Disney Genie announcement

[mi*vida*loca]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/disney-fans-overwhelmingly-dislike-disney-genie-announcement/

 

[luv2cheer92]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/disney-fans-overwhelmingly-dislike-disney-genie-announcement/

Reminds me of FP+. There were a few who loved it from the very beginning, but most hated it when it was first announced. People don't like change.

 

[garris3404]

https://blogmickey.com/2021/08/disney-fans-overwhelmingly-dislike-disney-genie-announcement/

I just went and disliked all Genie related videos. Maybe Disney will notice?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Reminds me of FP+. There were a few who loved it from the very beginning, but most hated it when it was first announced. People don't like change.

I loved FP+ from day 1. We didn’t use legacy FP much due to zigzagging around the park. This is basically a virtual legacy FP and I’m ok with that. I don’t like having to pay for it or pay for tier 1 rides.

 

[Cynner]

I am cautiously optimistic.

In terms of the availability of Genie+ passes, I'm thinking that it will be kind of like FP+ was, except that the first G+ pass of the day will function like the 3rd FP+ did - once that one was used, the game was on, and we were on the hunt for the next one, then the next, then the next. To us, it was enjoyable, like a game that we got good at, and we typically got many of them throughout the day.

Maybe G+ will be like that too, maybe it won't be many hours between passes. I do realize there were lots of people who never got the hang of FP+, and many won't get the hang of G+ either, but they could. My optimistic viewpoint is that perhaps we'll all have the opportunity to get good at the game.

To be clear, I am not pleased at the prospect of having to pay for it. We do WDW as cheaply as anyone I know, and we may or may not feel able or willing to pay for it, but I'm hoping for the best anyway. Waiting in lines during Covid hasn't been terrible at all (admittedly we didn't go during the summer), so maybe if we continue to visit at less crowded times, then waiting in standby lines won't be terrible.

That's exactly what I think it will be like - but you can't choose your return time, but you can pick a ride that has the soonest return time (but you'll be giving up that possible good ride one instead). Though the Post 3rd FP game could be 'fun', it was also intensive and took a lot of time (not to mention made you run from one side of the park to the other way too often). I will really really miss the assurance that we'll get to ride the specific high demand rides we really wanted with the old FP reservation system.
This is going to move all my stress from 60 days out to 7a every freaking day and then all day long during my actual vacation! (sad sigh)

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Sent my feedback - polite with suggestions

Theoretically the first available BTM slot should not 2 pm because there is no advanced booking anymore. All the rides refresh each morning. You’re not picking from the leftover slots from other guests like you were when doing FP+ booking.

The rides refresh - but I'd bet - at 7:01 Millenieum Falcon will be giving out passes with scheduled return times in the evening and be out of Genie+ passes for the day by 7:02. So that is definitely a likely scenario where you just basically paid $15 for another unofficial 'Ala Cart' Lightning Lane pass if you cannot make another Genie+ pass until you use that one.

 

[MMSM]

Here is what I don’t get. I would wake up and at 7 am try to get boarding pass while my husband gets our two lightening lane selections (lets hope SDD and Smugglers Run~ for extra cost). I would hope these times would not be spread out like one in am and one in pm. Then if I wanted I could also purchase genie + for $15 and select one tier 2 ride. So in April (ticket prices high due to Easter) I would add the $15 and then also add the two rides for lightening lane access. So in theory, I could still get a VQ for Rise, get the two most popular, pick up TOT and head to rock n roller. All for the cost $300 per person. HS lines have been ridiculous so the idea of skipping lines is appealing. However when you think I may have to pay $20 per person to skip line at SDD for a 3 min ride, thats hard to comprehend.

 

[charmed59]

I loved classic FP. Could change my plans in the middle of the day. Very flexible.

Then FP+ came out and it sounded awesome. I could sleep in and still hit the rides I wanted. Turns out, unless I book a room over 60 days out (and preferably that room for a week) I couldn’t get a FP to the newer rides. Since I’m fairly local, and decide about a week or two out, it didn’t do me any good. Even though I was staying onsite.

So I’m optimistic about this Genie thing.

 

[JCornell]

I loved FP+ from day 1. We didn’t use legacy FP much due to zigzagging around the park. This is basically a virtual legacy FP and I’m ok with that. I don’t like having to pay for it or pay for tier 1 rides.

