No the Magic isn’t gone but it’s at 25%

[john7994]

For a CM not having a second line of course makes there job way easier…. they do not have to worry about the flow….

But that does not mean the guests would like it.

I wonder how FP+’worked so well for me, and they felt it was not good?

Did anyone hate FP+?

Hated FP + for the reasons already stated in the thread ...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, I'm always going to make comparisons based on our most efficient way to tour parks at WDW. I will take advantage of the systems offered to me. The only time we've HAD to use standby only, it was way worse than the combination of using Standby and Fastpass.

I'm going to compare wait time to wait time using the best system available to me at the time. Even though the lines moved faster, my average wait time with "standby only" was WAY longer than when we had paper fastpass or FP+ available. Why handicap myself with only riding standby now that G+ is offered? I fully expect my average waits to drop with G+ versus last summer with "standby only"

I would hope people are doing what works best for them.

However what I was saying in terms of comparing is your comment of "Yes the lines last year moved faster but they were also so much longer." In order to fairly compare if you're going to bring up when the parks were only standby you would need to compare what those lines are like now that there is an option to bypass that standby. Talking about waiting in standby when that was the only option and then talking about when you aren't using standby isn't a fair comparison it would be if you are waiting in standby now. Most of the time the local DISers I know do because they don't want to pay $15 for every single day/afternoon they go, I trust their on the ground frequent enough visits to the parks on how they compared and have had enough discussions with them about it.

None of that was talking about what you choose to personally do nor respectfully do I personally care whether you maximize whatever bypass the line system Disney has had over the years, it was just about talking about when the parks were standby and how that standby line shakes out presently.

 

[focusondisney]

However when the extra hours are from
11-1 there’s not much benefit.

We did MK from 11-1 the end of April. It was great! Much better than the Halloween after hours we paid for last September.

 

[Genie+]

Most of the time standby ran between FP+ and Genie+ was below average crowds due to the pandemic. What would guest satisfaction be like if every popular ride posted over 60 minutes without an alternative to bypass at least some lines? Standby was heavily criticized during the surges for that. For many reasons and angles, I think the only system that’s going to work in WDW is skipping a few lines.

 

[focusondisney]

I agree.

I don't normally play the 'Walt' card but honestly, I don't believe his intent would ever have been that those with a lot of money be able to do more than the average person. I think of him sitting on that bench watching his girls on the merry-go-round and dreaming of being able to do those things with his girls, not watching them.

I truly believe (and this is just my opinion) is that Walt's dream was for all to be able to visit his parks on equal footing, not those with a lot of money be able to spend hundreds more a day than most guests can afford, to be given a better guest experience. Disney offers this quietly in the way of VIP tours but those are not in-your-face. Seeing lines where people are paying hundreds of dollars a day to access those lines, just is not my idea of Disney.

Again, just my opinion. Not asking anyone else to feel the same way.

I kind of disagree. What about those ride books they started with? More money, you could buy more ride tickets. You buy a one park ticket, you’re stuck there even if it’s packed. Spend more for a park hopper, you could jump to another park & get more rides at a less crowded park. This is more obvious for sure. But I’m sure it always happened that if you spent more, you get more.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

What would guest satisfaction be like if every popular ride posted over 60 minutes without an alternative to bypass at least some lines?

Most of us understand the problem is that Disney has been under a system to bypass the lines long enough, they have people hooked.

You'd see some of those rides though right now that have long waits in the standby line despite the line not being overly long go down in wait time when it doesn't get halted. We'll never know how guest satisfaction is in today's world because Disney isn't scrapping Genie+/LL as far as we know but I'll say guest satisfaction isn't always about length of time waiting.

Until you experience the "I'm moving along I'm moving along, wait why am I stopping, what's going on is it the ride down, I haven't moved but several inches in 10mins what is going on, oh man I just missed getting through now I have to stop again.." and listen to people (not over the internet but while you're there) have the complaints over and over and over about this experience it may just seem like "no one would want to wait in 60mins"...but to make it clear when you're over at Universal you'll have popular rides that don't have a wait to bypass and people will wait just fine in 75+ lines (first the HP rides which were a lot longer than that, then Hagrid's which was also a lot longer than that, and VeliciCoaster has joined in).

Disney however goes another path and guests expect (because of past protocol on Disney's part) there will be a way to bypass the line or you'll have a highly competitive system like VQ or even worse VQ and LL only. The fact that someone said for Guardians 1pm VQ drop lasted 14 mins today I think it was and that is an amazing feat just strikes me as odd to be happy about..but at least it's not in 1 second like can happen with the 7am drop.

 

[AngieInOH]

Genie+ along with other Disney issues has finally pushed me to at least try Universal. We're booked for Feb. Disney needs to get their act together.

