Bob Iger is BACK as Disney’s CEO and already making some changes — could Genie+ changes be next?
©Disney
We’ve already seen “organizational” changes announced for the Walt Disney Company due to Iger’s return, indications that Iger could make a change that’ll reverse a Chapek decision, and other adjustments made as a result of his return. Fans are hoping for MANY, many more changes though. So here’s a full look at just what Iger could change about Genie+ (and whether he actually might do it).
Wait…What’s a “Genie+?”
Quickly, for those who may not be familiar with it, Genie+ is the PAID service that has replaced FastPass+.
Disney Genie+ allows you to book the Lightning Lane for rides.
There are really 3 services that fall under the Genie umbrella — the FREE Genie planning service (creates a custom itinerary for you to follow in the parks), the PAID Genie+ service (allows you to skip the lines at many rides), and the PAID Individual Lightning Lane service (allows you to pay to skip the lines individually at select, very popular Disney rides).
Click here for our full PAGE on Genie+
Remember, Genie+ Didn’t Get Developed Overnight
The first thing we need to point out whenever anyone mentions Iger potentially making changes to Genie+ is this — while Bob Chapek gets much of the “blame” for Genie+’s introduction into the parks (because it happened while he was CEO), Bob Iger was technically still around.
The paid Genie+ service (along with Individual Lightning Lanes and the free Genie planning service) was introduced in October of 2021, while Chapek was CEO. But, let us not forget that at the exact same time Iger was still Chairman of the Board for the Walt Disney Company (he didn’t leave Disney officially until the end of 2021).
Bob Chapek and Bob Iger©CNBC
So, it’s not as if Genie+ was introduced at a time when Iger had no control over (certain) things at Disney or insider knowledge of what was happening at Disney. Sure, he wasn’t the CEO and his powers were different, but he still was part of the Company at that time. It’s not as if he’s walking into something he had no idea about.
Plus, the Genie+ service was likely in development for several years before its 2021 release, potentially even back to a time when Iger was CEO. These things take time to develop and build — it’s not as if it would have happened overnight.
Avoid the standby entrances with Lightning Lane!
In fact, the FREE Genie service was actually announced at 2019 D23 Expo — when Iger was still CEO. Granted, at that time it was really just the free planning service that was announced, but it still indicates that something related to Genie was already in the works.
People Have High Hopes that Iger Will Change Genie+
A LOT of fans are hoping for significant Genie+ changes or even a full removal of Genie+ under Iger. Many have complained about the fact that Genie+ is not free, and that it’s too difficult to use since reservations have to be made one at a time (that is more similar to the old paper FastPass system, but FastPass+ allowed guests to make up to 3 selections in advance, which some really enjoyed).
Fans have expressed their desire to have the cost standardized (one set price for ALL of it — rather than separate costs for Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes), allow for some rides to be reserved before the vacation begins, lower the cost, or abolish the system entirely.
Scanning into Our Lightning Lane
And some may be hoping that Iger’s reported opinion that Chapek was “killing the soul” of the Company indicates he could make some changes to things introduced during the “Chapek era,” like Genie+.
Some reports indicated that Iger previously felt like Chapek had “given priority” to Disney’s streaming business “at the expense of other parts of Disney,” like the parks.
©Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
Some shared that Iger was reportedly “alarmed by increases in prices at Disney theme parks.” And Iger apparently told more than one person that Chapek was “killing the soul of the company.”
Though the report from which these quotes came did NOT mention Genie+ whatsoever, some may be hoping that the Genie+ price increases are enough to alarm Iger too.
Click here for 4 important SECRETS you didn’t know about the Iger-Chapek conflict
Some Changes Have ALREADY Been Made
One thing that could be a “good sign” for future Genie+ changes is the fact that certain changes have already been made since Iger returned as CEO.
