Rumored Changes to G+

[Chrisdriscoll]

Just to use comparison sake understand that with the Premier resorts you get Express Pass Unlimited. If you're looking at dollar per dollar that makes it hard to compare because no matter which way you slice it you aren't getting the same product at Disney. Your Genie+ price only includes once per through and only if the ride is available to select. In addition certain rides cost extra (ILL).

Also the Express Pass that comes with the Premier hotels is for check in through check out day thus 1 night of stay equals 2 days of Express Pass usage. Always do the math but that must be considered when using figures.

I think what we can all agree on is that is very expensive to go this time of year to go to either Universal or WDW. However tens of thousands do so, and that is what is responsible for both the eye wateringly high ticket prices and Genie+ reaching its all time high.

 

[clarker99]

No one needs to justify where they spend their money on their holiday. Enjoy whatever you want for whatever amount you want.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think what we can all agree on is that is very expensive to go this time of year to go to either Universal or WDW. However tens of thousands do so, and that is what is responsible for both the eye wateringly high ticket prices and Genie+ reaching its all time high.

Oh yeah for sure holidays one should expect higher pricing just all over

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

Just to use comparison sake understand that with the Premier resorts you get Express Pass Unlimited. If you're looking at dollar per dollar that makes it hard to compare because no matter which way you slice it you aren't getting the same product at Disney. Your Genie+ price only includes once per through and only if the ride is available to select. In addition certain rides cost extra (ILL).

Also the Express Pass that comes with the Premier hotels is for check in through check out day thus 1 night of stay equals 2 days of Express Pass usage. Always do the math but that must be considered when using figures.

Yup, this. It’s also a much much better user experience.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

G+ is essentially a requirement for my family of five to have an enjoyable day at DHS, otherwise I’d never see my wife. I don’t mind meeting Olaf for the 15th time w/ my Toddler while my older kids ride smugglers run….assuming we’re not separated for an hour plus (what it’d be without G+). And then there’s no way we could wait in standby line for Midway Mania, for example, with our youngest.

So the rising prices suck and it makes for tough decisions if we even want to go to DHS, which affects how many days/nights we want to vacation there overall.

 

[clarker99]

The math on how much time you need to save ‘not standing in line’ for Genie+/ILL or Express Pass (or any line skipping product) to break-even is the same.

The formula:

- Park Ticket Cost (per day) divided by Hours Spent at Park(s) = Park Cost per Hour
- Genie+/ILL/Express Pass price per day divided by Park Cost per Hour = Hrs in line saved needed to break even when paying to ‘skip the line’.

This can give a more ‘Apples to Apples’ comparison of any skip the line system.

For example:
- $100ticket/10hrs spent in the park(s) = $10/hr
- 7Dwarves ILL cost $12/$10 = 1.2 hrs saved in line needed to break-even vs just using stand-by.

Generally, you will only be guessing on how much time you saved but this gives you an idea of the value proposition for purchasing to ‘skip the line’ on any given day.

A few tidbits:
- the more expensive your park ticket the better value you get paying to skip the line while the less your ticket costs the less value you get.
- the more hours you stay at a park the less value you get (and vice versa). If you have a 10day park pass there is less value in skipping the line than someone spending 5 days at the parks.

In the end the this formula just gives you the value proposition when deciding to pay to skip the line.

 

[Jrb1979]

The math on how much time you need to save ‘not standing in line’ for Genie+/ILL or Express Pass (or any line skipping product) to break-even is the same.

The formula:

- Park Ticket Cost (per day) divided by Hours Spent at Park(s) = Park Cost per Hour
- Genie+/ILL/Express Pass price per day divided by Park Cost per Hour = Hrs in line saved needed to break even when paying to ‘skip the line’.

This can give a more ‘Apples to Apples’ comparison of any skip the line system.

For example:
- $100ticket/10hrs spent in the park(s) = $10/hr
- 7Dwarves ILL cost $12/$10 = 1.2 hrs saved in line needed to break-even vs just using stand-by.

Generally, you will only be guessing on how much time you saved but this gives you an idea of the value proposition for purchasing to ‘skip the line’ on any given day.

A few tidbits:
- the more expensive your park ticket the better value you get paying to skip the line while the less your ticket costs the less value you get.
- the more hours you stay at a park the less value you get (and vice versa). If you have a 10day park pass there is less value in skipping the line than someone spending 5 days at the parks.

In the end the this formula just gives you the value proposition when deciding to pay to skip the line.

I don't think it's that simple. I would much rather pay $250 on top of my ticket if that means only 20% of guests get Genie+. That means those you get Genie+ get more bang for their buck and it also means less people using it which makes standby better.

 

[clarker99]

I don't think it's that simple. I would much rather pay $250 on top of my ticket if that means only 20% of guests get Genie+. That means those you get Genie+ get more bang for their buck and it also means less people using it which makes standby better.

