NEW for 2024 - Disney Dining Plans Returning, Exciting Park Reservation Updates, and More

[Kristin B.]

Yesterday's news was great it would be better if guests could receive one complimentary lightning lane. Guests who booked packages used to receive three free fast passes! It would help make up for the optional additional cost of Genie+ (even if popular rides like Tron and Guardians were not options to select for a free LL)

 

[Kristin B.]

Yesterday's news was great it would be better if guests could receive one complimentary lightning lane. Guests who booked packages used to receive three free fast passes! It would help make up for the optional additional cost of Genie+ (even if popular rides like Tron and Guardians were not options to select for a free LL)

*but it would be better

 

[DanceDisney23]

I don't think it will be that many. It would severely limit availability for those who purchase day of. Keep it to 1 per day for an additional cost. Personally I wish they would scrap it and go Express pass.

Since they already use the “2 to 3 attractions per day on average” language, it would not surprise me at all if you could book 3 LL in advance and that’s all you get.

 

[kylenne]

Yesterday's news was great it would be better if guests could receive one complimentary lightning lane. Guests who booked packages used to receive three free fast passes! It would help make up for the optional additional cost of Genie+ (even if popular rides like Tron and Guardians were not options to select for a free LL)

I know everyone hates paying for G+. I hate paying for G+. But if everyone got a free LL we are right back to the issues we had with FP+ with lack of availability. The system needs limitations for it to work.

I really, really feel like people who haven't seen Kevin Perjurer's excellent doc on FP need to see it to get why a lot of the things they want for G+ were the very things that made FP+ so flawed. And I say that as someone who generally loved FP+ and was a hardcore power user who knew how to work it to my advantage.

 

[Kristin B.]

I know everyone hates paying for G+. I hate paying for G+. But if everyone got a free LL we are right back to the issues we had with FP+ with lack of availability. The system needs limitations for it to work.

I really, really feel like people who haven't seen Kevin Perjurer's excellent doc on FP need to see it to get why a lot of the things they want for G+ were the very things that made FP+ so flawed. And I say that as someone who generally loved FP+ and was a hardcore power user who knew how to work it to my advantage.

I will watch this, thanks!

 

[Jrb1979]

I know everyone hates paying for G+. I hate paying for G+. But if everyone got a free LL we are right back to the issues we had with FP+ with lack of availability. The system needs limitations for it to work.

I really, really feel like people who haven't seen Kevin Perjurer's excellent doc on FP need to see it to get why a lot of the things they want for G+ were the very things that made FP+ so flawed. And I say that as someone who generally loved FP+ and was a hardcore power user who knew how to work it to my advantage.

It really needs to be limited for it too work. From what I've heard Genie+ works best when only 25% of guests have it each day.

 

[RamblingMad]

I wonder how this prices out.

 

[Indiiyana]

Why has DDP turned in to a cult ?


For UK guests it's basicly you can buy it separate. Nothing more nothing less.

Credits is the "free" offer on your booking. If you want DDP you have to pay separate

Yeah as I expected then. We probably will just top up with Credit with our own money and just go with that. Thanks.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I’m not feeling it at all either. I feel like it’s going to kill walk up availability but even worse I am not looking forward to the impact on food quality and selection. Menus have pretty much recovered since the covid supply issues and cutbacks, the last thing I want or need is to see them mangled again for DDP.

Oh goodness I had forgotten about that. I bet it will be especially bad at restaurants that are not technically owned by Disney, like the Disney Springs restaurants or Space 220. They get a set amount back no matter what a person orders on the DDP, so this will definitely incentivize them to swap in cheaper ingredients where possible. I'm really curious to see where the pricing will fall for the new plans and which restaurants might be 2-credit reservations instead of 1.

 

[DisneyFive]

I mentioned last year how G+ (despite it being a payed service ) started to give us our parks back, but these recently announced changes are bringing it almost 100% back. I particularly like the pre-booking of G+ before your stay. Second to that is the dropping of reservations for date based tickets.