Iger became CEO again on November 20th, 2022. The following day, a change was made that Disney fans likely did NOT enjoy. On November 21st, 2022, Genie+ hit a record-high price in Disney World ($29 per person per day). It’s likely that this price adjustment was put into place before Iger’s return and was something he couldn’t change on such short notice even if he wanted to, but it’s still something worth noting.
Expedition Everest Lightning Lane
But, there was another modification announced not long after Iger took over as CEO. On December 6th, 2022, Disney announced that Genie+ selections could be MODIFIED. This marked a big change for the service as selections previously had to be canceled before a guest could make a new one.
The change went into effect in Disney World on December 9th, 2022, making Genie+ a bit more convenient!
What happens if you click on your selection
This change has led to a modification in the 120-minute rule that could benefit you (if you know what to do). Essentially, if you use the modification tool to modify the time or experience you want to use Genie+ for, your 2-hour window (which determines when you can book your next Genie+ selection) remains the same. If you cancel the Genie+ selection and then make a new one, the 2-hour window resets and updates.
It’s a bit complicated but, if used right, the modification tool could actually help you get in MORE Genie+ selections than you would have gotten if you canceled and made a new selection.
MODIFY is the key!
And soon Genie+ will be changing again, in a way. Starting within the next few months, those who buy the Genie+ service in Disney World will get an extra perk — FREE digital downloads of their PhotoPass attraction photos and videos from select rides (this is for photos/videos taken on the day of the Genie+ purchase and park visit).
Genie+ has already changed some under Iger’s watch as CEO (for the second time), so could more changes be on the way?
Could He Significantly Change Genie+ MORE?
Certainly, Iger could change Genie+ in a number of way.
He could take a dramatic step and make Genie+ totally free, or maybe partially free (with respect to certain rides). We have recently seen free overnight self-parking return for Disney World Hotel guests, so that might signal the return of other “free” perks (considering FastPass+ was once free).
Genie+ can vary in price based on demand
Iger could also reduce the Genie+ price or make it a standardized price again (initially, Genie+ was one set price per day, but it has since shifted so that its price varies daily depending on expected demand, etc.).
He could also decide to make Genie+ free for certain guests (like Annual Passholders), or include it as a free/bonus “perk” if you purchase certain vacation packages with hotels and tickets (like how Disney once offered those Free Disney Dining Plan promotions).
Or Iger could make more internal changes to Genie+ — streamlining the service by simplifying when guests can book reservations, removing or simplifying the 120-minute rule, or making other adjustments that would make the system simpler and easier to understand for new guests.
©Disney
And one Disney executive has fully admitted that Genie+ is not perfect. Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of the Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products division, when talking about Genie+ said, “is it perfect? Absolutely not.”
He went on to say, that Genie is still learning and that there have been TRILLIONS of iterations of Genie, each helping it to get better. D’Amaro admitted that while it may work for guests who haven’t been to Disney before, it’s “not perfect” and probably not the most intuitive for Disney pros. So he seems to acknowledge there’s room for improvement.
Josh D’Amaro, Head of Disney Parks and Resorts
So, there are many ways that Iger could change Genie+ and Iger is likely aware of its shortcomings and why it’s “not perfect.”
But the Question is Really Will He Change It
The question we should be asking ourselves, however, isn’t how could Iger change Genie+, but rather will he change it?
The plain fact is that Genie+ is a HUGE driver of revenue for Disney Parks. Christine McCarthy, Disney’s Chief Financial Officer, explained (during the 4th quarter earnings call for fiscal year 2022) that when announcing that there had been an increase in spending per person in the parks. She shared that the increased spending reflected “the continued popularity of premium offerings, including Genie+ and Lightning Lane.”
Lightning Lane Sign at Town Square Theater
In a time when some are worried about a potential financial recession, Disney+ and streaming are losing the Company some serious money, and the parks are bringing in the cash that may be helping other things stay afloat, why kill (part of) the cash cow?
