Disney Genie announcement

[DavidNYC]

I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to book a LL in your second park until you get there. What I'm saying is when you click on your 2nd park the return times should be the same as some one who is already in that park. IMO the people who like to stroll into the parks at noon should be at a disadvantage to those who rope drop. My guess once the parks get busy taking an afternoon break or going to parks later will be a big disadvantage.

That is impossible under the system they wanted to create. You're not allowed to go into the park until 2pm so it makes no sense to allow people to make ride reservations for a time they are not permitted to use and it would cause MAJOR headaches for Disney cast members. You are proposing a massively inefficient system to satisfy your own whims on who you would like to favor. You keep using the word "advantage". It's not an advantage to anything but your own narrow sense of how you personally would like to system to work and how you personally value things. I have already pointed out that to do any of these things you are both gaining and giving up. Your own subjective weighing of those is irrelevant. Even your statement about people who stroll in at noon should be at a disadvantage is a very selfish statement. Why? I'm sorry, did I miss the discount available to those who stroll in at noon? Your whole argument is based on how YOU want to tour the parks. And, they are at a disadvantage - the lost three hours of prime park time and have less time to tour the parks and have lost opportunities to book LL they would have had if they were there are rope drop. I'm not sure what sort of false scenarios you're creating in your head on how this system favors them over other people but they don't exist.

As for mid-day breaks - yes - it is a hell of lot less convenient now to take a mid-day break or go to the parks later and I have been pointing that out since they announced this whole system. But that has absolutely nothing to do with being able to make a reservation for a park you want to hop to.

 

[MainMom]

I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to book a LL in your second park until you get there. What I'm saying is when you click on your 2nd park the return times should be the same as some one who is already in that park. IMO the people who like to stroll into the parks at noon should be at a disadvantage to those who rope drop. My guess once the parks get busy taking an afternoon break or going to parks later will be a big disadvantage.

Going to the parks later would only be a disadvantage if you didn’t book any Genie+ while you were hanging around your hotel room or at the pool or whatever. Now, if you like to sleep then that could get you, but that would be the same as the old FP system.
I do agree that taking an afternoon break could be a disadvantage. My family does this since we go in the summer. No way I can convince them to stay all day in the heat. It seems the ones who are getting the most genie+ rides stay for the majority of the day which makes sense.

 

[persnickity]

A separate post for experiences would be nice. I would like to know how groups of 5+ found genie+/ILL$ useful or not. My group will have 7 next June and I have previously traveled with 11-13 during the summer. I could never effectively utilize FP+ 4th+ after our first 3 without a very long time spent on my phone. Most of the reports are for 1-2 people who stay in the park all day.

Also interested in this - I didn't see it answered, but it seems like they aren't limiting availability based on group size.

Hmmm. This looks suspicious to me. While I can believe that Genie+ is currently functioning this way, I don't believe it was intended to be this way. If this is how Genie+ works currently, Disney should fix it as this loophole is kind of glaring.

For example:
Someone who books before 9AM opening for 10:55AM and taps in at 10:55AM will then end up holding one new LL.
vs
Someone who books before 9AM opening for 11:05AM and then books a new LL at 11AM, then taps in at 11:05AM and books another LL? That's crazy different for a small shift in time.

Functionally, Genie+ should be programmed so that you can book if 120 minutes have passed OR you have no Genie+ in inventory. That would be much cleaner.

I don't think it's a loophole, or something that needs to be fixed. If you select a time further out, you are losing out on opportunities to book rides for two hours. Having two slots from that point forward is to make up for that. I think it's a good thing.

Maybe, but I don't think Disney designed the system with this in mind. If anything, I think by allowing picks for later in the day, Disney would be able to sell more Genie+ and devour that sweet sweet money.
By not allowing late day scheduling, they might pick up some hopper hackers, but I think they would do far better with Genie+ sales with a straight up book later in the day allowance. For example, while I'm thinking about the hopper hack (and I'll have an AP so no 'extra' money for Disney), I probably won't bother with Genie+ at all for that day. But if Genie+ allowed later day scheduling, I'd buy Genie+ for my arrival day for sure.
Hear that Disney? More Money.

The availability in the afternoon could be really sparse in the afternoon/evening if they do that. Lots of disappointed customers.

So I have a question on this. Heading down in two weeks and we’re not keen on being up and out of the room between 7 and 8 AM. Thus I was starting to like this idea of in the morning booking something I really want to ride for late afternoon at my “park hopper park“ first. Maybe for 4 pm timeframe. Say that is Epcot. Then at 9 AM start booking for my first park (ie MK) and shoot for an 11AM attraction perhaps. Arrive at MK by 10 AM, do one or two standby rides and then after tapping in at 11 am start making additional LL’s at either park. Would that be a reasonable plan?