Side note. I had 3 instances where Genie+ would not allow me to drop a lightening lane so I could pick up a different one. Two times I went to guest relations and they gave me anytime passes for the ride I wanted. It has to be a known glitch because they didn't ask any questions what so ever. Just gave them to me. This was in April.

 

[xipotec]

So when they implement, Genie premier gold, we will all be looking back on the G+ days with rose colored glasses….

LOL…..

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

All I have to add is that I agree Genie+ sucks. It’s entirely too expensive to be a stress inducing planning tool. Yes I know people use it and love it, and that’s great for them but there’s a good amount of people that have issues and that’s the failure.

 

[john7994]

All I have to add is that I agree Genie+ sucks. It’s entirely too expensive to be a stress inducing planning tool. Yes I know people use it and love it, and that’s great for them but there’s a good amount of people that have issues and that’s the failure.

Kinda sounds like life ...

 

[john7994]

So when they implement, Genie premier gold, we will all be looking back on the G+ days with rose colored glasses….

LOL…..

I am still waiting for the customized Will Smith interactive version that reaches out and slaps ya for talking smack about the app...

 

[fumanchu2488]

At this point I think Disney would just be better off with scrapping the Genie+ system and increasing their ticket and AP prices by 25%. Like a lot of people have said, there is no winning this for them because plenty of people will be against any type of system. I would still keep ILL for the 1 or 2 new attractions at each park.

At least people wouldn’t feel like we were being nickel and dimed for every thing these days.

 

[jsmla]

Genie +/ILL works for me but I’ve been going to WDW for over thirty years, hang out on Disney social media and know the ins and outs of planning. I think it’s ridiculous that someone now has to put in literally hours and hours (and hours and hours) of research just to access the most basic of Disney offerings for their family, and that after paying premium prices.

 

[HopperFan]

Just spent four days in the parks.

DS2 was here with the whole family last July when it was Standby Only and we had a great trip. DS1 and I were here November and February just the two of us with Genie+.

The three of us here this week. When we are with the whole family we are so busy with each other, like most families, we pay no attention to other families.

When it's just myself with one or two of the kids, we tend to listen and hear what everyone is saying around us. I lost track of how many times DS2 and I looked at each other after we heard other guests talking. The number of them upset, angry, frustrated and disappointed was huge. I even had a few families talk to us (we probably look like regulars?) telling us how much money they have spent and were not prepared for so much work, so little rides and were disappointed. I couldn't disagree with them and said if we didn't have APs, we would not be coming until things worked better.

Comments like we didn't spend this much to stay at the pool, but the lines for everything are so bad. So many were one parent yelling at the other to find us a time, to which the response was they were trying. More blue umbrellas than I've ever seen, all with long lines. We found ourselves sitting on benches just waiting for next time because most lines were close to an hour and we just can't do that.

I'm not sure what they are doing wrong, or if the parks are at such a higher capacity then they were a few months ago but lines most were 50-125 minutes long. LL was usually a long wait so if you thought you would process through like FP+ you were wrong.

We are regulars - 4-6 weeks a year. We know the ins and outs. We didn't even come close to doing what we used to do. 1.5 days in DHS and still couldn't do ToT or RnR. We didn't even do the shows so not like we lost time there. We didn't repeat one ride, we usually do.

In Nov and Feb I said no one is buying the G+ because the LL were empty. I now have to say either lots of people are buying it to the point I question the value or Disney is slowing the capacity on the rides (Star Tours was only running at half capacity and at one point was 55 minute wait - hadn't seen that in years) or something they are doing to segway into the next change, the old make them miserable before asking for more money.

I stand with I'd tell anyone who asks me about going - don't. The parks are not being run well, the value for your dollar is not there. CM moral is down with very few smiling. Very obviously less CMs than there used to be. DS2 said if he didn't have an AP to get value from he'd likely not come back - this as a diehard hardcore Disney fan his whole life. Sad.

 

[HopperFan]

At this point I think Disney would just be better off with scrapping the Genie+ system and increasing their ticket and AP prices by 25%. Like a lot of people have said, there is no winning this for them because plenty of people will be against any type of system. I would still keep ILL for the 1 or 2 new attractions at each park.

At least people wouldn’t feel like we were being nickel and dimed for every thing these days.

I would totally agree with you BUT - they make money on food, beverage, shopping. Those dollars would decrease with less guests AND may decrease among those to make up the cost of going. Disney can't reduce the numbers coming in too much without losing. Just like the Disney Resort guests are not enough to support the parks, there are actually more coming in from offsite than onsite and they are very important to profits.