All of these may point to a stronger likelihood of Genie+ sticking around in some form, despite the change in CEO, particularly when it comes to the money-making portion of the paid parts of the service.
Genie+
If Disney feels like the monetary value that comes from guests paying for Genie+ is too big to give up, then, realistically, the changes we might see with Genie+ might only make it less expensive, or simply might be within the system itself that would make it more convenient for individuals to use.
Iger is only back as CEO for 2 years (according to the current deal), and he may feel like he has “bigger fish to fry” like the brewing proxy battle over a seat on the Board of Directors, the impending dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and the need to make streaming profitable — making Genie+ free or “better” might not be at the top of his list.
Disney Genie
What do you think? What changes do you think could realistically be made while Iger is CEO? Tell us in the comments.
For more Genie+ help, check out our posts below and watch our video!
See our FULL PAGE on Genie+ here
All About Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection
BIG Genie+ Changes Being Planned For Disney World
FULL List of Rides Included With Genie+ in Disney World
3 Tips to OUTSMART Genie+ in Disney World Right Now
Please Stop Skipping These Genie+ Hacks in Disney World (They Really Work!)
Genie+ Tips for the Most Crowded Days in Disney World and Disneyland
Click HERE to See More About Disney Genie
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What changes do you think could realistically be made while Iger is CEO? Tell us in the comments.
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I really hope there will be changes as a person coming from Canada we spend a crap ton to come to Disney roughly 4800.00 for two of us for 5 days so add flights say on the cheap side 1200.00 this is before food and drinks. Not being able to have a plan going down is so frustrating you spend your time criss crossing the park and not taking anything in we had to give up or dining reservations twice because it didn’t work with our genie+. It was just super frustrating and really kinda disappointing I love starting at one side of the park and taking it in as we go we spent SOOO much time on our phone. It was really to bad.
If you’re paying extra money, you should be able to skip lines.
I think the better change would be having LESS slots reserved for the Lightning Lane even if it meant a higher price for that privilege.
In November I stood too long in stuck stand by lines while crowds entered the attractions trough Lighting Lane.
I felt the stand by line wasn’t so big. It was just unfairly slow, because of the huge number of guests using the Lightning Lane.
As someone who’s never been to any Disneyland but is currently planning a trip in the spring for that will likly be the only time we can go. I think it’s nice to have the ability to “skip the line” I think it would be nice if they could make it quicker and more offerings though. For instance if they could eliminate the line all together aka have it on like a buzzer system on your phone and go straight to the ride to get on. And I thinks it’s kinda ridiculous that they have you buy an additional add on that cost a quarter or more of the cost of the ticket and not every ride is available on it… still have to pay even more for the newer rides! Take about a money grab!!
Hi, probably in the minority, but I like the system as it is at this time. I am planning for a trip in 2024 and budgeting in for the days I want to use the service and days I wont. Knowledge is power and I accept I will have to wait in some lines because i am not using the service on those days. that being said, if there was a change I would like to see a standard rate for both genie + as well as Individual Lightning Lane purchases instead of scale rate based on business or expected business.
Preference would be go back and make it exactly like FastPass+ – Obviously, not likely because $$
So in lieu of that I think flat single fee is the next best thing. The tiered pricing and double charges make it so awkward & cumbersome that I bet they lose more due confusion than they realize.
What about when using a mobility device. I have severe arthritis and I need a wheelchair. What do I do about genie +?
I feel like as a frequent Disney guest and DVC owner that far to many services are available for those who choose to stay elsewhere. Over the years the buses are available to all who wish to avoid parking fees by parking at resorts and jumping on the bus etc. Make resort parking for resort guests only or use a listed reservation for the resort dining the an exclusion so dining guest park etc.
Genie should definitely be free perk for all Disney guests and a fee to those who are not. Lighting Lane can be charged incrementally and fairly to all who want to stay off grounds, the Annual and FL pass holders etc.
