two are pretty low.

My advice is ride Alice first (it gets a a 30+ min line most the day) and then ride everything else you want and then Pan. Pan is always 30ish mins unless you have early access or get there right after the fireworks are done.
Storytelling at Royal Theatre has two shows, so make sure to see both.

Also if you ever want to get on Monsters Inc (DCA) and have 2 Adults (and you can have one kid). Go to the Exit of the ride and ask for a Buddy pass, it will get you on the ride in under ten mins normally.

 

[Kit Jackson]

What are the benefit of MagicBands on Disney Cruises?

You can use it open your room, charge food/drinks to the room, charge other purchases (like merch) to the room, and I think there may be some interactive stuff too. It's only on specific ships for now, so if you are planning, check to make the sure the ship you are going to be on has MagicBand (the cruise ships call it DisneyBand, but it's the same thing).

 

[Disneysince82]

@Disneysince82 Since you are going with a 5 year old, if you hadn't already planned to, consider taking some time to go back to the hotel in the afternoon to rest/relax, and then head out and do a few more things after. You will still be able to see and do everything you want.

I haven't used it, but I don't think you have to be tied to the phone using Genie+ any more than you want to be. Yes you will be using the app, but there are different ways to use the app which means you may be spending more or less time on it.

Personally, I do not think MagicBands are worth it at Disneyland unless you have a Disney Cruise or a WDW trip coming up, but if you want MagicBands, go for it. Genie+ and ParkHoppers are absolutely worth it. Genie+ includes PhotoPass, which is fantastic.

We are staying on site so we are hoping to do EE and stay in the parks till 12-1 and then go back to the hotel till 5-6 — maybe even a little later lol The mid day breaks are maybe one of the things I’m looking forward to!

If you don’t mind me asking why don’t you like Magicbands?

 

[Kit Jackson]

If you don’t mind me asking why don’t you like Magicbands?

I think for a Disneyland only trip (with no future plans for a Disney Cruise or a WDW trip) that MagicBands are incredibly overpriced for what they do. You can use them to scan into the park, scan into LLs, and scan for a PhotoPass. The app does all of that for free. While some people think the MagicBands are more convenient, $35 per person (for a basic plain color; the ones with characters or Disney themed designs are more expensive) is an awful lot to pay for that convience (and a little light bulb that blinks) on top of whatever Genie+ is.

I do think MagicBands make absolute and total sense for WDW trip and the new cruise ships that are MagicBand compatible.

 

[Disneysince82]

I think for a Disneyland only trip (with no future plans for a Disney Cruise or a WDW trip) that MagicBands are incredibly overpriced for what they do. You can use them to scan into the park, scan into LLs, and scan for a PhotoPass. The app does all of that for free. While some people think the MagicBands are more convenient, $35 per person (for a basic plain color; the ones with characters or Disney themed designs are more expensive) is an awful lot to pay for that convience (and a little light bulb that blinks) on top of whatever Genie+ is.

I do think MagicBands make absolute and total sense for WDW trip and the new cruise ships that are MagicBand compatible.

That is definitely something to think about…even more so because we weren’t looking at basic colors! We do have a trip planned to DL again in the Spring but we don’t have plans to WDW or cruise in the future

 

[chezcurrie]

You don’t need to be tied to your phone if you don’t want to be. You can book your next LL once you have scanned into a ride using one, or when 2 hours have elapsed, whatever is first. So you can simply use the app for 2 min every 2 hrs if you wanted to.
Tom Bricker from Disney tourist blog has some great articles on G+ that include screenshots which as a visual learner I find helpful.

Magicband a for me are worth it because it keeps me off my phone more. When you scan in to a LL I don’t have to drag the phone out and swipe-swipe-swipe-swipe-swipe (we’re a family of 5). Silly thing, but worth it for me. My teenager also turns into a little boy every time the bands interact and light up and I would pay $35 every day just to see that joy in him.