The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[wisblue]

I started refreshing Slinky Dog at 7:10 this morning. At 7:11, I started seeing new times available starting at 3pm and refreshed several times to find several times available for all hours beyond 3pm. Those time slots lasted another 1-2 minutes.

Went back in at 7:21 and started refreshing again. At 7:23, 10 minutes after they were gone the second time, more times were available again, mostly the same times I saw before but maybe not as many slots, though I did get a 12:45 option first this time. Those times lasted another 2 minutes.

ETA: SDD had availability again at 7:35, though not quite as much and that stayed a couple more minutes.

Realized I was keeping time in Central time so updated to Eastern,

These times do pop up, but the question is always going to be whether you would actually be able to book them if you were onsite and tried to snag one.

You might be competing with a lot of other people trying to grab the same slot and doing the same kind of refreshing.

 

[GBRforWDW]

These times do pop up, but the question is always going to be whether you would actually be able to book them if you were onsite and tried to snag one.

You might be competing with a lot of other people trying to grab the same slot and doing the same kind of refreshing.

Yeah, who knows, most of the refreshes were lasting a couple minutes, so if you held out and didn't book a consolation prize that you'd have to cancel, you'd most likely have a better shot of getting one.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Interesting story from our experience today on the other side of Genie + - we had booked a ILL for mmrr and we’re in regular line for toy story. Toy story had a posted 60 minute wait and we were 85 minutes in when we finally reached the glasses area. According to a CM there, they were having technical difficulties and our wait would be at least another 40 minutes making our entire wait over two hours and causing us to miss MMRR. She stated that if we left line, we would not receive anything to return to toy story (such as a fast pass or LL) but if we stayed we would definitely miss our MMRR ILL. We spoke with two CMs at the ride and both were fairly unapologetic that they don’t offer any compensation anymore and that it was just a suggested wait time so in essence we should have planned better. I did eventually head to guest services where again we were told that in the future there is nothing they can do to help us but for this one time they would allow us to go back to do toy story. Be careful not to miss your time at all as there is also supposedly no more grace period. It’s crazy I tell ya.

Just more proof that disney doesn’t care about guest satisfaction any more at all.

I started refreshing Slinky Dog at 7:10 this morning. At 7:11, I started seeing new times available starting at 3pm and refreshed several times to find several times available for all hours beyond 3pm. Those time slots lasted another 1-2 minutes.

Went back in at 7:21 and started refreshing again. At 7:23, 10 minutes after they were gone the second time, more times were available again, mostly the same times I saw before but maybe not as many slots, though I did get a 12:45 option first this time. Those times lasted another 2 minutes.

ETA: SDD had availability again at 7:35, though not quite as much and that stayed a couple more minutes.

Realized I was keeping time in Central time so updated to Eastern,

ETA: at 7:47, only saw 2 time slots this time. 3:30 and 3:40 before showing sold out again.

I think this reinforces the idea that the 10 minute hold time / peopel cancelling is responsible for this and that SDD is releasing in batches approximately every 10 minutes. That woudl also explain why you get diminishing returns in each subsequent 10 minute batch. It seems to me like a person wanting both ROTR and SDD is better off getting ROTR at 7 am and trying for SDD starting at 7:10.

 

[GBRforWDW]

I think this reinforces the idea that the 10 minute hold time / peopel cancelling is responsible for this and that SDD is releasing in batches approximately every 10 minutes. That woudl also explain why you get diminishing returns in each subsequent 10 minute batch. It seems to me like a person wanting both ROTR and SDD is better off getting ROTR at 7 am and trying for SDD starting at 7:10.

Yep, I was skeptical when you said it yesterday, but definitely see that happening after watching it for an hour. However as @wisblue mentioned, and if this becomes more widely known, it will become more difficult to grab at 10 minutes. Right now, people are probably grabbing something else at 7:01 if they lose out, so they have to cancel that then rebook. If people start holding out, they'll go faster when they come back up at 7:11.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I've seen this too. Be aware though it's been my experience and from what I've read, clicking that time to book seems to throw the app into the looping glitch.

Hopefully that bug fix will happen soon cause experiencing it is maddening!

 

[wisblue]

I've seen this too. Be aware though it's been my experience and from what I've read, clicking that time to book seems to throw the app into the looping glitch.

Hopefully that bug fix will happen soon cause experiencing it is maddening!

Have people experienced that looping when booking with Genie+ or only when booking an IALL that requires a payment?

On my trip I never was victimized by the endless loop, but I was asked a few times to enter a code that was sent by email. It only occurred when I was trying to pay for something, like the purchase of Genie+ for the day, an IALL, or a mobile dining order. I was never asked to enter a code when booking a Genie+ LL.

 

[TropicalDIS]

cool. and for the ILL theres a couple of screens where you confirm before it’s all done and time can change as you work through them?

Yes! Pay attention to the time. Got me a couple times for the LL, luckily never for ILL.

 

[rmclain73]

I started refreshing Slinky Dog at 7:10 this morning. At 7:11, I started seeing new times available starting at 3pm and refreshed several times to find several times available for all hours beyond 3pm. Those time slots lasted another 1-2 minutes.

Went back in at 7:21 and started refreshing again. At 7:23, 10 minutes after they were gone the second time, more times were available again, mostly the same times I saw before but maybe not as many slots, though I did get a 12:45 option first this time. Those times lasted another 2 minutes.

ETA: SDD had availability again at 7:35, though not quite as much and that stayed a couple more minutes.

Realized I was keeping time in Central time so updated to Eastern,

ETA: at 7:47, only saw 2 time slots this time. 3:30 and 3:40 before showing sold out again.

