Disney Genie announcement

[igrsod]

I can see us paying the $15 per person per day for smaller trips, not for longer ones, and only for certain parks. BUT, I can also see us spending less in the parks to make up the difference. One less sit down meal, no big souvenir (we have too much already)... it's all about budget and what you choose to spend the money on. My budget is my budget.... if riding rides will cost me more, then we don't buy a popcorn bucket, or eat 2 sit down meals a day etc.

 

[Laura's Dad]

Super early. Do you remember what the lines were like for Rise of the Resistance when you had to line up outside the park and hope to hit the app when you got inside at opening to get a boarding pass? People were getting in line at 4.00am. I know because I was staying on Disney property at the time and had to get up with my kids several days in a row to get to ride 1 time. Yes, it was before they changed the system, but it was horrible.

We were in that first wave as well. It was absolutely dangerous with the lines at the turnstiles. They had to do something because the pushing/shoving to get in was absolutely nuts. At least the way that they are doing it now is fair. I have been 4 days to DHS since that first trip and got boarding passes 3 times.

 

[SCDVC2000]

Idk, I wonder if those situations will be balanced out by how many couples are like us, where one person is the crazy type A planner type and the other one is cool with whatever, the “just tell me when to show up” type. My gf is so laid back I could tell her we gotta get up 4am and do the ice bucket challenge to get into a park and she’d be fine as long as she got her dole whip on time

its settled. Your next trip to Disney she’s doing the ice bucket challenge at 4am

 

[Ursula J]

Comments on the Parks Blog might now be closed? Mine never was posted, but it was mostly about how sad I am to close this chapter in our lives as a family, not because we outgrew WDW but because WDW doesn't want people like us.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I can see a lot of people purchasing G+ but I can also see a lot of people not bothering with it. Heck I knew people who never even used FP+ and it was free. I’ve known people who purchased the DDP and didn’t even make ADRs so never used their credits. It’ll be interesting to see how this goes.

 

[lynch34]

I love Disney World. My wife loves Disney World. My kids love and have grown up around Disney World.

With that said - at a certain point you realize that what we have loved is NOT what it is now and that's ok for everyone but folks shouldn't pretend that it is the same as it most definitely is not.

When I first went to Disney, I found a place that focused on customer service and allowed exceptional customer service to drive revenue. Now it is very much a shell of it's former self in that they still have great customer service but that is not the goal. Revenue is the goal. Again - that's fine but let's not pretend it is not that way because it is. The first couple of trips I almost felt like I wanted to give them MORE money because it felt like they only cared about me and my family and not the money.

This is a shameful play to take more money. Disney World is quickly becoming a place for the rich and that's a shame. I am in a thankful place where I can afford it (if I wanted to) but in all honesty - I feel like at these current prices - I'd be better off taking my family on new experiences for a similar price.

I said it earlier in the thread but people should price out Disney World and then price out other options (especially for out of state folks). You will be stunned what you can do for the cost of a week at WDW now and let's face it - it's not worth it. They have repeatedly taken things AWAY and raised prices. Its insane. I was actually planning a Disney trip in September and was appalled at the prices (and this is before the 50th and these changes). I priced out 4 nights and 4 days at Universal for my family of 5 and it was $1900. That was for a 2 room family suite. Disney isn't CLOSE from a competitive pricepoint. The customer service is also no longer a differentiation. I'm glad my kids are 14, 12 and 9 and have been so much because they were able to grow up there but we won't be going if this stuff continues. It's total nonsense. Get up at 7 am and pray you get on a ride? Pay for Space Mountain? You can't even tell your kid - we are doing Rise of the Resistance tomorrow! You have no clue if your 4 seconds of phone clicking will get you a boarding pass. Message? Shame - you missed out but you can go on Star Tours for the 1,000th time for only $8/person.

