The Genie Usage, Tips and Strategy ONLY Thread

[persnickity]

I haven't seen this..

is scrolling through tip board the only way to start booking at 7am? Have to scroll to the rides you want?

like most I am thinking of my HS day...

This is the plan I'm going for:
7am: book SDD for earliest as it gives, buy LL for Rise and MMRR for early afternoon.

early entry rope drop: Tower of terror and rocking roller coaster (single rider)

smugglers run (single rider)

keep booking Geni+ as available.. (I think overall it's harder to stack in HS if your not arriving late)

I think you can use regular Genie to select your favorite rides, then they will be pinned to the top of your tip board. But I'm not sure if it works before you tap in (it doesn't work from home to practice).

 

[aboveH20]

I hope someone who knows the answer sees this. I've had no luck googling or searching.

I'm trying to find out what phone operating system (if that's the right name) Genie requires. I was at WDW in April and was never able to do mobile ordering.

I have an iPhone 6 and I think the operating system is 12ish. I also couldn't get on RoTR but I know that was a long shot for most people.. Sounds like Genie is pretty much a requirement these days. If I have to buy a new phone that adds considerably to the cost of a trip.

Anyone know phone requirements for Genie?

Thank you

 

[soniam]

I hope someone who knows the answer sees this. I've had no luck googling or searching.

I'm trying to find out what phone operating system (if that's the right name) Genie requires. I was at WDW in April and was never able to do mobile ordering.

I have an iPhone 6 and I think the operating system is 12ish. I also couldn't get on RoTR but I know that was a long shot for most people.. Sounds like Genie is pretty much a requirement these days. If I have to buy a new phone that adds considerably to the cost of a trip.

Anyone know phone requirements for Genie?

Thank you

I don't think there are any specified requirements. However, you probably need to update to the latest OS that your phone supports. I have read of people using iPhone 6 successfully with Genie+, but I suspect you need to ensure that the OS and app are up-to-date. Update now and play around with it via the "Tip Board" in MDE and see how it's working. Do this now, so that if you want a new phone, you might still have time to get one. My husband just updated his iPhone 7 to iOS 15. It's being a little slow and flaky. Luckily, I just got my iPhone 13 two weeks ago. His is supposed to come in next week, right before we leave. Our phone batteries have been getting worse and worse for months. We had planned to get new phones at some point soon, but Genie+ really hastened the decision. Unfortunately, the iPhone 13 models were on backorder. I don't know if supply has improved or not.

 

[nurseberta]

I haven't seen this..

is scrolling through tip board the only way to start booking at 7am? Have to scroll to the rides you want?

like most I am thinking of my HS day...

This is the plan I'm going for:
7am: book SDD for earliest as it gives, buy LL for Rise and MMRR for early afternoon.

early entry rope drop: Tower of terror and rocking roller coaster (single rider)

smugglers run (single rider)

keep booking Geni+ as available.. (I think overall it's harder to stack in HS if your not arriving late)

I have been practicing as well. If you log in and
Chose edit selections you will be able to select a few rides and they will reorder towards the top

note that each time I enter a new day tip board I have to edit selections from the beginning as it doeSnt save preferences from day to day.
this is something you need to do before the 7am hour

 

[g-dad66]

I have been practicing as well. If you log in and
Chose edit selections you will be able to select a few rides and they will reorder towards the top

note that each time I enter a new day tip board I have to edit selections from the beginning as it doeSnt save preferences from day to day.
this is something you need to do before the 7am hour

Yep, exactly.

In fact, if you select Slinky Dog Dash as your ONLY favorite, it will stay at the top of the Tip Board (as it's the only one you need to get to fast at 7am).

 

[katyringo]

Yep, exactly.

In fact, if you select Slinky Dog Dash as your ONLY favorite, it will stay at the top of the Tip Board (as it's the only one you need to get to fast at 7am).

