New Disney Genie

[tshaw_32uk]

Disney announced yesterday that the old Fastpass wont be returning and will be replaced by Disney Genie, basically a paying service to use fastpass.

This was always going to happen after the pandemic in a way to pull more money back but it cheapens the value of entry tickets, surely they will be reduced now? We have a trip booked for August 2022, and are spending over £20k for our long awaited return to Disney, for us Brits who spend alot of money getting there I feel this should be included for us, especially on a resort rating basis similar to Universals Express ticket.

For people who say this wont take off it will. People will be forced to spend more money to ride their favourites or spend 70,80 minutes queuing.

Link below

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021...isney-world-soon-and-its-called-disney-genie/

 

[TheBunny]

This will probably cause us to cancel our planned two-week 2022 trip. As much as I hate to say it, the WDW we want to visit died with the pandemic.

 

[MartinoHeat]

Genie + Feels like the sort of thing they may add as a freebie for UK guests like Photopass. Fingers crossed.

 

[Tony]

Certainly interesting as the price point per day even for a family of 4 or 5 isn’t stupid, but if they’re trying to encourage uk visitors to spend 14-21 days in the parks then it just gets a bit silly.

however covid clearly drove a lot of domestic us tourism this summer so I do wonder if they will continue to court the uk market in the same way now?

as a dvc owner I’m somewhat invested here…

 

[itf]

Genie + Feels like the sort of thing they may add as a freebie for UK guests like Photopass. Fingers crossed.

As someone who already has park tickets (w/ Photopass) for 2022, I'm hoping they do. If they don't, I'm very tempted to cancel the whole trip. I'm not spending £8k on a trip and then spending two weeks being nickel and dimed further. I can use that money much better elsewhere.

 

[Rshaw95]

I just don’t really see the benefit of staying on site anymore. No magical express, no free magic bands, no free dining replaced with the vouchers which is much less value for money and now no fast passes. Im seriously considering cancelling my booking at Coronado for May 2022 and switching to I Drive or Universal. Sad times

 

[Plague]

Disney announced yesterday that the old Fastpass wont be returning and will be replaced by Disney Genie, basically a paying service to use fastpass.

Please change the thread title. Genie is (or will be) a free add-on for MDE ... The paid for 'fast pass' system is Genie+ .

(I can see the logic in the names, but as it's bound to cause confusion I give Disney nul point for their choice.)

 

[Plague]

two weeks being nickel and dimed further.

TBH in not too bothered about it. I've ridden most of these things a lot already and get almost as much pleasure in (most of) the queue lines as on the rides - and it gives me less time to wander round finding snacks to spend money on.

What I'm waiting to find out is how the Individual Attraction Selections is going to pan out for the big ticket rides, which will be the newer ones I've not ridden much if at all. eg. What are the likely price ranges, given it's dynamic?

 

[micksn]

It sounds stressful! I understand that for people who live locally or visit at short notice booking Fast Passes in advance might have been tricky, but for me ( and I suspect most uk guests) having 3 planned attractions per day already booked made for a much more relaxing holiday. It says you can book and pay! At 7 am each morning - that doesn’t sound like the most relaxing start to a Disney day! This is without taking cost into consideration which for a 14 day trip is ridiculous - I feel grumpy

 

[itf]

TBH in not too bothered about it. I've ridden most of these things a lot already and get almost as much pleasure in (most of) the queue lines as on the rides - and it gives me less time to wander round finding snacks to spend money on.

What I'm waiting to find out is how the Individual Attraction Selections is going to pan out for the big ticket rides, which will be the newer ones I've not ridden much if at all. eg. What are the likely price ranges, given it's dynamic?

I've got a will be 6-year-old by then who hasn't ridden anything. If they think I'm paying £50 for a 5 minute experience for three people they can think again.

 

[chefski]

Lets hope its not silly prices but to be honest I don't like what's happening all perks gone or going. If its $15 each to ride FOP or ROTR with virtually no wait I will pay that as 1.5 - 2hrs of saved time can be spent queuing for other rides.

 

[itf]

Going to give it til xmas and see how it shakes out. We're going in traditionally "quiet" weeks - end of Aug/beginning Sept but may just take the loss on my deposit if it looks like I'm just going to get my pockets shaken out for a fortnight.

 

[MichelinMan]

I just don’t really see the benefit of staying on site anymore. No magical express, no free magic bands, no free dining replaced with the vouchers which is much less value for money and now no fast passes. Im seriously considering cancelling my booking at Coronado for May 2022 and switching to I Drive or Universal. Sad times

Agree 100%.

I've already reduced the number of nights I am staying on-site at Disney, and staying a few nights at Cabana Bay instead for my trip next year. If I was making a new booking now, I think I woudl probably stay off-site now. The perks for staying on-site just aren't there any more, unless you splash out for a deluxe resort.

