Using the Genie+ Tip Board on a UK phone

[Beeej]

Just returned back from Orlando and thought I'd share some tips on using Genie+ on a UK phone, because there are definitely some glitches. I have an android phone and it seems iphone may not have the same problems and YMMV, but as a long time lurker I'm hoping this info might help someone!

Pre Trip
- The Tip Board on the Disney World app it seems does not work on UK phones whilst you are still in the UK. It will show the error message 'Something Went Wrong'. This means you cannot see Genie+ slots or wait times.
- If you set up a USA VPN on your phone, the Tip Board will work. As I had a VPN already, I used this before I left to check wait times. This is a good option if you just want to familiarise yourself with the Genie+ layout and when time slots run out.

During Trip
- I have international roaming data (I'm on EE) but the Tip Board still did not work when I arrived in the US. Even after connecting to a US network and refreshing, I still had the error message 'something went wrong'
- The Tip Board did work when I connected to Wifi. I was told by Disney Helpdesk Support that it would only work on Disney Resort Wifi, but it also worked on our off-site hotel Wifi.
- I used the USA VPN if I was away from Wifi when our slot opened to book my next Genie+ (if we were on transport going somewhere, or in a restaurant outside the park) HOWEVER the VPN caused the app to load slower and time slots did not refresh quickly. I made the mistake of using data and the VPN to book my first Genie+ on our Hollywood Studios day (we were already in an Lyft going to the park at 7am) and my app did not show time slots until 7:03am. This means I missed all the morning slots.

 

[Duck In Blue]

I'm on O2 and had the same problems. Before we went I was getting the same message when loading the Tip Board and just put it down to being in the UK (never thought to try a VPN at that pointed). When we arrived on the first night at the hotel and connected to wifi, I managed to book some Lightning Lane slots before we headed off for Epcot. But when we were riding over on the Skyliner (no wifi) I tried to bring up the Tip Board again I had the Something Went Wrong. It then worked again in the park so I thought it might require Disney wifi, but the following day I thought about trying the VPN and then it all became clear.

I didn't find any difference between being on the VPN though and the Disney wifi, but then I didn't think the Disney wifi was particularly quick either. I was using ClearVPN in case that makes a difference.

 

[MissStitch626]

Thanks for the tips. This is probably going to sound like a silly question but how do you use international roaming when you're in US? I have the travel data roaming with EE too but the only time I needed to use it I couldn't seem to connect to anything. I've relied on Disney WiFi ever since but would like to have the backup option.

 

[Plague]

Thanks for the tips. This is probably going to sound like a silly question but how do you use international roaming when you're in US? I have the travel data roaming with EE too but the only time I needed to use it I couldn't seem to connect to anything. I've relied on Disney WiFi ever since but would like to have the backup option.

Did you turn on the 'data roaming' option in the phone settings? I think most default it to off as it can be expensive, so you have to explicitly allow it.

 

[Beeej]

Thanks for the tips. This is probably going to sound like a silly question but how do you use international roaming when you're in US? I have the travel data roaming with EE too but the only time I needed to use it I couldn't seem to connect to anything. I've relied on Disney WiFi ever since but would like to have the backup option.

So first make sure data roaming is turned on. I then always turn off ‘automatically select network’ in settings when I’m abroad, as I’ve found it can never find a network by itself. I instead manually select a local network from the list that is available and usually go through a few before I find one that connects. On this recent trip I connected to AT&T and that worked for the whole week.

 

[zavandor]

Just returned back from Orlando and thought I'd share some tips on using Genie+ on a UK phone, because there are definitely some glitches. I have an android phone and it seems iphone may not have the same problems and YMMV, but as a long time lurker I'm hoping this info might help someone!

Pre Trip
- The Tip Board on the Disney World app it seems does not work on UK phones whilst you are still in the UK. It will show the error message 'Something Went Wrong'. This means you cannot see Genie+ slots or wait times.
- If you set up a USA VPN on your phone, the Tip Board will work. As I had a VPN already, I used this before I left to check wait times. This is a good option if you just want to familiarise yourself with the Genie+ layout and when time slots run out.

During Trip
- I have international roaming data (I'm on EE) but the Tip Board still did not work when I arrived in the US. Even after connecting to a US network and refreshing, I still had the error message 'something went wrong'
- The Tip Board did work when I connected to Wifi. I was told by Disney Helpdesk Support that it would only work on Disney Resort Wifi, but it also worked on our off-site hotel Wifi.
- I used the USA VPN if I was away from Wifi when our slot opened to book my next Genie+ (if we were on transport going somewhere, or in a restaurant outside the park) HOWEVER the VPN caused the app to load slower and time slots did not refresh quickly. I made the mistake of using data and the VPN to book my first Genie+ on our Hollywood Studios day (we were already in an Lyft going to the park at 7am) and my app did not show time slots until 7:03am. This means I missed all the morning slots.