 

[Lashed34]

I may well pay, but they wont be getting me on site for 14 nights anymore. I wont be buying any merch and will be eating off site to. Making me pay for this will involve cost cutting, first and most expensive is staying in Disney. If they are betting that international guests will pay regardless id take a look over on the DIBB board

Stay at a deluxe at Universal, relish the unlimited express pass and drive/uber to Disney, the best of both worlds.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I love Disney World. My wife loves Disney World. My kids love and have grown up around Disney World.

With that said - at a certain point you realize that what we have loved is NOT what it is now and that's ok for everyone but folks shouldn't pretend that it is the same as it most definitely is not.

When I first went to Disney, I found a place that focused on customer service and allowed exceptional customer service to drive revenue. Now it is very much a shell of it's former self in that they still have great customer service but that is not the goal. Revenue is the goal. Again - that's fine but let's not pretend it is not that way because it is. The first couple of trips I almost felt like I wanted to give them MORE money because it felt like they only cared about me and my family and not the money.

This is a shameful play to take more money. Disney World is quickly becoming a place for the rich and that's a shame. I am in a thankful place where I can afford it (if I wanted to) but in all honesty - I feel like at these current prices - I'd be better off taking my family on new experiences for a similar price.

I said it earlier in the thread but people should price out Disney World and then price out other options (especially for out of state folks). You will be stunned what you can do for the cost of a week at WDW now and let's face it - it's not worth it. They have repeatedly taken things AWAY and raised prices. Its insane. I was actually planning a Disney trip in September and was appalled at the prices (and this is before the 50th and these changes). I priced out 4 nights and 4 days at Universal for my family of 5 and it was $1900. That was for a 2 room family suite. Disney isn't CLOSE from a competitive pricepoint. The customer service is also no longer a differentiation. I'm glad my kids are 14, 12 and 9 and have been so much because they were able to grow up there but we won't be going if this stuff continues. It's total nonsense. Get up at 7 am and pray you get on a ride? Pay for Space Mountain? You can't even tell your kid - we are doing Rise of the Resistance tomorrow! You have no clue if your 4 seconds of phone clicking will get you a boarding pass. Message? Shame - you missed out but you can go on Star Tours for the 1,000th time for only $8/person.

This is all because of the current regime...and by current I mean the Iger regime. All they care about is their DTC segment which is mainly comprised of Dis+. The parks are just a means to an end...the parks are funding the growth of Dis+. That's literally all they care about.

 

[ckb_nc]

Long take -

First I explained this to my wife last night and she is a not a fan at all.

We used Maxpass from a 2 day visit to DL in Jan 2022. It was extremely helpful to be able to book a FP from across another park. But all it did was help us avoid long walks to get a physical FP. So it's not like we were locked out of FP at all. It was a benefit not an absolute.

We are going at WDW from FP+ which let us plan entire days out. We liked having some days start later mid-trip to let us slow down. To basically derby style first in wins. But not in the park like old school FP. I have to be up at 7 to get a FP. And as an offsite or day guest, you show up say at 10am are there going to be any FP or whatever they will be called left? I know Disney use to hold FP+ in reserve for big rides in the past, but will that be true in the future?

The real kick in nuts will be the surge pricing for top tiers. RoTR is to me the worse. Complain all day about virtual queues but it was at least somewhat fair. Now - hey don't want to wait or try? Pay an extra essentially one day ticket to ride one ride? We know Tron will be on it - FOP, RoTR, Slinky (??) - all of sudden to have the same experience I enjoyed even last December could cost me either an extra $1000 or more, extra wait times through the roof, or make rope drop an essential.

We are a Disney family but this is very first time I am scratching my head on how this does not smack of both a pure money grab AND elitism. Put this together with the absolute over the top prices for the new Christmas parties and I might be thinking hard on selling my DVC points.

 

[igrsod]

I'm curious what the solution will be when rides break down that you have purchased LL passes for? It's sad when you had a free FP, but if I've paid a premium for it at 7am on my vacation....???

