The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[snikki]

Even though I'm here taking that advanced course with everybody else, if my $15 gets me on the rides I *need* them for (so yes to the Jungle Cruise but I can wait a few minutes for the Mad Tea Party) I'm good. I am very prepared for the return times to not work out in my favor for everything when I get there.

BUT -

Question - do we know how long the line for LL is aka how much time it saves to use? The line for Slinky is at 100 minutes (so lets say the real line is 75?) - ILL$ is sold out so a bunch of people must have them for each hour - if I enter the LL line at my time slot how long am I waiting? Almost walk-on? 20 minutes? 40?

Most reports I’ve read say the LL lines move quickly (5-10 minutes or walk on). I’ve only read a few that said they waited very long but it’s still early.

 

[moorish]

From what I’ve seen stacking isn’t as easy with your first reserved park, especially MK. When I’ve checked the tip board arrival windows are usually within the hour for MK for a big portion of their rides. You can only book next available if it’s your reserved park.

If you are hopping, stacking seems to work better. At or around 7 am make a 3 pm for SDD. Around 11 am make a 5 pm for Smugglers. At 1 pm make a 4 pm for TSM/RNRC/TOT. If you bought ROTR and MMRR at 7 am you could walk into the park at 3 pm with 5 LL and make a new one as you arrive and keep rolling them out. Of course if times work.

That’s how I’m understanding it anyway.

This is exactly what we're planning for hopping to HS.

Edited to add: well, not buying MMRR but getting into the line right before park close. We would buy ROTR.

 

[wisblue]

Even though I'm here taking that advanced course with everybody else, if my $15 gets me on the rides I *need* them for (so yes to the Jungle Cruise but I can wait a few minutes for the Mad Tea Party) I'm good. I am very prepared for the return times to not work out in my favor for everything when I get there.

BUT -

Question - do we know how long the line for LL is aka how much time it saves to use? The line for Slinky is at 100 minutes (so lets say the real line is 75?) - ILL$ is sold out so a bunch of people must have them for each hour - if I enter the LL line at my time slot how long am I waiting? Almost walk-on? 20 minutes? 40?

To be clear, Slinky is not an Individual LL selection, it is one of the attractions available through Genie+.

The LL slots for Slinky have been going faster than any other attraction at any of the parks and eventually “sell out”.

Reports seem to be that the LL waits have been minimal, except when ride breakdowns cause the LL to back up.

 

[nurseberta]

Man, I feel like I usually get all this stuff but for whatever reason, I'm struggling with the stacking here! So I'll be down for a quick two-day trip in a couple of weeks, and one day we're doing Hollywood Studios and hopping to Magic Kingdom after 2. Plan on taking advantage of early entry hours and rope dropping Hollywood Studios, and will probably get an ILL for Rise of the Resistance. I'm very interested in stacking for our evening at Magic Kingdom, but I want to make sure I understand the implications.

So at 7, we book something at Hollywood Studios with a starting window from 10:30ish to 11. This is A1 reservation.

We tour HS as normal, taking advantage of EEH. Then at 11, we book a reservation for MK, at some point after 2. This is B1 reservation.

We then use our A1 reservation and get to book A2, which is something at MK after B1.

Then at 1:00, we get to book a 3rd reservation at MK. This is C1. Once we hop after 2:00, we keep this rolling, use B1, book B2, use A2, book, A3, use C1, book C2.

First, is this right or am I missing something? Second, am I right in thinking that we will only be able to get one G+ option at Hollywood Studios or could we use our A2 reservation to get something at HS at like 1:15 or so...or does that mess up the stacking in some way?

Also, do we have to keep track of the order we need to use them in? So like does A2 HAVE to come after B1 to keep the stack going? Or does it not really matter?

I may be confused but I don't think this is how it will work. You can only have one G+ attraction at a time, or add new ones if the first is greater than 120min away. In the example above you would be stopped at A2 because you can only add one at a time unless one is far out. and you will at this moment in time have an existing B1 reservation. unless your B1 reservation is greater than 120 minutes from A2, you wont be able to add C1 as you would move onto B2 instead. If your B2 is further out then you could book C1. make sense? Of course if you add in ILL$ then you woul dhave more total combines LL, but Genie+ only allows you to keep 2 LL rt if they are 2 hours apart.

