The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[soniam]

Does anyone have any idea whether people headed to SDD have a similar experience? Do they start running that ride at 8:00 as well?

They did not run slinky today until 830

We saw 8:30 as well for SDD last week. I think only Rise and Smugglers try to start at 8, 1 hour before regular opening. We actually did Smugglers one morning just a hair after 8.

 

[davper]

It's 6am. I rolled into bed at movies last night at 230am after the Christmas party. Whyyyyyyy did I plan DHS after that?!? I never learn.
Anyway. I'm at the bus stop.

my plan

book Rise
Book tower of tower (I am hoping for an early return time
Book MMRR..

Rope drop Slinky.

let's go.

Did anyone find an adult passed out on a bench today?

 

[GBRforWDW]

Ok. Read everything. Feel really stupid now but how to pin to the top?

You have to have tickets added to MDE. If you do have tickets, you can click Edit Selections on your My Genie Tip Board:

 

[katyringo]

As expected my window opened at 4:10 and there is nothing. I'm refreshing while in line but nothing is coming up.

 

[Casey LC]

Ok. Read everything. Feel really stupid now but how to pin to the top?

you have to set up a genie itinerary first under the “My Day” tab and pick whatever ride you want as a Top Pick and that will pin it to the top of the Tip board. Skip all the other options they offer. After that you can edit which ride you want to pin by clicking “edit selections” on tip board. I usually change the pinned ride as the day goes on to whatever ride I’m trying to find next.

 

[Selket]

I do recall that to create the link, one of us had to invite the other to join the Friends and Family list and the other person had to accept.

Yes sounds right - I had my son and DH make an account and then in my account I sent them an email requesting to share plans. They could then see their park reservations, etc. so I think we're good to go for buying Genie+. I was surprised it actually worked considering how much headache that trying to plan this trip has been lol!

 

[CBMom01]

I’m super confused about a few points, but mainly how people are checking Genie+ and/or $ILL return times before their trips.

 

[leeniewdw]

I’m super confused about a few points, but mainly how people are checking Genie+ and/or $ILL return times before their trips.

I'm in the US and am able to pull up the tip board on app and see what the current return times are for the G+ LLs. As far as ILL$, they also show if they are available and the current soonest return time (you can't see all available times unless you have a park reservation for the day). Today and yesterday, if you refresh the app page (tap the Tip Board text at the top) it shows how those times move around. Mostly move to later times, but sometimes earlier. Last week the return times moved to later in the day much faster than today (unsuprisingly).

 

[katyringo]

Tomorrow I am doing AK but I'm not sure how dedicated I am going to be to early entry. I am tired! I plan to wake up to buy FOP. I hear single rider at Everest is always fast?

Also... I got in line for MMRR with a 40 minute wait and it probably took 15mins..

 

[Mango7100]

What time did you arrive at the park? Do you have a sense of how much further back in line you would have been (time-wise) if you had arrived at the park around 8:00?

We were there the week before Thanksgiving and got in line for MMRR at 750 and were about 1/2 through the outdoor queue. As we waited the SDD line went back to Little Mermaid theater. Rise was down so that was probably a factor

 

[nurseberta]

Was fascinating to watch the slower progression of times for DHS this morning between 7 and 730am. After being a little freaked out all last week, now concerned about our 7am LL grab on Friday. We had decided to skip SDD and grab MFSR, but our flight departs at 7:25am and today the return times were too early for us! A good 'problem' to have if that means crowds are much lower.

Just checked at 11:05am and MFSR is available for 7:15pm return, so I guess we're back to SDD first and MFSR next.

I'm going to need to set alarms all week at 7am and 11am to check MDE to nail down our plan. Then prepare to be boarding a plane when I need to grab that 7am LL. (I may have to make sure to get a paper boarding pass at the airport, can you imagine being in a SW lineup and have to stop to scan your boarding pass RIGHT AT 7AM! LOL)

OMG! Valid point! I also have a 7:05 flight! Hoping I can board early and secure my LL before take off!!!
Just added “print boarding pass” to my itinerary
Also thinking I need airline wifi so I’ll have to buy it on delta!!

 

[nurseberta]

That's what we're hoping for Friday, our travel/arrival. Today I was able to 'model' DHS getting the 2 ILL$ and SDD at 7am. Then MFSR, ToT, RnRC at 11, 1, 3. We'd arrive at DHS around 3pm with 5 headliners. Then we'll head to the MK AH party.

Of course, I don't know how Friday compares to today's crowds, so .... who knows!

curious to see how this works, our arrival day usually plan Epcot

 

[nurseberta]

That was stressful .. and the family in line next to me are now yelling at each other over it.

what line were you in at 7am?

 

[katyringo]

what line were you in at 7am?

The bus line for DHS.

 

[nurseberta]

Thanks. That's frustrating, but not surprising. Kind of annoying that they started running RotR at 8:00, but didn't start SDD until 8:30. If you want to do SDD, it sounds like you should arrive by 7:45. But if you are going to arrive that early, there is a strong incentive to do RotR rather than SDD, since you can be off of RotR before others even get onto SDD.

true but if you do rise and then SDD you would be behind most of the RD crowd.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

The lines app is worth the price of the subscription. That's what I use.

Agree 100% the TP app has been invaluable this trip. Times have been much more accurate.

Off topic, but there is a banner at the bottom of the resorts TV channel saying no need to arrive earlier than 1/2 hr EE time. If I saw that and got to DHS only to find myself in an hour long line behind people that arrived at 730am I'd be really annoyed.

G+ is very similar to the old paper FP without the running and with extra costs that add up quickly ($150+) day for ILL$ and G+. The part I do not like at all is the 7am wake up each day. Since I didn't purchase G+ for EPCOT or AK, I wish I had scheduled parks a bit differently to allow for alternate sleep in days.

 

[katyringo]

I decided not to rope drop AK today. Needed some more rest. I did wake up and buy FOP. I also bought Everest because I can (lol). I watched the times a bit and booked Navi river. I now have a nice mid morning stack. I'll book the safari when I'm eligible to book again.

If I wasn't solo and with the whole family I probably would have bought FOP for all of us, rope dropped Everest, and not buy Genie for the day for all of us.

 

[katyringo]

Everest has been down all morning..

anyone know what happens to your purchased upgrade lightning lane if the ride is down during your time?

 

[HeiHei2018]

Everest has been down all morning..

anyone know what happens to your purchased upgrade lightning lane if the ride is down during your time?

Previous posters said it converts to an anytime for that ride. Reports said they would only offer refund if it’s down all day.

 

[katyringo]

Previous posters said it converts to an anytime for that ride. Reports said they would only offer refund if it’s down all day.

Thanks. I would have been just fine with that. Luckily it seems to be back up!