COMPLICATED!!! All these possible adjustments still make Genie + COMPLICATED!!! Iger and the rest of the corporate hot shots know nothing about creating a NON – COMPLICATED vacation. Regardless of the price – free, cheap or super expensive it is still COMPLICATED. Bring back fast pass system of booking the rides ahead of vacation time. One week, two weeks a month – whatever. This way you can be at home confused and dealing with complications. You also have the decisions on how much extra you want to spend while still creating your vacation budget. (That’s probably why Disney won’t allow pre- vacation reservations. You are more apt to spend spend spend in the heat of vacation complications). Another proof that none of them care about the guests – they only care about charging charging and charging more money.
Genie + can work, Disneyland allows you to pay in advance (not impacted by surge pricing) when you are booking a trip. Put every ride except for the latest ride (Universal does this with their much MORE expensive option), unless it is logistically impossible to add that line in. Reduce the number of Genie +s sold in a day; this way standby lines can move faster. Maybe offer a volume discount? If you are buying 3+ Genie +s you save $1~3 per purchase, that way a family of four can still get G+ at a slightly lower price per person. The system does “work”, but some tweaking would go ALONG way.
I will pay for the service, fine. But make it like the old fast pass. I can book 3 rides 3 months out or whatever it was, and let me book again after using the last one. And just include all the rides together. We just got back from Disney this week for the first time since Genie was implemented and it was not fun waking up 6:55 after getting to sleep at 2am to try to book lightning lanes half asleep
I’ve used Genie + at both Disneyland and Disney World. I have to admit it worked extremely well at Disneyland. We were able to use it to get onto 7 rides at Disneyland and these were popular rides too. Not so much Disney World. Best we did was 3 rides.
Genie+ should be a catchall for all Disney reservations. Within Genie+ you should be able to make 3 reservations per day FREE prior to your trip (similar to the reservations prior to Genie+). If you want to spend more and make more reservations before you trip, that should be a tier that costs more. They could also include a VIP tier that has many more perks, similar to what Universal does.
You could maybe even incentivize that lower ‘free’ tier for just people staying on a Disney property. They day of changing feels very nickle and dimey.
I understand that it makes money, but that money making venture shouldn’t come at the cost of ‘average’ families. Like anything, if people have the money or want to spend the money, they should be able to do so at an added cost.
I think he should get rid of Josh, he was a ‘yes man” for Chapek and helped to destroy the magic at Disneyland.
Charge for Genie + if necessary, per day, put a premium on “lightening lane attractions”. But allow anything to be planned ahead of stay. If need be make lightening lane attractions be spaced out, maybe. 2 per day 4 hours apart. Anything that will allow advance planning g for those who do not want to spend their entire vacation stressed and staring at a phone. I have been going to Disney with my grandchildren almost at least 1 x per year since the littlest was 2, my last trip to Disney World was March 2022, I came home vowing to not return until things changed, and sadly my grandchildren felt the same way.
I would like to see the option to make reservation to rides before you go. Could really spoil a once in a life time trip if the most important rides (to you) are unavailable to reserve doing your time there. Sounds to me like you would have to really know how to navigate the Genie+ system to get lighting lanes and individual lightening lane reservations.
We pay a couple of thousand dollars for two passes. I don’t think it’s worth having to pay more to be able to skip standby lines or to ride a new ride. I believe this is fundamentally wrong and will ultimately make Disney affordable to a very select population.
Maybe they should include it in your hotel like Universal does. If you stay at a WDW resort, you get it free. And, PLEASE, someone do away with the park reservation system!
Hi Sara! Genie+ works the same for those who need mobility assistance as it does for those who do not. It’s just a shortened line and most of Disney’s rides are wheelchair/ECV accessible. Genie+ and the Disability Access Service (DAS) pass work well together if you should need to use both.
