The Pro-Genie App discussion thread - speculate how the app could make your trip next trip great!

[Obi-J Kenobi]

you have a better chance at winning the powerball jackpot

Is this statement factually accurate?

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

Swedish Massages by Gaston

Would Gaston be the only person good enough to give Gaston a Swedish Massage? Hmmm....

 

[AllisonLB1994]

If there are virtual cues like Universal does then that will be a win. They are free and they just released them for one of their most popular rides (Hagrid's). I remember waiting in like a 2-hour long line for it - now you just come back when it's your time. Even having it for 1 or 2 headliners in each park would be amazing and free up a lot of time.

 

[Heather07438]

Not worried about our phone batteries or the new system being a disaster.

Think about it like this:

If the system is a disaster people will stop visiting. Then we can all go to an uncrowded park. I don't think WDW is oblivious.

 

[Spaghetti Cat]

This thread is a safe place to discuss why you’re ready and (tentatively) excited for the Genie app to debut.

Sorry hon, it turns out you cannot have a pro Genie thread.

I personally think Genie could be OK but I really have no idea.

 

[catnik]

So we're big fans of WDW and DL planning a first visit to Disneyland Paris next summer. I'm kind of happy about the paid Premier Access option. My plan is to strategically hit the most popular rides at rope drop or closing for no $$$, BUT as a fallback option I'm willing to pay for a short line on one or more rides we just can't fit in otherwise. We have limited days to visit the parks and I want to do all the best things!

I think WDW Genie will give us a similar option. Use timing/strategy to avoid most lines, but use $$$ to avoid the rest.

We are going to Disneyland Paris next spring. Planning a non-fast pass experience but willing to pay for specific rides. This is our one and done. I will pay to make the experience magical fir my family

 

[Marionnette]

If there are virtual cues like Universal does then that will be a win. They are free and they just released them for one of their most popular rides (Hagrid's). I remember waiting in like a 2-hour long line for it - now you just come back when it's your time. Even having it for 1 or 2 headliners in each park would be amazing and free up a lot of time.

I think that's how Lightning Pass will work. You pay to get a return time and then access the attraction via the FastPass lane.

The free virtual queue just alerts you as to when the physical queue has reopened and you can go stand in line, albeit a physically shorter line than if they had not cut off access to the physical queue initially. The total wait time of virtual + physical line would be the same as if you stood in a physical line the whole time.

 

[crazymomof4]

Its going to be a disaster..........There are 4 components to it.........

1) regular standby lines
2) virtual standby pass (like Paris)
3) Paid Lightening Pass with designated return times (Like FP+ was)
4) Lightening Pass + which is high cost instant access to walk right on with no return time

How it's going to work is if regular standby gets too long, you can enter virtual stand by and get a return time to then go wait in line.........You will only be able to have 1 virtual standby at a time..........So for example, assume you go to HS at 10am and its busy...........Toy Story Mania, SlinkDog, Tower of Terror, Rock n Rollercoster, MIllenium Flacon all have virtual lines because it's so busy, then you go to enter one on your phone. You enter Tower or Terror and it says come back at 1pm and then wait in 30-60 minute line. The problem is, you cannot get in line for the other rides because they are all virtual standby too so you have to go to Muppets or Star Tours or watch a show until your return time.............

Your other option is to pay for FP...........

Cant you see how HS, Epcot and AK this will be awful b there's not a lot of rides and they will all have virtual standby? So trying to do it like you would have in the past is gone

This is going to be an unmitigated disaster

Hmmmm This is going to make it a tough choice between a WDW vacation and a trip to Tokyo where I will navigate Shibuya Crossing several times daily just for the sheer pleasure of it.

 

[New Mouse]

People are getting bent out of shape over details that have yet to be confirmed. Not enough information has been released to understand how the system works as a whole. I don't like the way WDW sometimes manipulates things either (for instance shortening park hours to sell more EMMs and DAHs), but we've mostly always been able to choose offerings worth what we spent. Very little is understood about what is included, how it operates, alternatives, etc. I need to know that before letting my blood pressure boil.

