The big G+ rides at HS gone by 1:07!

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

I think a big problem is G+‘s popularity. Per TheStreet :

“A third to half of the park goers are opting to upgrade to Genie+, which Chapek says is “which is way above what we expected.”

(Other reports quoted Chapek as indicating the take rate in the quarter was 30%, increasing to 50% during the holiday season)

I’m sure they’re still working on load balancing, and how many slots to make available. My guess is the take rate is causing a lot of issues, so there will be changes.

Just like with anything (the Parks, cities in California, someone’s cheerleader daughter, etc) when things get too popular, a lot of problems tend to follow!

 

[Meglen]

I think a big problem is G+‘s popularity. Per TheStreet :

“A third to half of the park goers are opting to upgrade to Genie+, which Chapek says is “which is way above what we expected.”

(Other reports quoted Chapek as indicating the take rate in the quarter was 30%, increasing to 50% during the holiday season)

I’m sure they’re still working on load balancing, and how many slots to make available. My guess is the take rate is causing a lot of issues, so there will be changes.

Just like with anything (the Parks, cities in California, someone’s cheerleader daughter, etc) when things get too popular, a lot of problems tend to follow!

So they will double the price and hope less people buy in but still making it worth more for them.

 

[Lsdolphin]

I’ve bought the Genie+ 4X over 2 trips one beg of Dec the other Jan 26-feb 2nd and i was only able to get 3 rides max. i only used @MK. We could only stay at parks from 8:30 am until around 12:30 but times offered were for hours beyond what we could do (physical limitations/medical condition but still not eligible for DAS) the only popular rides we wanted were PP and JC...

 

[snikki]

So they will double the price and hope less people buy in but still making it worth more for them.

I’ve said it on the boards a few times now but I think prices will go up in a few months. That’s why I’ve added it to my tickets now for our November trip. Locked into that price now.

 

[cheryl.UK]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...hich-is-helpful-while-at-wdw.2463742/page-108
Not true. First timers absolutely could just use FP+ and get on the bigger rides. I met up with friends in July 2019 who were staying off property and did not know about prebooking. We met up in Animal Kingdom at 10.30, linked their tickets to our MDE and then rode EE, KS, FoP, NRJ all booked on the day by refreshing the app. We were out of the park by 4.30 having also eaten lunch and been through Gorilla Falls and the Jungle Trek

 

[VAlegacy]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...hich-is-helpful-while-at-wdw.2463742/page-108
Not true. First timers absolutely could just use FP+ and get on the bigger rides. I met up with friends in July 2019 who were staying off property and did not know about prebooking. We met up in Animal Kingdom at 10.30, linked their tickets to our MDE and then rode EE, KS, FoP, NRJ all booked on the day by refreshing the app. We were out of the park by 4.30 having also eaten lunch and been through Gorilla Falls and the Jungle Trek

And it was free. Imagine that!

 

[fireflyer]

Genie+ is a MANIPULATION app. The whole purpose of it is to steer visitors to the lesser-crowded places in the park. Example: instead of letting you schedule Splash Mtn for 5:30pm when you'll physically BE on that side of the park, it forces you to reserve Splash Mtn at 12:30pm... so you have to waste 25 minutes walking from Seuss (or Barnstormer) to Splash...

It's an engineering FEAT... guiding people to walk to places when it's the largest waste of their time. And suckering them into PAYING FOR THE TIME-WASTE!!!!! No wonder Chapek was on CNBC bragging about how the revenues from Genie+ exceeded their estimates. They packed up some feces, and advertised it, and customers bought the poop.

One thing is clear: The purpose of Genie+ is crowd-control, and forcing people to waste their time walking around the park.

 

[ckelly14]

Genie+ is a MANIPULATION app. The whole purpose of it is to steer visitors to the lesser-crowded places in the park. Example: instead of letting you schedule Splash Mtn for 5:30pm when you'll physically BE on that side of the park, it forces you to reserve Splash Mtn at 12:30pm... so you have to waste 25 minutes walking from Seuss (or Barnstormer) to Splash...

