Now I've seen it all... Genie+ for hire

[Boopuff]

I've seen it all. On a FB page people with an entrepreneurial spirit, hire themselves out as VIP Genie+ guides. People are actually paying $200 for someone offsite, to handle all their reservations for Genie and sometimes dining. I'm curious if people are literally giving their credit info to these people and how long they'll stay in business. It seems like it goes against Disney's No sharing policy. Wonder how long this business model will hang around.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Wouldn't travel agents kind of offer this service ?

 

[MillauFr]

I've seen it all. On a FB page people with an entrepreneurial spirit, hire themselves out as VIP Genie+ guides. People are actually paying $200 for someone offsite, to handle all their reservations for Genie and sometimes dining. I'm curious if people are literally giving their credit info to these people and how long they'll stay in business. It seems like it goes against Disney's No sharing policy. Wonder how long this business model will hang around.

$200 won't last long. Many people will realize this service is worth far more than that and the price will rapidly increase.

 

[StacyStrong]

$200 won't last long. Many people will realize this service is worth far more than that and the price will rapidly increase.

This is worth literally zero dollars to me.

 

[MillauFr]

This is worth literally zero dollars to me.

I expect it will be so popular these experts will have to introduce surge pricing to keep supply and demand in balance.

 

[QueenofPrideRock]

So it's ... remote lightning lane reserving?

 

[ttintagel]

I can see the appeal. Even if I could afford a WDW trip right now, the hassle of dealing with all the reservations would be a big turnoff.

 

[lockets]

So it's ... remote lightning lane reserving?

Yes

 

[loves to dive]

Seems like a waste of money to me, just get a travel agent to make your ADRs and do your Genie+ yourself. I'm not even sure how someone would be able to do the stacking and changing of things for you throughout the day unless they were physically with you to see what you wanted. Personally, it's a waste of money since I don't even buy Genie+ at it's regular price.

 

[Boopuff]

I had to investigate this further: The charge is $225 for one day and up to $750 for 5 days. Crazy! I'd practice Genie at home before I'd fork over an additional $225!

 

[Ursula J]

Ah, fools and their money...

 

[Boopuff]

So another post went up about this service: the poster said they contacted the service to question them about how they handle the "security and privacy" since you're giving them full access to your MDE, Credit card, personal info. The poster said the person was defensive about answering those questions. Of course. The person is literally in a home office somewhere and giving them personal info? no way. The poster declined the service and decided to learn the Genie basics and practice.

 

[TreeFalls]

Maybe Disney will catch wind of the money-making opportunity and start offering it themselves... a "Genie+ concierge". But that would be implying that their system is so cumbersome that they need an option to pay extra to avoid having to use it.

 

[meremac]

I feel like this is more trouble than it's worth. It's way more convenient to make your own Genie+ reservations in the moment. How would someone hundreds of miles away know whether you can make it to a Genie+ reservation in the window that they're choosing for you: you could be meeting a character, eating a quick-service lunch, seeing a show, etc. I mean, I guess people could communicate about that stuff via text, but wouldn't it then just be a million times easier for the guest to make it themselves instead of texting someone else who isn't even there? I ama TA, and this is exactly why we don't make Genie+ reservations for our clients (except sometimes the very first one of the day if our clients are on a plane en route to WDW and can't do it themselves). I give them recommended Genie+ priority lists tailored to their family's interests instead.

 

[Pyxie]

I would absolutely never do this, but it seems like it would operate similarly to how a TA books dining reservations for you. You have to share your login and credit card info with them in that instance too. Although they don't typically go so far as to book your Genie+ throughout the trip. That seems way too involved.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Why would you willingly give your MDE info (with your credit card attached) to a random person on Facebook?