 

[4Hawks]

I used to laugh at people who say they won't visit Disney anymore because of some new rule/system. But now I'm one of them. After booking our trip for the 50th (our most expensive thus far), I told my kids this would likely be our last trip, at least for a while. Now I feel even more certain.

We can rent a small apartment somewhere in Europe for a full month, for far less than we spend for 1 week at a Disney resort. We'd probably spend less in food as well, and eat way better. Plus we'd get to actually experience a different culture and learn a new language.

So yeah, Disney is not worth it for us anymore. I'm just thankful that we got to enjoy several trips before things got this expensive.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Being able to book your first Genie ride at 7am vs when you enter the park could have been huge, but not so much with the best rides not available via Genie

Onsite guests get to book their additional top tier LL ride at 7. Everyone gets to book the first genie ride at 7.

 

[DLgal]

If this works like Maxpass, they will release all available Lightning Lane windows at once, and they will get later and later in the day as the park fills up and people book them.

What will be interesting to see is how will they manage this if you show up at 11am and the "next available" LL time is 8pm? Will you then not be able to book any others? Will they use the 2 hour window and let you book more at 1pm?

The language seems to imply that you can only hold one LL reservation at a time, so perhaps this means they will release LL availability sporadically, every hour or so and it will be a matter of luck whether you get the ride you want when you try or not. I can't see that working well when people are paying, but the other way seems problematic also.

 

[ffugitive]

To look on the possible bright side here... Genie+ is a new cost but a good thing. Yes, it sucks to have to pay more, but I'm telling you many people won't pay the added expense of "being able to make ride reservations." Usage WILL be less than Fastpass usage, so for a modest added expense, we get improved Fastpass. As for individual attraction selections, Genie+ will not be available, so the standby queues will only compete with those who pay the premiums. Either the premiums wont be bad in which case we will pay (hah!) or they will be absurd and prohibitive in which case a very small minority of guests will actually pay, leaving really just Standby queues like there is right now, which is not terrible really. My 2 cents.

 

[luv2cheer92]

While you are technically correct, IMO none of the on-site "benefits", including the Deluxe hours, can justify staying on-site anymore.

Disney basically took away (or are in the process of taking away) the benefits people looked forward to by staying on-site and then jacked up the prices.

Then they announce a brand new program for paid rides and are giving the day guest the same (basically) access and pricing as the on-site.

To each their own. Nothing has put the thought of pushing me offsite yet, and this sure won't either. Still enough reason for me. With the sole exception of S/D, which is half and half IMO anyway.

 

[igrsod]

Long take -

First I explained this to my wife last night and she is a not a fan at all.

We used Maxpass from a 2 day visit to DL in Jan 2022. It was extremely helpful to be able to book a FP from across another park. But all it did was help us avoid long walks to get a physical FP. So it's not like we were locked out of FP at all. It was a benefit not an absolute.

We are going at WDW from FP+ which let us plan entire days out. We liked having some days start later mid-trip to let us slow down. To basically derby style first in wins. But not in the park like old school FP. I have to be up at 7 to get a FP. And as an offsite or day guest, you show up say at 10am are there going to be any FP or whatever they will be called left? I know Disney use to hold FP+ in reserve for big rides in the past, but will that be true in the future?

The real kick in nuts will be the surge pricing for top tiers. RoTR is to me the worse. Complain all day about virtual queues but it was at least somewhat fair. Now - hey don't want to wait or try? Pay an extra essentially one day ticket to ride one ride? We know Tron will be on it - FOP, RoTR, Slinky (??) - all of sudden to have the same experience I enjoyed even last December could cost me either an extra $1000 or more, extra wait times through the roof, or make rope drop an essential.

We are a Disney family but this is very first time I am scratching my head on how this does not smack of both a pure money grab AND elitism. Put this together with the absolute over the top prices for the new Christmas parties and I might be thinking hard on selling my DVC points.