Kind of. You won't be able to book your second ride until 2 hours after the first park opens, so more like 11am. If TT is in the 4pm range by 8:55, you could grab that and then book a 2nd at MK at 11. (Whether TT is in the 4pm range at that time of the morning is another issue - I know they go fast, but I don't think they go THAT fast. But I haven't been checking.)

 

[MakiraMarlena]

WDW seems to be clarifying ILLS refund status - if the attraction breaks down and never reopens that day, they are looking to provide automatic refunds, apparently to the payment method used for the reservation. If the purchaser is unable to wait for the attraction to reopen, they would need to go to Guest Services and request a refund.

 

[Jrb1979]

That is impossible under the system they wanted to create. You're not allowed to go into the park until 2pm so it makes no sense to allow people to make ride reservations for a time they are not permitted to use and it would cause MAJOR headaches for Disney cast members. You are proposing a massively inefficient system to satisfy your own whims on who you would like to favor. You keep using the word "advantage". It's not an advantage to anything but your own narrow sense of how you personally would like to system to work and how you personally value things. I have already pointed out that to do any of these things you are both gaining and giving up. Your own subjective weighing of those is irrelevant. Even your statement about people who stroll in at noon should be at a disadvantage is a very selfish statement. Why? I'm sorry, did I miss the discount available to those who stroll in at noon? Your whole argument is based on how YOU want to tour the parks. And, they are at a disadvantage - the lost three hours of prime park time and have less time to tour the parks and have lost opportunities to book LL they would have had if they were there are rope drop. I'm not sure what sort of false scenarios you're creating in your head on how this system favors them over other people but they don't exist.

As for mid-day breaks - yes - it is a hell of lot less convenient now to take a mid-day break or go to the parks later and I have been pointing that out since they announced this whole system. But that has absolutely nothing to do with being able to make a reservation for a park you want to hop to.

I'm not saying let people reserve times before 2pm. I'm saying only show return times after 2pm when it's available. If that means it takes til noon for 2pm times show up so be it. The more they get away from FP+ the better.

 

[js]

1. You can book any IA$$ rides in any park with the caveat that if it is not the park you have a reservation for - you will only be offered times after 2pm.
2. When you tap in at 10:05 am you can make your next reservation. 120 is not a limitation - it's an exception. This is how to think of it - you can make your next reservation at the EARLIER of (1) when you tap into your prior reservation or (2) 120 minutes after you made your prior reservation.
3. Yes - if your return times are close together you can keep going like that all day subject to the one LL per ride rule.
4. Apparently yes - you can book a reservation for your second park post 2-pm at 7am. How that affects you depends on what rides are available 2 hours after your first park opens. Say you get a 2pm reservation for Test Track. Well - at 11am in MK you're going to be limited (not technically - just due to your time contraints) to picking a ride with a return time probably up to 1pm or so to ensure you can get to Epcot in time. One strategy people are discussing is just to book LL at your second park for the afternoon at 7am, 11am, and 1pm (for a 9am opening park) and just do standby in your first park starting at rope drop.
5. You can book a 10-11G+ in your first park. But if the park opens at 10 you won't be able to book in your second park until you either tap into the first ride or at noon - which ever is first.

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!
So, the 120 minute I was getting hung up on is exactly what you stated, it's an exception.
IF I had over 120 minutes prior to my next G+, I could make the second at 120 minutes. I believe I understand what you wrote; however, not sure if I am explaining how I understand it correctly.
If I book a 2 pm, G+ at my second park, I cannot make a G+ until 120 minutes after the first park opening.
THANK YOU! I think I would just use IA$$ for my second park and RD the first park.

Can I book a 10-11 am G+ (if park opens at 10 am) at 7 am and also a 2 pm, G+?
-Not at the same time, no
If so, when can I book my next G+? After I tap in at 10:01 to my first G+?
-After your second tap at your first reservation

Thank you. Is it correct that you are saying I cannot book a 10 am G+ in my first park and a 2 pm in the second park?
I thought I finally understood this and that I can.
OR, is this correct:

At 7 am, I can book 2 pm or later in my second park.
I have to wait until 120 minutes after my first park opening to book the second. Is this correct?
If I have to wait the 120 minutes, in say, MK to book my first G+ and it opens at 10 am, when I book at 12 pm, and get (just hypothetical) 1 pm - 2 pm, and I tap in at 1:01 pm, can I then book my next G+?

Thank you so much. Leaving three weeks from today.