Thank you for this. I had the same problems during my last vacation and I couldn't figure out why sometime it worked and sometime it didn't.
Why have they implemented an IP restriction like this, causing international visitors to struggle? I guess the problem will increase now that internation travel is restarting and they'll do something about it soon.

 

[Beeej]

I agree that it's a stupid restriction - it does just make it feel like they didn't think about international visitors using the app at all! I'm going to submit a complaint about the issues and I hope they get enough pushback to hurry up and fix it.

 

[itf]

I think the reason for this is that when you're roaming, the data gets routed through your home provider so is probably still detected by Disney as being outside the US. What a shambles.

 

[itf]

Thank you for this. I had the same problems during my last vacation and I couldn't figure out why sometime it worked and sometime it didn't.
Why have they implemented an IP restriction like this, causing international visitors to struggle? I guess the problem will increase now that internation travel is restarting and they'll do something about it soon.

There's loads of geoblocked stuff on their website too - try booking a fireworks cruise from the UK for example.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Question from the technology challenged person that I am What is a vpn and how do you get one on your phone?

 

[itf]

Question from the technology challenged person that I am What is a vpn and how do you get one on your phone?

"virtual private network" - a piece of software that allows you to pretend to be geographically elsewhere to get around geographic restrictions. It used to be common only really in workplaces but is now fairly mainstream.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

"virtual private network" - a piece of software that allows you to pretend to be geographically elsewhere to get around geographic restrictions. It used to be common only really in workplaces but is now fairly mainstream.

Do you just search and download it to your phone? I have an iphone if that makes a difference? Really am a bit clueless with all this stuff

 

[Plague]

Do you just search and download it to your phone? I have an iphone if that makes a difference? Really am a bit clueless with all this stuff

The bit on the phone is just a part of it. In order to let you pretend to be in [other country] the VPN supplier has to have connections to their system in that country (or maybe a way to spoof it). As mentioned elsewhere the quality of that connection and the provider's servers can affect speed, reliability, etc.

So search for VPN on the App Store and check ratings, reviews, etc. Also bear in mind that there is an element of getting what you pay for - A paid for service may well be better than a free one.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

The bit on the phone is just a part of it. In order to let you pretend to be in [other country] the VPN supplier has to have connections to their system in that country (or maybe a way to spoof it). As mentioned elsewhere the quality of that connection and the provider's servers can affect speed, reliability, etc.

So search for VPN on the App Store and check ratings, reviews, etc. Also bear in mind that there is an element of getting what you pay for - A paid for service may well be better than a free one.

Thanks

 

[itf]

Do you just search and download it to your phone? I have an iphone if that makes a difference? Really am a bit clueless with all this stuff

In the spirit of science (and because I wanted to see the tip board) - I've just done this on iOS myself. I had an old Norton subscription I got for free with Office that happens to include a VPN. All I needed to do was install the app, allow it to set VPN settings on the iphone (the app prompts you) then select location and hit connect, then disconnect when you're done. It is very straightforward and I was able to access the tip board immediately - speed was fine.

 

[McCrae]

Thanks for the tips. This is probably going to sound like a silly question but how do you use international roaming when you're in US? I have the travel data roaming with EE too but the only time I needed to use it I couldn't seem to connect to anything. I've relied on Disney WiFi ever since but would like to have the backup option.

I am an EE customer, data roaming in the US is included in my contract. Worth checking if you have that option or can add it. Data roaming in Europe and US work perfectly for me. I have a sim only contract.

 

[mindreader]

Has anyone got an examples of their UK phone working on data roaming without connecting to wifi whilst on site?

 

[McCrae]

Has anyone got an examples of their UK phone working on data roaming without connecting to wifi whilst on site?

Yes…I‘m at Disney..data roaming works fine… if however you want to select LL passes I have found you need to be connected to Disney Wi-Fi.

 

[mindreader]

Thank you - so that is to say if you want to use Genie+ for LL Passes or for regular Genie + bookings you need to be on wifi not on data?

 

[McCrae]

Thank you - so that is to say if you want to use Genie+ for LL Passes or for regular Genie + bookings you need to be on wifi not on data?

Almost , For booking LL I found you had to be on a Disney Wifi connection. You can get that at your resort, on a Disney bus or at the park. Data is ok for viewing only.