Last edit:checked back at 7:59 and refreshed for 2 minutes and didn't see any more pop up.

There was a blog on touring plans that tracked the drops of attractions. Different times for parks and attractions.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

It only occurred when I was trying to pay for something, like the purchase of Genie+ for the day, an IALL, or a mobile dining order. I was never asked to enter a code when booking a Genie+ LL.

The thing I don’t understand is why? Why would Disney feel the need to confirm your identity with two-step authentication before selling you an ILL$? The fact that this process glitches badly for many people and causes then to miss out on the ability to book would be bad enough even if Disney had a reason for sending the codes in the first place. But if there is no sensible reason, then this is immeasurable incompetence.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

The thing I don’t understand is why? Why would Disney feel the need to confirm your identity with two-step authentication before selling you an ILL$? The fact that this process glitches badly for many people and causes then to miss out on the ability to book would be bad enough even if Disney had a reason for sending the codes in the first place. But if there is no sensible reason, then this is immeasurable incompetence.

The better question is, does Disney care enough to invest the time and resources into fixing this glitch in a timely manner? I'm guessing no. They are selling out all the ILL$ anyway so it doesn't matter to them if a few users are prevented from purchasing by a glitch.

 

[MagicMoon]

Genie + is not very useful on busy days. The inability to modify or select a more desirable time are two of the biggest downfalls for our family.

At MK thanksgiving, at 7am got Jungle Cruise at 10:40 - 11:40. Then at 11:00 got PP at 4:10. Then checked into Jungle Cruise at 11:20. Unable to pick up another at this point until 1. By 1, there were slim pickings that worked with our schedule.

Also, hotel reservations that appear to be linked in the my Disney experience, may not necessarily be linked. I was worried about this going into this week with reports others have posted at Swan and Dolphin and called two months ago to verify this wouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately it still was. Had to call and hold for a long time and go to guest services first day. Third day here today and hotel disappeared from my Disney app. Noticed at 6:40 thank goodness and chatted w cast member who corrected before 7am.

By the way, this early morning daily unpleasantness is very stressful, not what I like in a vacation.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

Also, hotel reservations that appear to be linked in the my Disney experience, may not necessarily be linked. I was worried about this going into this week with reports others have posted at Swan and Dolphin and called two months ago to verify this wouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately it still was. Had to call and hold for a long time and go the guest services first day.

Can you say more about this? We are staying at the Swan next month, and I really, really don't want this to happen to us. It sounds like you called in advance and they told you everything was okay, but then it wasn't on your first morning? Or did you call in advance and get the problem fixed in advance? Who did you call? Thanks.

 

[ssgtravel]

Question about stacking every 2 hours. Let's say I book a ride at 1:00, then plan to stack another at 3:00, then another at 5:00. If the ride I book at 1:00 is not a convenient time, and I want to change it, what happens if I cancel and rebook? Does that alter the 2 hour rule, e.g., if I origininally booked at 1:00 (so would then become eligible to book again at 3:00), but say at around 1:30 I find a better time for that first reservation, will that action reset my "2 hour" clock, so that I would not be unable to book again at 3:00, but would have to wait until 3:30?

 

[Missmaureen78]

I‘ve looked at that site. It takes a little time to figure out exactly how to interpret and navigate some of those color coded graphs.

They can be confusing at first but I've found them to be interesting in terms of identifying trends. It's easier on a computer vs. a phone or tablet, since you can hover your cursor to bring up actual times.

 

[JMommyof3]

Question about stacking every 2 hours. Let's say I book a ride at 1:00, then plan to stack another at 3:00, then another at 5:00. If the ride I book at 1:00 is not a convenient time, and I want to change it, what happens if I cancel and rebook? Does that alter the 2 hour rule, e.g., if I origininally booked at 1:00 (so would then become eligible to book again at 3:00), but say at around 1:30 I find a better time for that first reservation, will that action reset my "2 hour" clock, so that I would not be unable to book again at 3:00, but would have to wait until 3:30?

From what other users have posted, yes it will change your time.

 

[Luisfba]

Does turning a LL in reset the 2 hour clock?

in other words, can I continue to book a LL every two hours once I start turning them in?

 

[soniam]

Have gotten the dreaded passcode twice while buying ILL. It was always my husband doing it on his phone using my MDE account. It actually caused us to not get MFSR G+ early enough today; need to be at Epcot tonight. Just did it twice during EE instead and got G+ for TOT. It happened for 7DMT on Tuesday and Rise today, Friday. It takes what seems like forever for the email to come and then to load.

 

[MagicMoon]

Can you say more about this? We are staying at the Swan next month, and I really, really don't want this to happen to us. It sounds like you called in advance and they told you everything was okay, but then it wasn't on your first morning? Or did you call in advance and get the problem fixed in advance? Who did you call? Thanks.

I called the Dolphin in advance. We went through all 3 of our reservations (party of 8). Thought it was ok. Needed Disney to fix at the park in the end and they had to fix our lightening lanes. Not sure why the hotel reservation dropped mid stay???!? Did a chat to fix this morning because it was before 7am. Luckily I got someone to fix prior to picks.

I think several are having issues with this and hopefully will fix prior to your trip.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I think several are having issues with this and hopefully will fix prior to your trip.

Thanks. But, sadly, I have zero faith in Disney to work diligently to fix these glitches.

 

[pinkxray]

We are headed to Epcot next weekend. I have a 4 year old obsessed with frozen and my favorite movie is Ratatouille.
I am fine missing everything else in Epcot if we can get both if these. Which one should I go for first? The virtual Remy or Frozen? I will pay for Ratatouille if needed but prefer not to.