WDW updates Genie+ guidance, average of 2-3 rides per day

[Liquidice]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1508992394380861440

Disney World updated their website recently ( https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/genie/lightning-lane/#drawer-card-drawerRecommender ) to add that "On average, guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using the Lightning Lane entrance if the first selection is made early in the day."

It seems like Disney is admitting defeat that Genie+ is not better than Fastpass+ in fact it may actually be worse if on average guests are only getting 2 attractions per day.

Have to wonder if Disney really intends for Genie+ to work like this and if they are at least considering changes to the system.

I wonder if there is any chance of going back to the old FP+ system even if still costs money.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

It depends on the park. For us genie plus was better at HS than FP+ since the tiers made most of the fast passes useless. WE got to to use genie for Slinky dog, Mickey and Minnie and Toy story mania. I don't think I would ever buy it for Epcot or AK.

 

[middlechild]

Does anyone else see the link between this new disclaimer about 2 - 3 rides and the results of a survey taken years ago? The survey that asked how many rides were a minimum for a "good" day at Disney? The answer was about three, if memory serves. Amazing to me how this number, three headline rides to make a good day, keeps coming back up. Now Genie+ will assure you of three, if you start early. Disney can sell multiple copies, as long as statistically any one individual gets three rides. Hang on to your hats, the parks will get even busier until the people who pay extra for Genie+ cannot get their three rides in over the course of a day. A new high water mark can be targeted and the general admission only guests will get their three only by complaining to customer service for a free upgrade to Genie+.

 

[New Mouse]

So basically the same pricing per ride as an individual lightning lane.

Fastpass Plus highlighted Disney's lack of feature attractions so it should surprise no one that outside of MK this system would never work. When everyone wants to ride the same 2 or 3 rides, you have a problem.

(There was a reason they had to make basically everything FP+ compatible before rolling out that system).

 

[Liquidice]

Does anyone else see the link between this new disclaimer about 2 - 3 rides and the results of a survey taken years ago? The survey that asked how many rides were a minimum for a "good" day at Disney? The answer was about three, if memory serves. Amazing to me how this number, three headline rides to make a good day, keeps coming back up. Now Genie+ will assure you of three, if you start early. Disney can sell multiple copies, as long as statistically any one individual gets three rides. Hang on to your hats, the parks will get even busier until the people who pay extra for Genie+ cannot get their three rides in over the course of a day. A new high water mark can be targeted and the general admission only guests will get their three only by complaining to customer service for a free upgrade to Genie+.

Except with Genie+ some people are getting only 2 rides per day. While there are people who are getting 3 or more - there are a lot of stories of people who started at 7am and got a LL for 1 ride in the afternoon (~2-3pm) then for a 9am opening, were able to stack a 2nd at 11am in the early evening time (~6-7pm) and then by the time 1pm rolls around there were no more LL's available for rides. The only thing remaining were for things like entertainment where having lightning lane access is not really that beneficial.

For the people who are "experts" at using Genie+ you can definitely do better than this - but I don't think my above example is abnormal for the average family.

It also disadvantages average families I think who are able to pre-plan and were able to get 3 FP+'s.

My opinion - if they want to charge for it, go back to the old system where you could pre-select 3 rides in advance and just charge for it.

 

[New Mouse]

My opinion - if they want to charge for it, go back to the old system where you could pre-select 3 rides in advance and just charge for it.

That would mean charging for something that used to be free. Genie plus is new, better and magical.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

That would mean charging for something that used to be free. Genie plus is new, better and magical.

I like some aspects of Genie Plus. What I honestly wish they had done was tied it to hotels. Deluxe get 4, moderate 3 and value 2 and left at that. Leave it as and advantage to being on property. There is less and less advantage to being on property now. There would be less using it , which would keep the standby lines moving better.

 

[Liquidice]

That would mean charging for something that used to be free. Genie plus is new, better and magical.

Well the other option is they could have just raised the ticket prices by $15 and keep FP+

At this point they could still keep the new branding of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes and just change the method to allow advance selections instead of day of. Call it a response to customer satisfaction and implement it slightly differently. Maybe like what Bibbidi_Boo said, some kind of on-site advantage to pre-select Lightning Lanes.

 

[Jrb1979]

Well the other option is they could have just raised the ticket prices by $15 and keep FP+

At this point they could still keep the new branding of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes and just change the method to allow advance selections instead of day of. Call it a response to customer satisfaction and implement it slightly differently. Maybe like what Bibbidi_Boo said, some kind of on-site advantage to pre-select Lightning Lanes.

First on-site doesn't need perks when people are filling the hotels right now without them.

