Paid Lightning Lanes & Genie+ Replacing Free FastPass at Disney World
Walt Disney World officially announced free FastPass+ is permanently retired, to be replaced by paid Genie+ and Lightning Lane line-skipping access soon. This post shares what WDW has revealed is coming to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Plus, our commentary on impact to crowds & standby wait times, winners & losers, and comparisons to MaxPass, Premier Access, and more.
There’s a ton of ground to cover here, so we will very quickly recap what has happened in the last year with FastPass+ at Walt Disney World. Prior to the reopening, Disney temporarily suspended FastPass and a range of other things, many of which have since returned. Officially, the explanation given was to utilize the queue space for physical distancing.
That’s not quite how it worked in practice, but that’s immaterial to this post. For the last several months, physical distancing has been gone, with skyrocketing crowds and wait times over the summer–and similar forecasts for October through December. As such, Walt Disney World has announced a permanent paid replacement for free FastPass+, which will launch around the start of the World’s Most Magical Celebration for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary on October 1, 2021. (As always, see our Guide to Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary for more info!)
Per Walt Disney World, the Genie app is coming in Fall 2021 as a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to make planning easier, offer more flexibility, and better tools to help you make the most of your visit. Walt Disney World has made significant investments in this new technology, which guides you through the theme parks with tips that can help you reduce time in lines, discover new things, and take the guesswork out of your day.
Built right into the My Disney Experience app, the Disney Genie service will maximize your park time, so you can have more fun. It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will quickly and seamlessly map out an entire day. From specific attractions, foodie experiences and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more — just tell Disney Genie what you want to do and it will do the planning for you.
Here are a few more features of the Disney Genie app feature in My Disney Experience:
- Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day, so you can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.
- Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
- Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.
For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying the four Walt Disney World theme parks, through the Lightning Lane queue, which will replace FastPass+ queues at Walt Disney World:
- Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort, you can choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day — from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories, such as augmented reality lenses that transform objects at Walt Disney World.
- Individual attraction selections (available for purchase a la carte): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.
Lightning Lane selections will be made on the same day of your visit and can be used across multiple theme parks, and will support the Park Hopper option. Guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel will be able to purchase and schedule an individual Lightning Lane attraction at 7 am, ahead of off-site guests, who will be able to do so when the park opens.
All guests will be able to make their first Genie+ selection at 7 am on the day of their visit, regardless of whether staying off-site or on-site. Subsequent selections will follow the legacy FastPass “rules.”
Annual Passholders will be able to purchase Lightning Lane or add Genie+ on a per-day basis, just like regular theme park ticket holders. At launch, there will not be a yearly add-on option for Genie+ for Walt Disney World APs. (That seems likely to come at some point in the not-too-distant future, though.)
In addition to the Lightning Lanes, all attractions will continue to offer a traditional standby queue or a virtual queue, available at select attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure once that opens in Epcot on October 1, 2021.
While unclear from the official announcement, it’s our understanding that the 2 most popular attractions in each park will be sold a la carte and not available via Genie+. All other previous FastPass attractions will be exclusively available via Genie+ and not sold individually (so it’s an either/or thing).
With Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane, FastPass+ will be retired. You can choose from all new options, a mix of them or none at all, and continue to have a great experience no matter how you decide to plan your day at Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World is also making some enhancements to the Disability Access Service (DAS) program, including new options to enroll in the program pre-arrival and for DAS participants to select attractions directly in the app. These options will be available in addition to the existing, in-person DAS program.
This all might sound confusing, and it is. We’re going to distinguish between Genie+ and Lightning Lanes as if they’re two separate products (and disregard the free Genie app feature entirely). In reality, Lightning Lanes are the replacement for physical FastPass queues, and are accessible via the flat-rate Genie+ app feature or a la carte purchases. For now, it’s simply easier and clearer to refer to one as Genie+ and the other as Lightning Lanes. We wouldn’t be surprised if that becomes the common practice among fans and the general public, as well.
With that out of the way, here’s how we feel about Lightning Lanes, both via Genie+ and a la carte purchases…
Our Commentary
Before sitting down to write the commentary, we combed through the most controversial Walt Disney World news stories of the last decade-plus that we’ve been writing this blog. Judging by reader reactions, the single biggest “tipping point” was when Walt Disney World first introduced overnight parking fees for its resorts.
