The Pro-Genie App discussion thread - speculate how the app could make your trip next trip great!

[Lsdolphin]

As long as I'm not forced to use it, I don't care about it's release.

Just tell me what the price is for a Lightning Pass type of thing and I'll do my own deciding on where to go and what to do.

Yes. This.

 

[Marionnette]

What I understand based on the rumors is that the pass will come in 2 flavors. First will be something similar to what fast pass+ was but you will pay one price, per person, per day… kind of like what universal studios does… so you will wait in shorter lines. But then there will be a + version of the pass where you pay a high fee per ride to basically skip to the front of the fast pass line….

Now if they include something for delux guests the way that universal does. Or still include 3 rides a day like they did before the pandemic, it might not be as bad… although a lot more confusing.

That wasn't my take away at all.

From all of the articles that I've read lately, there is not going to be anything akin to Universal's Express Pass. You will not pay one price and get FOTL access for the entire day.

Lightening Pass will operate like the legacy (paper) FastPasses but there will be a charge to acquire one. You will get a return time when you purchase (presumably, you will get to choose from among a few options) and you will proceed through the old FP line, bypassing the standby queue.

Lightning Pass Plus will function similarly to Lightning Pass except that it will have a higher price tag and will allow the purchaser immediate access to the old Fastpass queue.

And while I think Disney should offer some sort of incentive to stay onsite such as 1-3 "wishes" per person per day which could include a LP, I don't think that they will do it.

 

[JPinkc]

Wow Apologist much, sorry to sound mean but this thing they are trying to shove down our throats is just to much. Disney is making one of the most CRASS CASH GRABS, I have ever seen at the expense of loyal customers many of whom struggle to go to the ONE PLACE on earth that might make them be able to forget what a &#!+STORM the world outside wants to be. Its not our fault they cant, excuse me WONT fix the basic issue of WDW Capacity. In the last 20 years they could have fixed that problem but they didnt. What did they do..... RAISE PRICES, not invest in the parks, the diminishing return on a Disney Vacation is at its lowest ever to me. I have been going since 75 and its MILES APART from the value and FUN. I LOVE WDW, Its my happy place, hell I have my office decorated in Disney Parks stuff. But this is Getting Ridiculous!! Look at how the Food Quality has Dropped!! Look at how little has been done in general.

 

[ajiuo]

I see your point! My confusion comes from the bolded. I mean this genuinely: what is it that you loved about Disney that is going away? Surely your love of Disney wasn’t free Fastpass, or that Disney is a good place to take a budget minded vacation.

What I love about Disney is the immersion, it sparks my imagination, it’s a place the people in my life like to gather together, I like that it feels inclusive ie my entertainment, dining, leisure are all right there.

I love the immersion as well and part of that immersion is the attractions. This new system is going to make it so that you are able to enjoy less of thoes attractions unless you are willing and able to pay substantially more for. And by less I’m referring to the fact that before you got 3 pre booked fast passes a day for free and then could get other passes after that. Also for free.

Disney is taking that away and replacing it with something that is similar but at a significant up charge. A lot of people won’t be able to or even want to afford that extra (significant) cost.

Besided that Disney seems to be pushing people towards having to be on their phone half of the day in order to worry about scheduling various things. That Will take time away from people enjoying the immersion and instead cause financial and over all stress.

 

[Garyjames220]

Do you think with the new system you will get/ be able to buy any fast passes before the actual day or does everyone think it will be on the day only purchases

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think the app will be as good as the user. Many of us on the boards were able to utilize the FP+ system in a way that worked to our benefit, and that required a large sum of guests to be uninformed at the same time. We always got the FP’s we want booked in advance no problem and were able to grab additional ones all day (great ones too, not just people eaters).

With the new Genie app, I suspect people will attempt to find ways to maximize their experience just like they did with the old system. Some of us will be able to use Genie to help us have a better experience and others won’t. And some people will rave about Genie and others won’t.

I’m not optimistic or pessimistic about it, but I’m definitely curious as to how I can use it to maximize our park time at the most reasonable cost for us. We really won’t know what it’s offering until it’s made public.