This is super helpful

 

[acarsme123]

The more I keep playing with the MDE app and looking at what LL slots are available, I seem to be noticing a trend. By around noon all the slots are pushed out well into the evening hours. You could just standby in the lines for those rides and possibly be through them faster than waiting around for a late evening LL slot. I’m really starting to question if genie+ is worth it for a family like ours in this case. We normally always rope drop, plus we’ll have the 30 min early access. We normally like to eat dinner and call it a day with the parks by early evening so we can go back to the resort and swim.

 

[dmunsil]

Using the grace period hack and 120 rule will this work?

MK example Sunday 11/21

7:00am - Book G+ LL - JC for 920-1020 window
7:30am EE (staying on property)
8:00am MK Open

Step A. 10:00 Since 120 minute after opening - Book G+LL for PP as early as we can get it
Step B. 10:21 Book G+ LL BTMRR since JC expired
Step C. 10:22 Tap into JC
Step D. 10:23 Book G+ LL HM

If the above works, can it be confirmed that if instead I were to get the first G+ LL for an earlier time - say 830-930, expiring before the 120 period - I then eliminate the opportunity for the double stack because the tap in occurs first?

No, it won’t work. There is no separate “expiration rule” and ”120-minute rule.” It’s the same thing. You regain eligibility to book at either 120 minutes or the expiration time of your most recently booked reservation, not both. So step A works and step B doesn’t.

As to the second question, if you book earlier you can still get a second reservation by waiting until expiration and then tapping in during the grace period, at least so far.

 

[acarsme123]

This was me! Lol. Genie was a total bust for us today in HS. After everything booked up on LL at 3 then standby became super long the rest of the day everywhere. Our only luck came at the last hour when we got to ride ROTR and MFSR standby. (An hour or so for Rise and 20 minutes MFSR).

But honestly, it was incredibly frustrating and there’s no way really to predict it and I’m not sure we could have prevented it. Our first LL was as early as we could get for SDD (1 pm) and then it was closed/filled for the day at 7 am. We made our next LL at 11 and that wasn’t until later. Then it snowballed from there….
I don’t personally see how this system can work for large crowds. It just doesn’t work.

This whole genie+ thing has already put me in a sour mood for this coming March trip. We’ve had fabulous trips to DW in the past. This is the first time I’m not very excited about it. I felt obligated to get the Genie+ ahead of time on our ticket package, but I am really starting to question how useful it will be. Unless you plan to stay in the parks from open to close, I am not sure you get your money’s worth out of genie+ since a lot of the LL slots gets pushed out into the late evening hours by mid-day it seems.

 

[cjlong88]

Okay, so far so good with stacking for this evening at HS. Pretty easy, although it took me a minute to figure out the layout of the app.

7am: Rise and Slinky
11am: MFSR
1pm: RnRC

Hoping ToT is still available at 3pm and I’ll see if anything is left at 5pm.

 

[cjlong88]

This is super helpful

I’ve been changing my selections to my priority choice every time I’m ready to book the next one. It’s a game changer!

 

[katied]

Hi. I‘m trying to figure out the best strategy for Dec 19th, with high crowds, optmizing Genie+ and LL.
start 830 am early entry to Magic Kingdom.
buyLL for 7DMT
rides: BTMR, Space, Splash, HM, Pooh, Pirates
switch at 2/3 pm to Animal Kingdom
buy LL for FOP
rides: EE, Kali, Na’vi
switch at 7 pm to Epcot
rides: Test Track, Mission Space, try for virtual wait for Remy

so - I think my best plan is to:
7 am - buy my LL, book first Genie + for post 11 am (BTMR or Splash, maybe?)
830 am - rope drop Space
9 am - 11 am - regular lines for HM, Pirates, Pooh
11 am - book next Genie + (maybe Na’vi at AK)
11 ish - ride what I booked Genie +
12 ish book new Genie +
1 ish book new Genie + (maybe Test Track)
finish ride list at MK, eat, transfer to AK

2/3 - arrive AK
ride FOP
ride Na’vi
3 book née Genie +
standby for EE
ride Kali
ride Na’vi

8ish - arrive Epoct
ride Test Track
maybe I got Remy virtual spot
ride Mission Space

does this seem at all possible? Is there a better way to do this?