While a lot of internet angst is bluster, that decision actually led to plenty of fans staying off-site. We personally know a few people who visit annually and have sworn off on-site hotels ever since. Outrage over the introduction of paid FastPass–and the number of fans for whom this truly is the last straw–will likely surpass the introduction of per-night parking charges.
With that in mind, we’re approaching this commentary delicately, treading as lightly as possible. We know so many loyal and lifelong Walt Disney World fans are going to be devastated by this news. Genie+ and Lightning Lane might be the end of the road–or at least result in lifelong visitors going through the five stages of grief. With that said, one thought has kept running through our minds since hearing the details of Genie+ and Lightning Lane.
This could have been so much worse.
That’s not to minimize any anger or try to spin this in a positive light. Even if I wanted to do that (I don’t), that would overlook one of life’s most fundamental principles: money talks, BS walks.
You know that the Genie+ system, no matter how magical the marketing puffery, will cost money and FastPass+ was free. That’s it–bottom line–period.
It’s only to say that paid FastPass has been an inevitability at Walt Disney World for a while–long before the closure and “temporary” suspension of FastPass+ we’ve been warning readers that this would happen and urging people to prepare for this day. The writing has been on the wall for almost 4 years, with the first trial run being offered to Club Level guests. During that time, Disneyland launching MaxPass to great success, and other parks sold FastPass bundles.
Then came the D23 Expo two summers ago, and the announcement of the Genie app for Walt Disney World. While pitched vaguely, the purpose of Genie was to up-sell guests and assist in crowd management. There was no other reason for Disney to invest in yet another new app unless it will offer direct ROI.
Over the last several months, there have been credible rumors of competing proposals for paid FastPass, including the system now in use at Disneyland Paris. In recent weeks, we’ve heard specifics on several, and all were worse than this, offering fewer benefits and higher price points. In fact, whether you’ve been closely following the paid FastPass rumors or have just assumed free FastPass+ would return probably strongly impacts your initial response to this.
Those in the former camp might be breathing a sigh of relief or thinking paid FastPass is not as bad as you feared. By contrast, Walt Disney World fans who expected free FastPass+ to be reinstated might be heartbroken right now. Different stages of grief and all that.
We have processed this grief before, as Disneyland locals back when MaxPass was first announced. At first, we were vehemently opposed to MaxPass on principle. Among other things, we feared the introductory pricing would increase and MaxPass would put those not paying the upcharge at a distinct disadvantage. It felt like a cash grab.
Then we used MaxPass and were hooked. All of those concerns didn’t magically vanish, but in practice the system worked very well, while offering strategic benefits to tourists with limited time who were willing to make a relatively minor splurge (in the grand scheme of a Disneyland vacation). On balance, MaxPass struck us as a net positive, albeit a “warts and all” one.
While there are obvious similarities between Genie+ and MaxPass, there are also glaring differences. Namely, MaxPass had a free alternative–legacy paper FastPass that anyone could use. It didn’t offer quite the same upsides, but with a bit of hustle, Disneyland guests who didn’t pay extra could still put in the “work” and beat the crowds.
That’s a distinction that absolutely cannot be overlooked. Most Walt Disney World fans could probably stomach some form of paid FastPass if it didn’t come at the expense of the free system. Or if there were legitimate and worthwhile perks for on-site hotel guests. Making FastPass upcharge or nothing means a very different response.
As for how Genie+ and Lightning Lanes will impact standby wait times and the guest experience at Walt Disney World, that depends on how many guests make those purchases. As a reminder, the ballpark FastPass-to-standby ratio was 80:20–meaning that for every 10 parties boarding an attraction, 8 were pulled from the FastPass queue and 2 were pulled from standby. This is why standby lines moved at a snail’s pace with FastPass, and move constantly without it. That 80:20 ratio also meant that a lot of guests were taking advantage of FastPass+, which should be no surprise given that it was free.
In our most recent analysis of Premier Access at Disneyland Paris, we discussed utilization rate of that, predicting that only a small percentage of guests (5% for some attractions) would purchase the a la carte upcharge as compared to those who utilized the free FastPass system.
