What are the advantages/disadvantages of staying on vs offsite regarding rides?

[anastasiaw]

I have an offsite hotel booked for 2024 but I'm considering booking an onsite hotel. However, it will be much more money and less space. The offsite hotel I'm booked at does early entry for 2023; it's my understanding they are still working with Disney to see if they will offer it in 2024. Hoping to know that soon.

I'm also confused regarding the changes with Genie+. Can I purchase Genie+ offsite early? Can I reserve rides early offsite? What about LL?

More info: It's a surprise birthday trip for my nephew's 10th birthday during spring break. He is all about the rides! We went to DL and DCA last year and he went on so many of the rides and absolutely loved it. So I know he will want to ride most of the rides including the popular ones like GOTG, Tron, Star Wars, Space Mountain, etc. He doesn't care for any of the WDW characters or anything like that so on-site dining with character meet and greets doesn't interest him. (Although he loves food!) I enjoy staying onsite in the Disney bubble, but I don't know if my nephew will actually appreciate it. He's not into Disney as much as I am. He just likes the parks and rides. This trip is about him.

Any advice you can give would be appreciated. I usually go to WDW by myself during non-peak times, so I plan everything myself and stay onsite since prices are much cheaper. So I'm feeling a bit antsy about planning a trip during peak period. I'm looking into someone who can possibly help develop a plan for us to hit up all the rides.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Onsite or offsite can purchase G+ early and make a LL reservation as early as 7AM. Onsite can purchase the Individual LL attractions at 7AM, offsite can only purchase ILL at park opening. You do not need to purchase Genie+ to purchase the Individual Lightning Lane attractions. Onsite guests can make ADRs at 60 days, and book for their entire reservation. Offsite guests can only book ADRs at exactly 60 days. Hope those couple things help. Have a great trip!

 

[rdevans_2000]

If your hotel does in fact offer early entry then you have a big advantage. Even though it's only 30 minutes it's so valuable. That assumes, of course, that you can get your nephew out of bed early enough to take full advantage of it. When we go, we always utilize the rope drop strategy to the max. That means being at the park entry at least 30 minutes before they let early entry guest in, if not more. We show up 45 minutes early. Then we hit Snow White and Space Mountain at MK, Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro at Animal Kingdom, Slinky and Tower at HS, and Remy and Test Track at Epcot. That is typical for us, but we sometimes mix those attractions up.

We combine that strategy with Genie+ reservations and Individual Lightening Lanes. We ride like crazy from park open to about 10 am, then we do less crowded stuff in the park till about lunch. We head back to the resort for pool time, or head to Disney Springs for food/entertainment/shopping until maybe 3 or 4 pm. Then we go back to the same park where we started or we park hop, having "stacked" Genie+ reservations for the late afternoon and evening. And we stay till close as the standby lines get shorter late.

Just remember that guests of offsite hotels can't reserve ILLs at 7:00 am. They can only reserve once the park opens. So that gives onsite guests a big advantage for rides like Tron and Rise.

Just how we do it. We never ever miss an attraction we want to do with this strategy. It definitely costs more with the Genie+ and ILLs, but we are not locals, so our vacation time is so valuable. It's worth the money... to us. May not be to others.

Good luck and have a fantastic trip.

 

[anastasiaw]

If your hotel does in fact offer early entry then you have a big advantage. Even though it's only 30 minutes it's so valuable. That assumes, of course, that you can get your nephew out of bed early enough to take full advantage of it. When we go, we always utilize the rope drop strategy to the max. That means being at the park entry at least 30 minutes before they let early entry guest in, if not more. We show up 45 minutes early. Then we hit Snow White and Space Mountain at MK, Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro at Animal Kingdom, Slinky and Tower at HS, and Remy and Test Track at Epcot. That is typical for us, but we sometimes mix those attractions up.

