Everything Genie, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane - Please Read Posts 1-7

[Marionnette]

We're staying at a Disney Springs hotel for our upcoming trip and planning on doing early entry. Can you book $ILL once you tap into a park or at that park's true opening time? Thank you.

It's true park opening time. You can buy ILL$ even if you haven't tapped in but you will not be able to do so until the park formally opens.

 

[Good&Plenty]

It's true park opening time. You can buy ILL$ even if you haven't tapped in but you will not be able to do so until the park formally opens.

Thank you!

 

[scrappinginontario]

We're staying at a Disney Springs hotel for our upcoming trip and planning on doing early entry. Can you book $ILL once you tap into a park or at that park's true opening time? Thank you.

It's true park opening time. You can buy ILL$ even if you haven't tapped in but you will not be able to do so until the park formally opens.

I’m confused. @Good&Plenty says they are going for EPTE. If their resort is eligible for ETPE are they not also eligible to purchase ILL$ at 7AM?

 

[Good&Plenty]

From my (limited) understanding, the DS hotels and a few others are eligible for early theme park entry but are not eligible for $ILL at 7am. Edited to add info in case it helps anyone...

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/early-entry/

But for $ILL, from Disney's website:

Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel and other select hotels: make your first selection at 7:00 AM on the day of your park visit (includes Guests of Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Shades of Green Resort®). All other Guests can make their first selection when the park opens.

 

[scrappinginontario]

From my (limited) understanding, the DS hotels and a few others are eligible for early theme park entry but are not eligible for $ILL at 7am. Edited to add info in case it helps anyone...

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/early-entry/

But for $ILL, from Disney's website:

Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel and other select hotels: make your first selection at 7:00 AM on the day of your park visit (includes Guests of Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Shades of Green Resort®). All other Guests can make their first selection when the park opens.

Thanks. I didn't realize there was a difference. Good to learn.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks. I didn't realize there was a difference. Good to learn.

Please add to the beginning posts of the ETPE and Genie+ threads! I always get confused too!

 

[Tom_E_D]

From my (limited) understanding, the DS hotels and a few others are eligible for early theme park entry but are not eligible for $ILL at 7am. Edited to add info in case it helps anyone...

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/early-entry/

But for $ILL, from Disney's website:

Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel and other select hotels: make your first selection at 7:00 AM on the day of your park visit (includes Guests of Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Shades of Green Resort®). All other Guests can make their first selection when the park opens.

Despite not being included in the website language, the Swan Reserve also gets 7:00 ILLs . . . and Extended Evening.

 

[Disneyhanna]

You will be fine. I had an AP last December and was able to buy Genie+ even though others in my villa did not have park reservations for the day.

Thank you so much, that makes me feel much better!

 

[vinotinto]

The first posts are very useful, thank you scrapping!

I need help with the best strategy when hopping. I understand that you can book a G+ for a park you are hoping to and that if the *first* LL is booked at 7AM for a park you are hopping to after 2:00, you will be eligible to book a 2nd LL 2 hours after the park where you booked your first LLopens.

1. What happens if you booked your first g+ at a park that opened earlier (is the next one two hours after your booking or two hours after it opens?). Example, Park Reservation at AK, opens at 9am, first g+ booked at 7am for hopping at MK which opens at 8am. when can you book the next one?

2. Can you mix and match G+ at your current park and your hopping park, as long as you continue the rules of at least 2 hours after booking or after tapping at the last one you booked? (I.e., can you book MK, AK, MK, AK in the example above?

3. Can anyone share successful example of G+ with hopping? What did you book at which park when?

 

[Davey Jones II]

We will be closing the parks every day on our October trip (nine park days), so I don't think we'll be up by 7 a.m. on most days. If we're booking Individual Lightning Lanes somewhat later than that, how is the availability? Are ILLs available throughout the day, and if not, when are they usually sold out?

I would have the same question for Genie+. Thanks!

 

[JKitch]

ROTR is the only one that consistently sells out at 7AM. The rest are usually available for at least a few hours. At least that is how it has been lately can always change before your trip.

