The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[Disturbia]

I asked this same question a few months ago and was told that the booking for 2 hours after park opening is for the park your first LL is booked at. So if your first LL is booked for when you hop to HS in the afternoon, the next one you could book is 2 hours after HS opens, not AK.

That being said, that is what a few people on here responded when I asked, I have not actually had a chance to test this out in person (not that I don't trust people on here, I just like to have personal experience before being sure of an answer )

I will be testing this out in a few weeks though, so I can report back if I can book my second LL based on AK opening vs HS opening.

The issue now is that you can’t book your second park LLs until the Genie+ times go past 2 pm. You can no longer select your second park and start booking 2 pm+ at 7 am.

Be careful with SDMT. I clicked 9:30 am and the final screen said 9:30 am but final booking was 6 pm (on site guests can get the LLIA fixed at the front desk at their resort; offsite would probably need to go to GET to cancel and availability at park opening will be vastly different).

 

[holyrita]

Be careful with SDMT. I clicked 9:30 am and the final screen said 9:30 am but final booking was 6 pm

What the heck is the point of hiding the return times between 7-7:15am if they're still assigning people the incorrect time

 

[DLRExpert]

First of all - WOW - thank you!!! I've copied your suggestions and added to my personal report!
Second of all - how do I learn about the App Refresh Trick?

Watch the following video, It takes place at the Magic Kingdom in WDW, but she constantly does the refresh trick (she calls it Fiddle Faddle).

 

[set88]

I think I'm starting to understand the new ways - the G+ and the ILL's. However, I think we will have so many issues since we aren't staying onsite. We RD every day, but that won't be the advantage it used to be since on-site guests get a 1/2 start now.

Here are my questions - and any help would be greatly appreciated
For MK day - we will RD. At park opening, I will try to ILL 7DMT and then G+ everything else. Where should we head first? Is 7DMT the only thing that's hard to get there now?

For HS day - this seems the hardest. If I head to SDD at RD, is it too late? Is that where all the onsite guests will be? Will I have a chance to G+ this? We will ILL the RofR and hope for the best there. Should we head to RofR at RD or will the line already be insane? Can TSM and Smugglers be G+ pretty easy? Same with Rock N Roller Coaster and TofT?

For EP day - this one is the most confusing to me, as I still don't really understand the VQ for Guardians yet. But, I guess at RD try to ILL this and try to G+ Remy right at 7am? And after Remy, try to G+ TT and Soarin?

Thank you!!!

I agree with the suggestion for Splash / Thunder as your RD at MK. I would choose Jungle Cruise or Peter Pan for your first G+, although the first choice doesn't matter as much as the other parks (everything has decent availability to be a second or third pick).

For HS, I would definitely not RD Slinky and especially not Rise... they'll be too crowded. I would go for RnR or ToT. Yes, Smugglers and TSM tend to have decent availability as LL picks. Slinky should definitely be the first pick at 7am. Next pick Smugglers, then Tot, RnR, Runway Railway if you want any of those... TSM can be saved for a later pick.

EPCOT - Book Remy at 7am for sure. It can be gone before you get to make your second pick. Second pick is TT or Frozen, whichever you prefer knowing you likely won't get the other. Soarin will be available as a third pick.

If you're spending the whole day at EPCOT, don't sweat the VQ for Guardians too much. If you don't get in at 7am, you can get in at 1pm VERY easily. As long as you try at 1pm, you'll get a boarding group for sure.

 

[slbgnb]

For HS, I would definitely not RD Slinky and especially not Rise... they'll be too crowded. I would go for RnR or ToT. Yes, Smugglers and TSM tend to have decent availability as LL picks. Slinky should definitely be the first pick at 7am. Next pick Smugglers, then Tot, RnR, Runway Railway if you want any of those... TSM can be saved for a later pick.

So - how do I do Rise - just hopefully with the ILL?

Thanks for all the other tips!!!

 

[DLRExpert]

So - how do I do Rise - just hopefully with the ILL?

Thanks for all the other tips!!!

ILLs for Rise will be available when the park opens, but return times will be limited and go SUPER fast. If they go fast, use the Refresh Trick.
Otherwise, wait until later in the day and if line is 60 minutes or less jump in it.
Or if you have a 2 hour LL window, grab a snack and drink and jump in line then.

 

[Disturbia]

What the heck is the point of hiding the return times between 7-7:15am if they're still assigning people the incorrect time

Sorry this was back in Mar/apr before the change. Did hiding the time fix the issue?

 

[set88]

So - how do I do Rise - just hopefully with the ILL?

Thanks for all the other tips!!!

Yes, that would be the easiest way for sure. I'd definitely plan to buy right at park opening, but you shouldn't have any trouble getting it unless the park is quite crowded (it hasn't been crowded at all recently, so if you're going soon, I think you'll be fine). If you don't want to pay, the wait near close will be much better than the wait in the morning. And you're welcome!

 

[scrappinginontario]

So - how do I do Rise - just hopefully with the ILL?

Thanks for all the other tips!!!

Do you have one or more days at DHS?

If one then yes, I would recommend purchasing ILL$.

If more than one I would try to do it at park close the first day and see how that works out. We've successfully done that a couple of times. The challenge with that is Rise can go down and if it's down at park close you won't be able to ride.

 

[daisylovesdisney]

Glad to hear fish and chips are available after hours!!!

Honestly it made my night

 

[clbielick]

First trip since genie so catching up. Going on a mk party day(this Friday) but may not make rope drop due to a late flight in thurs. Had planned to park hop to HS. Will there be LLs available for hs attractions if we use the First couple on mk? Seems like zero chance on SDD. But could I burn my first couple at mk and still manage to get a couple others in the evening at HS? Or am I better off switching to a different park that typically has more options still avaliable later in the day? Sorry- rookie question!