I agree Genie+ has been terrible but IMO a big part of that is that many are trying so hard to make it work like FP+. What I mean by that is trying to get return times that work with their schedule. IMO to get the best out of it is to take what's available.

 

[igrsod]

Disney has obviously had to field multiple complaints about guests expectations in buying Genie+, in order for them to change the language.
By saying this, they lower guests expectations. If they are able to ride more rides with Genie+ than the 2-3, that guest will feel they got good value for their purchase.

I for one have been twice to the parks since it was implemented. I was gifted it by Disney for one day after an issue at our hotel. I didn't find that we rode anymore than we did without it.
We just go early, take a break when crowds are crazy and come back later at night. We did take advantage of early entry and deluxe extra hours.
I would love for Fastpass+ to come back. I liked having a reasonable plan that included our dining reservations. I don't want to criss cross the parks and hope that we get a ride that works with our meals.

 

[starlite_]

I like some aspects of Genie Plus. What I honestly wish they had done was tied it to hotels. Deluxe get 4, moderate 3 and value 2 and left at that. Leave it as and advantage to being on property. There is less and less advantage to being on property now. There would be less using it , which would keep the standby lines moving better.

Sooo make it better for rich folks? At least as it is now it's fair for everyone.

 

[Jrb1979]

Sooo make it better for rich folks? At least as it is now it's fair for everyone.

Then you wouldn't like my idea. I always thought they should have went the Universal route.

 

[starlite_]

Then you wouldn't like my idea. I always thought they should have went the Universal route.

I don't know what the universal route is.

 

[DduzDis]

I agree Genie+ has been terrible but IMO a big part of that is that many are trying so hard to make it work like FP+. What I mean by that is trying to get return times that work with their schedule. IMO to get the best out of it is to take what's available.

I think you might have a different definition of 'best' in this scenario. I don't think being guided from one side of the park to the other multiple times a day is 'best' for my family.

 

[SLThomas318]

First on-site doesn't need perks when people are filling the hotels right now without them.

I agree Genie+ has been terrible but IMO a big part of that is that many are trying so hard to make it work like FP+. What I mean by that is trying to get return times that work with their schedule. IMO to get the best out of it is to take what's available.

I agree... I am guilty of this. My biggest frustration with genie+ is not the quantity of rides I can get, but the inability to plan ANYTHING. We were not fastpass+ super users.... we usually used our 3 and might pull another 1 or 2 depending on the day or our plans. I feel like we can't have ANY other plans on the days we want to use genie+ since you are at the mercy of what the genie gives you.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

First on-site doesn't need perks when people are filling the hotels right now without them.

I agree Genie+ has been terrible but IMO a big part of that is that many are trying so hard to make it work like FP+. What I mean by that is trying to get return times that work with their schedule. IMO to get the best out of it is to take what's available.

They still struggle to sell Deluxe hotels.

I do think Genie + will be tweaked and changed over time, but whether it is good or bad who knows. We did it once to check it out and it was okay I got decent stuff and it saved some time but I doubt we will buy it often. I didn't like having to zig zag back and forth with the times and then we we ended up sitting around for ackward 30 mins waiting for slot to open.

Nothing will be perfect for all, or really perfect in general. I kinda like Universals system , but only if staying at the higher hotels or have it with the ap with after 4pm. But Universals system is only geared to cutting wait in half so on some rides you still end up waiting decently based on how busy, plus the newer rides aren't on it. Then half the rides most days you don't need it.

 

[Jrb1979]

I don't know what the universal route is.

Have an express pass system. It starts at $79 a person. The benefit is no return times and you can get in any queue anytime you like.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Have an express pass system. It starts at $79 a person. The benefit is no return times and you can get in any queue anytime you like.

Which honestly is how most other systems work, actually I can't think of any others that give you a return time.....could be missing one that we have never been too. Plus then most will sell the unlimited or the one use per ride ones.

 

[k5xs]

Well the other option is they could have just raised the ticket prices by $15 and keep FP+

By my math, upping prices by $15 and keeping FP+ would have netted them far more revenue.

As (according to Chapek) one third of guests are buying G+, WDW is realizing the $15 G+ revenue from only 1/3 of guests.

A $15 increase in ticket prices would apply to ALL guests (assuming a commensurate increase in AP pricing).

But maybe I’m missing something here (always possible).

 

[starlite_]

Have an express pass system. It starts at $79 a person. The benefit is no return times and you can get in any queue anytime you like.

If it's not tied to how expensive your hotel is then it's still fair for everyone. Because locals, offsite guests and on-property guests all have the same possibility of access regardless of how they price it.