 

[badinnplaid]

I may be confused but I don't think this is how it will work. You can only have one G+ attraction at a time, or add new ones if the first is greater than 120min away. In the example above you would be stopped at A2 because you can only add one at a time unless one is far out. and you will at this moment in time have an existing B1 reservation. unless your B1 reservation is greater than 120 minutes from A2, you wont be able to add C1 as you would move onto B2 instead. If your B2 is further out then you could book C1. make sense? Of course if you add in ILL$ then you woul dhave more total combines LL, but Genie+ only allows you to keep 2 LL rt if they are 2 hours apart.

Hmm--I thought it was just that 120 minutes had passed since your last one was booked OR since park opening (i.e., you book at 7, you're available for G+ number 2 at 11)

 

[snikki]

I may be confused but I don't think this is how it will work. You can only have one G+ attraction at a time, or add new ones if the first is greater than 120min away. In the example above you would be stopped at A2 because you can only add one at a time unless one is far out. and you will at this moment in time have an existing B1 reservation. unless your B1 reservation is greater than 120 minutes from A2, you wont be able to add C1 as you would move onto B2 instead. If your B2 is further out then you could book C1. make sense? Of course if you add in ILL$ then you woul dhave more total combines LL, but Genie+ only allows you to keep 2 LL rt if they are 2 hours apart.

Another poster confirmed they did exactly what he’s posting. I was confused at first too.

At 7 am book SDD for 10:45 am

at 11 am book splash for 2 pm

ride SDD at 11:15 am

11:16 am - once tapped into SDD book BTMRR for 2:30 pm

have lunch/ride standby

1 pm make HM for 3 pm

tap into splash at 2 pm

2:01 pm book another ride at MK for after 3 pm

Then you keep rolling them

 

[moorish]

Yeah, this still works as long as the time's work I think. DISCLAIMER, I don't know any more than anyone else who hasn't been. But these exercises actually help me!

7am	grab a 10:45+ LL for MFSR	Stack = 1LL
8:30am	RD either SDD or TT/RRC
9-11am	Standby Rides
11:00am	Book HS LL2 for 1:15	Stack = 2LL
11:10am	Tap into MFSR	Stack = 1LL
11:11am	Book MK LL1 for post 2:30	Stack = 2LL
11:12-1:00	Standby Rides/Lunch
1:00pm	Book MK LL2 for post 2:30	Stack = 3LL
1:15pm	Tap into HS LL2 ride selected at 11am	Stack = 2LL
1:16pm	Book MK LL3 for 3:00+	Stack = 3LL
1:30pm	Depart HS for MK
2:00pm	Arrive at MK with 3 LLs	Stack = 3LL
2:00pm on	cycle the stack ride by ride always booking another LL before you tap into the next ride

And actually this is what post #257 is all about, IIRC they talked about maybe grabbing another HS ride but opted not to.

Wouldn't you need to wait until 1:11 pm to book your MK LL2 because you last booked at 11:11 am and didn't ride anything to reset the clock in between? (Not that 11 minutes is a big difference, just testing my understanding!)

 

[nurseberta]

Wouldn't you need to wait until 1:11 pm to book your MK LL2 because you last booked at 11:11 am and didn't ride anything to reset the clock in between? (Not that 11 minutes is a big difference, just testing my understanding!)

I am going to need to read and re-read because I am not seeing it but I want to!!

 

[snikki]

I am going to need to read and re-read because I am not seeing it but I want to!!

Check out post 257. ***At 11:16 am change splash to thunder. It was a typo by the poster. The secret is to book the next LL before tapping into the next ride. Once you tap in, it “resets” the 120 minutes and you can book another LL.

Is it a glitch? Is it meant to work like this? Who knows.

 

[snikki]

Wouldn't you need to wait until 1:11 pm to book your MK LL2 because you last booked at 11:11 am and didn't ride anything to reset the clock in between? (Not that 11 minutes is a big difference, just testing my understanding!)

Seems that MK LL2 goes off of the time of HS LL2. So 2 hours after HS LL2 is booked is 1 pm.

ETA: I just went back to post 257 and it seems it should be 1:11 pm. The poster did 11:16 am and 1:16 pm. If I’m reading it all right.

