Disney Genie+ and ILL$ Details & FAQ - Launches 10/19 at WDW, Paid "FastPass" at WDW and Disneyland (date TBD)

[NuJoy]

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[IceSkatingPrincess]

Good Points!, i am curious what is pulling you into doing DVC, I am 31, and my wife and I were looking into DVC at around 28 as well haha. I just couldn't find any added benefits that would justify the high price tag, not to mention you are locked in with Disney for a good chunk of time. We rent points, and have found that there are only a few benefits we are missing out on at WDW, (honestly none were all that enticing), I like the fact that i can still get a good price, and not have to commit long term. Not in anyway telling you what you should or shouldn't do, I completely understand what is right for someone may be wrong for another, just genuinely curious

For us, it worked because we visit WDW frequently and like to stay deluxe. We also have learned we love one bedrooms and they are cost prohibitive on cash. We also live a short flight away so Orlando is an easy destination to get to. This lets us take advantage of quick weekend getaways on short notice when we see availability.


We intend to keep visiting at least once per year (currently quite a bit more than that) once we start growing our family so the long term commitment makes sense, and in our job fields planning well in advance as DVC requires for longer trips actually works well. It is hard in my industry for me me take a full week off without knowing about it well in advance so I can schedule around it, so the 11 month thing for long trips really isn't an issue. So it was a variety of factors. I also like having the resort portion of our trips "prepaid" in a way. We're also clearly just huge Disney fans which obviously contributed to the desire as well.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

It sounds exactly like FP because FP+ allowed immediate access to (2) tier-two rides by planning in advance. It seems a lot of people are equating G+ to an express pass system where one has immediate access to most all rides all day, which it is not.

You are certainly right that G+ is almost nothing like Universal's Express Pass. Express Pass lets you enter the Express Lane (basically the Lightning Lane) on any ride at any time all day long --- minus the two newest rides in the park. G+ only lets you into the LL for one ride at a time, and only at a given time window, which might be well into the future. G+ is much less valuable than EP.

But that does not necessarily make it a virtual standby system. Although there is no way to know for sure how it will operate until we see it in action, Disney has not explained in those terms (unlike the new virtual standby lines in DLParis). I suspect that there will be very little correlation between the LL return window on G+ and the current standby waits.

There is a lot of middle ground between Express Pass and virtual standby. Fastpass and Fastpass+ both fell within that middle ground. So too does Genie+, from everything Disney has told us.

 

[NuJoy]

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[JETSDAD]

It sounds exactly like FP because FP+ allowed immediate access to (2) tier-two rides by planning in advance. It seems a lot of people are equating G+ to an express pass system where one has immediate access to most all rides all day, which it is not.

FP+ did not give immediate access any more than G+ will. They were still booked with return windows. Just because you may have planned around those windows doesn't mean it was immediate access. Both give a time that you can ride and neither are immediate (they could be if you happened to get an immediate time of course).

 

[NuJoy]

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[JETSDAD]

No. “Return time” implies you arrive then come back. “Schedule” implies you book an exact arrival time.

It's the exact same thing. Both tell you what time you can ride. You don't actually have to go to the ride to get a Return Time, you book it on the app (just like FP+).

 

[NuJoy]

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[TDSAXX]

Affluent spenders are more likely to be one and done at Disney.

And one and done’s don’t buy DVC.

 

[rmclain73]

FP was not the exact same thing as FP+, which is what I am referring to. The argument is that G+ appears to be a paid FP-like system.

Maybe I am missing something but how was legacy FP and FP+different? I get one was a paper ticket with a return time to come back, and the other allowed you to book 3 at a time 60 or 30 days out. However you were still at the mercy of what was available at the time of booking and could only board the ride at that time.

 

[BrianL]

Maybe I am missing something but how was legacy FP and FP+different? I get one was a paper ticket with a return time to come back, and the other allowed you to book 3 at a time 60 or 30 days out. However you were still at the mercy of what was available at the time of booking and could only board the ride at that time.

With FP they distributed tickets according to the soonest available window - you could not pick a time later than that. With FP+ you could, leaving times open earlier in the day in favor of a later window. Genie+ will act more like the former, while the paid attraction selections I believe will work like the latter.

 

[rmclain73]

With FP they distributed tickets according to the soonest available window - you could not pick a time later than that. With FP+ you could, leaving times open earlier in the day in favor of a later window. Genie+ willa ct more like the former, while the paid attraction selections I believe will work like the latter.

