MAJOR changes to Genie+!

[Threehearts]

Yes

We are planning to go to WDW and stay at the Swan/Dolphin in August of this year. We are not on a package. So if I reserve the S/D today, am I still able to advance purchase Genie+ for the whole stay since my reservation will be before June 8, but we won't arrive until August?

I've been on these boards for 25 years and the constant changes in ticketing has made it incredibly difficult. Thank God for all of the tips and valuable threads on the DIS. I don't know how someone who is not "in the know" like our group can plan a successful vacation.

If Disney could just stick to one plan for 6 months, I could at least work out what to expect, what to purchase etc. The way it is now- what you see one day and plan around could be gone tomorrow.

 

[lockets]

This is craziness.

I’m trying to understand the “it needs to be capped” and “it’s oversold” and “they need to charge more for it so less people buy it” comments. I’ve read that several times on here for the past few months. Is it because people are buying G+ and getting less than the 2-3 rides promised? And if so is that only happening at Hollywood Studios? Or are people counting instances where they don’t get the 2-3 rides that they prefer? Not knocking anyone’s opinion. Just trying to better understand.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Exactly! I think a cap on the number sold is necessary and has been a long time coming. Of course, the cap will be accompanied by a price increase. But I'm okay with that, since, if the cap is meaningful, the product will be worth much more.

But I can't stand the stress and misery of having to stay up until midnight every single night of my vacation, and then having to get up at 6:45 the next morning, every single day. Each time accompanied by an adrenaline rush that makes it impossible to get to sleep (or back to sleep). With the pressure of trying to get lucky to win the Genie+ (and/or ILL$, and/or virtual queue) lottery in order to make the most of your vacation, into which you have already sunk thousands of dollars without a guarantee of success.

They HAVE to fix that.

I have a fix for that. Go to Universal. LOL

 

[lockets]

I get what you are saying but Genie+ wasn't working as is due to too many people having it. Skip the line systems work best when it's limited.

I’m so confused on how G+ isn’t working because “too many people are buying” it when they used to give fastpass for free to all for 3 rides and less people are buying G+ than those that received fastpass. Is it because people aren’t getting thr G+ rides they prefer? Or people want 5 rides for $15 instead of 2-3 rides? Or the lines aren’t fast enough? I’m lost.

 

[ericbansemer]

I don’t know if someone already has said this but you can still add Genie+ to your whole stay if you haven’t yet. I just added it to our October trip but I had to call. I tried adding it online and the page just kept refreshing at checkout, so I called and after 53 minutes I got it added. They had to put me on hold and have someone at guest services do it so to keep our original ticket price since we booked last year.

 

[PaladinButters]

I don't know how someone who is not "in the know" like our group can plan a successful vacation.

Dreams Unlimited Travel of course ! Let the experts figure it out for free.

 

[Pascal3]

I have a fix for that. Go to Universal. LOL

It is getting more and more compelling... we almost split stay with them due to a sale on their tickets and the fact you get Express at their deluxe hotels (Disney has too many deluxe hotels for this, but I wish they would follow this model). Opted for resorts at WDW we know and love but I am about ready to stick to Disneyland the next few years - WDW is way too much of a hassle right now. We are big planners, but it isn't even fun to plan anymore since every minute of the day feels like it needs to be planned.

 

[Jrb1979]

I’m so confused on how G+ isn’t working because “too many people are buying” it when they used to give fastpass for free to all for 3 rides and less people are buying G+ than those that received fastpass. Is it because people aren’t getting thr G+ rides they prefer? Or people want 5 rides for $15 instead of 2-3 rides? Or the lines aren’t fast enough? I’m lost.

Its not working cause of how many LL they give out. In case you haven't noticed the LL wait times are a lot shorter then FP+ wait times. They are giving out much less LL then they did FP.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I’m so confused on how G+ isn’t working because “too many people are buying” it when they used to give fastpass for free to all for 3 rides and less people are buying G+ than those that received fastpass. Is it because people aren’t getting thr G+ rides they prefer? Or people want 5 rides for $15 instead of 2-3 rides? Or the lines aren’t fast enough? I’m lost.

I bolded your point about free Fastpass+ because I feel like a lot of people forget how awful the standby lines were even when Fastpass was free (not pointing you out or anyone specifically, I'm talking about in general). I remember standing in lines in 2017-19 where they didn't move even a single centimeter meanwhile the Fastpass line was breezing on by. I feel like in terms of Genie+ it works the worst in HS. I remember seeing posts on here and on WDW Facebook groups I'm in talking about how everything except for the shows and Star Tours was gone for the day by 11 am. It's difficult to stomach paying $60 plus tax for a family of four during a busy period to only get one ride.

 

[xipotec]

I think this a quick fix for the disaster G+ has become at WDW. Especially HS. I believe this is being done because they KNOW they are going yo be WAY over capacity most days this summer. In order to attenpt to preserve the value of this service they have to control its sale. If 70% of guest are on G+ this summer, LL will become useless.
————————————————————

IF they cap it so the people who pay get to use the service for more than 3 rides.

IF they do not increase the price.