 

[g-dad66]

First trip since genie so catching up. Going on a mk party day(this Friday) but may not make rope drop due to a late flight in thurs. Had planned to park hop to HS. Will there be LLs available for hs attractions if we use the First couple on mk? Seems like zero chance on SDD. But could I burn my first couple at mk and still manage to get a couple others in the evening at HS? Or am I better off switching to a different park that typically has more options still avaliable later in the day? Sorry- rookie question!

This data might help you decide:
https://www.genieplushelper.com/genie-plus-helper/hollywood-studios/

 

[scrappinginontario]

First trip since genie so catching up. Going on a mk party day(this Friday) but may not make rope drop due to a late flight in thurs. Had planned to park hop to HS. Will there be LLs available for hs attractions if we use the First couple on mk? Seems like zero chance on SDD. But could I burn my first couple at mk and still manage to get a couple others in the evening at HS? Or am I better off switching to a different park that typically has more options still avaliable later in the day? Sorry- rookie question!

How long are you planning to be at DHS? Do you have another day that you’re going to DHS?

Party days tend to have lower crowds at MK. I guess if it were me and we weren’t getting to MK early, I’d plan to stay at MK rather than take the time to travel to DHS and back, especially if you’ll be at DHS during party hours which it seems you may be planning to do.

Just what I would do.

 

[clbielick]

How long are you planning to be at DHS? Do you have another day that you’re going to DHS?

Party days tend to have lower crowds at MK. I guess if it were me and we weren’t getting to MK early, I’d plan to stay at MK rather than take the time to travel to DHS and back, especially if you’ll be at DHS during party hours which it seems you may be planning to do.

Just what I would do.

Yep. Guessing at mk 8-2. Cool off indoors. Then dhs 4-9. Mk closes early for the party so I figured we'd want to go somewhere else- but I'm probably overthinking this after reading all of this genie info!

 

[lovethesun12]

Is 12:30pm too late to reserve MMRR? I'm thinking the return time would already be later after we'll have left DHS? Should I reserve something at EPCOT in the evening then? Would it be better to reserve MMRR at 10:30am and just ride MF:SR using SB? We've done SB for MF:SR in the past and it wasn't too bad.

Also, if we somehow missed out completely on GotG the day prior, can I purchase ILL$ for the evening on the same day that I purchased ILL$ for RoTR that morning? It's one per park/per day right? Not just one per day?

I'm thinking we will hit ToT first thing at early entry, and then perhaps ride MMRR using SB if it's not too long by then. If we reserve MF:SR at 10:30 for a (hopefully) a time just before we leave for our break then, if nothing at EPCOT is feasible at 12:30pm, we could possibly use G+ for something like TSMM or Star Tours that would (I think) have return times within two hours?

Then I'll have to just keep checking EPCOT attractions to reserve something once the time gets pushed out far enough. You mentioned the "big 3." Presumably, that's Remy, Frozen, and Test Track? Would we be likely to get an evening return time for Soarin' if reserving at 2:30pm or later?

You're plans look great. Given my experience just being there, the wait times are really reasonable anyway (and inflated by Disney). My daughter and I rode MMRR at around 10:30am one day. The posted wait was 60 min. We were on it in about 30min, and the line was constantly moving so didn't really feel that long.

I think Soarin' is almost as easy to book a LL for as Mission Space or Spaceship Earth. We did it on standby as well at around 9:30am one morning and it was basically a walk on.

My DS/DH also did RnR on standby while we were waiting for MMRR in about the same time frame, and we did ToT one evenng at around 9:30pm and it also had a short wait.

 

[slbgnb]

Yes, that would be the easiest way for sure. I'd definitely plan to buy right at park opening, but you shouldn't have any trouble getting it unless the park is quite crowded (it hasn't been crowded at all recently, so if you're going soon, I think you'll be fine). If you don't want to pay, the wait near close will be much better than the wait in the morning. And you're welcome!

We are going Mar 19-24 - so high crowds. I have no problem paying, I just know it might not be available by the time park opening rolls around. Fingers crossed!

 

[joydog]

So if I buy individual lightning lane for guardians or rise etc and wifey chickens out can I use her band to ride it in addition to mine?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Yep. Guessing at mk 8-2. Cool off indoors. Then dhs 4-9. Mk closes early for the party so I figured we'd want to go somewhere else- but I'm probably overthinking this after reading all of this genie info!

Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were going to the Halloween party. Your plan looks like a good one!

 

[CarolynFH]

So if I buy individual lightning lane for guardians or rise etc and wifey chickens out can I use her band to ride it in addition to mine?

Yes you can, as long as she has entered the park where that ride is!

 

[KyloBen]

Yep. Guessing at mk 8-2. Cool off indoors. Then dhs 4-9. Mk closes early for the party so I figured we'd want to go somewhere else- but I'm probably overthinking this after reading all of this genie info!

We were there for first MK Party. Recommend you do not use genie plus for MK, lines were minimal for first 2 plus hours on 8/12 ( we entered at early entry And went from mine train to space to Frontierland) If you are hopping I’d use your first Genie plus on SDD for a time you want to return, then go ToT, RnR (or millennium falcon), MMRR, TSMM. We hopped to HS from Epcot and were able to accomplish the above (except MF) in one evening, we saved Galaxy’s edge for its own day. (From our experience we got more value with GP at HS hopping to studios In evening. That is my recommendation to anyone going).
only wildcard is the holiday crowds.