It's an engineering FEAT... guiding people to walk to places when it's the largest waste of their time. And suckering them into PAYING FOR THE TIME-WASTE!!!!! No wonder Chapek was on CNBC bragging about how the revenues from Genie+ exceeded their estimates. They packed up some feces, and advertised it, and customers bought the poop.

One thing is clear: The purpose of Genie+ is crowd-control, and forcing people to waste their time walking around the park.

Perhaps they have fallen into this benefit, but I seriously doubt Disney IT is sophisticated enough to actually program this on purpose!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

One thing is clear: The purpose of Genie+ is crowd-control, and forcing people to waste their time walking around the park.

Only if you have someone following the Genie 'tips' to the letter. When I use Genie+, it's for the attractions and times I've selected - zero to do with crowd control. Based on many of the comments out here, I'm not sure very many people actually follow the tips provided. The attractions it points you to are not of real interest to many. Of the 3 aspects of the new system, Genie, Genie+, and ILL, the Genie app tips are the most useless for us. And sadly, it's the only one that doesn't cost an extra fee!

 

[tigger2002]

My guess is the take rate is causing a lot of issues, so there will be changes.

i.e. it will get worse and cost more.

 

[MsVanderquack]

The "fix" to the current system might be that Disney offers a more expensive option that includes some of the features people are mentioning on this thread. How much MORE would you be willing to pay to pre-book your LLs, modify your LL time, etc? Because they are most definitely never going back to a free system or a cheaper system from the current G+ and ILL$. Remember that a VIP tour, where you can re-ride rides (though even with a VIP tour, you can't reride the super headliners like Remy and ROTR) all day anytime, costs around $4000-5000/day (not including park hopper tickets and tip for the guide) for up to 10 people. So whatever system you are wanting and willing to pay an up-charge for, you have to compare it to Disney making a minimum of $400-500/person/day (even more pp if there are less than 10 on the tour; on our tours we usually have 4-6 people) for a VIP tour. Improvements to G+ from the guest perspective will be very pricey, IMO, when you consider how much they can and do charge for the VIP tours.

I wonder what they do for the Club 33 members now? People used to have access to "instant FPs" with their memberships (or so it was reported), do they get "anytime LLs" now? Are those with premium park access getting better or worse service?

Also, in general it seems LL waits are shorter than FP lines were, does that help the VIP tours since they often use those lines?

 

[Orsino]

Not true. First timers absolutely could just use FP+ and get on the bigger rides. I met up with friends in July 2019 who were staying off property and did not know about prebooking. We met up in Animal Kingdom at 10.30, linked their tickets to our MDE and then rode EE, KS, FoP, NRJ all booked on the day by refreshing the app. We were out of the park by 4.30 having also eaten lunch and been through Gorilla Falls and the Jungle Trek

The existence of someone overcoming adversity does not disprove the fact that others, many others, get crushed by adversity. The idea that everyone showing up without prebooked FP could achieve the same thing is false.

 

[DisneyFive]

Bottom line is pre-scheduling is not coming back. FP+ absolutely wrecked first time vacations for people who didn't know about pre-booking. WDW simply can't go back to that.

I think a more accurate statement is "FP+ absolutely wrecked first time vacations for people who refused to put any effort or research into their vacation."

I have very little sympathy for these people. ANY vacation requires prework, national parks, cruises, etc... These same type of people still exist today with G+. These are the same folks that will have a terrible trip because they didn't know how to use G+ effectively. They will be the same ones stuck in standby lines, which aren't that different today with G+ versus years past with FP+. Standby lines are long, period.

I'll say it again: In my experience (party of 5-7) ALL the headliners were available, day of, at all parks with the exception of FOP, 7DMT and SDD... and that was during the moderate to busy summer season.

Dan

 

[PinkPixel]

We had a terrible experience with G+ at HS last Friday. The selection was terrible. Most of the time windows were many hours later, even in the morning. Then everything good was gone by early afternoon. I think we may have successfully used it for 1 ride. $75 (party of 5) for one ride. What a horrible move by Disney. The de-evolution of the FastPass system over the years is practically criminal - an exaggeration, but I did really feel robbed of that $75.