Walt Disney World charging individually for only a couple of headliners in each park changes the equation a bit. It’s a smart move on Disney’s part to make those the only a la carte upcharges and bundle everything else. Those attractions are the ones first-time and infrequent guests are more likely to splurge to experience. The more competitive (as compared to Paris) price range also suggests to me that Walt Disney World will have a greater degree of success in upselling the a la carte Lightning Lane.
However, I’d still expect fewer than 20% of all guests to buy individual Lightning Lane access. Of course, it’ll vary based on posted wait times, season, etc. If the ratio is 20:80 (essentially flipping FastPass numbers), that’ll mean shorter standby waits in constantly moving lines. I don’t want to rehash that entire analysis since this is already going to be long, but buying individual line skipping access is going to be a non-starter for the vast majority of guests for a variety of reasons.
Genie+ is a different ballgame entirely and will undoubtedly be purchased by a significantly higher percentage of guests. As discussed in that same prior analysis, we predicted that Walt Disney World would use some form of bundle because it obfuscates per attraction costs and since all-inclusive packages are incredibly popular with Walt Disney World’s guest demographics. Genie+ is that bundle, and it’s a savvy one.
Again, the comparison to the former MaxPass system makes sense. Prior to the price increase on MaxPass early last year, I had heard MaxPass was viewed as an incredible success by the company due to its high adoption rate, which was still under half of all guests. This was with every attraction included in the system, and Disneyland having far greater ‘ride density’ than three parks at Walt Disney World.
Moreover, Disneyland’s demographics are incredibly different from Walt Disney World’s. In addition to significantly more Annual Passholders, the average length of visit is significantly shorter, and per guest spending is lower because the overwhelming majority of visitors stay off-site, tourists included.
It’s thus much more palatable for a family to splurge on efficiency if the total cost is an extra $160 for the duration of a shorter trip–especially when that family only spent $150 per night on a hotel within walking distance of the parks and can easily eat 2 meals per day off-property.
At Walt Disney World, guests are generally visiting for significantly longer periods of time and spending more on accommodations and food. The surcharge for duration-of-trip efficiency via Genie+ would be $300 for the average family, and could be $420 or more for those doing longer vacations. Again, that’s on top of higher base vacation costs, meaning many families will already be nearer their budget limit and either need to reallocate spending or splurge even more.
It’s easy to say the total trip cost for Genie+ is still less expensive for a family than a single After Hours event, and those have been selling out. That’s definitely a valid (and selling!) point. However, that’s still a comparatively niche offering with significantly smaller potential market than a service like Genie+. It’s very difficult to predict how many guests will initially purchase and use Genie+, but my ballpark guess would be about 33% on any given day with variances based on crowds, etc. Probably generally higher for Magic Kingdom and lower for the other parks.
This is an initial adoption rate, with my prediction being that Genie+ use and “favorability” will increase over time. The initial response will be overwhelmingly negative, just as it was at Disneyland when MaxPass was announced. In addition to being upset by something previously being free now costing money, many will lament the loss of pre-planning their FastPass+ selections and having the peace of mind in knowing they have certain popular attractions “locked-in” prior to their trips.
To be sure, there are FastPass+ power users and diehard planners who will remain entrenched in that belief. Those Walt Disney World fans likely are disproportionate readers of blogs like this one. However, that’s a vocal minority of all guests–far from a majority. Most average guests plan days in advance–or even upon arrival–not 6 months ahead of time.
For first-timers, Walt Disney World vacations are a morass of convoluted policies and things to know. These guests will likely favor Genie+ as it levels the playing field to a degree. To them, a paid system will be better than a free one where they’re shut out of most popular attractions because they’re not seasoned on the ins and outs of FastPass booking.
Nevertheless, we’d expect many ride or die FastPass+ fans to eventually give Genie+ a try and come around on it. No matter how staunchly anyone might oppose Genie+ now, history bears this out. At Walt Disney World, the original FastPass was controversial among fans in 1999, before becoming beloved. FastPass+ was likewise a reviled replacement among fans who had mastered the paper FastPass system.
