Is the 2 hour head start for resort guests worth it?

[monkeybug]

If you normally choose to stay offsite would you consider an on-site stay just to have the ability to purchase ILLs at 7am instead of 9am? Does it make a noticeable difference in how much time you have to spend refreshing an app to get a boarding pass or how much time you have to stand in lines?

 

[sarac87]

I think the only advantage is if you're going to Hollywood Studios, as I think it's the only park that's consistently selling out of passes for attractions.

 

[peteykirch]

It appears they have changed the purchase buckets for Rise of the Resistance this morning.

Before they were holding inventory for after 9AM for guests without a resort reservation.

Now they are dumping the entire bank of slots at 7AM for resort guests to purchase.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I think it's hard to say at this point since we only have 3 days worth of data and on relatively low crowd days. We need to see how things play out on a crowded holiday week to see how quickly or if the ILL$ passes sell out across the parks.

 

[monkeybug]

It appears they have changed the purchase buckets for Rise of the Resistance this morning.

Before they were holding inventory for after 9AM for guests without a resort reservation.

Now they are dumping the entire bank of slots at 7AM for resort guests to purchase.

Yikes! If that practice holds it's probably worth at least a 1 night stay.

 

[monkeybug]

I think it's hard to say at this point since we only have 3 days worth of data and on relatively low crowd days. We need to see how things play out on a crowded holiday week to see how quickly or if the ILL$ passes sell out across the parks.

That's a good point! I'm planning an early January trip right now that looks like it's going to be busy. We're debating between towing the trailer there so all the kids have their own bed (we have reservations at Fort Wilderness), making them cram into a room at POR, or getting a bigger and nicer room offsite. I wish I had time to see how it all plays out before deciding. I do know for sure we'd rather be squeezed into a Disney room than spend our days in long lines.

 

[kilik64]

It just two rides per park that get that park, are those two rides per park really worth the extra expense of onsite room? G+ level rides are all equal footing unless I've missed something with all of this stuff.

 

[rmclain73]

You can always still ride stand by. Get to the park at opening.

 

[sarac87]

You can always still ride stand by. Get to the park at opening.

True, but also keep in mind that resort guests get a 30 minute head start filling up the standby queue too.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

That's a good point! I'm planning an early January trip right now that looks like it's going to be busy. We're debating between towing the trailer there so all the kids have their own bed (we have reservations at Fort Wilderness), making them cram into a room at POR, or getting a bigger and nicer room offsite. I wish I had time to see how it all plays out before deciding. I do know for sure we'd rather be squeezed into a Disney room than spend our days in long lines.

If you booked one night at a resort you would get the 7am advantage on your check in and check out day I think. So if you park hopped you could at least avoid standby and ride your favourite rides during those two days.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I think it's hard to say at this point since we only have 3 days worth of data and on relatively low crowd days. We need to see how things play out on a crowded holiday week to see how quickly or if the ILL$ passes sell out across the parks.

I am also waiting to hear more. So many people used it on day 1 and were like “ITS HIGHLY NECESSARY LOOK AT THE STANDBY WAITS ITS NOT INFLATED!” but then people forgot it was day 1 and day 2 was a bit different.
I either said this earlier in this thread or on another but I highly recommend following Brooke MacDonald on Instagram. She is giving amazing updates regarding lightning lane and genie and genie plus. Also Alicia Stella on Twitter is also giving amazing updates.

 

[sarac87]

If you booked one night at a resort you would get the 7am advantage on your check in and check out day I think. So if you park hopped you could at least avoid standby and ride your favourite rides during those two days.

And if you go with this strategy, remember that Disney has blocked one night stays through December, and there's no telling if they'll extend that, so you either want to grab a room now and cancel later, or consider Swan/Dolphin for a night, which gets $LL privileges.

 

[peteykirch]

And if you go with this strategy, remember that Disney has blocked one night stays through December, and there's no telling if they'll extend that, so you either want to grab a room now and cancel later, or consider Swan/Dolphin for a night, which gets $LL privileges.

I'm pretty sure you could book a 2 night stay, then call Disney and ask them to modify the reservation to one night because of "insert random excuse" here.

 

[SL6827]

So if you are on a package Genie+ is mandatory for all of the days you have tickets? Right?

Makes me wonder if Disney will eventually mandate that for everybody's tickets that aren't part of a package.

 

[catnik]

It appears they have changed the purchase buckets for Rise of the Resistance this morning.

Before they were holding inventory for after 9AM for guests without a resort reservation.

Now they are dumping the entire bank of slots at 7AM for resort guests to purchase.

Good. There has to be some.sort.of.tangible.benefit to stay on site

 

[catnik]

And if you go with this strategy, remember that Disney has blocked one night stays through December, and there's no telling if they'll extend that, so you either want to grab a room now and cancel later, or consider Swan/Dolphin for a night, which gets $LL privileges.

We extended our trip for a day but could not extend at our resort. Staying at Swan and pleased we kept ILL$ Benefit

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

So if you are on a package Genie+ is mandatory for all of the days you have tickets? Right?

Makes me wonder if Disney will eventually mandate that for everybody's tickets that aren't part of a package.

Only if you buy it in advance. You can add it day of just for that day.

 

[SL6827]

Only if you buy it in advance. You can add it day of just for that day.

Oh ok.

 

[SL6827]

I wonder if Disney will be blocking one nights stay permanently now?

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

We extended our trip for a day but could not extend at our resort. Staying at Swan and pleased we kept ILL$ Benefit

I don't know what ILL$ Benefit is?