 

[state08]

ROTR is the only one that consistently sells out at 7AM. The rest are usually available for at least a few hours. At least that is how it has been lately can always change before your trip.

Agreed, though I think that will depend on if GOTG is still doing VQ then. Whenever they decide to drop the VQ, I have to imagine GOTG ILL will sell out very quickly.

Though keep in mind, even if ILL are available later, you will likely have less time slots to choose from.

 

[mikalkwin]

I did not see the answer in this thread but…
How likely is it that I would get a refund for an ILL booked for the latest time available but that we couldn’t use due to a plane delay or cancellation or missed connection?

 

[scrappinginontario]

I did not see the answer in this thread but…
How likely is it that I would get a refund for an ILL booked for the latest time available but that we couldn’t use due to a plane delay or cancellation or missed connection?

You can ask but there is no guarantee a refund would be issued. Personally I would not book on a travel day given the challenges the airlines are currently facing. it's more of a known risk you're willing to take if you choose to purchase.

 

[Erica Ladd]

The first posts are very useful, thank you scrapping!

I need help with the best strategy when hopping. I understand that you can book a G+ for a park you are hoping to and that if the *first* LL is booked at 7AM for a park you are hopping to after 2:00, you will be eligible to book a 2nd LL 2 hours after the park where you booked your first LLopens.

1. What happens if you booked your first g+ at a park that opened earlier (is the next one two hours after your booking or two hours after it opens?). Example, Park Reservation at AK, opens at 9am, first g+ booked at 7am for hopping at MK which opens at 8am. when can you book the next one?

2. Can you mix and match G+ at your current park and your hopping park, as long as you continue the rules of at least 2 hours after booking or after tapping at the last one you booked? (I.e., can you book MK, AK, MK, AK in the example above?

3. Can anyone share successful example of G+ with hopping? What did you book at which park when?

1 - if you booked your first LL at MK that opens at 8am you can book your next one at 10am or as soon as you tap into your first LL
2-yes I believe so as long as it works with hopping times
3-not yet!!!

 

[vinotinto]

We will be closing the parks every day on our October trip (nine park days), so I don't think we'll be up by 7 a.m. on most days. If we're booking Individual Lightning Lanes somewhat later than that, how is the availability? Are ILLs available throughout the day, and if not, when are they usually sold out?

I would have the same question for Genie+. Thanks!

I’m wondering this too. We’re not 7am type of people.

 

[g-dad66]

We will be closing the parks every day on our October trip (nine park days), so I don't think we'll be up by 7 a.m. on most days. If we're booking Individual Lightning Lanes somewhat later than that, how is the availability? Are ILLs available throughout the day, and if not, when are they usually sold out?

I would have the same question for Genie+. Thanks!

According to thrill-data.com, today:

Rise sold out at 8:35 am
Avatar FoP sold out at 9:45 am (with sporadic availability popping up later)
Guardians sold out at 1:10 pm (with sporadic availability popping up later)
Mine Train sold out at 7:40 pm

 

[TheDailyMoo]

We will be closing the parks every day on our October trip (nine park days), so I don't think we'll be up by 7 a.m. on most days. If we're booking Individual Lightning Lanes somewhat later than that, how is the availability? Are ILLs available throughout the day, and if not, when are they usually sold out?

I would have the same question for Genie+. Thanks!

Just got back from July 4th crowds and I can attest there was availability for mostly everything at some point well after 7 AM. But figure out what's most important for you and grab it first if your plans allow you to be flexible and then start adding on in order of most popular to least popular within the group of rides that you personally want to ride. Not sure that came out clearly but let the takeaway be that 4th of July was packed and I still had my pick of most rides. That does not mean we took them but I remember seeing everything available.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Thanks for the responses, all very helpful!

 

[TeamSy]

If our flight lands at 8:30 and we book our first LL as soon as we land, can we stack (get another at 11:30) even if we aren’t physically IN the park yet?

So we are aiming to get Jungle Cruise for our first LL but by 8:30 when we could get on (I don’t think plane will have Wi-Fi) I’m sure the time will be later on in the day. So hoping to get a second LL at around 11:30 for something else and be in the park around noon.