Disney Genie announcement

[Disturbia]

Been watching this closely and keeping an eye on the tip board. We will be trying this on Sunday with our 2 year old. Not gonna lie, kind of excited to not have to wait in a 45 minute line for MMRR with her, last time was terrible. For us with a toddler - I'm willing to pay.

Same for us. We have an infant, a toddler and a teen. This June we walked out after standing 45 mins for Pirates and 60 for Jungle cruise. our teen and I came back for our dinner ADR BOG (they didn’t charge us for the rest). Same thing at HS, completely cancelled Oga’s ADR (booked after tirelessly waiting for park hours dropped and ADRs released). 95 degree Florida heat!

I can tell you from last Nov to this June, the CMs are better trained and seem happier so I’m still hopeful the magic is slowly returning,

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Is there a new thread on just how Genie, Genie+ and LL work? Some of us have just a few days to get a hang of the system before arriving.

That’s exactly what’s being discussed in this thread. Unfortunately without Disney providing all the specific details, we’re relying on the first hand accounts in this thread to learn how it all works.

 

[DisneyKidds]

For my family of 4, Genie+ will be primarily used in MK and HS and not every day on a multiple day trip. 2ILL$ every day x multiple days add up for sure. But EE and rope dropping the ILL$ rides would decrease that cost significantly. I think as time goes on, people will be able to figure out ways to maximize the efficient use of both Genie+ and ILL$ while minimizing cost. One high end ADR for us is $350-400. I believe I can plan our use of Genie and ILL$ to = that cost, but your situation may well be different

I agree with your observations. The ironic thing is you and I will be planning and scheming how best NOT to use Disney’s great new tools and still have a good time without having them suck money out of our wallets for something better that used to be free (FP+), rather than figuring out how to use their new tools to enhance our trips. To me that speaks volumes about Genie’s ILL$….

 

[LSUfan4444]

I agree with most of what you said.........i thought this poster made a good point...............

The whole thing seems counter intuitive

So I can save an hour or 2 of waiting in line but I have get up 2 hours earlier than I would at 7am, not be able to go when I want in the afternoon because I cannot pick my return time, be on my phone all day and pay $75 for my family of 5?

I’ll give up the time I save standing in line, the money and aggravation and sleep in until 9am and be no worse off.

Where is the value in any of this?

Obviously, results vary but 7am isn't two hours earlier than I normally do. It's closer to two hours later than I normally do but I digress. The value (for me) for the 7am is simply picking a plan that allows for morning flexibility via standby and afternoon and evening time savings without me constantly going to my phone.

The money for me is that I am paying for a convenience. It's either standby or I can buy a shorter wait. As soon as I lock in the first G+ time I like after lunch I'm riding with that bad boy till I get there and I'll add every two hours throughout the day.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Is there a new thread on just how Genie, Genie+ and LL work? Some of us have just a few days to get a hang of the system before arriving.

I'm hoping we get out of crybaby mode soon and get into planning and strategizing mode.

As entertaining as seeing people who have been getting ripped off by Disney for decades cry about a $15 a day pass they have the option of not buying is, I'd like to know how to utilize this thing.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I'm hoping we get out of crybaby mode soon and get into planning and strategizing mode.

As entertaining as seeing people who have been getting ripped off by Disney for decades cry about a $15 a day pass they have the option of not buying is, I'd like to know how to utilize this thing.

Remember the steps....denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Right now, most of WDW world is trying to figure out how to buy G+ and ILLs to turn it into FP+ (somewhere between step 2 and 3)

 

[DisneyKidds]

I agree...it sounds totally miserable. If thats how I felt I would probably make some changes but to each their own.

Good luck.

Eh, we still enjoy the place. Our DD lives in LA now and we’ve been doing DL more. We have trips planned with family and friends, who aren’t Disney curmudgeons like me….so it’s a good. Doesn’t mean I can’t weep for Disney and despise the Chapek way though! I’ll be a’ight.

 

[catnik]

I agree with your observations. The ironic thing is you and I will be planning and scheming how best NOT to use Disney great new tools and still have a good time without having them suck money out of our wallets for something better that used to be free (FP+), rather than figuring out how to use their new tools to enhance our trips. To me that speaks volumes about Genie’s ILL$….

Yup. We strategized previously to maximize FP and FP+ and it is now the challenge is to strategize Genie+ and ILL$ to maximize our family’s enjoyment at the least additional cost possible. Disney threw down this gauntlet, and I accept the challenge

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'm hoping we get out of crybaby mode soon and get into planning and strategizing mode.

As entertaining as seeing people who have been getting ripped off by Disney for decades cry about a $15 a day pass they have the option of not buying is, I'd like to know how to utilize this thing.