I mean with the common theme of things recently do you really need to wait to find out at this point?

 

[Liquidice]

Its going to be a disaster..........There are 4 components to it.........

1) regular standby lines
2) virtual standby pass (like Paris)
3) Paid Lightening Pass with designated return times (Like FP+ was)
4) Lightening Pass + which is high cost instant access to walk right on with no return time

How it's going to work is if regular standby gets too long, you can enter virtual stand by and get a return time to then go wait in line.........You will only be able to have 1 virtual standby at a time..........So for example, assume you go to HS at 10am and its busy...........Toy Story Mania, SlinkDog, Tower of Terror, Rock n Rollercoster, MIllenium Flacon all have virtual lines because it's so busy, then you go to enter one on your phone. You enter Tower or Terror and it says come back at 1pm and then wait in 30-60 minute line. The problem is, you cannot get in line for the other rides because they are all virtual standby too so you have to go to Muppets or Star Tours or watch a show until your return time.............

Your other option is to pay for FP...........

Cant you see how HS, Epcot and AK this will be awful b there's not a lot of rides and they will all have virtual standby? So trying to do it like you would have in the past is gone

This is going to be an unmitigated disaster

Wow I never thought about that, I was thinking it would be 1 paid option - but 2 paid tiers, one just to be able to get in the standby line right away and have the right to wait ~60 mins immediately (omg I can't believe you'd have to pay to wait 60 mins) and then another tier to pay for the right to use the old Fastpass line that will have a much shorter wait... That is crazy and it sounds awful.

Free will only be for if the standby line is short enough or a virtual line where you can wait until your time is provided...

That is awful, especially if you can only get 1 virtual line at a time. I can imagine getting only 1 or 2 rides done per day if it is really crowded.

I wonder how DAS would work, thinking about how it works today - I could see a lot of abuse of DAS if they let you jump into the Fastpass line after waiting ~60 mins.

Lets hope it isn't that bad - like the horrible assumptions people were making about the Disneyland AP replacement and honestly Magic Key isn't as bad as many had thought it would be.

I was thinking it might be paid Fastpass with "free" Fastpasses for on site guests - maybe Genie would grant you 3 free Fastpasses if you are staying on site for example (or 1 for value, 2 for moderate, 3 for Deluxe).

What you're suggesting (and Len's article) is a lot different than what we're used to - and it would explain why Genie is taking so long to roll out (there was an entire post where an insider was talking about Disney's testing of the new system and Fastpass and the difficulties integrating the new system with the new Fastpass system).

 

[crazymomof4]

Free will only be for if the standby line is short enough or a virtual line where you can wait until your time is provided...

I like how we (myself included) have already been deluded to the point where we consider this to be "free" --- forgetting that we will be paying ~$125 park admission to access these "free" lines.

 

[Liquidice]

I like how we (myself included) have already been deluded to the point where we consider this to be "free" --- forgetting that we will be paying ~$125 park admission to access these "free" lines.

Haha yeah you're right, I usually put "free" in quotes to indicate that it isn't really free - but yeah. It sort of makes you wonder what you're really getting with your park admission though, $125 to go into the park and then you still kind of have to pay for some rides to be able to reasonably get stuff done in a day ... A little ridiculous if this is the way it goes.

 

[crazymomof4]

Haha yeah you're right, I usually put "free" in quotes to indicate that it isn't really free - but yeah. It sort of makes you wonder what you're really getting with your park admission though, $125 to go into the park and then you still kind of have to pay for some rides to be able to reasonably get stuff done in a day ... A little ridiculous if this is the way it goes.