 

[moorish]

I am going to need to read and re-read because I am not seeing it but I want to!!

The most helpful thing for me to understand was that two things reset the lock-out time and make you eligible to make a G+ reservation again:

1. It's been 120 minutes since you last made one.
2. You tapped into a G+ reservation (even if you just made a new G+ reservation 10 minutes prior because your 120 minutes was up)

So if you look at the schedule, they last made a G+ reservation at 11:11 am, making them eligible again at 1:11 pm and they did not tap in to any G+ reservations during that time, just riding standby and eating lunch.

They did make a G+ reservation at 11:00 am which would start the countdown to 1:00 pm, but I think by tapping in a ride and making another G+ at 11:11 am, they restarted the 120 minute period to be at 1:11 pm.

*If some of this is wrong, then I do not in fact understand any of it. Lol.

 

[moorish]

Seems that MK LL2 goes off of the time of HS LL2. So 2 hours after HS LL2 is booked is 1 pm.

But they tapped in to a G+ ride after that, so wouldn't that reset the 120 minute counter?

If not, then I'm back to being confused.

Edited: nevermind! I see your edit now.

 

[snikki]

But they tapped in to a G+ ride after that, so wouldn't that reset the 120 minute counter?

If not, then I'm back to being confused.

I edited my post. I think you’re right. I had to reread and read again.

 

[moorish]

I edited my post. I think you’re right. I had to reread and read again.

We are both reading and editing at the same time!

I need to go lie down now. Ha.

 

[dmunsil]

Wouldn't you need to wait until 1:11 pm to book your MK LL2 because you last booked at 11:11 am and didn't ride anything to reset the clock in between? (Not that 11 minutes is a big difference, just testing my understanding!)

I had thought the answer was no, that the system did a lookahead to the end time on the next G+LL you are holding, but It turns out, the answer is "yes." I just tested it. The eligibility time is reset every time you book, and it's based on the end time of the reservation you just booked, not any other reservations you might be holding.

So if at 11:00 you book a 1:15-2:15 G+LL, your eligibility time is 1:00. Great.
At 11:10, you use a previously booked G+LL and you regain eligibility. The 1:00 time no longer applies.
At 11:11 you book a 3:00-4:00 G+LL. Your eligibility time is 1:11.

Unless you have a previously booked G+LL with an arrival time between 11:11 and 1:11, or you're willing to cancel one of your existing reservations, you have to wait until 1:11 to book your next one.

 

[leeniewdw]

I edited my post. I think you’re right. I had to reread and read again.

We are both reading and editing at the same time!

I need to go lie down now. Ha.

Thanks to both of you for catching this! This is a detail that might be small (or just a few minutes of a difference), but could throw me into confusion in the midst of trying to execute a plan like this. LOL

 

[nurseberta]

The most helpful thing for me to understand was that two things reset the lock-out time and make you eligible to make a G+ reservation again:

1. It's been 120 minutes since you last made one.
2. You tapped into a G+ reservation (even if you just made a new G+ reservation 10 minutes prior because your 120 minutes was up)

So if you look at the schedule, they last made a G+ reservation at 11:11 am, making them eligible again at 1:11 pm and they did not tap in to any G+ reservations during that time, just riding standby and eating lunch.

They did make a G+ reservation at 11:00 am which would start the countdown to 1:00 pm, but I think by tapping in a ride and making another G+ at 11:11 am, they restarted the 120 minute period to be at 1:11 pm.

*If some of this is wrong, then I do not in fact understand any of it. Lol.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh
Let me see if I can follow. If you make the G+LL selections for the future and based on this you stack 2 for afternoon/evening, AND it’s been 120 minutes since you last booked. You can essentially trick the system by making a new G+ LL before your LL+ are used thereby meaning Genie is not alerted that you have 2 currently pending. Genie is only alerted to the fact that you have NOT A. tapped in to your LL or B. Booked a G+ LL in the last 120 min.
so in effect, Genie is blind to the active LL’s that you have?

 

[leeniewdw]

I had thought the answer was no, that the system did a lookahead to the end time on the next G+LL you are holding, but It turns out, the answer is "yes." I just tested it. The eligibility time is reset every time you book, and it's based on the end time of the reservation you just booked, not any other reservations you might be holding.

