The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[soniam]

So since we are going to be staying on-site in March, and we can make ILL selections at 7am before off-site guests, I take it that should be my priority at 7am? But anyone using genie+ (off site and on-site) can make their genie+ selections at 7am, correct? How quickly do the early slot times go for genie+ if I’m busy booking ILL’s at 7am? Should I be booking ILL’s while say my wife is booking a genie+ slot? Can two people of the same party be doing that at the same time? She has her own MDE log in.

It depends upon the park. It seems that only Rise ILL go early, However, Slinky Dog Genie+ go early too. I would book Slinky G+ and then Rise ILL, if doing one at a time. The other parks are not as critical.

 

[Sjm9911]

I’m a little confused by something. I’ve been periodically looking at the MDE app trying to wrap my head around how this Genie+ works. One thing I notice at times is a ride will say “standby line not currently available”. I saw this a lot when I was viewing MK. A lot of rides were saying “standby line not currently available” even though it was showing genie+ selection times. I refreshed a few mins after and then those rides were all showing standby times again. Just a temp glitch? But then I changed to Epcot and Test Track was showing no genie+ selections but also showing no standby line available. What does this mean? Are they actually cutting off people from being able to stand in standby lines on some rides?

View attachment 621640

Depends on when you see those things. Rides go down. Then both get changed to not avalable. Also weather effects them. Plus they are slow to update when the ride is down. I have booked rides, and walked over to find its down. Addtionally, i have been in cues when the ride is down and they dont update the ap. So, its for a reason, justbnot sceen if your not there.

 

[Sjm9911]

Oh and sometimes they take G + reservations, when the ride is down for future times. That dosen't mean the ride will be up and running by then. Remmy goes down a lot as does the micky and minni train. I was in line , 3 times when they went down. Missed RD because of one and missed remmy on one park day. All 3 times the ap was not updated to status promptly or at all.

 

[StarrySkye21]

Im still looking for answers on if you cancel a G+ reservation to say HM, you can rebook HM again later in the day?

Also what if you accidently let your G+ reservation expire for BTMR? Can you book it again?

 

[baozi]

So did a Disney run last Sunday (a pretty busy day) and something to share:
1. There are many bugs with the system still. Especially when you try to book a new Genie+ reservation and you are not eligible yet, the reason given seems to be powered by a random number generator...
Also, whether or not you can cancel a Genie+ reservation (i.e. whether or not the "cancel" link exists on the Genie+ reservation page) is like determined by a random number generator, maybe an Android specific bug?
2. If an attraction does not have any desirable time slot available, keep refreshing and you may get one later. During the morning when I was in the queue for FoP (9:15-11:15), I wanted to get a G+ for Safaris (had a G+ reservation for SDD, so can only get a new reservation at 11:00). I have been watching the return window for it, and while generally it was in the range of 2:00pm+, eventually I secured one for 11:25. And during the Safaris I tried to secure a G+ reservation for Test track, while the return window was generally in the range of 6:00pm+, I eventually secured one for 2:20pm.
3. I saw some posts saying that Disney intentionally posted wait time that was much longer than the actual wait time to encourage purchase of ILL, it was not my experience. At 9:15am the posted wait time for FOP was 65 minutes while I entered the pre-show room at 11:15am...
4. It is not true that if an attraction goes down, everybody's ILL is automatically extended to the end of the day. Actually for my Remmy ILL (the app was a little bit confusing -- as basically all options were grayed out, I just thought that it never came back up), I went to the customer experience umbrella, and the CM said something like "it is your fault, but let me make a one time exception and extend it".
5. Value of Genie+? You can not compare with the past. In 2018 I was once able to secure 4 fastpasses for FOP in a single day by refreshing. Well, I have to admit that it was sort of unfair for other guests... Now, you may get many G+ reservations for some C rides in MK or Epcot or 2-3 rides in the other two parks. But think about it this way: that $16 saves you maybe 2 hours of park time, I guess it is still worth it to some extent.

 

[Sjm9911]

Im still looking for answers on if you cancel a G+ reservation to say HM, you can rebook HM again later in the day?

Also what if you accidently let your G+ reservation expire for BTMR? Can you book it again?

I have cancled a G+ reservation before the time slot started and i was able tonre book the same ride at a earlier time. So i booked it, then it showed an earlier time, so I cancled it and rebooked it.

 

[amylevan]

Im still looking for answers on if you cancel a G+ reservation to say HM, you can rebook HM again later in the day?

Also what if you accidently let your G+ reservation expire for BTMR? Can you book it again?

According to TouringPlans, if you let a reservation expire, you cannot rebook it. The system sees it as used.

