The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[bluezy]

We bought a ILL for Ratatouille and didn’t see the option to buy G+. Someone finally called back from IT and was able to purchase for us. However, I sure hope we don’t have this problem every day here. Ugh. I asked if we can just pay for it every day now to avoid this but she said we can only buy individual days.

You probably didn't see the option to buy it when you bought your ILL for Ratatouille because you don't need to purchase Genie+ to buy an ILL. I think the option to buy G+ only pops up when you book a regular G+ ride without having already purchased G+.

 

[focusondisney]

Just saw something on Twitter: starting June 8th, Genie + will only be available to purchase the same day, no advance purchases. If you have already purchased, you’ll be fine, but no new advanced purchases. Haven’t found it on the WDW website yet.

edit: found it in the Disney parks blog

“With the launch of new bookings, we will also make an adjustment to how guests purchase Disney Genie+ service, which remains popular and in high demand amongst our guests. From the beginning, our goal has been to launch, learn and evolve as we see how guests are using this service.

Starting June 8, Disney Genie+ will only be offered for purchase through the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit – we will no longer offer the option to purchase this service pre-arrival as a ticket add-on for dates remaining in 2022 and in 2023.

This means that, moving forward, whether you have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, you may only purchase Disney Genie+ service on the day of your visit via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability. We’re focused on delivering the best possible guest experience, and this adjustment will help manage the incredibly strong demand our guests have shown for Disney Genie+.”

 

[mikalkwin]

It is there :
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...2023-tickets-and-resort-bookings-open-june-8/

 

[elgerber]

Just saw something on Twitter: starting June 8th, Genie + will only be available to purchase the same day, no advance purchases. If you have already purchased, you’ll be fine, but no new advanced purchases. Haven’t found it on the WDW website yet.

edit: found it in the Disney parks blog

“With the launch of new bookings, we will also make an adjustment to how guests purchase Disney Genie+ service, which remains popular and in high demand amongst our guests. From the beginning, our goal has been to launch, learn and evolve as we see how guests are using this service.

Starting June 8, Disney Genie+ will only be offered for purchase through the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit – we will no longer offer the option to purchase this service pre-arrival as a ticket add-on for dates remaining in 2022 and in 2023.

This means that, moving forward, whether you have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, you may only purchase Disney Genie+ service on the day of your visit via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability. We’re focused on delivering the best possible guest experience, and this adjustment will help manage the incredibly strong demand our guests have shown for Disney Genie+.”

Subject to availability. Are they saying it may now sell out each day? Will we have to buy at midnight now to be safe? That's worse than 7 am.

 

[ChipTheRescueRanger]

My guess June 8 G+ will have a price increase !

 

[snikki]

I think it’s a price increase. We added G+ to our November tickets months ago since I had a feeling something like this was coming. I’m thinking in August they’ll make one ILL in each park permanent and increase the price of G+. They may also cap sales but who knows.

 

[focusondisney]

Subject to availability. Are they saying it may now sell out each day? Will we have to buy at midnight now to be safe? That's worse than 7 am.

Maybe? It says to “to manage the incredibly strong demand”.

 

[SLThomas318]

So this will make our upcoming family trip over Thanksgiving interesting... we have annual passes, but the rest of the group bought day tickets with genie+.... I was already stressing over utilizing it for our group, but now my family *might* not even be able to buy genie+ to use with the rest of the group...

 

[focusondisney]

My guess June 8 G+ will have a price increase !

This will stink for APs who can’t book in advance.

 

[Duck143]

I just tried modifying one of our 8 day PH's to include Genie+ and it will still let me. It was around $174 to add it every day. I'm not sure how much it will cost if they increase the price....I wasn't planning on utilizing G+ every day of our trip. Add it now for $174 (x4) or take the chance that it will still be cheaper to add it to a few days. I just would despise waking up at midnight to add it.

 

[snikki]

I just tried modifying one of our 8 day PH's to include Genie+ and it will still let me. It was around $174 to add it every day. I'm not sure how much it will cost if they increase the price....I wasn't planning on utilizing G+ every day of our trip. Add it now for $174 (x4) or take the chance that it will still be cheaper to add it to a few days. I just would despise waking up at midnight to add it.

You’ll be able to add G+ onto your tickets until June 8.

 

[elgerber]

So this will make our upcoming family trip over Thanksgiving interesting... we have annual passes, but the rest of the group bought day tickets with genie+.... I was already stressing over utilizing it for our group, but now my family *might* not even be able to buy genie+ to use with the rest of the group...

Yup, I have an AP, and have two trips in July/Sept with regular ticket holders. So I had them not buy it, so that I don't have issues day of. They will be oh so happy if price goes up. And if we have to get up at midnight now to book.

 

[Duck143]

You’ll be able to add G+ onto your tickets until June 8.

For some reason, I was thinking they stopped immediately. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[gorkt]

So let me get this straight. In order to hope I get to use this service, that I would pay money for, I have to stay up until midnight, during my vacation, to see if I can even buy it, then if I get lucky enough to use it, get up at 7am, during my vacation, to make reservations, which are also subject to availability.

Honestly I am considering cancelling over this. It's truly absurd. Getting 6.5 hours of sleep a night isnt a vacation, it's torture.

 

[elgerber]

So let me get this straight. In order to hope I get to use this service, that I would pay money for, I have to stay up until midnight, during my vacation, to see if I can even buy it, then if I get lucky enough to use it, get up at 7am, during my vacation to make reservations, which are also subject to availability.

Honestly I am considering cancelling over this. It's truly absurd. Getting 6.5 hours of sleep a night isnt a vacation, it's torture.