 

[LSUfan4444]

WDW seems to be clarifying ILLS refund status - if the attraction breaks down and never reopens that day, they are looking to provide automatic refunds, apparently to the payment method used for the reservation. If the purchaser is unable to wait for the attraction to reopen, they would need to go to Guest Services and request a refund.

Can you imagine being in that meeting when someone asked originally...."Should we refund the guest if the ride is down all day?"

"Nah...just tell them to go to guest relations if they want a refund. Our policy clearly states no refunds"

 

[LSUfan4444]

At 7 am, I can book 2 pm or later in my second park.
I have to wait until 120 minutes after my first park opening to book the second. Is this correct?

Yes

If I have to wait the 120 minutes, in say, MK to book my first G+ and it opens at 10 am, when I book at 12 pm, and get (just hypothetical) 1 pm - 2 pm, and I tap in at 1:01 pm, can I then book my next G+?

yes

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's like they didn't even consider what might occur if an ILLS attraction breaks down (looking at you, Rise of the Resistance)

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Can you imagine being in that meeting when someone asked originally...."Should we refund the guest if the ride is down all day?"

"Nah...just tell them to go to guest relations if they want a refund. Our policy clearly states no refunds"

This policy pretty much guarantees I will not pay more to ride one specific ride. G+ is one thing as I have other things I can use it for.

But if I'm going to wait in a long line, it will be to ride something, not to get my money back for something I paid more to ride.

 

[LSUfan4444]

This policy pretty much guarantees I will not pay more to ride one specific ride. G+ is one thing as I have other things I can use it for.

But if I'm going to wait in a long line, it will be to ride something, not to get my money back for something I paid more to ride.

Well, the good news is that they have decided to just auto refund those guests when an attraction is closed all day (just reported in the last hour or so)
https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/disn...-lane-purchases-impacted-by-ride-closures.htm

 

[leeniewdw]

Any thoughts on what happens when one of the ILL$ rides is taken out of service for maintenance? Thinking of Everest in AK in early 2022. Will the add a different ride, or just go on with just FoP?

 

[LSUfan4444]

Any thoughts on what happens when one of the ILL$ rides is taken out of service for maintenance? Thinking of Everest in AK in early 2022. Will the add a different ride, or just go on with just FoP?

If I had to guess, I would think they would add something. Everest isn't worth an ILL so I can't imagine what they replace it with that would be.

Unless I can ride an elephant or play with the monkeys or something .

 

[PepperjackDragon]

Yikes. So, we were out late for extended evening hours--which were great, I would say close to but slightly smaller crowds than boo bash. I was planning to wake up at 7but failed, so we did not get the Genie plus today. OMG, what a disaster. The posted wait times all spiked at 10am, but on the ground it was even worse. Splash went down for a couple of hours the line for Thunder was wrapping around frontierland, though the posted wait time only said 45. I spoke to someone on Tom Sawyer island that went when the posted wait time was "35" and the line hadn't gotten to the bridge yet, and she said it was actually 75 minutes until they got on. She also said she counted on Frozen yesterday and they were letting in 35LL/5SB. Based on what I saw today I definitely believe it. SB was out of control on everything. Fortunately, once Splash came back everyone ran to that, the LL obviously filled up and the SB wrapped around fronteirland for IT then-still said 25 minutes but NO QUESTION it was 60+ for SB. Fortunately for that brief window Thunder was only like a 15min wait (though it still said 45min when we got off)

Either way, we left and are about to head to HS, hopefully it will be better in the evening than MK was this morning, but man, not worth it without Genie plus if you want the rides. I was ok since we rode most everything last night, but without that I would be furious right now. At least MK in the morning/afternoon dont even think about skipping on Genie+ if this is how Thursdays are.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I think the idea was to have two per park, although AK is kind of hurting for ILLS-worthy attractions. Everest this week barely broke 20 minute standby lines.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

or play with the monkeys or something .

Sir this is a family park....

 

[LSUfan4444]

Sir this is a family park....

Well my daughter and wife can play with them too, I won't be selfish.

 

[kilik64]

Any thoughts on what happens when one of the ILL$ rides is taken out of service for maintenance? Thinking of Everest in AK in early 2022. Will the add a different ride, or just go on with just FoP?

Id think they move the Safari there while the refub on Everest is done.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Well my daughter and wife can play with them too, I won't be selfish.

 

[leeniewdw]

If I had to guess, I would think they would add something. Everest isn't worth an ILL so I can't imagine what they replace it with that would be.

Unless I can ride an elephant or play with the monkeys or something .

Heh-- Everest is really one of my faves, so I'm so bummed it'll be down when we are there. One of my kids rode it like 10 years ago and the other has not at all (they are in their 20s). It would have been a really fun ride for all of us to do together!