I liked FP+ day one but liked it less over time. I liked the way we operated more with FP. You'd show up to a ride and if the wait was short get in line and if it was long and you really wanted to ride it, grab a FP. FP+ was more like a reservation for 3 rides no matter how busy the park was and sometimes it actually felt like a waste. Plus the tiering made it less useful than FP. With FP you'd look at the return time and decide if grabbing one was worth your time but there was no real tiering, just a supply and demand function. Genie feels like it might be more like this and Genie+ is an interesting option if the parks are busy but something I can forego if they're not. I'm willing to wait and see this in action to see if it works better.

 

[Einstein509]

Email sent!

Email sent as well. This really might be the last straw for us.

 

[Opie100]

Theoretically the first available BTM slot should not 2 pm because there is no advanced booking anymore. All the rides refresh each morning. You’re not picking from the leftover slots from other guests like you were when doing FP+ booking.

It will depend on a variety of factors, such as how many LPs have been issued prior by guest services, how well WiFi is working at the park, how soon after the window opens you are able to log in, how well the network handles 10k+ guests logging in concurrently, technical downtime, etc. When ROTR opened, some guests didn’t get times until the evening, even logging in within 5-10 mins of park open. BTMR is not ROTR, but it will be interesting how long before AM slots are gone. Even if you get an 11am time, it would not be surprising for big Tier 2 attractions to be fully allocated by then.

 

[mouserrificmom]

I got a giggle when I saw the blog video last night and realized that when we saw them filming something on the lawn in front of Casey's last week and wondered what it was......we now know!

 

[Einstein509]

And Disney continues to get roasted on the Disney Parks Blog. A lot of negative comments.

 

[poison ivy]

Umm no, but thanks.
You do know its part of the MDE app though right?

which can easily be ignored

 

[JakAHearts]

I also hate that I won't be able to give my fast passes to people. I loved giving the paper passes away to someone just about to join a long queue. We even gave a whole family FOP fast passes once when we got them for evacuating a ride. The family was outside FOP trying to decide and talking about dinner, elderly people waiting for 3 hours, etc. and when we gave them 5 fast passes tickets they thought we were joking! It was the best feeling to help make that magic but I dont think that will be an option anymore.

 

[jknc]

Email sent as well. This really might be the last straw for us.

Same. I’ll be begging for a ticket refund of $2400.

Also contacted DVC site I booked a Poly room for Pres Day 2022, to try and offload. The value is gone IMO.

 

[jknc]

Same. I’ll be begging for a ticket refund of $2400.

Also contacted DVC site I booked a Poly room for Pres Day 2022, to try and offload. The value is gone IMO.

We paid $2400 for tickets and $2500 for Poly room, so I hope thats not perceived as being “cheap”.

There’s a difference between being frugal and stupid. Paying all the extra Genie+/LL costs - yes, I understand it’s optional - is just stupid.

 

[Disneylover99]

I really don’t see the tier 2 rides selling out quickly except for ROTR and remy. And maybe FOP. As for the rest of the rides, why would you buy it before getting to the park? I would be annoyed if I paid for a pass to do safari and when I arrive it has a doable wait time. I think most tier 2 rides won’t sell out that fast.

I agree. And I think Safari will be the least likely ride to get bought.

 

[Disneylover99]

And Disney continues to get roasted on the Disney Parks Blog. A lot of negative comments.

It will be like that for a few days, and then slow down. Most will just come to a grumbly acceptance.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

My biggest question at this point is how VQ and LL will work together on ROTR and Remy, especially if they are both (presumably) occurring at 7am. As an offsite guest in November, I have little confidence of being able to buy the LL pass since (if I'm understanding correctly), onsite guests are able to purchase those at 7am but offsite has to wait until park opening? I guess I will have to try for the VQ and then if unsuccessful, hope there is a LL pass still available by 10 or 11 when Epcot opens? And to complicate matters further, will you need a park pass to get a Remy VQ like you need for ROTR? So. many. questions.

 

[JakeAZ]

My biggest question at this point is how VQ and LL will work together on ROTR and Remy, especially if they are both (presumably) occurring at 7am. As an offsite guest in November, I have little confidence of being able to buy the LL pass since (if I'm understanding correctly), onsite guests are able to purchase those at 7am but offsite has to wait until park opening? I guess I will have to try for the VQ and then if unsuccessful, hope there is a LL pass still available by 10 or 11 when Epcot opens? And to complicate matters further, will you need a park pass to get a Remy VQ like you need for ROTR? So. many. questions.

I don't think the a la carte rides are going to sell as fast as people think. ROTR is going to be expensive. My guess is there will still be spots by the time off-site is allowed to buy.

I don't' believe it's been confirmed, but yes, I would imagine you'd have to have a park pass for Epcot to get into the VQ. How would you ride otherwise?