Everything Genie, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane - Please Read Posts 1-7

[Koda]

We will be there for Princess Half Marathon weekend 2/22-2/26. The last time we were at WDW was prior to Genie+, so I am not familiar with it, and am just starting to read up on it. Any opinions on if you think we will need Genie+, or should we just take our chances with stand-by? Thank you!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We will be there for Princess Half Marathon weekend 2/22-2/26. The last time we were at WDW was prior to Genie+, so I am not familiar with it, and am just starting to read up on it. Any opinions on if you think we will need Genie+, or should we just take our chances with stand-by? Thank you!

My advice is to read up, learn the basics of how it works, and be prepared in case the crowds dictate to you that you wish to buy it. It's a decision you might not make until you get there and see how bad the crowds are. Since you'll be post Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Festival of the Arts.... the crowds might be thinning when you're there. But folks have different tolerances and expectations around wait times in stand by! Be prepared to use it - and if you don't need it or decide to not buy it, nothing is lost.... Also, always remember you do not have to purchase Genie+ in order to purchase an ILL - important to know, if you decide you'd like to purchase a ride on Tron or FOP, for example.

 

[CoasterGT24]

I've been seeing Slinky Dog is sold out by 9am?

Quicker than that! Within a couple of minutes the past couple days according to https://www.thrill-data.com/lightning-lane/wdw

 

[Tom_E_D]

Genie+ has sold out for Hollywood Studios and Multi-park again today, earlier than yesterday.

 

[Tom_E_D]

And now Animal Kingdom has sold out for Genie+.

 

[Koda]

My advice is to read up, learn the basics of how it works, and be prepared in case the crowds dictate to you that you wish to buy it. It's a decision you might not make until you get there and see how bad the crowds are. Since you'll be post Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Festival of the Arts.... the crowds might be thinning when you're there. But folks have different tolerances and expectations around wait times in stand by! Be prepared to use it - and if you don't need it or decide to not buy it, nothing is lost.... Also, always remember you do not have to purchase Genie+ in order to purchase an ILL - important to know, if you decide you'd like to purchase a ride on Tron or FOP, for example.

Thank you!!

 

[g-dad66]

No wonder Genie+ has sold out today for AK (and DHS).

Standby wait for Flight of Passage is currently 330 minutes. That's 5 1/2 hours. Yikes!

 

[Tom_E_D]

Genie+ at Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Multi-park are all sold out again today.

 

[scrappinginontario]

No wonder Genie+ has sold out today for AK (and DHS).

Standby wait for Flight of Passage is currently 330 minutes. That's 5 1/2 hours. Yikes!

Thanks for the update. I’ve been trying to check for almost an hour and all I get is spinning, ‘we’re adding magical touches’ screen. Will update posts on page 1.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

No wonder Genie+ has sold out today for AK (and DHS).

Standby wait for Flight of Passage is currently 330 minutes. That's 5 1/2 hours. Yikes!

We saw that. I cannot even conceive waiting 5+ hours in line for any attractions at WDW. That's crazy, and a big part of the reason we would never plan a trip to WDW in late December over the holidays! No thank you.

 

[R5Jedi]

For some reason, the app wouldn't let me group link guests to each other's friends and family list, and my boyfriends mom just sent all twelve people their tickets through apple wallet? Will we still be able to sign up for virtual queue? I'm panicking here a little. My reputation as the Disney expert is on the line, haha. I wish I could convince them NOT to go the last week of December for once.

 

[Tom_E_D]

The Multi-parks option for Genie+ is now sold out for today. But all four parks are still available! ?????

 

[thanxfornoticin]

The Multi-parks option for Genie+ is now sold out for today. But all four parks are still available! ?????

That's really bizarre, and interesting. I kinda thought if all 4 parks were still available, the multi-park would be available. Must be some other algorithm underneath that's driving the availability.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Hollywood Studios is now sold out for Genie+ for today.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Add Animal Kingdom to the list of Genie+ sell outs today.

 

[Peterpan2006]

Here's what we just did this past Saturday and Sunday. We purchased ILL for Guardians, Tron, Flight, Rise).

On Saturday, we were able to get two LLs at Epcot, and then stacked five LLs for Magic Kingdom (could have gotten more, as park was open until 11 pm, but the rain was steady all day, and our ponchos were no longer keeping us as dry as we would have liked).

On Sunday, we didn't book any LLs for Animal Kingdom. Booked Slinky at 7am, of course, and at 10:30 when eligible for 2nd LL, no DHS attractions had return time after 2:00 pm yet. Had to wait until 10:50 to get 2:00 LL for Mickey & Minnie Railway (this will no longer be a factor for trips after January 9, 2024). We got a total of 6 LLs for DHS.

