Disney Genie announcement

[ninafeliz]

We are a family of 6, and for our last trip we did 6 park days. So just for the basic genie + that would be $540 extra. Then, let’s say we did decide to buy 2 extra E rides a day (and I’ll go with $25 a person for ease and because I think that’s not an unlikely guess). That’s $1800. So to get what used to be essentially included (ie free) we would pay an additional $2340 on top of our tickets. Wowza. I’m usually all about add ons and splurges, but that’s not happening. Plus it doesn’t feel like an add on, because it used to be included. I told my DH, who is generally huge on paying for convenience, about this, and he wasn’t interested at all and said he’s getting tired of this all. It’s getting too expensive and too difficult.

 

[Gordo Gato]

Blogs and CMs are stating the wording is new. Very explicit, permanently banned and passes forfeited/not refunded.

What?

 

[ChanaC]

So is Genie+ something you purchase at the same time as your tickets as part of that process or through MDE? I assume there must be some way to add these options if you've already purchased tickets for upcoming trips.

I bet both. They will probably want you to buy it as you are buying your package (room, tickets, dining plan, etc.) but I could imagine them heavily pushing it in the parks. Kind of one of those "hey, does the Space Mountain line look ridiculous to you? Well good news if you have an extra $15..." Universal and SeaWorld push their paid express passes within the park a lot and you can buy it midday if you want. I think SeaWorld also has a pay-per-ride option as well.

 

[JakeAZ]

Plus it doesn’t feel like an add on, because it used to be included.

Such a great point!

 

[tinkerhon]

A summary of new charges for things previously included in our last trip in February '19, assuming we go in Feb '21 (Apr '20 trip cancelled) for our family of 5:

$160 - Roundtrip airport transportation: $32 x 5 "adults" (standard Mears service)
$525 - Genie+ = $15 x 5 x 7 days in the park
$900 - access to Extended Evening Hours (requires upgrading our usual stay in the Cabins at Fort Wilderness to a split stay at the least expensive Deluxe resort for 3 nights requiring 5 people to sleep in 3 beds one of which is a day bed; a 1 bedroom suite would be even more)
$1,400 - A la carte access to 2 top tier rides not included with Genie+ at each park each day = $20 x 5 x 2 x 7 (rumor is a la carte prices ranging from $4 to $24 per ride, per person- assuming top tier rides closer to the $24 price)

$2,985 Total

Would we actually pay $1,400 for 2 a la carte rides each day over a week? Absolutely not but I just wanted to highlight the possible cost. Even $700 for one top tier ride each day is a considerable cost.

If we got to go on the ride with Mickey and Minnie sitting next to us feeding us grapes, it would not be worth $24 !

 

[WVU Disney Fan]

Sorry if already asked but can you do both Genie+ and individual headliners at same time? Can you have genie+ ride booked and an individual E-ticket ride booked simultaneously?

 

[Crusader10hky]

I will preface this with stating that I don’t like this one bit.

BUT….I’m trying to look at it from a different angle.

Ok so it seems like the top top tier attractions won't be included with +. If I want to take a positive spin on this here it is. With fast pass+ , if you wanted to ride FOP and couldn't get a FP, you spent hours (2,3, sometimes 4?!) in an unmoving line, right?

During the time of no FP, the line moved. It was long, but it moved. 1-1.5 hrs?

If it were included in genie + which probably like 75% of people are going to pay for (based on zero facts), it wouldn't be quite as bad as FP+ times, but would be close.

With that NOT included in genie plus, you're hopefully drastically reducing the number of people you are accommodating via Lightning Lane keeping it as close to a level playing field as possible and closer to a moving line.

Also, although they did say the individual pricing would limit you to 1 or 2 ‘most popular attractions’ per day, it didn’t necessarily say that there are more than 1 of these in each park. They made a point to say you can reserve these at different parks on the same day. You could make the argument that the only rides on that list might be :

Flight of Passage
Rise of the Resistance
Ratatouille
7 Dwarves Mine Train

I think it’s unlikely that they would limit it to this list, but I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if they didn’t expand it much beyond it.