This is exactly how I feel. Do I think it will be all sunshine and rainbows? Of course not, but I'm not gonna dwell on it and think the worst possible scenario until I know more about it.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Exactly this. If you love WDW and it's been a part of your life for decades, massive changes that could possibly end all that for you is concerning and discussing the possibilites with like minded people is helpful. It would be nice if people could do that and not be labeled as complainers and being negative all the time just as it would for those who never find anything Disney does to be concerning (that's ok with me too) weren't labeled as pixie dusters- a name I used to get labeled with a lot around here.

There's a massive different to me between bringing up possible concerns vs the few that immediately dismiss anything before info is even announced and just rant. FWIW, I truly value and look forward to reading your posts and points of view, that is not at all the kind of posts I've been referring to, not in the slightest.

 

[cakebaker]

That wasn't my take away at all.

From all of the articles that I've read lately, there is not going to be anything akin to Universal's Express Pass. You will not pay one price and get FOTL access for the entire day.

Lightening Pass will operate like the legacy (paper) FastPasses but there will be a charge to acquire one. You will get a return time when you purchase (presumably, you will get to choose from among a few options) and you will proceed through the old FP line, bypassing the standby queue.

Lightning Pass Plus will function similarly to Lightning Pass except that it will have a higher price tag and will allow the purchaser immediate access to the old Fastpass queue.

And while I think Disney should offer some sort of incentive to stay onsite such as 1-3 "wishes" per person per day which could include a LP, I don't think that they will do it.

I was hearing the express pass style option in the beginning, but pretty much nothing in the last few weeks. That's the option we want, it would be nice if they included than for some resorts, but I'd be willing to pay a lot to have it. I don't think it's happening either and none of the options that are rumored for Genie are anything I'd accept with the kind of pricing I'm seeing being rumored. Nevermind, the pia of having to do that for every popular ride you don't want to stand in line for hours to ride is just beyond irritating.

I hope Disney surprises me, I don't expect they will.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I think Bob Cheapek’s comment about massive commercial opportunity was pretty revealing… but that’s just me. Hopeful it won’t be as bad as it sounds. Doesn’t seem great at this point though.
[/QUOTE]
The bold is really all I've been trying to say. It could be great, it could be awful. But to me, we really have no idea what all it entails. Which is pretty much all I've been saying.

 

[Disneylover99]

I see your point! My confusion comes from the bolded. I mean this genuinely: what is it that you loved about Disney that is going away? Surely your love of Disney wasn’t free Fastpass, or that Disney is a good place to take a budget minded vacation.

What I love about Disney is the immersion, it sparks my imagination, it’s a place the people in my life like to gather together, I like that it feels inclusive ie my entertainment, dining, leisure are all right there.

Disney is going to change decade upon decade. And for sure, it is a corporation, they are trying to make a ton of money. I’m okay with that so long as I’m trading my dollars for a product I enjoy. (I can appreciate that maybe this product doesn’t sound appealing to you personally, though.)

I loved legacy Fastpass, loved FP+, I think there’s a fair chance I’m going like at least some elements of the next iteration.

I'm not the poster you asked, but the bolded is exactly what we love/loved about Disney World. lol.

We started going as a family of 4 in 2010. We stayed yearly at a value resort for 2 weeks with 10 day hopper tickets and free dining for $3000. All inclusive excellent deal. Plus free fastpasses. Couldn't be beat for many years.

The price of course has crept up over the years. Reasonably at first. Prices started to sky rocket just a few years ago with the addition of date based tickets. But we still had those fastpasses. Now, knowing that we'll most likely have to pay for fp becomes a bitter pill to swallow. I'll see how I feel once we have all the info.

 

[StarrySkye21]

This is atrociously bad that I have to to wonder if Disney is doing it on purpose.

So, if I am following, there will be a standby line until it gets too full, in which case they will stop people from walking up and joining the standby line and direct them to join the line virtually from their phone. That "virtual line" will notify guests when they have an opportunity to come back and wait in line (i.e. join the standby line) ?

In addition to this, they will have the option of paying for a lighting pass. Which will give guests a window of time in which to return, but when they return the wait will not be as long as it would from a Virtual Line. Do you get this return window right away upon purchase, or it will be randomly sent to you when available?

As another option, guests could also purchase a Lighting Pass, in which case they can immediately enter the Lighting Pass line and ride instantly.