I have always thought that a tiered system for Genie would work. Value resort guests get what is available now, Genie free, Genie+ and Ind. LL’s extra. Moderate resorts would get up to Genie+ for free, only pay for Ind. LL’s. Luxury resort and DVC members get everything including 1 Ind. LL a day. You could also tier for different AP holders. Daily ticket holders could be fir it on ant tier you wanted. This way you get a couple of extra perks if you go for the high price resorts or annual passes.
Bring back FastPass. Period!!!!
Disney is just getting too complicated to have fun at any more. after going to WDW every year, multiple times per year for over 30 and Imam just about played out. All of the new attractions are dar and of the spin and puke style. Not much for me to enjoy any more. Disney should create and allow for a day pass that gives you access to the dining and shopping, but no attractions. I would go for that.
I want to go the Disney to look around, and to enjoy the parks scenery, not to look at my iPhone. I do enough of that at home/work. At Disney we should be able to pre plan and then “enjoy the view”.
It’s the new business model. The gasoline companies say: Raise the price of gas, they’ll get use to it. The egg producers say: Raise the price of eggs, we’re making tremendous profits, they’ll get use to it. Natural gas production: Raise the price of natural gas ever though we are the largest producer in the world…they’ll get use to it. Disney says: Raise all the prices, not only will they get use to it, they don’t even care. Charge for a service that was free, charge to ride attractions that were free….they’ll get use to it.
If they make it free there won’t be any availability. And I like that I don’t have to plan my day 3 months before going. Cedar Point charges $150 per person per day to skip the line, but you can use it for all rides and ride multiple times, there’s no reserving a time. I just wish they would let you add Genie + to your vacation package when you book.
We were at Disney World in 2019 and 2022. The crowds were the same and there was no need in 2019 for Park Reservations, Genie Plus and Individual Attraction. Disney is not the only company that lost money during the pandemic, but Disney is the only company that made it back and then some in three years. A million people lost their lives, their homes, their savings and their retirement during the Pandemic but not Disney. Please Disney bring us back to 2019. Please eliminate the Genie Plus and the Individual Attraction. Please Disney bring back the Free Fast Pass With Three Rides.
They need to get the Fastpass paper system back! Older guests do not always have the phone knowledge to make it work plus the paper system worked the best! The other biggest thing you got rid of is Mears, the bus ride to and from MCO and Resorts. It was like the minute you stepped of the plane Magic struck you in the mind and heart. Not having to look for luggage, just looking for the magical ride to the Greatest place on earth. Guests staying in the resorts need the extra hours, park hopping, and all the other things that guests had.Guests staying there were able and felt like guests with all the privileges we had. Now days having to pay for all these extras and not able to do all the extras like booking meals and such early do not feel staying there is worth it. Our big family is one. We’ve passed on 3 big vacations and tried out others. People have been so disappointed I heard they are just about avoiding anything Disney. Let’s get us Disney lovers back to stay, love and spend our $ there.
It’s simple. Get rid of genie and return to the old free fast pass system that worked and was free. Done.
Iger will not change anything about genie+ that favors the guest. Disney is actively trying to price-out the middle class family. Disney just wants the rich and uber-rich to come play in their parks and buy their Made-In-China trinkets in the stores.
As the story said, Genie+ and the Park Pass Reservation system was Iger’s baby that Chapek nurtured. Iger won’t change anything for the better.
I’ve been traveling to WDW since 1975 and have been an AP holder since its inception so the changes I’ve experienced over the years have been incredible. With that said, the Genie+ is a total disaster IMHO and has made the park experience stressful! I find we are on our phones way too much which takes away from the guest taking in the park ambiance and that is a big part of one’s trip. I hope a minion of Bob Igor reads comments from these types of threads and understands that guests (new and old) are not happy overall with Genie+. Yes, they might be making a ton of money with this new product, but the reason people are buying it is because the standby lines are unbearable now for those either unwilling to spend any more money or just plain can’t afford it. Bottom line: Get rid of Genie+ and bring back Fast pass either as a paid experience that is a much lower price or offer it as free like the old days. What is hear from most who are planning a trip to WDW these days is that it is just too complicated.