I am wondering if it will only be available now at 7, they have to know that midnight to purchase and 7 am to book is going to be a huge issue for people.

 

[orangecuse]

So let me get this straight. In order to hope I get to use this service, that I would pay money for, I have to stay up until midnight, during my vacation, to see if I can even buy it, then if I get lucky enough to use it, get up at 7am, during my vacation, to make reservations, which are also subject to availability.

Honestly I am considering cancelling over this. It's truly absurd. Getting 6.5 hours of sleep a night isnt a vacation, it's torture.

Just back from 7 park days and the sleep was already torture just getting up at 6:50 every day. Even on our afternoon only park day I felt I had to wake up early to start stacking. If I also had to be up at midnight (and I am someone who usually stays up late) I would have raged. We were asleep by 9/10 every night with the early wakeup schedule!

Also I know its a little off topic but Genie+ was easy/great in MK, easy but not super needed in Epcot/AK, and has ruined DHS. Based on our experience we decided itd be a few years before our next trip so our youngest son is tall enough for more rides. In DHS he was tall enough for 3 rides so with FP I could book those 3 over and over but for Genie+ we spent 3isb hours in DHS each day we went and then felt done.

Eta- I have travelled w/ a 2 year old during FP+, a 1/3 year olds during no FP, and now a 2/4 during Genie+. I used to tell everyone the parks were worth it even with little kids, this time that felt the least true for us outside of MK!

 

[gorkt]

Yeah we need details. I am an early riser by nature so the 7am start time didn't bother me, but because of that I am generally in bed by 10-11 and at WDW with all the walking I NEED that extra hour or two of sleep. I can't believe they want a bunch of exhausted sleep deprived people running around for days on end.

 

[ktlm]

Just saw something on Twitter: starting June 8th, Genie + will only be available to purchase the same day, no advance purchases. If you have already purchased, you’ll be fine, but no new advanced purchases. Haven’t found it on the WDW website yet.

edit: found it in the Disney parks blog

“With the launch of new bookings, we will also make an adjustment to how guests purchase Disney Genie+ service, which remains popular and in high demand amongst our guests. From the beginning, our goal has been to launch, learn and evolve as we see how guests are using this service.

Starting June 8, Disney Genie+ will only be offered for purchase through the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit – we will no longer offer the option to purchase this service pre-arrival as a ticket add-on for dates remaining in 2022 and in 2023.

This means that, moving forward, whether you have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, you may only purchase Disney Genie+ service on the day of your visit via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability. We’re focused on delivering the best possible guest experience, and this adjustment will help manage the incredibly strong demand our guests have shown for Disney Genie+.”

Subject to availability. Are they saying it may now sell out each day? Will we have to buy at midnight now to be safe? That's worse than 7 am.

Maybe? It says to “to manage the incredibly strong demand”.

This is pure garbage!!! We went to DL last October when there was no FP and no Genie+ and DH said he would not go back to either place unless there was some type of Fastpass/Maxpass/Genie + in place. DD is a Disney addict who wanted to be an imagineer for years, and hates to leave Disney and last October she was asking if we could change our flights and go home a day early which is absolutely unheard of from her. For years we went to DLR in the summer and WDW at some point in the fall/winter. There is ZERO way I want to spend thousands on a trip only to get there and find out that I am in the type of insane race to try to get Genie+ each day that we we had trying (and failing) multiple times to get in Virtual queues for ROTR or Webslingers at DLR last October. Last October with those stupid virtual queues, with crowds, and with no FP, it was the worst Disney trip we have ever had and we have been to WDW in a hurricane. (Outside of Oogie Boogie's Halloween party which was fantastic- it was the thing that made the trip worth it) If I had a trip booked right now and couldn't get Genie+ ahead of time, I would cancel. No way I am booking a trip until I see if there are mornings that people can't get Genie+ at all. If they aren't limiting it and just making people wait that is one thing (seems like MaxPass at DLR was that way one trip until they changed it so you could buy it with the package)- but if they are limiting how many they are selling every day that is absolutely unfair to make people gamble on taking a trip as to whether they can use the service. This is just crazy. They have had FP in some form (FP+/Max Pass) since 1999 and NEVER limited how many people could use it. I sure hope that is not what they are trying to do now-- but the way things are going and the way our last trip was, I fear that they are. They need to clean house and get rid of people and get their systems back on track.

 

[3gr8boys]

Haven't been to Disney recently, but I have seen several threads where others talk about their actual Genie experiences. Some are standalone threads and not buried in that 200+ page Genie discussion thread.

oops! replied to wrong post

 

[ktlm]

So let me get this straight. In order to hope I get to use this service, that I would pay money for, I have to stay up until midnight, during my vacation, to see if I can even buy it, then if I get lucky enough to use it, get up at 7am, during my vacation, to make reservations, which are also subject to availability.

Honestly I am considering cancelling over this. It's truly absurd. Getting 6.5 hours of sleep a night isnt a vacation, it's torture.

TOTALLY absurd!!!!!!!!!!! It was absurd last October at DLR when I had to get out of bed before 7:00 a.m., try to find a spot with really strong wifi, frantically try to get in the virtual queue for ROTR (or Webslingers) using every tip I could find on the internet; fail miserably every time I tried in the morning; have to tell DD I failed when she woke up and see her disappointment; and be completely stressed out until the 2nd drop at noon; frantically try to find a spot with really strong wifi; and frantically try for the 2nd time to try to get in the virtual queue for one of them with in the noon drop limited success on certain days. If they are limiting the number of Genie+ this is WORSE!