 

[DisneyFive]

..also hoping that bringing the DP back means that it opens the door for "Free dining" offers, or even something like we had one year (2018?) when we got one free QS meal per day. That added up to some good savings too, but nothing compared to FD back in the day for us (2010 -2015). Now FD is so limited (in 2019 even moderate resorts only got the QS plan) that it's not what it used to be, but for a family of 5 can still be substantial.

 

[Jrb1979]

I mentioned last year how G+ (despite it being a payed service ) started to give us our parks back, but these recently announced changes are bringing it almost 100% back. I particularly like the pre-booking of G+ before your stay. Second to that is the dropping of reservations for date based tickets.

Pre-booking G+ before stay is going to be a lot different then FP+. I don't see it going back to 3 a day. I see it being more like 1 per day at a cost the day before your park day.

 

[DisneyFive]

Pre-booking G+ before stay is going to be a lot different then FP+

Speculation. You may be right but who knows?

I don't see it going back to 3 a day. I see it being more like 1 per day at a cost the day before your park day.

Prebooking only one ride per day does little to reduce planning while in the parks (which is what this is aimed at according to Disney). Prebooking two is better than one. Going back to how it was, three, would be awesome.

My guess is it will be some mix of G+ and ILL. Like 2 G+ and one ILL, or 1 G+ and one ILL? Who knows.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Pre-booking G+ before stay is going to be a lot different then FP+. I don't see it going back to 3 a day. I see it being more like 1 per day at a cost the day before your park day.

I agree. I would be really surprised if you could pre-book three rides/day.

 

[Jrb1979]

Speculation. You may be right but who knows?

Prebooking only one ride per day does little to reduce planning while in the parks (which is what this is aimed at according to Disney). Prebooking two is better than one. Going back to how it was, three, would be awesome.

My guess is it will be some mix of G+ and ILL. Like 2 G+ and one ILL, or 1 G+ and one ILL? Who knows.

It may do little to reduce planning but it also leaves availability for day of. If you go back to everyone having 2 or more it will little availability day of. There has to be a balance.

 

[DisneyFive]

It may do little to reduce planning but it also leaves availability for day of. If you go back to everyone having 2 or more it will little availability day of. There has to be a balance.

I agree, there has to be a balance.

We never had issues getting the FP's we wanted day-of, even during busy summer months, when we were allowed to pre-book 3. A lot of folks just never researched their Disney trip, and how to use FP+, and then complained about the service.

Now, you have the option to purchase G+. Not everyone is doing so. The pool of those using the service is more limited than it was with FP+. It does sell out. So in that regard it may be more feasible to allow a combination of prebooking 2-3.

 

[HopperFan]

Apologize if this has been said but ...

What IF you can buy Genie+ in advance with 3 return times ......... and it can not be modified or refunded ...... which in essence is similar to a park reservation because you are now committed to it.

Bottom line Disney is going to do what is best for them crowd wise, dollar wise, staffing wise etc.

 

[DisneyFive]

Apologize if this has been said but ...

What IF you can buy Genie+ in advance with 3 return times ......... and it can not be modified or refunded ...... which in essence is similar to a park reservation because you are now committed to it.

Bottom line Disney is going to do what is best for them crowd wise, dollar wise, staffing wise etc.

If you wanted to change parks, wouldn’t you just cancel your pre booked G+ attractions and rebook them for the new park?

I'm speculating, but I doubt they would lock you into your prebooked G+ times without the ability to later cancel and rebook. You've always been able to cancel and rebook. However, it may force you into G+ for that day regardless of which park you choose. Shoot, the new system may force you to prepurchase G+ for the entire stay if you want to be able to pre-book. I'd be fine with that as long as the G+ price per day isn't outrageous. (time will tell on that one). It was "only" $16 per day (including tax) last summer. It's already been going up so much!