I’m one of the few people that actually LIKE Genie+.
I learned to navigate it pretty well on our last trip, and I kinda like it.
I wish they would return the “pre-purchase” option of Genie+ so it can be booked at the time we purchase the theme park tickets. I’m making our annual trip In august and would like to purchase the Genie+ BEFORE we arrive for each day rather than buy each day.
Genie + is a complicated inconvenient version of FP that you pay for. Disney took something away that worked and was free and made it inconvenient, complicated and charged us for it. The only people that do not realize that are not experienced park goers.
I don’t think they will take it away “ they should” but maybe do something like universal does but less expensive and one set price. Meaning you pay the fee and can go on mostly all of the rides without booking them. Charge for the more busier rides as an add on. At least we won’t have to book and constantly check and can actually take in the park.
IAgree please bring back the old Walt Disney world my parents have since passed away but are whole family travelled to gather all the time all 25 ot us went to gather I would again like to redo that all again when Disney was magical by boys are now 37 and 40 years old I would now like to expires that magic all over again with my 4 grandchildren and pay respect to the memory to my parents and husband that sines pas at the age of 64 his best memories were Disney with his four wonderful grandchildren
Bring back “MAGICAL” Express, FastPASS, annual passes for all, parades, the Jaminators, Alien Encounter, the corner Sweet Spells shop in Hollywood Studios, AND all the vegetarian dining options that were removed from almost every restaurant. Get rid of park passes, any form of Genie, and the need for cell phones. While Disney prides itself on promoting family values, it’s relentless requirements for park goers to constantly use cell phones during what is supposed to be a magical family vacation, is 100% counter to their “family values” messaging. REDUCE PRICES!!! DISNEY PARKS MADE $28 BILLION IN REVENUE FOR 2022. Do you think they could get by on $27 billion and give their employees a raise? Try to make it a little less obvious that you care more about your stock price and executive salaries than you do about your employees and customers. Since Chapek, Disney has had the eyesight of a hawk and the vision of a clam. Iger… HELP!!!
I love Genie+. I am 65+ and I figured it out just fine. Last year on July 3, at Magic Kingdom, my sister and I went on every single ride and show that day, plus meal at Crystal Palace and Be our Guest. We also went on our favorite rides and shows twice. It was crowed that day. Disney world is not a lazy, laid back vacation. Planning your trip and learning Genie+ is not the end of the world. If it is, go to the beach with no itinerary. Going again on July 3, Epcot on July 5, Animal Kingdom on July 7.
Unless you’re going during peak seasons I don’t really see the need for it.
The free digital pictures is really nice but we’re getting Memory Maker so we don’t need it for that either.
They have to find away to make it more appealing. Maybe a discount if you bought memory maker?
I have used Genie Plus and I hated it. I also did not think it was worth the additional cost. Having said that there are times that it is needed/required when the crowds are so high that without it every line is long and tedious, and frankly not worth the wait. Given the cost of the ticket plus the cost of Genie+ your only choice is to pay and be disappointed or save your money and go anywhere other than Disneyworld. So, until there are changes, I will NOT be returning to Disneyworld, and if do go, it will be to stay in one of the hotels and fore-go any of the parks. The hotel stay alone is a significant expense, but if you hang around the hotel and skip the parks then you can enjoy many of the benefits that the hotel charges you for but most people do not have the time or energy (or money) to enjoy when they have exhausted all their time and money waiting in lines at the parks.
Going to the parks (in my opinion) is no longer worth the cost with or without Genie+ because the crowds and wait times are insufferable. But focusing on Genie+ – there are countless issues that need to be addressed and I do not need to waste time describing them as they have already been illuminated in countless emails and articles.
