Disney Genie announcement

[Jrb1979]

Yes, but then I wouldn't be able to select an LL at 7am. I'd have to wait until afternoon slots are open for selecting. It would prevent me from using my morning time to stack up > 1 LL.


Yes, I understand that. The problem is, if we're not getting to the parks until 2:30 or 3pm and we STILL have to go to the park where the reservation is first, it's just a colossal waste of time. I agree the 2pm thing is smart for park hoppers, but it's not great for people who aren't arriving into the parks until afternoon on arrival day.




But we still will have to tap into park #1. For people already losing a half day+ in the parks on arrival day, having to tap in is a time waster. I realize this is a specific situation.

IMO for those that arrive late why not reserve the park you want to be in for the day. It makes no sense to book a park you don't want to go if you aren't arriving til mid afternoon.

 

[Disturbia]

You can if there is something available at 11 am. But, alot of people booking test Track at 7am will take those 2pm time windows and thats one reason those time windows jump to like 4:30/5pm on the more popular G+ attractions.

Everyone is reporting low wait times at MK in the am except a select few rides, so I guess book Test track first, ride standby at MK and then book JC at 11 am

 

[Orsino]

Yes, I understand that. The problem is, if we're not getting to the parks until 2:30 or 3pm and we STILL have to go to the park where the reservation is first, it's just a colossal waste of time. I agree the 2pm thing is smart for park hoppers, but it's not great for people who aren't arriving into the parks until afternoon on arrival day.

Ah. Unfortunately, my expectation is that the times later than 2PM won't really happen until the wave of users push it back. If you can't use 2PM, then you might as well not bother with the park hop hack. Just book your regular park day and wait for times to push to 3 or whatever it is you need. I don't think hopping would help you in this case.

 

[leeniewdw]

I understand but there is no way to plan around the park reservation. You have to chose the best method for you.

Attend the park you made a reservation for and stay there with less options for G+ windows that fit your schedule OR go to a park, scan in and move to the park where your G+ are better suited for your itinerary.

Yes, that's the choice. Now to be the one to decide how we do it OR try to explain to 5 other people and let them chime in. It will only take me an hour to explain how it all works!!!

 

[leeniewdw]

IMO for those that arrive late why not reserve the park you want to be in for the day. It makes no sense to book a park you don't want to go if you aren't arriving til mid afternoon.

I agree with this. At the same time, it likely means not being able to get as many LLs to use (as well as hoping airplane wifi doesn't screw me over too!)

 

[Disturbia]

Yes, but then I wouldn't be able to select an LL at 7am. I'd have to wait until afternoon slots are open for selecting. It would prevent me from using my morning time to stack up > 1 LL.


Yes, I understand that. The problem is, if we're not getting to the parks until 2:30 or 3pm and we STILL have to go to the park where the reservation is first, it's just a colossal waste of time. I agree the 2pm thing is smart for park hoppers, but it's not great for people who aren't arriving into the parks until afternoon on arrival day.




But we still will have to tap into park #1. For people already losing a half day+ in the parks on arrival day, having to tap in is a time waster. I realize this is a specific situation.

Change your reservation to your second park. You don’t have to park hop even if you have park hopers; unless there are no reservations left?

Maybe I’m understanding the situation incorrectly. You’re planning on going to a park 1-2 pm and then hopping to another?

 

[LSUfan4444]

Yes, that's the choice. Now to be the one to decide how we do it OR try to explain to 5 other people and let them chime in. It will only take me an hour to explain how it all works!!!

Im with you there. I've got a group of 5 as well. I just told them to trust me and that I wouldnt ask them to give me anymore money I am not willing to spend myself.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Change your reservation to your second park

Then you have to refresh looking for available times...for those flying in and unable to be on the phone that isn't really an option. if you're driving in and can sit in the passenger seat and just refresh all day, that definitely makes sense.

 

[Avery&Todd]

Thanks for the link, but I didn't see a mention of gift cards as payment, unless I missed it. Truth be told, I didn't actually read Every word though. LOL

it shows that you can enter gift card information here:

 

[DavidNYC]

Here's a positive thought about the complexity of the new Genie/G+/ILL$ system: The more complicated it is, the less likely it is that an unprepared guest will know how to use it or even know that they can use it. Therefore, for those of us in the know, we will have a distinct advantage, much like the advantage we had with FP+.

It was my experience that a heckuva lot of park visitors didn't know how to use FP+, didn't know they could use it, didn't know it existed, didn't know it was free, etc., etc., etc. Despite the fact that WDW resort guests were always informed about FP+ after booking and many times after that--especially on the day they could actually start booking FP+s--yet many people weren't taking advantage of it.

I expect Genie et al. will be the same. Those of us who've studied up will have an advantage over the people who don't know, don't understand, or can't be bothered.