We combine that strategy with Genie+ reservations and Individual Lightening Lanes. We ride like crazy from park open to about 10 am, then we do less crowded stuff in the park till about lunch. We head back to the resort for pool time, or head to Disney Springs for food/entertainment/shopping until maybe 3 or 4 pm. Then we go back to the same park where we started or we park hop, having "stacked" Genie+ reservations for the late afternoon and evening. And we stay till close as the standby lines get shorter late.

Just remember that guests of offsite hotels can't reserve ILLs at 7:00 am. They can only reserve once the park opens. So that gives onsite guests a big advantage for rides like Tron and Rise.

Just how we do it. We never ever miss an attraction we want to do with this strategy. It definitely costs more with the Genie+ and ILLs, but we are not locals, so our vacation time is so valuable. It's worth the money... to us. May not be to others.

Good luck and have a fantastic trip.

Thank you for the tips. We did rope drop at DL last year and loved it. It is amazing how much you can get done in short amount of time. We'll probably do the same at WDW. Just need to decide if staying onsite to reserve ILL is worth it. I appreciate the tips/tricks.

 

[Djm_in_buffalo]

These tips are helpful, thank you!

 

[cheryterese]

I'm new to Genie+ and LL. Can you purchase these if you stay off site?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I'm new to Genie+ and LL. Can you purchase these if you stay off site?

Yes. All guests (on or off site) can purchase G+ starting at midnight and make their first res at 7AM. ILLs can be purchased at 7AM by onsite guests, and at park opening by offsite.

 

[rdevans_2000]

Absolutely. Purchase on the app the day or your visit, starting at midnight that morning.

Relative to Genie + the only benefit enjoyed by guests staying on-property is the time they get to reserve Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) rides. ILLs are a one-time purchase to skip the line for a specific ride. These rides are Tron and Seven Dwarfs at Magic Kingdom, Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, and Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot. Onsite guests get to reserve those at 7:00 am the day of their park visit, while non Disney hotel guests can reserve them at the time the park opens. Genie+ does not cover the cost of those, so you pay extra, per ride, per person to reserve each.

Hope this helps.

 

[cheryterese]

Yes. All guests (on or off site) can purchase G+ starting at midnight and make their first res at 7AM. ILLs can be purchased at 7AM by onsite guests, and at park opening by offsite.

Absolutely. Purchase on the app the day or your visit, starting at midnight that morning.

Relative to Genie + the only benefit enjoyed by guests staying on-property is the time they get to reserve Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) rides. ILLs are a one-time purchase to skip the line for a specific ride. These rides are Tron and Seven Dwarfs at Magic Kingdom, Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios, and Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot. Onsite guests get to reserve those at 7:00 am the day of their park visit, while non Disney hotel guests can reserve them at the time the park opens. Genie+ does not cover the cost of those, so you pay extra, per ride, per person to reserve each.

Hope this helps.

Great, thanks! I think we want to stay at Drury, but I think Genie+ sounds beneficial. It's been 6 years since our last visit and a lot has changed!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Great, thanks! I think we want to stay at Drury, but I think Genie+ sounds beneficial. It's been 6 years since our last visit and a lot has changed!

Yes, 6 years is an eternity in Disney years! Enjoy your trip! It own't take you long to catch up!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Great, thanks! I think we want to stay at Drury, but I think Genie+ sounds beneficial. It's been 6 years since our last visit and a lot has changed!

Drury qualifies you for Genie+ (everyone can purchase and book G+ at the same time) ETPE and also 7AM ILL$ purchase.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Drury qualifies you for Genie+ (everyone can purchase and book G+ at the same time) ETPE and also 7AM ILL$ purchase.

I do not think guests staying at the Drury, or the other Disney Springs hotels, can purchase ILLs at 7:00. I believe the only non-Disney-owned hotels with that perk are the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green. (I'm considering DVC resorts to be Disney-owned.)

 

[musicguy856]

I do not think guests staying at the Drury, or the other Disney Springs hotels, can purchase ILLs at 7:00. I believe the only non-Disney-owned hotels with that perk are the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green. (I'm considering DVC resorts to be Disney-owned.)

Correct.