If you feel the value is there even if you don’t save enough hours in line, it is a win for both you and Universal.

 

[Jrb1979]

If you feel the value is there even if you don’t save enough hours in line, it is a win for both you and Universal.

At least at Universal I don't have to worry about not being able to ride something with a short wait cause availability ran out and I can ride something as many times I want in one day.

 

[clarker99]

I don't think it's that simple. I would much rather pay $250 on top of my ticket if that means only 20% of guests get Genie+. That means those you get Genie+ get more bang for their buck and it also means less people using it which makes standby better.

At least at Universal I don't have to worry about not being able to ride something with a short wait cause availability ran out and I can ride something as many times I want in one day.

It is a baseline number to give you an understanding of what you need to save in line times to get your monies worth. Whether you think can do better than the baseline number is up to the consumer. Like the Disney Dining plan, maybe people don’t care about the value and that is fine.

 

[Jrb1979]

It is a baseline number to give you an understanding of what you need to save in line times to get your monies worth. Whether you think can do better than the baseline number is up to the consumer. Like the Disney Dining plan, maybe people don’t care about the value and that is fine.

Price for me is secondary. For me it's all about how easy is it to use and how many rides I get out of using it. Value is being able to ride the Mummy 10 times, Men in Black 8 times, the Hulk 7 times and Spiderman 9 times over 2 days with Express pass. You can't do that at Disney. I'm not satisfied with riding an attraction once.

 

[clarker99]

Price for me is secondary. For me it's all about how easy is it to use and how many rides I get out of using it. Value is being able to ride the Mummy 10 times, Men in Black 8 times, the Hulk 7 times and Spiderman 9 times over 2 days with Express pass. You can't do that at Disney. I'm not satisfied with riding an attraction once.

I don’t know how my post was attacking any specific system? I was giving people a baseline number to understand what they are paying for.

 

[Jrb1979]

I don’t know how my post was attacking any specific system? I was giving people a baseline number to understand what they are paying for.

They are also different systems so the math is different for each.

 

[clarker99]

On the cheapest day in January your baseline to break-even is 10hours saved in line times to break even with Express pass on a 3day park to park ticket and 10hr days in the park. Over Christmas you would need closer to 20hrs in line times saved a day with 10hr days in the park.

If Express Pass allows for that kind of time savings or greater it is a great product and it is priced accordingly.

They are also different systems so the math is different for each.

But in terms of baseline for time saved the math works for whatever system you choose to pay for.

 

[Mamabun]

Honestly, the fact that some people feel so strongly about genie being overpriced probably means it’s priced pretty well. When it sells out it means they are leaving money on the table AND it ends up being a worse experience for those who do buy it because too many people have it. The whole point of raising the price is so they don’t have too many people trying to buy it.

And I’m waiting with an interested eye for all the Universal this and Universal that people. First off, I love both Disney and Universal and will continue to go to both plenty. But I fully expect Universal to end up matching and perhaps surpassing Disney’s expense once Epic opens. I can’t wait to take a long trip to Universal for Epic’s opening, but I am 100% prepared for the cost to make it feel like Disney is a bargain. Heck, a week at each is almost the same already. This next year would be a REALLY good time to go to Universal, because trip budgets will likely be changing before long.

 

[New Mouse]

The fact that ot doesn't sell out for most of the year means it's grossly overpriced and undervalued.

The fact it doesn't work anywhere near functionally when it's sold out means Disney has no grasp on the actual guest experience people get with what they are buying.

Universal has given a better overall experience for years at a lower price point while still profiting nicely, so obviously it can be done.

 

[tx911]

Universal has given a better overall experience for years at a lower price point while still profiting nicely, so obviously it can be done.

I'm not seeing the lower price point part. Isn't the express pass more than the cost of a park ticket at Universal?

 

[Jrb1979]

I'm not seeing the lower price point part. Isn't the express pass more than the cost of a park ticket at Universal?

Yes but it's done that way to limit how many people buy it.

 

[New Mouse]

I'm not seeing the lower price point part. Isn't the express pass more than the cost of a park ticket at Universal?

It was a general comment about Universal pricing not specifically express, which is cheaper when obtained through a hotel and more expensive when purchased alone.

 

[lentesta]

While we've been counting guests in line, we've noticed a new phenomenon around DAS use: When a group returns to use DAS, a CM seems more likely to ask to see the person for whom the DAS was issued.

This seems to be resulting in many more guests leaving the DAS line without riding. For example, recently at DHS we saw a group of young men get turned away after a CM asked "And which one of you is Kaylee?"

I'm not sure if this is a holiday-specific process. So far we've seen it at DHS and MK. We'll keep counting.