Can't help thinking they are going to throw in free Genie + for on-site guests as a promotion from time to time, as an alternative to free dining. Much more financially rewarding for Disney (free Genie + won't cost them anything, but free dining does due to the costs of food and staff).

 

[chefski]

Agree 100%.

I've already reduced the number of nights I am staying on-site at Disney, and staying a few nights at Cabana Bay instead for my trip next year. If I was making a new booking now, I think I woudl probably stay off-site now. The perks for staying on-site just aren't there any more, unless you splash out for a deluxe resort.

Can't help thinking they are going to throw in free Genie + for on-site guests as a promotion from time to time, as an alternative to free dining. Much more financially rewarding for Disney (free Genie + won't cost them anything, but free dining does due to the costs of food and staff).

Sounds about right re. free genie instead of dining.

Looks like we will have to rebook for next year and im almost certain it will be at a universal hotel, when its cheaper to book a universal hotel with free express unlimited than it is to stay at a moderate Disney with free dining credits then its time to switch.

 

[Lucys dad]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out for UK guests ( and Europe) This could be the one that finally pushes me down the villa / offsite route. I paid a small deposit on two weeks in June 2022, it occurred to me that as well as the dining credit it also included the memory maker but the memory maker now seems to be tied up in the Genie plus. Something will surely have to change regarding the current 2022 bookings. How they will implement that is another matter.

The top Universal Hotels are now undoubtedly far better value for money in every department

 

[bex7583]

As someone who already has park tickets (w/ Photopass) for 2022, I'm hoping they do. If they don't, I'm very tempted to cancel the whole trip. I'm not spending £8k on a trip and then spending two weeks being nickel and dimed further. I can use that money much better elsewhere.

Yep my husband and I just had a chat and have decided we will probably just spend longer on the gulf coast and get a Busch gardens pass 3 park pass, we are big thrill ride fans so could happily spend a couple of hours enjoying the park before heading back to chill at the beach.

Maybe just do a few days in Orlando at aquatics and SeaWorld . Maybe treat ourselves to discovery cove. The closest to Disney we will be getting is Disney springs.

A bit gutted but it's probably knocked about 2k off the holiday cost

 

[Erbs]

1st time I have posted as this news has really made me question staying or even visiting a Disney Park again!
My family and I had 5 nights booked at Universal (Hard Rock) and 13 nights at Disney (Yacht Club) next August 2022. After 2 postponed Florida Disney trips, we were invested in making the most of our long overdue trip next year.
I don’t mind paying for an upgrade as long as that desired upgrade is worth the money but with Magical Express now obsolete, free dinning replaced with a small complementary dollar voucher, increased hotel prices, park reservation a necessity and the 3 x fast passes removed, why would I stay on Disney property?
Universal will certainly come out on top now, it will be cheaper, the Express Line pass given free as a perk of staying in the selected hotel, City Walk has restaurants that will gladly take the money I would have spent at Disney and the kids (13 yrs and 10yrs) will still have an amazing holiday. I’m all for a capitalist society but I draw the line at blatant money grabbing ideas that lure the public into paying more for a substandard service.

 

[Plague]

park reservation a necessity and the 3 x fast passes removed

It occurred to me the other day that booking our fast passes 60 days out (and they had to be in the same park) was effectively the same as a park pass anyway. Not much change there really.

But as Disney seem to be suggesting that Park Pass may be a permanent thing I'm certainly a bit annoyed, especially as it prevents hopping until 2pm. I'd often rope drop a park and then hop late morning.
Genie+ with no PPs and open hopping would suit me OK, but this is all just horrible.

If (when) my October trip is killed off I've decided I won't be making a new booking any time soon. I'm going to see what happens for 6 months or so.

 

[chefski]

It occurred to me the other day that booking our fast passes 60 days out (and they had to be in the same park) was effectively the same as a park pass anyway. Not much change there really.

But as Disney seem to be suggesting that Park Pass may be a permanent thing I'm certainly a bit annoyed, especially as it prevents hopping until 2pm. I'd often rope drop a park and then hop late morning.
Genie+ with no PPs and open hopping would suit me OK, but this is all just horrible.

If (when) my October trip is killed off I've decided I won't be making a new booking any time soon. I'm going to see what happens for 6 months or so.

who you booked with @Plague?

Still waiting for mine to be cancelled with Virgin?

 

[Plague]

who you booked with @Plague?

Just the Disney resorts and tickets with Disney UK. No flights yet - and not unless I'm sure it's on, ie. the US opens up enough.
In theory I could wait until mid-October but in reality I'll decide either in about 10 days, when my balance is due, or end of Sept/early October. Depends on what noises the US makes about travel.