Prebooking $ILL might be another matter, and yes that my lock you into a park. We'll see.

Good questions...

 

[HopperFan]

Apologize if this has been said but ...

What IF you can buy Genie+ in advance with 3 return times ......... and it can not be modified or refunded ...... which in essence is similar to a park reservation because you are now committed to it.

Bottom line Disney is going to do what is best for them crowd wise, dollar wise, staffing wise etc.

If you wanted to change parks, wouldn’t you just cancel your pre booked G+ attractions and rebook them for the new park?

What I was saying is what if the pre-booked are not able to be modified or replaced. That is how it is with the DAS times, use it or lose it. So sure you could change parks and let them expire, but maybe the rule is when you go to the new park you can only book one at a time, like you can now. So all advantage of early booking is gone. Disney offerings are not for guests, they are for Disney. And if the price is much higher, and they can not be changed, guests are going to stay committed to a park they "reserved".

I agree, there has to be a balance.

We never had issues getting the FP's we wanted day-of, even during busy summer months, when we were allowed to pre-book 3. A lot of folks just never researched their Disney trip, and how to use FP+, and then complained about the service.

Now, you have the option to purchase G+. Not everyone is doing so. The pool of those using the service is more limited than it was with FP+. It does sell out. So in that regard it may be more feasible to allow a combination of prebooking 2-3.

I disagree with less people are using this than FP+, I think there are more. FP+ was never advertised, never really in your face which is why many didn't use it. G+ is IN YOUR FACE. Constant emails about it, to get ready for it on upcoming trip etc. It has rarely sold out. The FP+/ILL lines are longer. For folks who use a DAS, they are keenly aware of the additional wait times we now have since Genie+ has been in existence. DAS users are now waiting longer than Standby guests because of the number of folks using Genie+.

Disney will find a way to increase their profits from Genie+ while also trying to balance park operations. It will be interesting to see how they handle this.

 

[Jrb1979]

This was a post I copied from another poster on a different board but it gives a good perspective on the issues with G+ and FP+

I just don't see how pushing this to advanced reservations is going to solve the true problems with Genie+. Take out the price point from the discussion and the primary issues are a level playing field and the unnecessary complexity for the guest.

Fastpass+ was not a level playing field. Resort guests had a distinct advantage and that didn't have a price point attached it. It also had a layer of complexity with the different tier groups that further benefited guests that knew the complex system. On many occasions we would book FP+ reservations for attractions like Muppets and Voyage of the Little Mermaid to clear through the 3 FP+ advanced reservations and free up our pass for everything else. That's a very flawed system. The switch to Genie+ eliminated a lot of that BS, but also kept FP+ in many places where it wasn't needed to enhance the "value".

If Genie+ introduces some sort of advanced booking option, that advanced booking will have to have a window of time where guests can make their Genie+ selections. Is it midnight the night before? Is it 30 days before? Is it 30 days+ the length of the trip if you're staying on property or 30 day + the length of date based ticket? All of those will result in the exact same problem they currently face during the 7 AM rush.

Paper Fastpass did not have this problem in anything remotely close to the same way. You absolutely had lines for the Fastpass kiosks at park opening at Toy Story Mania (DHS) and Radiator Springs Racers but those lines and your placement in those lines were predicated on you being in the park early. It was no different than someone rope dropping their favorite attraction. This was just future planning the day.

If Disney is insistent on using an alternate queue, be it Lightning Lane or Fastpass, the best approach has been proven to be that the alternate queue should only be available for reservation day of, when you're in the park.

If Disney is insistent on using advanced bookings it absolutely has to be limited to one per day and however far in advance you can make that advanced booking has to be the same for resort guests, non-resort guests and AP holders OR they have to remove the price point on Genie+.

My assumption is that they haven't figured this out yet. I have yet to see a level of competence amongst the park operations decision makers in quite some time. We have had over a decade of decisions that are anti-guest.