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

We are here now and experienced the same issue in HS today. It was frustrating and crowded. I am trying to avoid disappointing the kids at Magic Kingdom tomorrow, is there any advice on what order to book our LL? Which are most popular? Thanks

Jungle Cruise seems to be the one that fills the fastest at MK.

 

[kappyfamily]

No, it won’t work. There is no separate “expiration rule” and ”120-minute rule.” It’s the same thing. You regain eligibility to book at either 120 minutes or the expiration time of your most recently booked reservation, not both. So step A works and step B doesn’t.

As to the second question, if you book earlier you can still get a second reservation by waiting until expiration and then tapping in during the grace period, at least so far.

sorry, can you remind me how long the grace period is again? Also, is always the case to let it expire then tap in? thank you

 

[kappyfamily]

I’ve been changing my selections to my priority choice every time I’m ready to book the next one. It’s a game changer!

So you only put one selection in?

 

[cjlong88]

So you only put one selection in?

You can select as many or as few attractions on your list I believe. I limit it to the one I wanted most when looking for the LL so it remained at the top of the Tip Board.

 

[Sydnerella]

No, it won’t work. There is no separate “expiration rule” and ”120-minute rule.” It’s the same thing. You regain eligibility to book at either 120 minutes or the expiration time of your most recently booked reservation, not both. So step A works and step B doesn’t.

As to the second question, if you book earlier you can still get a second reservation by waiting until expiration and then tapping in during the grace period, at least so far.

Thank you! This has me mixed up in case you can’t tell!!

So if I instead was able to book JC for 830-930 - then I could do the following:

A. 9:31 Book BTMRR
B. 9:32 Tap into JC
D. 10 am - 120 minute rule book PP

Based on that it seems that there is not also potential for a C. at 9:33 to Book HM - correct?

 

[BioInfoLib]

Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread - we just got back from our trip yesterday and were pretty happy with Genie+ etc. Couldn't have done it without all your insights!

I've put together a list of what we rode, when, and how (LL, ILL, SB) - wasn't sure if it included enough strategy for this thread so posted it in Here Now Just Back page 802 post 63533432.

Hope this is useful to someone!

 

[dmunsil]

Thank you! This has me mixed up in case you can’t tell!!

So if I instead was able to book JC for 830-930 - then I could do the following:

A. 9:31 Book BTMRR
B. 9:32 Tap into JC
D. 10 am - 120 minute rule book PP

Based on that it seems that there is not also potential for a C. at 9:33 to Book HM - correct?

No, Step D won't work. The "120 minute/expiration time" resets every time you book, so in step A, you're setting a new expiration time at least an hour away and as much as 2 hours away.

I emphasize again: you don't get BOTH the 120-minute eligibility reset AND the expiration reset, you get just the earliest of the two. And then you also become eligible when you tap in. So for a reservation, you can wait for the timer to run down (which lets you book), book something, then tap in (which lets you book), then book another thing.

In theory you could do it with every reservation but in practice as you build up overlapping reservations it doesn't actually work for many/most of them. Right at the beginning of the day is the easiest time to make it happen.

Here are two posts I made over the last week that detail the rules and how the expiration times work.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...egy-only-thread.3857056/page-50#post-63517569
https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...egy-only-thread.3857056/page-54#post-63523331

 

[dmunsil]

Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread - we just got back from our trip yesterday and were pretty happy with Genie+ etc. Couldn't have done it without all your insights!

I've put together a list of what we rode, when, and how (LL, ILL, SB) - wasn't sure if it included enough strategy for this thread so posted it in Here Now Just Back page 802 post 63533432.

Hope this is useful to someone!

Here's the link: https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...g-park-hopping.3807247/page-802#post-63533432