Can we talk about how Difficult Disney Vacations are becoming

[mom2rtk]

At least I'm not running from fP machine to FP machine like the old paper days!

Give me a free FP machine any day. And twice on Sunday.

 

[parasail_of_congress]

I feel bad for families who are new to Disney. Way too much to keep up with.

But if you're new, you wouldn't really necessarily know anything about the old setup. So if the saying "ignorance is bliss" holds true, it's probably easiest for those unaware of the past iterations. And in many respects, it's likely easiest to ignore the complexities altogether.

 

[DavidNYC]

I think they got easier, since while I am a planner I never liked having to plan out my days 60 days or more out and figure out knowing what rides we all wanted to do or who would end up liking what.

My take is however all that stress you had 60 days out you will now have in the park - starting at 7am every morning. Can’t wait to see the lines at guest services for people who spent tons of money and then found they found hardly get any of the rides they wanted when they were there. Or based on past experience - the system being down for a few hours. When it’s free - they can apologize. When you paid for it - different matter. I see the complaints about Rise of Resistance. I expect this to be that times 100. Park planning got easier only in the sense you just cannot do it at all anymore - you just have to hope you get lucky when you’re there.

 

[OhBother1984]

My take is however all that stress you had 60 days out you will now have in the park - starting at 7am every morning. Can’t wait to see the lines at first services for people who spent tons of money and then found they found hardly get any of the rides they wanted when they were there. I see the complaints about Rise of Resistance. I expect this to be that times 100. Park planning got easier only in the sense you just cannot do it at all anymore - you just have to hope you get lucky when you’re there.

Nope still not worried, plus we have used max pass at DL and it was worlds better than anything WDW had. Plus I don't plan on buying it most days anyway. If the dining plan has proved anything will also prove that people will add it to their package when they book and then barely use it to its best advantage. But still Im not really convinced its gonna make things worst.

 

[DisLiss]

We travel by train these days, so Disney always ignored us when it came to getting us from the station to the resort, LOL! And the last time we traveled to Orlando via plane was before they introduced DME. So the loss of DME doesn't affect us. But I do feel for people who really loved it the last 15 years or so.

Otherwise, I've been thinking Disney was getting a bit overly-complicated for awhile now. ADRs & Fast Passes so far in advance. Then reservations for experiences as well. Then virtual queues. Then park reservations and hopping restrictions. Ugh.

I don't really think the Genie is anymore or less complicated than the prior Fast Pass system. So at least I don't feel they've made it any more complicated--they simply changed the way one complication works.

 

[DisLiss]

When it’s free - they can apologize. When you paid for it - different matter. I see the complaints about Rise of Resistance. I expect this to be that times 100.

I agree with this. I feel for the cast members.

I'm fine with waiting in standby for most things. So I won't be spending my vacation complaining to people, but goodness knows some guests seem to thrive on complaining.

 

[DavidNYC]

Nope still not worried, plus we have used max pass at DL and it was worlds better than anything WDW had. Plus I don't plan on buying it most days anyway. If the dining plan has proved anything will also prove that people will add it to their package when they book and then barely use it to its best advantage. But still Im not really convinced its gonna make things worst.

If it were just maxpass, that would be fine. But now they’ve removed several rides, giving people the option to pay to jump ahead, given select others a headstart, etc. If you’re someone who stays on site, likes getting up at 7 AM, wants to do the park from the moment it opens, and don’t really care what your schedule is going to be like, then this is great for you. If you actually want some flexibility in your day, and don’t want to have to worry about battling everyone first thing in the morning, I want to choose when you ride certain rides rather than dictated a time, You’re in far worse shape. Disney world is not Disneyland where you can jump back-and-forth between the parks really easily. Disney is portraying this is allowing guests to easily plan their day, but what it really is it’s a way for Disney to dictate your day. And if you don’t want Disney to dictate your day, you’re only other choices are to pay through the nose, or just accept you’re going to be on the line for an hour or two for every single ride.

 

[DavidNYC]

I agree with this. I feel for the cast members.

I'm fine with waiting in standby for most things. So I won't be spending my vacation complaining to people, but goodness knows some guests seem to thrive on complaining.

I complain sparingly. However, the more you are promised, the more you are enticed to come somewhere with offers, and the more you are charged for something, the more I’m going to expect a company to follow through.

 

[castways]

Raising prices, reducing perks. I'm afraid it's becoming the Disney way. Our WDW trips will grow further and further apart. Take the cost of five days at WDW and with that same money you could tour the country by car for a month and spend less.

 

[StuckInKS]

My take is however all that stress you had 60 days out you will now have in the park - starting at 7am every morning. Can’t wait to see the lines at guest services for people who spent tons of money and then found they found hardly get any of the rides they wanted when they were there.

This is the reason we will not use this service. It will cost us $120 per day and we get to the parks later, between 1pm-3pm. I am not even up at 7am to do anything and the last time I tried that for RotR we ended up not getting them anyway.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Easy peasy for me.

 

[jrsharp21]

At least I'm not running from fP machine to FP machine like the old paper days!

I miss those days. It was simple (well at least how you got a FP was simple). And it was all part of the strategy in leading up to your day. Send one person from your party with everyone's tickets to get the FP, while everyone else went and got in line for a ride.

 

[RoyandWalt]

Raising prices, reducing perks. I'm afraid it's becoming the Disney way. Our WDW trips will grow further and further apart. Take the cost of five days at WDW and with that same money you could tour the country by car for a month and spend less.

We went to WDW three times a year for many years. The shutdown taught us we can now go once a year and go to a beach and mountains the other two trips. Much cheaper and we are seeing the rest of the country and having a great time, and more relaxing, lol.

 

[RoseGold]

I've read that darn genie thread several times and am still confused on how it works, what's included, etc. I can't wait until they have to explain this to millions of guests whose native language is not English. What a crazy, complicated system for a theme park.

just give genie your money and he will handle it. He speaks anything you like.

 

[Mystify]

It's not that complicated at all. You buy Genie+ for $15 and have access to book FP as you go each day. The only difference is that to rise the top attractions you have to pay extra. Up to $25 a ride.

How long is that $15 genie purchase good for, a day, your whole trip, a year?

 

[Marionnette]

How long is that $15 genie purchase good for, a day, your whole trip, a year?

One day per person.

 

[twincruisers]

How long is that $15 genie purchase good for, a day, your whole trip, a year?

per person per day

 

[Mystify]

per person per day

And then you have to purchase more for lightning lane rides? This is sooooo confusing.

 

[twincruisers]

And then you have to purchase more for lightning lane rides? This is sooooo confusing.

Yeah, G+ gets you tier 2 rides and IAS/$LL is an additional per ride/per person fee.

 

[hammer1995]

Honestly, we took a WDW trip before COVID and I was the one arranging FP+ for everyone in our entire party of 17. Never again. I hated that version of FP+ because I don't care to choose what I'm going to ride 3 months out, and all of the stress over ADRs etc has caused us to shift to Universal.

The Genie+ thing both seems easier (on the spot reservations, rather than future ones) and more difficult (I'm not one to be on their phone all day, especially in a theme park). And it seems like a money grubbing thing for it to now cost extra. $15 a day for one or two people won't kill the bank but for larger families, it will add up - and I don't see it staying at that price point long. And it appears that headliner rides (SDMT, for instance) won't be included in the Genie+ system. You'll have to pay another premium to get a quick line for headliners, two per day.

I love Disney, but I'm more and more getting the feeling that it doesn't love me back.

The cold, hard truth is the Disney has never loved you or anyone else. Disney will continue on this same path as long as people keep opening their wallets for it.