Disney Genie announcement

[Grumpy by Birth]

Does Chapek not realise that consumers are as important as shareholders?

One is there to serve the other...I'll let you figure out the order

 

[ItsOnlyMoney]

So photo pass is included, with Genie+, at DLR but at WDW, it's still extra?

The Dis website says.... augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I strongly suspect that what they announced yesterday will be tinkered with quite a bit over the next year. In part, they didn't want to make things any more complicated at roll out than they already are. And in part they will make adjustments based on how things end up operating.

I would expect to see more benefits for (at least some) onsite guests, and perhaps APs, coming eventually. Maybe even soon. Perhaps APs will get a few days per year of Genie+ included with the pass. Perhaps Club Level or Deluxe guests will get Genie+ included, or will get the opportunity to purchase more than two tier one LL rides. Etc.

 

[4Hawks]

I also think it comes down to your style of trip and family makeup. My trips are usually around the $1500-1800 ballpark, it can be hard to go to Europe for a week with that. My trip for the 50th is closer to $2000 right now, but it is also a few days longer than most of my trips usually are, so the daily average is pretty similar. The cost hasn't gone up much, if at all, for me in the last 2-3ish years, and I'm getting more each trip (for the most part) with new rides, attractions, shows, fireworks, etc.

But as I've said before, WDW is far from the only place I vacation. I usually go to Europe or somewhere abroad every year, a few domestic trips (usually to national parks), a cruise, and a few trips to WDW and usually one trip a year to UOR. So, I still get the variety of experiences and can compare value pretty well.

True, our preferences are on the expensive side. We could cut down a lot and make the trip less expensive, but it would still be of less value (pay the same we used to pay, but for less). We rent DVC points and buy discounted tickets through DH's employer, and had previously spent $3-4K for a 1 week trip. But this upcoming trip will be closer to $6k, with similar accommodations and tickets.

I looked at an apartment in Genoa for the whole month of August and found some in the $1500-$1800 range. If we buy tickets with miles (which we did for WDW), that would leave about $4k for other expenses. It's a no brainer for us.

 

[JakeAZ]

To each their own. Nothing has put the thought of pushing me offsite yet, and this sure won't either. Still enough reason for me. With the sole exception of S/D, which is half and half IMO anyway.

No judgement, but I'm legitimately curious. What would be your breaking point for on-site? Another 20% increase next year? Another one after that? Removal of the early / PM hours? I'm trying to come up with other things they can take away, but none are coming to me.

Or, is it you, like many many others, just prefer the bubble and if you can afford it, you'll pay it?

I get the bubble preference. I really do.

But for me, the bubble was always just an ancillary thing to the tangible benefits.

I'm interested in hearing from the other side of my point of view.

 

[Dashzap]

Not sure how I feel about the disney resort guest perk of booking that same day Lightning Lane at 7am whereas those staying offsite book when the park opens. Advance picking is a perk, but not all of us are morning people....

 

[ckb_nc]

I also think it comes down to your style of trip and family makeup. My trips are usually around the $1500-1800 ballpark, it can be hard to go to Europe for a week with that. My trip for the 50th is closer to $2000 right now, but it is also a few days longer than most of my trips usually are, so the daily average is pretty similar. The cost hasn't gone up much, if at all, for me in the last 2-3ish years, and I'm getting more each trip (for the most part) with new rides, attractions, shows, fireworks, etc.

But as I've said before, WDW is far from the only place I vacation. I usually go to Europe or somewhere abroad every year, a few domestic trips (usually to national parks), a cruise, and a few trips to WDW and usually one trip a year to UOR. So, I still get the variety of experiences and can compare value pretty well.

My trip in December was 5 days for the 2 of us under 1000 BUT we are DVC members, I had an AP, we got partial credit for her unused days, we used up all of our Disney dollars from our Chase Visa card, got stupid cheap flights on Frontier (that we are ok for us), etc. Seriously I think my out of pocket biggest expense was our rental car (my DD uses a wheel chair at Disney - a rental car is really a important item).