I would, however, like to focus on the solution that would indeed make it worthwhile to purchase.
The premise is to make your day easier and more enjoyable but with all the rules and regulations to use it ( 120 rule, etc), it is a constant battle trying to fiddle faddle to get any times on rides that you want to ride. And it is a crap shoot where you spend most of your time looking and playing with your phone rather than enjoying where you are and what is going on around you. That is not what I paid for!
What I want is a guarantee to ride everything I want to ride in the time period that i have to enjoy the parks. Let me restate that, I want a Guarantee to do the things I want to do. I am sure the first reaction is that it is not possible, and my reply is, oh yes, it is!
Here is the solution. Before you attend a park, you buy a ticket. Disney knows through the ticket sales AND the park reservation system, as well as the people going through the gates how many people are in the park at ANY point in time. That’s a given. They also know the number of people that can be processed through a ride in what we will call Ride through put. Also defined as the number of people to ride per hour. If a percentage of each rides through-put is reserved for Lightning Lane slots then you know what your capacity is on each ride per hour.
Now everyone who is able (and there is a limit to how many lighting lane reservations are available – so you may not be able to purchase Gennie+ on some days as they may be sold out). But assume that you are able to purchase Genie+ for the sake of discussion (And there are many variables/scenarios that can feed into this but I will not go into all the conditions here), then here is how it will work. You enter BEFORE you go to the park) everything that you want to ride, do, and meals (and the priority of each) as well as the time you plan to arrive and when you plan to leave the park, and finally how many people (and ages) in some case that are in your party. Once you enter everything then Gennie Plus would SCHEDULE every ride and activity for your entire day. So, in essence you would have a lightening lane reservation for EVRYTHING you wanted to do in your day. The system would calculate how many people asked to ride any given ride in any given time period and schedule everyone based on the throughput and demand (capacity versus crowds). In this way, it guarantees you will get to do everything you want to do in a given time period.
Now this is where it gets tricky. Again, from a programming perspective this can get a little complicated but it is possible, so let me describe a FEW of the exceptions/restrictions. Once you enter all your info into Genie+ it will give you a schedule. It will then give you a cost to purchase Genie+ for that day. If it cannot give you a reservation time for one or more of the rides attractions you want to enjoy, then it will REDUCE the price for that day. So, you decide before you commit to purchasing if you will get to do everything you want, with EVERYTHING being Reserved for a specific window of time (less than 30 minutes) for every ride and attraction you want to do. Then and only then will you then be asked if you want to purchase Genie+. This can also be used to decide what parks you visit on any given day or even if you want to GO to Disneyworld in the first place.
Now let’s say that you do NOT get a lightening lane reservation for some of the rides that you want, and you purchased (at a reduced rate) Genie + for everything else. Then Genie+ would suggest the best time to go on the rides it could not scheduled, using the standby lines, based on your current schedule and time frames. As an example, lets say you have a lightning Lane Reservation (LLR) for ride one at 11:00 am and the next ride is scheduled for 1:30 pm. At the same time your schedule has you eating lunch from 11:30 to 12:30 pm. According to the crowd projections Genie plus indicates that the stand by line for the ride you could not schedule would be 60 min between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, then you could make some choices about shifting when and where you eat lunch and whether you want to get in a stand by line. Point is YOU are in control of what you do when, but you have guaranteed times for the things you PAID for. Now there are lots of flexibility and options that can be provided on a real time basis to make changes to your schedule and activities, but you can see what the changes will do and whether you want to give up a guaranteed reservation because of a change in your groups plans. ALL of this can be accommodated, including if the park gate senses you have left the park, then any reservations you had after that point are released back to the available pool for others to use by changing their existing schedules. Genie+ would also automatically PROMPT folks if a time slot opens up that can improve your current schedule without losing any reservations for rides you still have not been on. You could then click and accept the new schedule. If you do not, then your existing schedule remains unchanged
So, in essence when you sign up for genie+, it creates a schedule for you at given price where EVERYTHING you want to do is prescheduled for the entire day (time you are in the park), and the price of scheduling and getting lighting lane reservations for EVERY ride. You can then click to accept or not the Genie guaranteed reservations at the price quoted. If you are not willing to pay the price, then you can take your chances with the stand by line as you can now. The Price will fluctuate based on the crowd levels and what percentage of rides you are able to preschedule. Each Party’s schedule can vary based on the priority of each activity they select and assign. As an example, if your #1 priority is the Mine train, and the lowest priority is the big thunder, then it will try to schedule your #1 priority at the earliest time, then schedule the next priority and so on until all of your selections are scheduled for some point in your day. This does not mean that the #1 Priority will be your first ride, because it depends on through-put, Demand, and capacity.