People are going to be furious mostly with the confusion involved in not being able to simply just stand in line physically "the old fashioned way"


BTW, am I the only one struggling with this? As the primary Disney planner for my family, I now find I have to almost constantly be on my phone as we navigate the parks. Mobile order even if someone just wants a soda, trying to snag reservations to sit down in some air conditioning or checking wait times/ride closures. I'm struggling with phone battery life (because I also want to take pictures) and the general annoyance of not being able to just enjoy the time with my family. This development seems awful - even more mandatory phone time while in park.

I am with you on the virtual lines being a confusing mess because you’d most likely only be allowed one at a time.

I hope that the three genie wishes rumor comes to fruition because using them for 3 free fast passes along with one virtual line can go a long way.

 

[Miffy]

Back in pre-covid times, I would often chat with visitors who didn't know anything about FP+--that it existed, that it was free, that anyone could use it. This included visitors staying onsite and people who already had an MDE account. So I'm guessing that a lot of people won't be aware of Genie, how to use it, etc., etc.

I don't know what this will mean for those of us in the know . . . but I do know that I'll probably pay extra for my favorite attractions. When my sister and I were at WDW in May, we got to ride FoP only once, since the lines were extremely long every other time we were at DAK. If we could've paid to not stand in a 3-hour-long line, we would have.

But I can think of only a very few attractions we'd be willing to pay extra for: FoP, RotR, MMRR, and maybe Rat. But several times during a trip? I can't answer that until I see how much extra I'd have to pay. And I cannot imagine paying extra to ride HM. I mean, to me, that'd be the equivalent of having to pay two admissions to MK, since HM is the main reason I go to MK.

When they start charging extra to stand in a shorter line at a QS restaurant or to get an ADR, I'll have reached my I-love-WDW limit.

 

[Lewisc]

Right now, I hate the vq. Unless you have a bot, a super computer, and a lag free network connection to their server, you have a better chance at winning the powerball jackpot.

If genie could provide you with a vq for that must do ride at least once during your trip, I think you would find greater acceptance of the app and happier guests.

Rubbish. If it was PowerBar odds you'd have to go months. maybe years without any BPs being given out.
Tons of posters are getting ,,BPs with their phones. Not super computers

Im.sutprised Disney isn't offering an after hours Batuu experience. Include dinner in Docking Bay or even a Droid or Savi experience if Disney wants $$$$.

One rumor said Genie would give you a boarding group for $50 higher if demand

 

[tigger2002]

I remember one summer we vacationed on the Jersey shore with our 2 little (then) boys. We had to buy tickets for each individual ride on the boardwalk. We bought the paper tickets in bulk but I figured the per ticket cost and then said to my husband, "This is ridiculous! We are paying $2 each (so $4) for those kids to ride around in a circle for about a minute!! By the end of the week, it's going to make a day in MK seem like a value! You pay ONE admission and have unlimited access to quality attractions!"

.
We do the same at our local county Fair, you buy tickets for each ride. I kind of expect more from Disney, but it seems like they are going that direction.
.

 

[tigger2002]

When they start charging extra to stand in a shorter line at a QS restaurant or to get an ADR,

You people need to quit giving them ideas.

 

[monstermash23]

It’s true that the change has the potential to take the magic out of the WDW experience, especially for us long-timers. It also has the potential to improve it in other ways.

What’s one feature the app could have that would make your trip experience better?

For example, would you like the app to send you a notification that the White Rabbit was going to make an appearance near you in the next 5 minutes? Or maybe as you walk past Pirates you get a notification that says “Immediate complimentary FP available for your party for POC, would you like to claim them?”

I’m asking this with the assumption that we can opt-out of these types of notifications or can navigate the parks without the app.

What feature would actually create magic for you?

I appreciate this post a lot, in ways I won’t describe. So thank you.