Somewhere there is a balance they just are blind to. Everything worked well with FP+, everything seemed to work well last summer with just SB (not sure of attendance numbers) and everything worked way better before park reservations. We were shocked how packed AK was yesterday - never seen that, all day long. Well, a CM friend says it is the reservation system, DHS and MK were not open so folks go there and then hop. AK is a park not used to that many people and the rides are not sufficient if folks don't want to wander the trails etc. plus Lion King is the only show.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The number of them upset, angry, frustrated and disappointed was huge

That was our impression too and we had just come from our stay at USO so it was really stark. We had some conversations with people in line in a good natured way so not always bad (to make the conversation fair here). Normally we stick to ourselves and not really paying that much attention to others but it was just so in your face this time around how could you not ignore it, just a lot more disgruntled guests not just in lines but upset about the parking trams not being there even.

And I do think people are products of the pandemic but when we didn't experience that same feeling over at Universal I can't just blame it on "everyone is stressed out" which I think I more or less did before I went to the parks myself and saw how different people were. The weather wasn't hot hot hot (mostly low to mid-80s and humidity not god awful yet) so I can't just blame it on that either. The weather was actually hotter on our days at USO (low to mid-90s and it felt a good amount hotter although still low enough humidity)

I now have to say either lots of people are buying it to the point I question the value or Disney is slowing the capacity on the rides

From what I could tell it might be a combo of both. There were quite a lot of people going through LL that we could see from the SB line and we felt it too because we might be moving in the line moving in the line and then stopped for a good while but I also think Disney was operating less than full steam at least on some rides.

 

[Jrb1979]

I would totally agree with you BUT - they make money on food, beverage, shopping. Those dollars would decrease with less guests AND may decrease among those to make up the cost of going. Disney can't reduce the numbers coming in too much without losing. Just like the Disney Resort guests are not enough to support the parks, there are actually more coming in from offsite than onsite and they are very important to profits.

Somewhere there is a balance they just are blind to. Everything worked well with FP+, everything seemed to work well last summer with just SB (not sure of attendance numbers) and everything worked way better before park reservations. We were shocked how packed AK was yesterday - never seen that, all day long. Well, a CM friend says it is the reservation system, DHS and MK were not open so folks go there and then hop. AK is a park not used to that many people and the rides are not sufficient if folks don't want to wander the trails etc. plus Lion King is the only show.

I think a lot of Disney's problems stem from that there is a big disconnect from those at the top and those who run the parks day to day.

Genie+ is the biggest thing that comes to mind. The people at the top look at how other parks make money off of skip the line systems but they don't look at how they actually work.

Another problem is their focus on D+ and media that the parks become forgotten. I have always felt as good as Disney is, they have been great at day to day operations in regards to parks. There is a reason Disney's best run parks aren't owned by them.

 

[LizzieandLuke]

My family was there the week of 5/22 for the first time since 2012. Overall we had a good trip - but Genie plus really doesn't work and is a huge waste of money. We had a Genie Plus for ToT that I got up at 7:00 am to reserve and spent a $60 for, and the ride went down cancelling our time. The other ride we wanted was Slinky dog dash and LL never opened for that - all the spots were full. Splash Mountain was down in MK when we wen to the ride it. We were in line for RoR when that went down - luckily it came back up after waiting an additional 15 minutes. We saw very few characters walking around or giving autographs - and I just really don't think there is enough to do for the large crowds in the park - especially with headliners being down in the summer. We did have fun and enjoy ourselves - Boardwalk was fabulous - but I see us spending our money other places.

 

[HopperFan]

We saw very few characters walking around or giving autographs - and I just really don't think there is enough to do for the large crowds in the park - especially with headliners being down in the summer. We did have fun and enjoy ourselves - Boardwalk was fabulous - but I see us spending our money other places.

I see you haven't been in 10 years. Characters for the most part stopped walking around years ago.

They did have some organized lines to meet them outside - Town Square, Frontierland, entering Epcot, Toy Story Land. If you saw them out, you got in a line to meet them. Most meets have not returned. There are also others inside buildings with queues and Genie+ lanes.

 

[disneyseniors]

I would totally agree with you BUT - they make money on food, beverage, shopping. Those dollars would decrease with less guests AND may decrease among those to make up the cost of going. Disney can't reduce the numbers coming in too much without losing. Just like the Disney Resort guests are not enough to support the parks, there are actually more coming in from offsite than onsite and they are very important to profits.

Somewhere there is a balance they just are blind to. Everything worked well with FP+, everything seemed to work well last summer with just SB (not sure of attendance numbers) and everything worked way better before park reservations. We were shocked how packed AK was yesterday - never seen that, all day long. Well, a CM friend says it is the reservation system, DHS and MK were not open so folks go there and then hop. AK is a park not used to that many people and the rides are not sufficient if folks don't want to wander the trails etc. plus Lion King is the only show.

FAst Pass was never "free". It was built into your already high resort room rate! Now the prices are even higher at the resorts, and they want us to pay for the privilege of maybe getting 2 rides a days? Not gonna happen, and as I've stated before, we won't be back til good customer service comes back along with well maintained rides, and the CEO actually caring about the "customers".