Disneyland’s launch of MaxPass is an even better example given the similarities between Genie+ and that. The initial announcement was met with outrage and complaints, but its use and popularity quickly increased as Disneyland diehards used it in the parks. We know because that was us! After hating it, we actually used MaxPass, were hooked on it, and became MaxPass cheerleaders.
The lazy commentary here would be that “Disney fans are resistant to change.” While true, there’s (again) the critical distinction that something free is being lost and replaced by a paid-only option. (Even with MaxPass, there was still a very viable free alternative.) Nevertheless, the best and easiest way for Walt Disney World to dispel a lot of complaints would be to bundle “free” Genie+ into hotel discounts this fall and winter. There’s no better way to win skeptics over and get fans “hooked” on Genie+.
Finally, there’s how this impacts on-site guests. We’ve been discussing Walt Disney World’s Disappearing On-Site Advantage for years now. Several changes have been announced in the last several months–end of Disney’s Magical Express, Extra Magic Hours transforming into early entry and extended evening hours, no free MagicBands–that will push more guests off-site.
It’s too early to say how the ~2 hour advance booking window for individual Lightning Lane attractions will change that equation. This is obviously a much shorter timeframe than in the past under FastPass+ and will essentially offer a one ride head-start…assuming there’s so much demand that Lightning Lane attractions sell out, which I doubt will happen.
I’m inclined to predict the totality of the aforementioned changes will negatively impact on-site occupancy in 2022, but not immediately. Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary will buoy bookings for at least October through December.
Personally, if it came down to splurging on a Disney hotel or staying off-site and using the money saved on lodging for things like Genie+, nicer meals, special events, etc., that’s what I’d do. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify the prices Walt Disney World is charging for its resorts. (Then again, Disney could quickly “correct” this by rolling out Free Dining or other deals if occupancy numbers slip in 2022.)
Regardless, if you’ve never even considered venturing outside the “Disney Bubble,” we would strongly encourage you to rethink that and check out our Off-Site v. On-Site Walt Disney World Hotel Comparison for a balanced assessment of the pros & cons. We are in the process of doing stays at every Universal Orlando resort, and will have those reviews starting in the coming weeks.
Ultimately, that’s a lot of analysis for something that hasn’t even launched yet and is still a developing story. We’ll have more follow-up commentary based on new details that will inevitably emerge, reader questions & concerns, and more. In the meantime, our past articles about the return or replacement of FastPass+ and Premier Access announcement contain a lot of relevant commentary.
Personally, I don’t think Genie+ or Lightning Lanes will be cataclysmic or have as negative of consequences for those who don’t buy the “paid FastPasses” as many fans anticipate. To the contrary, I think this will result in a better standby line experience with constantly-moving lines and (generally) shorter wait times for most guests. Similarly, Genie+ will be a superior system for those who were not FastPass+ power users–so again, most guests.
My biggest disappointment is that Genie+ and Lightning Lanes are entirely paid, replacing something that was entirely free. That’s impossible to overlook. Moreover, this seems like a continuation of upcharge and nickel & diming practices that I hate. There’s also the reality that Walt Disney World is selling solutions to problems it has created. Over the years, fans have bought into the lie that Walt Disney World is raising prices to reduce crowds; as with ticket price increases, that’ll likely be one “positive” narrative that emerges from this.
However, Walt Disney World has also slashed park hours while attendance has increased by several millions of guests per year, cut entertainment and other crowd-absorbing offerings. If Walt Disney World really were concerned with controlling crowds (they aren’t), increasing operating hours, improving ride capacity, bringing back entertainment & shows, or opening more attractions would be the best solutions. Genie+ and Lightning Lane will offer a better experience for some guests, but it’s hard to muster much praise when the more obvious solutions that would improve things for everyone are not being undertaken.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes? Better, worse, or about the same as you expected? Will you purchase the bundled access, a la carte line-skipping, neither, or both? Do you prefer fast-moving standby lines only, or the FastPass and standby combo? Interested in how Walt Disney World will implement the new system? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Funny how the little things matter to so many…. I understand that The Disney Corporation lost $$ last year due to Covid but so did so many other companies. But I don’t understand why The Disney Company has decided to eliminate things that help make our vacation UNMAGICAL, especially my trips.