So, with a guaranteed schedule you can now enjoy the time in the park and move from activity to activity by simply following the schedule provided, allowing only enough time waiting in line to actually enjoy the ride ques and all there is to see and appreciate without making the wait something short of torture.
So, there is the solution. Hope Disney takes this idea and implements it, then Genie+ would be worth the extra cost, but as it is now, it is not worth even going to the parks at all.
My family and I have just returned from a 10 day vacation at Disney World. There were 9 in our group. We had a mixture of ages from 7-71. It was our first trip since February 2020. Boy have things changed! Our trip cost us almost double. My poor niece had to get up early every morning to buy Genie+ and try to book rides. She spent most of our trip with her eyes glued to her phone and her fingers “refreshing “ her screen trying to grab rides. It was pathetic! It’s bad enough that we now have to pay for something that was free, but the price of Genie+ changes daily. Our cost ranged from $15-$22 per day. People say don’t buy it, but when you have young children and people in your party who cannot stand for long periods of time, you have no real choice. My advice to Iger is to charge a flat fee of $15 dollars if you need the money that badly and do not price gouge. Allow it to be purchased daily, but make 3 lightening lanes available at a time so people can enjoy the magic of the parks instead of staring at their phones all day and constantly bumping into other guests. Or better yet, include it with deluxe resort packages of 5 days or more. And please bring back Magical Express. Charge a nominal fee if Disney needs the money so badly, but bring back the Magic. The soul of Disney is dying as the pixie dust disappears!
I spent the day at HS today and had a Fantasmic dining plan reservation for the 8:30 show. Since we finished dinner at around 6:30, we had 90 minutes before the Fantasmic reservation. We decided to ride ToT since the posted wait was only 55 minutes. We got in line and made into the hotel lobby in a fairly quick amount of time. Then an announcement came that due to a malfunction the ride would operate at half capacity. There were about 20 people ahead of us in the standby line up to the the queue where the standby and lightening line merge into the pre-show in the library. We watched our phones as the minutes clicked by and the LL guests were ushered in at a clip of about 10-1. For every group of about 30 LL they would take 4 people or so from the standby queue. We barely, and I mean barely made our reservations for Fantasmic. It took us about 30 minutes to make it through the last 20 people in line in front of us. We were highly disappointed.
Genie+ should be a free service to DVC members. After all, these guests are a virtual guarantee of increased revenue based on the vast amount of return visits to all properties.
When Disney says that a park is FULL, is it because Disney artificially determines the wait times. When a cast member allows 10 people from the stand by line to go on to the ride and 40 people from the Genie Plus line to go on to the ride, this determines the WAIT TIME. Before Genie Plus, EVERYONE HAD THREE FREE PAST PASSES. Today in Disney only the people who pay extra for Genie Plus are in a park that is half full. The people who cannot afford the Genie Plus are ALWAYS IN A PARK THAT IS FULL AND THE WAIT TIMES FOR THEM REFLECT IT. Disney please make all of your guests equal again. I remember when it was. Disney, PLEASE ELIMINATE THE GENIE PLUS.