So if you have only 2 days to do all four parks, and if you don't have children in your group (we were one adult and two teenagers who were primarily interested in doing the major attractions), I think the Epcot/MK hop, and the AK/DHS hop is the way to go. We all had very sore feet by the end of Day 2, but it was fun challenge, and our Master Plan basically worked.

For those interested in the details........

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 [Rain all day]
7:00 am: Got Remy LL (9:15), Got Guardians ILL (10:25), Got Tron ILL (4:10)

EPCOT
8:25 am: Rope drop (near Test Track)
8:30 am: TEST TRACK
9:15 am: SOARIN OVER CALIFORNIA
10:00 am: REMY’S RATATOUILLE ADVENTURE (LL)
10:00 am: Got Frozen LL (12:40)
10:50 am: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (ILL)
11:30 am: Lunch (CONNECTIONS EATERY)
12:00 pm: Got Jungle Cruise LL (6:20)
12:30 pm: MISSION SPACE
1:05 pm: FROZEN EVER AFTER (LL)
1:25 pm: GRAN FIESTA TOUR
1:55 pm: SPACESHIP EARTH
2:00 pm: Got Haunted Mansion LL (4:10)
2:20 pm: JOURNEY OF WATER
2:45 pm: Monorail to MK

MAGIC KINGDOM
3:05 pm: At park
3:20 pm: MICKEY’S PHILHARMAGIC
4:00 pm: Got Space Mountain LL (5:40)
4:10 pm: HAUNTED MANSION (LL)
4:40 pm: TRON (ILL)
5:10 pm: Dinner (COSMIC RAY’S)
6:00 pm: Got Buzz LL (6:05)
6:10 pm: BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
6:10 pm: Got Big Thunder LL (6:15)
6:25 pm: SPACE MOUNTAIN (LL)
6:55 pm: JUNGLE CRUISE (LL)
7:10 pm: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
7:25 pm: BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD (LL)
8:00 pm: Called it quits because of rain (but could have done Seven Dwarfs Mine Train with 15 min. wait time posted)


SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17
7:00 am: Got Slinky LL (5:05), Flight of Passage ILL (11:35), Rise ILL (2:30)

ANIMAL KINGDOM
7:15 am: Rope drop at entrance
7:35 am: EXPEDITION EVEREST
7:50 am: NAVI RIVER JOURNEY
8:15 am: Went to Safari but it was temporarily closed
8:20 am: EXPEDITION EVEREST
8:40 am: DINOSAUR (Safari came up while we were in Dinosaur)
9:10 am: KILIMINJARO SAFARI (said 30 min, actual 15 min.)
10:00 am: KALI RIVER RAPIDS
10:30 am: FEATHERED FRIENDS IN FLIGHT
10:50 am: Got Mickey & Minnie Railway LL (2:00)
11:15 am: Lunch (FLAME TREE BARBECUE)
12:00 pm: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE (ILL)
12:45 pm: IT’S TOUGH TO BE A BUG 3D
12:50 pm: Got Rock n Roller Coaster LL (4:35)
1:30 pm: Bus to DHS

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
1:55 pm: In park
2:00 pm: MICKEY & MINNIE’S RUNAWAY RAILWAY (LL)
2:30 pm: MUPPETS 3D
2:50 pm: Got Tower of Terror LL (7:25)
3:15 pm: RISE OF THE RESISTANCE (ILL)
4:00 pm: INDIANA JONES STUNT SHOW
4:50 pm: Got Millenium Falcon LL (7:45)
5:10 pm: ROCK N ROLLER COASTER (LL)
5:45 pm: SLINKY DOG DASH (LL)
6:20 pm: Dinner (ABC COMMISSARY)
7:20 pm: TOWER OF TERROR (LL)
7:20 pm: Got Toy Story Mania LL (8:10)
8:00 pm: MILLENIUM FALCON (LL)
8:30 pm: Skipped Toy Story Mania for early arrival to Fantasmic
9:00 pm: FANTASMIC

What wont be a factor after January 9th?

 

[Tom_E_D]

What wont be a factor after January 9th?

Currently, you cannot park hop before 2:00. Starting January 9, you can park hop as early as you like. When booking LLs, you currently can't book them for before 2:00 unless it is the park you have a reservation for and will be visiting first. Presumably, that restriction will also end on January 9.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Genie+ has sold out for Hollywood Studios and Multi-park again today.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Magic Kingdom has also sold out for Genie+ today.

 

[Chili327]

Genie+ has sold out for Hollywood Studios and Multi-park again today.

Magic Kingdom has also sold out for Genie+ today.

Are the parks that busy this week, or is Disney trying to create some hype/demand?