When I get off the plane at WDW I so look forward to the Magical Express, the start of my MAGICAL vacation. My family and I never had to worry about getting luggage from point A to B, I knew that DISNEY had this, but with the Magic Express being eliminated retrieving luggage always puts stress on me.
Now this Genie+ feature, not only do I plan what parks to attend around my dining and fast passes, but having to spend an $200+ a day is ridiculous. We are being told that it is per ticket, per day what if I don’t want to use Genie + for my entire stay, I am still going to have to pay for it.
My husband been saying for years, that DISNEY is not a middle class vacation destination anymore. I do agree with him.
The photopass perk is only included at Disneyland. Disney World gives you AR photo options on your own phone …
Okay, I’m in my 70’s and have been a Disney fan since Disneyland opened in the 1950’s. We recently purchased a 2nd home in Florida & just started going to WDW and were so excited to start going there at least a couple of times a year like we did Disneyland. Unfortunately, a lot of people our age aren’t as “tech savvy” as we would like to be. And to be honest, with all of the changes that you just explained, the thought of planning our upcoming trip is rather terrifying to me now. And on top of that, I have mobility issues to deal with. I admired Walt Disney so much & I really don’t think that he would want any of his loyal fans to feel this way. Thank you for all of your updates they are very informative & helpful.
Our 2022 planned Disney trip is becoming immensely disappointing with each passing day. Pretty much all of perks from staying on site have disappeared. The cost continues to rise and now Disney expects us to micromanage our theme park days on our devices. Disney is successfully sucking the joy out of what was once a fun and magical adventure. Our family is now looking at alternative destinations to spend our $14,000 +
I realize that this will annoy a lot of readers, but if we would quit going to WDW so often (DVC owners are leading the way) and start taking shorter trips (do you really need 7 days in the parks?), then much of this brouhaha would be a moot point. Prices would come down, lines would be shorter and you wouldn’t have to plan things so far in advance! We’re overconsuming WDW and the effects are painfully obvious. There are so many other great destinations to experience!
I am really disappointed in Disney. I am 7 weeks out from my planned trip. First, they have not announced any type of discounts on hotels, etc. so I am paying at a premium and then they put this added expense in my lap. Granted, I don’t have to purchase however I also am nervous about how long the lines will be. Disney has charged me $10 each for magic bands this year and will also be getting rid of Magical Express next year. This will most certainly be my last trip. I cannot justify all these added expenses. 🙁
Interested in the above answer to question: “Will they refund your money if you don’t get the ride you want” how does that work?? All so very confusing to me at this point…UGH!!
Expletive, expletive, expletive. Great write up and comprehensive. Don’t know about you but getting up at 645 every park day sounds terrible. Like locking in 3 good attractions months ahead–knew the vacation was going to be decent and could build excitement with kids. If you don’t stay on-site its a further crap shoot on getting attractions.
Its all bad.
Can someone explain this to me in lay man’s terms?
I see people saying you have to get up at 7 to plan your day, but then I’m hearing that resort guests can book and plan 60 days out? Which is it?
Is there a limit to how many Lightning Lane passes you can have? This system seems like it wants to make virtual queues to keep people out of lines and in stores and eateries spending money.
So the Lightning Pass will only be available for 40 attraction over all 4 theme parks? So that means Disney is basically going back to all Stand By for most attractions?
will you still be able to book your dining ahead of time? If so, how far out.
This just seems like an utter mess.
@Zoe. If you think your vacation is going to be less complicated, you’re in for a rude awakening. Having to get up everyday at 645 in hopes of securing a spot, by the way will be timed entry as well, does not sound like freedom to me. It sounds like thousands of pretnious people trying to outdo one another. Horrible.
Julia
August 19, 2021
I started going to Disney in 1974. No fast pass until about 1999. No Magical Express until the early 2000’s. We are going back in time. We experienced Disney before Fast Pass and will experience it again after Fast Pass. Of course, crowds are bigger, lines are longer, ticket is more expensive. I am hoping a lot of people will pay the extra for G+ and LL. That will make the stand-by lanes shorter.