I see what you are saying, but you were not always able to book the times you wanted later in the day with FP+ if they were already taken.

Hopefully the new system will be able to accommodate people who arrive later in the day by ensuring they can still get access to the rides they want. Only time will tell.

No matter what type of system is in place it will not work out for everyone. Some people plan every last detail months in advance. Some like to plan the day as they go. Some arrive to parks at RD, while some arrive and stay late.

 

[BrianL]

I see what you are saying, but you were not always able to book the times you wanted later in the day with FP+ if they were already taken.

Hopefully the new system will be able to accommodate people who arrive later in the day by ensuring they can still get access to the rides they want. Only time will tell.

No matter what type of system is in place it will not work out for everyone. Some people plan every last detail months in advance. Some like to plan the day as they go. Some arrive to parks at RD, while some arrive and stay late.

No, but it was possible. With FP+ you would be presented several times throughout the day. With the old FP, you would check at the kiosk and it would say that it was currently distributing a return time between X & Y. There was no option - you either took that or waited and tried later. The slots for 6 PM couldn't possibly fill up before the slots for 5 PM as they could once FP+ came about. It's a key difference in how the return times will be distributed.

 

[Sandisw]

No, but it was possible. With FP+ you would be presented several times throughout the day. With the old FP, you would check at the kiosk and it would say that it was currently distributing a return time between X & Y. There was no option - you either took that or waited and tried later. The slots for 6 PM couldn't possibly fill up before the slots for 5 PM as they could once FP+ came about. It's a key difference in how the return times will be distributed.

Thats true but it is still not immediate access to the ride. You had to plan around when you would have access.

While FP+ did you give you a chance to pick a time, But many times the ones we could get didn’t fit our needs, so we didn’t even book all 3.

Now GP+ may be not different, but I do think our options for mornings will be better than they were with FP+ when we could not schedule an overlapping time. Now, we may be able to book the first, and as soon as we tap in that ride, get another one that may be instant access

 

[buzlite]

One thing I didn't think of was Disney trying to seperate big spenders and thrify customers. It doesn't benefit Disney to have thrify spenders plan there day meticulously, not have to wait in line and not spend extra while at Disney. It also doesn't help Disney if big spenders are stuck in line all day and don't have the opportunity to spend on premium experiences or merchandise. This could be a way to focus on reducing wait times specifically for bigger spenders(per person) to allow them more time to spend money on other things. We can't know for sure without having data but it is food for thought. Basically slow down park commandos and speed up the upper middle class noobs.
Edit- excuse the poor grammar. I need some sleep. #insomnia

 

[shafke]

I have seen a few comment that Genie+ is not much different than FP/FP+.
The biggest advantage FP had over G+ is that you could get your next FP either when your return window opened or after 2 hours passed.
This does not appear to be available with G+ and was not available with FP+.

As the day goes on you will have longer periods between when you can make your next LL reservation.

 

[Jrb1979]

I have seen a few comment that Genie+ is not much different than FP/FP+.
The biggest advantage FP had over G+ is that you could get your next FP either when your return window opened or after 2 hours passed.
This does not appear to be available with G+ and was not available with FP+.

As the day goes on you will have longer periods between when you can make your next LL reservation.

It's why I think rope drop is going to a must to get the most out of Genie+

 

[rmclain73]

I have seen a few comment that Genie+ is not much different than FP/FP+.
The biggest advantage FP had over G+ is that you could get your next FP either when your return window opened or after 2 hours passed.
This does not appear to be available with G+ and was not available with FP+.

As the day goes on you will have longer periods between when you can make your next LL reservation.

This is still a big question many have on G+. With you MaxPass you could book another 90min or 120min if your ride was more than 2 hours out. A lot of us are hoping that this will carry over for G+ as a lot of the details have not come out yet. When the Disney firs put out releases about MaxPass it did not say anything about the 2 hour window. There is still hope.

 

[Moliphino]

It's why I think rope drop is going to a must to get the most out of Genie+

One reason I hate it so much (also needing to pay).

 

[cakebaker]

One reason I hate it so much (also needing to pay).

It's funny, with FP+ the complaint was always that people who put out the effort to be there at opening weren't rewarded. Looks like the tables have turned. I'm up and at the parks at opening regardless. I can sleep at home for free.