I know how to do Disney on the cheaper side.

Add daily Genie+ plus would add 150 bucks to get what I experienced pre-COVID.

 

[Opie100]

It could also be that Disney was receiving consistent complaints that too much advanced planning was required to enjoy their vacation, especially from first time visitors. Us vets know that planning in advance gives us the experience we want. I think the super planners, however, are the minority of guests. At least that’s how I feel every time I walk into WDW.

I don't have a problem with seeking to accommodate guests that do not plan their trip in advance, but there's a tradeoff when eliminating the ability to plan a visit. Now all guests have to arrive at 6am to hope to avoid 3-4 hour regular lines for top attractions. When guests arrive at 10am and can not experience advertised attractions, that generates poor customer feedback which could have been avoided by allowing booking attractions in advance. It's not cheap for Disney to manage pre-arrival crowd volumes either. One would think there could be a workable program that accommodates both.

 

[luv2cheer92]

No judgement, but I'm legitimately curious. What would be your breaking point for on-site? Another 20% increase next year? Another one after that? Removal of the early / PM hours? I'm trying to come up with other things they can take away, but none are coming to me.

Or, is it you, like many many others, just prefer the bubble and if you can afford it, you'll pay it?

I get the bubble preference. I really do.

But for me, the bubble was always just an ancillary thing to the tangible benefits.

I'm interested in hearing from the other side of my point of view.

The biggest perk for me has always been transportation and proximity. Being in the bubble itself is also nice. Price increases have been fairly negligible for the most part over the last few years. I expected it to be high for the 50th, so I'll ignore that. But the trip I booked for next Feb, the hotel is the same price I paid in 2018 for the same room. Different times of year (that was early Nov), but both slower times.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I strongly suspect that what they announced yesterday will be tinkered with quite a bit over the next year. In part, they didn't want to make things any more complicated at roll out than they already are. And in part they will make adjustments based on how things end up operating.

I would expect to see more benefits for (at least some) onsite guests, and perhaps APs, coming eventually. Maybe even soon. Perhaps APs will get a few days per year of Genie+ included with the pass. Perhaps Club Level or Deluxe guests will get Genie+ included, or will get the opportunity to purchase more than two tier one LL rides. Etc.

Or they’re trying to feel this out with this mini announcement and when they unveil it there will be some benefits. Maybe a free one for on-site guests, etc.

 

[sponica]

No judgement, but I'm legitimately curious. What would be your breaking point for on-site? Another 20% increase next year? Another one after that? Removal of the early / PM hours? I'm trying to come up with other things they can take away, but none are coming to me.

Or, is it you, like many many others, just prefer the bubble and if you can afford it, you'll pay it?

I get the bubble preference. I really do.

But for me, the bubble was always just an ancillary thing to the tangible benefits.

I'm interested in hearing from the other side of my point of view.

My kids need to be out of car seats for me to stay outside of the bubble.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’m also one of those that doesn’t see that great of a benefit for G+ at Epcot, AK and maybe even DHS. For those parks you may be better off just not getting G+ and paying for the two additional add ons. Hitting RD for the rest of the rides and doing some at the end of the night.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Genie as a character was helpful and you ordered him around.

This is a nightmare bossy Genie that makes you get up at 7AM and then barks at you it’s time to buy a Mickey bar and get $3 off to only pay $24.95 to ride slinky dog. Life is your restaraunt, and im your revenue optimizer.

This is not the Genie you're looking for.

 

[diskids2]

An instagram I follow - Michaeldoesdisney - reported that onsite guests would have earlier access to Lightening Lane. Not sure how true this is or isn't.

 

[woodleygrrl]

I strongly suspect that what they announced yesterday will be tinkered with quite a bit over the next year. In part, they didn't want to make things any more complicated at roll out than they already are. And in part they will make adjustments based on how things end up operating.