On this note though, It’s hard to imagine what could make things more magical tbh. I do believe that two things create a magical experience at Disney. Immersiveness and Cast members. I think immersiveness will never be an issue at Disney (I hope). But cast member interactions, or lack thereof, is what’s prompting this idea off the top of my head. But I think the one feature that would make the whole experience far better (assuming any of the current assumptions/rumors are correct), is if you could actually interact with a digital cast member that could help get you what you are looking for (short wait times, fast passes, etc). Almost like a tour planning assistant. Amazon did this when they launched their Fire tablets early on and it eventually failed (because people don’t need a digital assistant with tablets in general, but I do think it could be useful here). I just think the whole - lets be on our phones more and more and more and of course pay more to play is just a step backwards in terms of Disney Magic. But maybe adding a big team of digital advisors that can be accessed with a quick chat function on the app could keep some of the magic, allow those who aren’t tech savvy to have someone ready to help at all times and actually allow you to use the app less so you aren’t on your phone so much.

I haven’t thought much about how this Genie app could make things better but that’s only because I’ve been so attached to the FP+ systems and everything else that’s been in place for many many years.

What feature do you think will make it a positive experience for this Genie App? I’m curious as well

 

[Miffy]

.
We do the same at our local county Fair, you buy tickets for each ride. I kind of expect more from Disney, but it seems like they are going that direction.
.

Disney used to be like that. You'd buy a ticket book with A, B, C, D, and E tickets in it. That's where the "E-ticket ride" comes from. The E tickets were for the best rides and there were fewer of them in the book than the other tickets, so you'd end up buying more E tickets. But, IIRC, this was all you bought--you didn't buy admission to the park PLUS the ticket book. Someone who remembers this better than I do will no doubt chime in.

Disney could apply this theory to everything: charging for admission and then charging to upgrade your experience. For example:

Pay admission to your resort--say $50--on top of the price of your resort room. Anyone who wanted to see the resort lobby or dine at a resort restaurant would also have to pay admission to the resort. Instant money!

Pay for the new equivalent of a FP+--$20 a pop--and then pay for the ride--another $20--once you get near the ride entrance.

Pay admission to any restaurant (QS or TS)--$10/person--on top of the price of your meal.

Want to use the balcony in your resort room? Swipe your credit card or use your MB to get the door to open. Only $20!

No more free ice water. $10/cup.

Pay admission to the parking areas at the parks and resorts--an additional $15 fee on top of the fee to park there.

Want to book a stay at a WDW resort? $20 fee for booking online. $50 fee for booking on the phone. Nonrefundable.

I think my prices are a little low. I'll consult with the moneypeople at WDW and get back to you.

 

[lodgelady]

Are you excited about how the Genie app could make your next trip better, even if that means paying for convenience?

What features do you hope it will have?

This thread is a safe place to discuss why you’re ready and (tentatively) excited for the Genie app to debut.

1) No
2) Features that won't cost me tons of money to use.
3) I would be open and excited if this were not hurting anyone. Guessing the OP doesn't have any travel agent friends or family who will be losing out on their commissions due to this app?

 

[MJJME]

Ahhhh, yet another positive-based thread that people like to fill with negativity...

It’s not negativity. It’s reality. It’s coming and it stinks.

 

[MJJME]

Wow I never thought about that, I was thinking it would be 1 paid option - but 2 paid tiers, one just to be able to get in the standby line right away and have the right to wait ~60 mins immediately (omg I can't believe you'd have to pay to wait 60 mins) and then another tier to pay for the right to use the old Fastpass line that will have a much shorter wait... That is crazy and it sounds awful.

Free will only be for if the standby line is short enough or a virtual line where you can wait until your time is provided...

That is awful, especially if you can only get 1 virtual line at a time. I can imagine getting only 1 or 2 rides done per day if it is really crowded.

I wonder how DAS would work, thinking about how it works today - I could see a lot of abuse of DAS if they let you jump into the Fastpass line after waiting ~60 mins.

Lets hope it isn't that bad - like the horrible assumptions people were making about the Disneyland AP replacement and honestly Magic Key isn't as bad as many had thought it would be.

I was thinking it might be paid Fastpass with "free" Fastpasses for on site guests - maybe Genie would grant you 3 free Fastpasses if you are staying on site for example (or 1 for value, 2 for moderate, 3 for Deluxe).

What you're suggesting (and Len's article) is a lot different than what we're used to - and it would explain why Genie is taking so long to roll out (there was an entire post where an insider was talking about Disney's testing of the new system and Fastpass and the difficulties integrating the new system with the new Fastpass system).

Options 1 and 2 are no additional cost. Options 3 and 4 require you to buy FP