Does this mean that I like that it's so complicated? No, I do not. But I also suspect (and I hope I'm wrong) it's possible there's an underlying reason for the complexity, and I won't be at all surprised when, a few weeks or a few months from now, WDW starts selling something like Uni's FOL pass and charging $250 or $300 per person, per day for it. It will be simple and straightforward: Ride everything everywhere with instant LL access. Ride as many times as you want, with the exception of the headliners, which you can ride only once. Period. Besides the convenience, the simplicity of this will be a huge selling point. Would I buy this? Certainly not.

Absolutely - we're already seeing some of the strategies and potential loopholes come into play. It's very clear to me that - just like under the old system - those who study up and know how to use it best will be able to get a lot more out of it. The main advantage for the unprepared is that you can get one of the higher demand rides day of - but you still need to be prepared enough to know you need to be up at 7am to do that. Waiting to see what this is like on a weekend in a few weeks when more people are using this - return times for most rides were reasonable yesterday - but may have a lot of unhappy people if we get to a point where the majority of rides are giving you evening return times by late morning - that will really hem you in to a schedule you may not want.

 

[pinnypanny]

For hopping, can I switch back and forth for which park I want to get a LL in?

Since slinky dog is going so fast. I would want to get an afternoon one first thing in the morning, then rope drop another park and then start getting LL in that park, and then after leaving that park go back to trying to get LL in HS for the evening.

 

[leeniewdw]

Change your reservation to your second park

Interesting (if I'm understanding the idea here)

Then you have to refresh looking for available times...for those flying in and unable to be on the phone that isn't really an option. if you're driving in and can sit in the passenger seat and just refresh all day, that definitely makes sense.

I think the suggestion is, once I've made the LL selections using the park hopping post 2pm way. Then change my park reservation TO that park. That's brilliant if it works!

 

[LSUfan4444]

Interesting (if I'm understanding the idea here)



I think the suggestion is, once I've made the LL selections using the park hopping post 2pm way. Then change my park reservation TO that park. That's brilliant if it works!

Agreed...good idea, subject to availability. I would definitely make sure you're prepared to still go to the first park if the park you want to hop to sells out. Not as popular now as it was but I'd still be prepared.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Because they rather you rent their crappy recharge battery.

Disney picked up on that “revenue opportunity” several years ago. Monetization is nothing new. Electricity, FP…air in the parks at some point. I’m surprised they still let you use an outlet and plug in if you can find one. Sooner or later they will have their own outlets (kinda like going to Europe) so you have to buy their plugs!

 

[LSUfan4444]

For hopping, can I switch back and forth for which park I want to get a LL in?

Since slinky dog is going so fast. I would want to get an afternoon one first thing in the morning, then rope drop another park and then start getting LL in that park, and then after leaving that park go back to trying to get LL in HS for the evening.

Yes..so long as the time between selections (120 minutes after park open and then 120 minutes after that, etc etc etc) has passed, you can do that.

 

[DavidNYC]

I think ya'll are both saying the same thing and are both correct.

When you log on at 7am you can book your first G+ to your second (third or fourth park) and when you do the return windows begin when you can actually hop so there is no need to refresh or wait for a time window in the afternoon. I mean, if you want something a 4 or 5 or 6 pm you may have to refresh a little but not all day as if the windows started at 9am.

You can then book your second G+ two hours after your first park opens, again two hours after that, etc.

What this will do is almost recreate the strategy of people who made 3 FP+ reservations for their afternoon park and did standby at the first park. I think this will be a very popular strategy for many people (me included depending on which park I'm starting with and hopping to).

 

[michaeldorn1]

it shows that you can enter gift card information here:

View attachment 615108

That is a great screen shot!!! Thank you! Great to know. We have been building up a bunch of gc's for our coming trip next Summer and glad to know they can be used this way too!

 

[DisneyKidds]

If you miss your Genie+ (There is a 14 min confirmed grace period) then you can’t ride it again

14 minutes is the latest anyone posted about the last few days, do we know that is a hard limit?

 

[leeniewdw]

Agreed...good idea, subject to availability. I would definitely make sure you're prepared to still go to the first park if the park you want to hop to sells out. Not as popular now as it was but I'd still be prepared.

So this begs the question -- forget the arrival day stuff. If you select post-2pm LLs, there is no guarantee you can hop if that park fills and they don't allow it, correct?

We're traveling 2/17-2/20, and 2/21 is Pres Day. We're not in the parks on Sunday, 2/21 so hoping we don't have to deal with park hopping issues, but should probably keep it mind for Saturday.

 

[Disturbia]

Then you have to refresh looking for available times...for those flying in and unable to be on the phone that isn't really an option. if you're driving in and can sit in the passenger seat and just refresh all day, that definitely makes sense.

Yes, you have to do that either way if you want to ride headliners