I would expect to see more benefits for (at least some) onsite guests, and perhaps APs, coming eventually. Maybe even soon. Perhaps APs will get a few days per year of Genie+ included with the pass. Perhaps Club Level or Deluxe guests will get Genie+ included, or will get the opportunity to purchase more than two tier one LL rides. Etc.

Dude: I have an advanced degree, I have been going to Disney since I was a baby, and I am a DVC owner. We have been to the parks about 100 times over my life and I STILL don't understand how to get a ROTR fastpass or virtual line spot or whatever...

I can't be in charge of yet another thing on a vacation that is an escape from my very stressful and demanding job. I know we are still waiting for the details but I can't.....

All my points for the coming year are being used at Vero Beach and HHI.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

An instagram I follow - Michaeldoesdisney - reported that onsite guests would have earlier access to Lightening Lane. Not sure how true this is or isn't.

For the additional add on rides you will. But for G+ that you pay $15 a person you won’t.

 

[lukemorenus]

Now that the dust has settled... I actually kinda like the new system (at least the idea of it - we'll see in practice)

For us, with the way we tour the parks these days - with very few headliners anyway- it seems better than the ubiquitous FP+ system... but not as good as the old paper passes... oh well, change is inevitable

 

[Miffy]

If Disney didn't want to make things complicated, they certainly failed there. I have so many questions about how G+ will work, a thousand what-ifs.

For example:

If I park-hop, will I get another set of 2 tier-1 attractions that I'll have the "privilege" of paying for? Or did I use up my 2 for the day at park #1?

If I park-hop, do I have to pay for G+ all over again for the new park? And what if I go back to park #1 in the evening? Ack!

Will there be any way to select a preferred time? I mean, if I get to the park at RD and by the time I get off ride #1, my desired #2 ride isn't available until 8 p.m. and I have no intention of staying in the park that late--or have a conflicting ADR at another park or resort--am I just SoL? $15 paid to ride HM when there might not've even been a line when I got to MK.

Speaking of which . . . What will RD be like now? Will it still be advantageous to RD any/all of the parks? A way to bypass having to pay to not wait in long lines?

My sister and I were at WDW in May and there were extremely long lines for the E-ticket attractions. We rode FoP only once during our weeklong stay (4 days booked at DAK) because the lines were just horrendous. We were able to ride MMRR without an hour+ wait only because we got up super early and got to DHS before the official opening time . . . which meant no real breakfast at the resort, since they had only pastries and coffee that early in the morning.

Right now I'm missing FP+ big-time. Gigantic big-time. I liked knowing that I had the 3 attractions I wanted most already booked at times I preferred and that I wouldn't have to wait very long for them. Now it seems I may or may not get the rides I want at the times I'd prefer.

Or not. I mean, who really knows?

And although it's not incredibly common, there are people out there who don't have a smartphone. What the heck are they going to do? Wait, I guess.

Meanwhile, still no resort discounts past September. And, yeah, that delta thing.

 

[JakeAZ]

My kids need to be out of car seats for me to stay outside of the bubble.

I don’t know how old your kids are but we’ve been using travel boosters for our kids. They fold up and can go in a backpack. We use them for trips where we will be relying on Uber / Lyft occasionally.

 

[billlaurie]

I haven't read through the whole thread but I think this will also take away the rope drop advantage for us early risers. If everyone is up at 7 anyway having the privilege to book and pay for what amounts to what we used to call free fast passes, they are going to head to the parks early. No spreading out the crowds, especially if the rides go fast like they did with the paper fast pass system. And the constant need to be on the phone. No thanks! I am so happy that I booked an all inclusive Beaches trip to Jamaica next summer instead of succumbing to my Disney itch because this sounds like total stress to me. I guess I will use my $1500 in accumulated Disney Dollars toward my Caribbean flights!