************************
Sure they will be “shorter”, but your wait will be much much longer.
See, Fast Pass was free, so they could easily take turns alternating between Fast Pass and Stand by lines, say 100 Fast Pass riders, then 20 Stand by riders.
But if people are PAYING for Lightning Lane, they have to cater to the people that paid for that service, so now the line will go 100 from the lightning lane and maybe 5 from the Stand by.
Am I reading the photo pass perk correctly? It was not mentioned in Tom’s article but I think is worth noting as this cost is anywhere between $169 ahead of time and $199 after your visit. I really like the photo pass opportunity but have only shelled out the money for it one time. Was this described as a perk if you purchased the $15 lightning lane package?
@YawningDodo. If your friends thought planning ride selections 3 months out were crazy, wait until they all have to get up at 630 am every day of their trip in hopes they get any ride they want. This is an epic failure.
I’m a U.K. guest who has been traveling to Florida and WDW since 1990 sometimes twice per year. I’ve also done Disneyland Paris and Anaheim a few times. Around 85% of that has been staying on property in deluxe resorts, when not it has been Swan, Dolphin or at WDW ‘official’ hotel near Springs. Stays always a minimum of 2 weeks, often three.
We are currently booked in for next year for 2 full weeks.
I will now be reducing this to the minimum 5 day stay and next year will be my last visit to Disney.
I will always return to Florida as I love it, and I will continue to enjoy stays on the coast. However my theme park stays will be at Universal.
I use the words I heard from one very frustrated dad on a hot day with his kids on my last visit pre Covid: “I’m done with Disney”.
Karilee
August 18, 2021
@Mike: It’s still a choice! No matter what, no one is forcing you to do anything! Did they change the system/price/structure? Yes. Is anyone forcing you to go or to pay it? No. Don’t like it? Don’t want to pay it? Then don’t. There are a lot of other cool places to go all over the world. You could choose to go there instead.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
It’s not really a choice, well okay, it is a choice.
Your choices.
Pay an extra $15 per person per day and maybe another $20 x 2 per person per ride for two headliners and enjoy your day at the parks
or
Don’t pay nothing, stand in long lines and hardly be able to do anything as you watch all of the people who paid walk by you and get on attractions all day.
Guess they finally figured out just how much it cost to get Star Wars and Marvel. Just another scheme to get the most of your money. Cancelled Magic Express which kept most guests at the resorts, raised prices on everything. This will be our very last visit.
As a long-time Disney World fan, I’m definitely one of the skeptics you mention here! And maybe I’m missing it, but one thing isn’t clear to me. Dinner reservations. For years, our first-night meal has always been the Biergarten at Germany, and our last-night meal is ‘Ohana. Will we still be able to reserve them, and at-or-near the time we prefer? Waiting and watching. Thanks, Tom.
In my opinion Universal does not compare to Disney World but i love their express pass system. Pay a price (included with deluxe resorts) put it on a lanyard and hit every/all express lanes. We never waited once in the several times we had them. If there was a line you had the freedom to move on to another ride. Simple. Maybe i misread it but i heard you can only do one genie fp at a time. If thats the case what if your first one is later in the day?
That being said as you had mentioned i really see this as a marketing move. With more Disney Fanatics (myself included) considering staying and eating off-site because of all the nickel and diming they can tweak the genie app or include it in packages to attract those people back. But where is the tipping point?
Once Universal opens their new park this would be the best time to start adding themed shows and better dining choices at their resorts/parks and truly compete with Disney.
I thought the point of a vacation was to escape the rat race. This sounds many times more complicated than my daily routine.
I seem to be part of the demographic which Disney is ignoring: the one that enjoys the entertainment. Coming across a group of performers and watching their antics was often the best part of a day at Disney. And people watching is also fascinating. Disney a few park benches to is a lot cheaper than the crazy thrill rides you keep adding.
The frenetic pace of what Disney is becoming is nearing my tipping point. Genie plus is starting to sound like a futuristic horror movie with a program telling me where to go and what to do all day long, not the kind of park experience I want.
Wonder how they plan on handling ride breakdowns now that you are paying for the privilege of a tier 1 ride. If your designated time is not available do they have to refund your money?