IF the number of G+ scales with park labor and capacity

IF they allow G+ and LL to be picked at park opening as they would know they above and the guests expected.

————————————————————

Then it will fix many of the issues. Anyone of these things are not implemented and its gonna continue to be a fail.

 

[g-dad66]

Well, shoot, I saw the title of thread and I thought maybe they had fixed something that was broken like times changing on you when you book an LL or other major glitches in the system.

Alas, wishful thinking.

 

[Pascal3]

I bolded your point about free Fastpass+ because I feel like a lot of people forget how awful the standby lines were even when Fastpass was free (not pointing you out or anyone specifically, I'm talking about in general). I remember standing in lines in 2017-19 where they didn't move even a single centimeter meanwhile the Fastpass line was breezing on by. I feel like in terms of Genie+ it works the worst in HS. I remember seeing posts on here and on WDW Facebook groups I'm in talking about how everything except for the shows and Star Tours was gone for the day by 11 am. It's difficult to stomach paying $60 plus tax for a family of four during a busy period to only get one ride.

If only they could open rides in other parks to help calm Hollywood Studios *coughs* TRON. I feel like in a year or so Epcot will also begin to pull more crowds, with GOTG and other attractions opening. Studios has been my favorite park at WDW since I was a kid and I am dreading it this time around - fingers crossed standby is on our side this trip!

 

[lockets]

Its not working cause of how many LL they give out. In case you haven't noticed the LL wait times are a lot shorter then FP+ wait times. They are giving out much less LL then they did FP.

Ok so I wonder if the real issue is Disney is too stingy with releasing enough LL spots? ie - once they have their money from everyone that buys it, they don’t care that the actual ride spots don’t exist for those people. In this case I’d put it on Disney not on the amount of purchasers?

 

[Jrb1979]

Ok so I wonder if the real issue is Disney is too stingy with releasing enough LL spots? ie - once they have their money from everyone that buys it, they don’t care that the actual ride spots don’t exist for those people. In this case I’d put it on Disney not on the amount of purchasers?

Yes. From things I have heard they also didn't expect this many people to buy Genie+. IMO a limit should have been in place from the beginning.

 

[lockets]

IF they cap it so the people who pay get to use the service for more than 3 rides.

It seems this is where Disney tried to shamelessly save their own “behind” when they made it clear the expectation is to be 2-3 rides only - after G+ was already wellll underway. I’m not sure peoples’ expectations ever aligned with this ride amount given we were used to getting three rides for free w fastpass so it’s hard to wrap head around paying for the possibility of 2 rides only. And thus people, in reality, want to pay $15 to get more than 3 rides. But Disney has it chiseled on the internet that it’s 2-3 rides and they haven’t changed that service offering.

 

[Duck143]

I don’t know if someone already has said this but you can still add Genie+ to your whole stay if you haven’t yet. I just added it to our October trip but I had to call. I tried adding it online and the page just kept refreshing at checkout, so I called and after 53 minutes I got it added. They had to put me on hold and have someone at guest services do it so to keep our original ticket price since we booked last year.

You were able to get them to honor your original ticket price? I purchased before the price increase and when I tried to add Genie + on MDE, it wanted me to pay almost $200! it should be about $130 to add genie to our 8 day tickets.
If they did honor your price, do you mind me asking what # you called?

 

[sponica]

Yes. From things I have heard they also didn't expect this many people to buy Genie+. IMO a limit should have been in place from the beginning.

It's priced too low if that many people are buying it.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

I’m so confused on how G+ isn’t working because “too many people are buying” it when they used to give fastpass for free to all for 3 rides and less people are buying G+ than those that received fastpass. Is it because people aren’t getting thr G+ rides they prefer? Or people want 5 rides for $15 instead of 2-3 rides? Or the lines aren’t fast enough? I’m lost.

I believe that for the casual guest -who isn’t constantly refreshing or read hours of material on it pre-trip - by mid-day, the rides and times available in G+ are disappointing.

During our March trip, I can’t tell you how many conversations we would overhear in lines about this. Someone in the group would be staring at their phone and announce that the next available ride would be some low interest attraction (Nemo, Star Tours, etc.) roughly 2 hours in the future. The rest of the party would mutter an unenthusiastic ok and that was it. So they might get a few rides using G+, but hardly the headliners and times that they would be (somewhat reasonably) expecting.

If they charge more but sell fewer, then the hope would be that for those who purchase it, they could have more selection and more times to choose from.

 

[Mle8308]

I don’t know if someone already has said this but you can still add Genie+ to your whole stay if you haven’t yet. I just added it to our October trip but I had to call. I tried adding it online and the page just kept refreshing at checkout, so I called and after 53 minutes I got it added. They had to put me on hold and have someone at guest services do it so to keep our original ticket price since we booked last year.

You are lucky they honored the old ticket price. It does state somewhere that if you add on Genie plus to your already purchased tickets, if there had been a price increase, you will be charged the difference in price as well as the charge for Genie+.

 

[AliceNDinah]

So THOROUGHLY glad I was never planning on getting this for August. It all seems beyond confusing. We navigated the parks without it last June and am proud to say the same for this year. Just sounds like a huge money grab to me.