 

[Kazi7]

I want to use G+ on Sunday for HS between 5p and 9p. Obviously I'll get SDD at 7am, then at 11am I'd like to get ToT. So this week I've been stalking the 11am time to see what's available. Earlier this week at the 11am drop, ToT was pulling return times at 5pm and it went up very quickly to after 7pm within 5 min! This am when I checked at 11, ToT return times were between 11am and 3pm (refreshing several times). I had to wait until 11:20 or so to consistently see return times past 5pm. Every day is different and it's so hard to plan. I think you just have to be ready on the dot and keep refreshing until you get something that fits.

 

[CBMom01]

From this thread and other sources, I’m getting the message that literally the only Genie+ strategy that works is to start making selections at 7, rope drop, and prioritize must-do early in the day over all else. Do you guys agree?

 

[Sjm9911]

Today at MK was a mess. SDMT down , Splash down, and Jungle cruse down at park opening. Used exactly one G+ (JC at 1105) grabbed another G+ at 1100, still waiting on times for the next ones to come up So today it wasn't good for G+. And standby lines in the am were still 15 minutes shorter then posted.

 

[ckelly14]

From this thread and other sources, I’m getting the message that literally the only Genie+ strategy that works is to start making selections at 7, rope drop, and prioritize must-do early in the day over all else. Do you guys agree?

I believe there is also a school of thought to use G+ to stack LLs for an afternoon park. So you can sleep in a little...

 

[CBMom01]

I believe there is also a school of thought to use G+ to stack LLs for an afternoon park. So you can sleep in a little...

Ah, so if you’re hopping just do SB or $LL at park 1 and choose later Genie+ for park 2? Interesting

 

[DisneyKidds]

Ah, so if you’re hopping just do SB or $LL at park 1 and choose later Genie+ for park 2? Interesting

As far as I’m concerned this will be OUR best use of G+. Rope drop am park while stacking G+ returns for pm park. A lot of people say G+ isn’t worth it for Epcot, but if we can triple stack and show up to Epcot later in the day with TT AND Soarin in hand, with maybe Spaceship Earth as well….that would be an improvement over park hopping of yore, albeit at an additional cost. Of course that is all dependent upon the availability of suitable LL returns during busier times.

 

[CJK]

Just back from our trip. The one thing I never could figure out was refreshing the tip board, to find a closer time for our desired ride. When I refreshed the page (multiple times on multiple days), the times just kept getting later and later. My dh was getting mad that I wasn't booking, but I was hoping the refresh method would work. Was I just really unlucky, or did I do something wrong?

 

[Luisfba]

I believe there is also a school of thought to use G+ to stack LLs for an afternoon park. So you can sleep in a little...

I’m starting to think that’s going to be my approach, at least for HS. I’ll be staying at the Boardwalk, on a very busy week.. so I’m thinking for HS I’m going to have the kids sleep in, start at Epcot, nice lunch at France, take the skylines, and park hop to HS - start making selections at 7am. This gets me 3 LL plus ILLs already setup by the time I get there.

 

[Pookie9922]

Can someone reiterate what happens with your stack when you get an anywhere LL when a ride breaks down? Someone said it could mess up your stack if you didn't use it in the same window, but I didn't understand why.

 

[LMO429]

Hi! Our trip isn't until April so we have some time im trying to really wrap my head around how to maximize genie plus sometimes when I am reading its confusing is there a you tube video anyone can recommend that really explains this with visuals or a blog post that is super detailed.

 

[JETSDAD]

Just back from our trip. The one thing I never could figure out was refreshing the tip board, to find a closer time for our desired ride. When I refreshed the page (multiple times on multiple days), the times just kept getting later and later. My dh was getting mad that I wasn't booking, but I was hoping the refresh method would work. Was I just really unlucky, or did I do something wrong?

You're just waiting on someone to cancel.....the times will keep getting later as they get booked up but you want to catch it when someone drops their earlier time. You just never know how long that could take or what times might be dropped.

 

[woody5]

I have been reading this thread daily. I think I have the stacking figured out. I just want to clarify that if I have a LL at 9am and I use the LL at say 9:30, I am now eligible for another LL. I am not subject to the 2 hour rule because I used the LL. Is this the correct understanding?

 

[Sjm9911]

I have been reading this thread daily. I think I have the stacking figured out. I just want to clarify that if I have a LL at 9am and I use the LL at say 9:30, I am now eligible for another LL. I am not subject to the 2 hour rule because I used the LL. Is this the correct understanding?

Thats correct. But it isn't a stack. Its just pick one, ride it pick another.