So if at 11:00 you book a 1:15-2:15 G+LL, your eligibility time is 1:00. Great.
At 11:10, you use a previously booked G+LL and you regain eligibility. The 1:00 time no longer applies.
At 11:11 you book a 3:00-4:00 G+LL. Your eligibility time is 1:11.

Unless you have a previously booked G+LL with an arrival time between 11:11 and 1:11, or you're willing to cancel one of your existing reservations, you have to wait until 1:11 to book your next one.

I can follow this! I don't know if I'm proud or freaked out. Going to bookmark yours as well. I will have to re-read these posts once a week until our trip to try to download the understanding. I can just see me saying to DH "this time we have to wait 11 more minutes after 1pm...just believe me, it's easier that way".

 

[nurseberta]

Check out post 257. ***At 11:16 am change splash to thunder. It was a typo by the poster. The secret is to book the next LL before tapping into the next ride. Once you tap in, it “resets” the 120 minutes and you can book another LL.

Is it a glitch? Is it meant to work like this? Who knows.

how donI find post 257?

 

[snikki]

HS to MK park hopping with Genie+ today Saturday Oct 24th

so the basic plan then how it played out.

we have done everything we wanted 2-3 times this week without Genie EXCEPT slinky dog and splash. So the idea was to early entry HS pick up a genie plus for Slinky then triple stack for a 2pm MK arrival.

It worked. I’ll give the final results then a few tips from my experience. Not a pro, just my first time using it but maybe it will be helpful.

7am: SD booked for 1043am
8:15- arrive to park
8:30-910: MMRR then MFSR
9:10-11:00 Plenty of time left for a quick toy story
and saucers. Frozen song along.
11:00- book 1:35pm splash mountain
(considered a noon toy story but
wanted to let kids rest)
11:15 Slinky dog
11:16 book splash at 1:35pm (later changed
to 2pm, must have gone down)
11:30 Hotel bus: worst wait of the day by far
1:16. Book Jungle cruise (daughter request

2pm arrive at MK

here I will just list the LL I got and what they changed to after getting the rides

LL0: Slinky

A1: splash 2pm
B1: thunder mountain 2:20pm
C1: Jungle Cruise 2:50pm

A2irates of Car 3:25
B2: Peter Pan 5pm (had to refresh 5 times to get it here)
C2: Pooh 4pm

A3: Ariel 4:30
B3: Haunted Mansion 7pm
C3: Mad Tea 4:25

A4: Buzz at 815
C4: small world (we also worked small world in but can’t remember which ride I booked it after, did it right before Pan. Something seems slightly off in the transition order actually but very close to how it went down.)

This was the busiest day yet. Everyone of the rides was showing 60+ between 2-5pm when we rode, a few looked to be overestimated but some looked like underestimates. Really long and slow lines.

From 530ish (requested West wing so got delayed-huge mistake imo)-815 we ate at BOG and watched enchantment. I had a dilemma here, I couldn’t book things far enough out about because all except for Haunted Mansion were within 20-40min away and we were eating. Only had stuff like Barnstormer left to get and they just weren’t going to book up in advance. To keep the triple stack LL going I just booked and then canceled and rebooked later. I ended up pushing haunted mansion back until 9pm on purpose. We could have easily risen every G+ Via the triple stack but ended up shopping after eating, rode Mine train and called it the end of the trip.

Frankly it worked amazingly well and really made an excellent last day. However it wouldn’t work as well in HS because they just don’t have enough rides so they get booked pretty far out early on. Might be possible though if you were at AK and triple stacked for a jump to HS, but I doubt it. However it works so well jumping to MK it turns MK into a 1 or at MOST 1.5 day park. If one rope dropped FOP and paid ROTR and for MMR and evening rode Seven Dwarves it might be possible to complete all three parks (Genie+ and ILL rides only) in a single day, assuming smooth transportation especially once they allow hopping prior to 2pm. A stretch but I think it may be possible.

honestly if you add this to a 10 day trip I really don’t think the parks can sustain you for that long at this pace. Will either have to underutilize Genie+ or ride everything 5-10 times. Will edit later with my tips from experience.

@nurseberta