Are you able to see what’s available in the morning before you purchase?

 

[Turksmom]

Are you able to see what’s available in the morning before you purchase?

Yes and no. You can see next available time, but there is no guarantee that it will be available by the time your purchase processes.

 

[Miffy]

The existence of someone overcoming adversity does not disprove the fact that others, many others, get crushed by adversity. The idea that everyone showing up without prebooked FP could achieve the same thing is false.

Equally false is the idea that G+ is somehow easier for a first-timer to understand and use and that it "levels the playing field." First of all, it costs money, so the field is already not level. But if G+ is so easy and intuitive to use, why are there hundreds of posts on this very board--a place populated by WDW regulars--about how to use it, what the restrictions are, what the best strategies are, etc., etc., etc.

If all of us need to study up about how to get the most (or, really, anything) out of G+, how do you think first-timers must feel?

Genie itself is a complete waste, which is no surprise, since it's free. Lately if something is free at WDW, that means it's useless.

When the vacationers who had to postpone multiple vacations have fulfilled their needs for WDW, I predict that WDW is going to have to start offering <gasp!> real discounts. Maybe that won't be until 2024, but it is going to happen.

 

[Westerner]

Are you able to see what’s available in the morning before you purchase?

One idea is look the day before in the Tip Board (without purchasing) to get a sense of what's available, or consult the thrill-data website. That will at least give you some idea.

 

[Delirium]

I wonder if the new system its best for familys who plan on going to the parks after 2pm. you can stack 3 rides at that point while having a nice pool day/disney springs. Than head to the parks late and hit the rides you already booked. now since you started at 7am you might need to refresh a few times to start getting things after 2pm but than you can book another at say 10am(8am open) and 12pm.

This is something I will be trying to do on our arrival day, gives me something to do while on the plane i guess, and since its only 2 of us if it fails and we are stuck with only 2 rides its only a 32$ loss.

I'm not sure 'nice pool day' and 'regularly having to refresh my phone to get the times I want' belong in the same sentence.

 

[Meglen]

I'm not sure 'nice pool day' and 'regularly having to refresh my phone to get the times I want' belong in the same sentence.

Wake up at 7am book first. Than go back to bed or go have a nice breakfast book next at 11am than head to the pool for 2 hours and book next at 1pm. Shower, late lunch and head to the park for 4pm to use selections.. Looking at my phone 3 times in 5 hours is not horrible to me.


Now at 7am if you have to refresh a bunch till you get one for after 4pm it will set you back on the checks but ends up being the same thing in the end.

 

[Westerner]

I think a more accurate statement is "FP+ absolutely wrecked first time vacations for people who refused to put any effort or research into their vacation."

I have very little sympathy for these people. ANY vacation requires prework, national parks, cruises, etc... These same type of people still exist today with G+. These are the same folks that will have a terrible trip because they didn't know how to use G+ effectively. They will be the same ones stuck in standby lines, which aren't that different today with G+ versus years past with FP+. Standby lines are long, period.

I'll say it again: In my experience (party of 5-7) ALL the headliners were available, day of, at all parks with the exception of FOP, 7DMT and SDD... and that was during the moderate to busy summer season.

Dan

I disagree with some of the points you raised. I'm a relatively infrequent WDW visitor (1993, 2006, 2019, 2021) and our 2019 experience with FP+ was not good. We decided 3 days in advance to go to AK during an August trip. I read up on FP+ on disboards, but found it was too late to book any FP's except for Dinosaur. I came away from that with the perception that FP+ was for folks who booked their trips 30-60+ days in advance, and for headliners, you needed to stay on Disney property to have a chance.

One point that was raised in the Youtube video Disney's Fastpass: A Complicated History that I think is valid, is that when casual visitors came to WDW and learned about FP+ for the first time, it was too late for them. Conversely, with G+ they may still come unaware, but can take advantage same as anyone else the next day. Similar logic applies for last-minute visitors.