We have been discussing all of this in our DVC loving family too.
We are not ready to sell yet, but we do have a breaking point. We may not use the points at Disney as often now... maybe we stay at HH or Aulani.
We reached our breaking point with the Christmas AH event. We had bought tickets for the Halloween one, thinking it's expensive but still has value. Then the Christmas ticket prices came out and we all agreed over $200 per person was too much. So we are not going, not even tempted or sad about it.
If they keep raising prices without increasing the value, more people will reach a breaking point. Disney has always been expensive, but had value. That is diminishing quickly.

 

[Duck143]

Is anyone planning on emailing Disney to voice their unhappiness? I have read all 41 pages up to now and read hundreds of different complaints and I am wondering if these are going to be voiced to Disney? If so, where are you planning on sending your opinions? If everyone who has something to say actually says it to Disney, maybe it will make a difference? Just maybe?

I agree with so many things that have been written here since the announcement yesterday. I don't want to get up before 7am EVERY day on my vacation just to get all stressed out staring at my phone waiting for my clock to tick to 7:00:00 am just so my family can get up and have the 'best trip ever!" I am a huge planner and have rolled with the punches to plan every detail for our many trips to Disney. I enjoy the planning and never minded getting up and onto a computer to get all the (180, 90, 60, 30 days) ADR's and FP+ booked. I just really don't want to have to do this every single morning during our trip. This past May, I was so stressed our first park day trying to get a BG for my family to ride RotR that I was shaking. I managed to get the BG and everyone loved it, but I don't need this pressure every day. I don't mind if this is the only way to get on the newest attractions, but not for many and I haven't even gotten into the new additional cost for this stress.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I can see a lot of people purchasing G+ but I can also see a lot of people not bothering with it.

My concern is will enough people buy G+ to shut down standby lines to further entries at some point? Since LL are limited and FP would be gone for the day for certain rides, it seems like this might affect standby lines in a different way than FP. Admittedly I don't really understand enough of the analytics about how any of it worked to know if this is even a valid concern. But it seems a little bit like SW early bird check in where when flying from certain cities you almost have to purchase it now.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Is anyone planning on emailing Disney to voice their unhappiness? I have read all 41 pages up to now and read hundreds of different complaints and I am wondering if these are going to be voiced to Disney? If so, where are you planning on sending your opinions? If everyone who has something to say actually says it to Disney, maybe it will make a difference? Just maybe?

Not sure that it matters honestly. They are getting lambasted on social media platforms but they don't care what people say. They only care what people do (such as open or not open their wallets).

 

[luv2cheer92]

I used to laugh at people who say they won't visit Disney anymore because of some new rule/system. But now I'm one of them. After booking our trip for the 50th (our most expensive thus far), I told my kids this would likely be our last trip, at least for a while. Now I feel even more certain.

We can rent a small apartment somewhere in Europe for a full month, for far less than we spend for 1 week at a Disney resort. We'd probably spend less in food as well, and eat way better. Plus we'd get to actually experience a different culture and learn a new language.

So yeah, Disney is not worth it for us anymore. I'm just thankful that we got to enjoy several trips before things got this expensive.

I also think it comes down to your style of trip and family makeup. My trips are usually around the $1500-1800 ballpark, it can be hard to go to Europe for a week with that. My trip for the 50th is closer to $2000 right now, but it is also a few days longer than most of my trips usually are, so the daily average is pretty similar. The cost hasn't gone up much, if at all, for me in the last 2-3ish years, and I'm getting more each trip (for the most part) with new rides, attractions, shows, fireworks, etc.

But as I've said before, WDW is far from the only place I vacation. I usually go to Europe or somewhere abroad every year, a few domestic trips (usually to national parks), a cruise, and a few trips to WDW and usually one trip a year to UOR. So, I still get the variety of experiences and can compare value pretty well.