Just a bunch of speculative thoughts from my overactive Disbrain, filling in the holes that their lack of detail left.

 

[JakeAZ]

I bet both. They will probably want you to buy it as you are buying your package (room, tickets, dining plan, etc.) but I could imagine them heavily pushing it in the parks. Kind of one of those "hey, does the Space Mountain line look ridiculous to you? Well good news if you have an extra $15..." Universal and SeaWorld push their paid express passes within the park a lot and you can buy it midday if you want. I think SeaWorld also has a pay-per-ride option as well.

You’re gonna see it everywhere. The program is all profit. They are selling air.

 

[Richelle305]

A summary of new charges for things previously included in our last trip in February '19, assuming we go in Feb '21 (Apr '20 trip cancelled) for our family of 5:

$160 - Roundtrip airport transportation: $32 x 5 "adults" (standard Mears service)
$525 - Genie+ = $15 x 5 x 7 days in the park
$900 - access to Extended Evening Hours (requires upgrading our usual stay in the Cabins at Fort Wilderness to a split stay at the least expensive Deluxe resort for 3 nights requiring 5 people to sleep in 3 beds one of which is a day bed; a 1 bedroom suite would be even more)
$1,400 - A la carte access to 2 top tier rides not included with Genie+ at each park each day = $20 x 5 x 2 x 7 (rumor is a la carte prices ranging from $4 to $24 per ride, per person- assuming top tier rides closer to the $24 price)

$2,985 Total

Would we actually pay $1,400 for 2 a la carte rides each day over a week? Absolutely not but I just wanted to highlight the possible cost. Even $700 for one top tier ride each day is a considerable cost.

On top of becoming more expensive to the point of feeling nickel-and-dimed the planning became a lot more stressful.

 

[Lehuaann]

What?

Regarding Disability Access Service abuse. DAS overhauled with Genie

 

[JPinkc]

It really is quite insane.

I agree but Disney is TONE DEAF to all complaints. THey shut down the comments section on the Disney Parks blog after 3 comments.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

The Million Dollar Question:

Will Disney Genie tell Guests that waiting in line for Spaceship Earth prior to late afternoon is a good idea?

 

[JPinkc]

Like I said earlier as was pointed out to me. This is just making Genie+ or Lightning Lane the NEW Standby line. They raised ticket prices without raising them. Now the PAID Ride Now option is where they will STick it to us!!!

 

[Tuffcookie]

It’s all one sided changes at top of the market pricing.

Whatever that means?

 

[JakeAZ]

Whatever that means?

I was replying to your post about you being glad you didn’t buy DVC.
DVC has top of the market pricing and all the changes Disney is announcing are (mostly) one-sided.

 

[Marissa227]

I haven't read through all 24 pages so I'm sure someone has already mentioned this but.... the thought of being up at 7am every day of my vacation stressing out while the rest of my family sleeps does not sound exciting at all.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I will say my spouse now says, after this change, he never wants to go back. We almost went on our May 2021 trip (we have 1 day nonexpiring tickets), but the entertainment was closed, so we didn't want to "give more for less" (since the payment was done with old Disney reward credit)...now, I'm gonna have to think if I'm gonna save these tickets til cheap-o Chapek is gone...

 

[moorish]

So is Genie+ something you purchase at the same time as your tickets as part of that process or through MDE? I assume there must be some way to add these options if you've already purchased tickets for upcoming trips.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1428165199320780804

This isn't straight from Disney - so grain of salt- but it sounds like you can either pay to add it to your full length of ticket in advance or you can pay for it day-by-day the day of.

 

[tinkerhon]

Personally, I am waiting for paid toilet paper options.

A perk for resort guests.

Disney can call it "TP Tiers"- You get the option of using the actual toilet paper, (Tier 1) for a fee ...or, the paper wrapper, for free.

 

[JakeAZ]

til cheap-o Chapek is gone...

When he leaves, Disney is not becoming a non-profit.