Guilty too because I read your post and cruised right past the word free and then my brain went, "hold up!, back up a minute....."
Hoping, like you said, that things turn out to not be as bad as predicted

 

[crazymomof4]

It was not released but Len is as smart as they get.........This is from many years of research and many insider connections at WDW

https://touringplans.com/blog/7-ways-your-wait-in-line-at-disney-world-are-about-to-change/

I read that article last night. Sent it to my friend who is also a devote Disney Parks goer. We both have always been the Disney Apologists who will answer anyone who asserts that a WDW vaca is too expensive, with "But look what you get for your money!" We would bring up things like luggage handling and transportation to and from the airports, free magic bands, no cost FP, quality in-park streetmosphere/entertainment, etc. One by one WDW has whittled down the guest experience.

What will we say now to others who don't go to WDW "because it's too expensive"? = loss of recommendations from existing customers to encourage new customers.

How will we justify the cost TO OURSELVES? = loss of return customers.

My friend and I are always in agreement that it's a value -to - $ spent ratio. That ratio is being severely tipped in an unfavorable direction for a lot of Disney fans!!
Read the comments under Len's article. This will turn a huge amount of people off, even the WDW faithful, like me!

 

[crazymomof4]

Chapek eluded to the fact that this will be released soon and it was a money making opportunity for them on last nights eps call with wall st

We have a trip booked for 2nd week in Oct. Wondering if this will just DROP suddenly ... as in "beginning next week....."
After the past 16 months, I really wanted a laid back, relaxing trip. Not the chaos that this looks to be, especially if it's only in place a week or 2 before our trip!
SOO glad we made this a "parks light" trip and only booked 2 park days out of 8 days there. Might be our last for a while!

 

[maverikv]

I'm excited to see Disney make people hate the universally loved genie character by associating him with this microtransaction cash grab disaster

 

[snowwhite84]

I feel the virtual queue system could be a real win. If Flight of Passage is consistently two hours, scan the virtual line, go do something else for an hour then come back and only stand in a physical line for one hour. Multiply this all over the parks and add in that my family might rope drop one ride, pay for LP for a few, and overall I see a touring system that means less standing in line for most guests, even those who don’t want to pay for any LPs.

Of course from a planning standpoint it will take me some time to get used to, but I think there is a lot of potential here.

 

[KYMickey]

Are you excited about how the Genie app could make your next trip better, even if that means paying for convenience?

The part of your post I highlighted above is the problem with this system. It's taking trips to WDW out of reach for many people because of the price. It's becoming more and more of an elite Park where you have to "Pay to Play"! That's certainly not a good thing in the eyes of most people.

 

[davper]

This is atrociously bad that I have to to wonder if Disney is doing it on purpose.

So, if I am following, there will be a standby line until it gets too full, in which case they will stop people from walking up and joining the standby line and direct them to join the line virtually from their phone. That "virtual line" will notify guests when they have an opportunity to come back and wait in line (i.e. join the standby line) ?

In addition to this, they will have the option of paying for a lighting pass. Which will give guests a window of time in which to return, but when they return the wait will not be as long as it would from a Virtual Line. Do you get this return window right away upon purchase, or it will be randomly sent to you when available?

As another option, guests could also purchase a Lighting Pass, in which case they can immediately enter the Lighting Pass line and ride instantly.

People are going to be furious mostly with the confusion involved in not being able to simply just stand in line physically "the old fashioned way"


BTW, am I the only one struggling with this? As the primary Disney planner for my family, I now find I have to almost constantly be on my phone as we navigate the parks. Mobile order even if someone just wants a soda, trying to snag reservations to sit down in some air conditioning or checking wait times/ride closures. I'm struggling with phone battery life (because I also want to take pictures) and the general annoyance of not being able to just enjoy the time with my family. This development seems awful - even more mandatory phone time while in park.

They have a solution for that. The $30 Recharge batteries they sell in the kiosks.

 

[tigger2002]

Family of four at $10 each would be $40 per two minute ride (e.g. SDD). It just sounds ridiculous after paying literally thousands of dollars for hotel and tickets.