Touché, we’ll played Sir. Of course this is the Disney Genie Announcement thread, so all topics G related seem fair game. There should be a separate Genie Strategy thread., maybe you can be the one to start it!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

Yup. We strategized previously to maximize FP and FP+ and it is now the challenge is to strategize Genie+ and ILL$ to maximize our family’s enjoyment at the least additional cost possible. Disney threw down this gauntlet, and I accept the challenge

That’s the way to look at it trooper, I’m with you!

 

[Disturbia]

That’s exactly what’s being discussed in this thread. Unfortunately without Disney providing all the specific details, we’re relying on the first hand accounts in this thread to learn how it all works.

I just went through 2 pages of no actual Genie+ details; the page keeps crashing

 

[LSUfan4444]

get into planning and strategizing mode.

All this running in circles has my brain fried but as I center my focus to the afternoons. I know ILLs can be purchased for the park you plan to hop to and at 7 am will only give you times 2pm or later but for G+, can someone remind me what we learned yesterday...

Can you book G+ at any park at 7am (for on site guests) regardless of whether you have a park reservation or not? If so, if you do not hav a park reservation, does it only give you time windows in the afternoon 2pm or later? Lastly, for the stacking route, you can book your second G+ two hours after THAT park opens, correct...regardless of whether you start in that park and have a reservation or not?

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Touché, we’ll played Sir. Of course this is the Disney Genie Announcement thread, so all topics G related seem fair game. There should be a separate Genie Strategy thread., maybe you can be the one to start it!!

Hey I get it. I vented my frustrations on what I thought this would be too. I'm just personally ready for the next step and am anxious to learn.

I admittedly don't have near what a lot of you guys do invested in Mickey and pals so it's not hurting me as bad.

I'd start a new thread but I'd imagine in a week or so about 200 of them will exist!!

 

[DavidNYC]

That's exactly my point. I'm sure Disney didn't tell everyone - make sure you say 'monetize' because people like it much better when you remind them that they already paid for the thing you are saying no to - and would bet that those are the words of the CM and not the company (or the words of the person telling the story, I wasn't there to hear it).

Yeah - I have a hard time imagining a cast member - instructed or not - saying that to a guest in those terms as well as the “we can offer you standby” which makes no sense whatsoever. There is likely some stuff lost in translation here ….

 

[Disturbia]

All this running in circles has my brain fried but as I center my focus to the afternoons. I know ILLs can be purchased for the park you plan to hop to and at 7 am will only give you times 2pm or later but for G+, can someone remind me what we learned yesterday...

Can you book G+ at any park at 7am (for on site guests) regardless of whether you have a park reservation or not? If so, if you do not hav a park reservation, does it only give you time windows in the afternoon 2pm or later? Lastly, for the stacking route, you can book your second G+ two hours after THAT park opens, correct...regardless of whether you start in that park and have a reservation or not?

You need to have a park hopper and then genie will show you reservations after 2 pm. You need park reservations at your first park.

I’m told Epcot doesn’t need to be your first park to get Remy’s virtual queue (BG) as long as there is availability after 2pm when you park hop (highly unlikely to still have availability, but has happened occasionally; so improved chances of getting a BG if Epcot is first park). If you want to try at 1 pm for the BG, you need to have Epcot as your first park.

 

[rmclain73]

Totally agree,,,standby is unavoidable unless you prefer to spend your time waiting on a park bench. Either way, if you want to do the most popular rides on G+ you're going to wait. Either in a standby line or waiting for your next G+ attraction.

How people use the standby lines will be key...you're not going to be able to G+ your way to no waits.

THIS!

Genie will best be used with a strategy of which lines to wait in vs which ones to get LL's. Its like paper FP all over again minus the running across the park to pull the paper, and of course you are paying for it now.

 

[snikki]

I believe the mods are working on a thread for only planning and strategies. It’ll be a sticky thread. @scrappinginontario mentioned it yesterday.

 

[LSUfan4444]

You need to have a park hopper and then genie will show you reservations after 2 pm

So, if you have hoppers it will only show you G+ and ILLs after 2pm, correct? There would be no need to refresh looking for afternoon times , right?

 

[rmclain73]

So, if you have hoppers it will only show you G+ and ILLs after 2pm, correct? There would be no need to refresh looking for afternoon times , right?

Yes, you can then keep stacking. Pull one at 7:00am, then 11:00am, then 1:00pm. You could also buy 2 ILLs. You could be entering the park with 5 LL's. At 3:00pm you can grab a 6th. Put the park you wish to hop to into your day on the app.

 

[wisblue]

Touché, we’ll played Sir. Of course this is the Disney Genie Announcement thread, so all topics G related seem fair game. There should be a separate Genie Strategy thread., maybe you can be the one to start it!!

There is one being started but it is still in the development stage because until yesterday there was no firm experience with how the whole thing works.

In the meantime posters are using this thread to get information to help plan for upcoming trips, and I think a lot of them would appreciate it if others could stick to things that might help with planning.