Genie+ / on-site stay

[mlayton14]

If we were to stay and the GCH and planned to goto Disneyland park for the day , could we tap in to DCA first thing in the AM to make LL selections for Disneyland park? We would have park hoppers. Family are not early risers so thinking about us hitting the DCA entrance would be quicker and easier , then they can goto back to bed while I start making LL reservations for later in the day , would this work ?

 

[twodogs]

Yes! Everyone needs to go down and tap in, but that will work great! Have fun!

 

[BGinCali]

If we were to stay and the GCH and planned to goto Disneyland park for the day , could we tap in to DCA first thing in the AM to make LL selections for Disneyland park? We would have park hoppers. Family are not early risers so thinking about us hitting the DCA entrance would be quicker and easier , then they can goto back to bed while I start making LL reservations for later in the day , would this work ?

Keeping in mind each person in your party does need to scan in, this will work, though it won’t allow you to book at the opposite park (in this instance DL) until the ride return time is 11am or later (after Park hopping starts). For example…at 8:00am you all scanned in to DCA and want to book Space Mountain…but SM is currently booking a return of 9:15-10:15am…you wouldn’t be able to book. You would have to wait until the SM return window was 11:00 am or later. Hope that makes sense!

 

[mlayton14]

Keeping in mind each person in your party does need to scan in, this will work, though it won’t allow you to book at the opposite park (in this instance DL) until the ride return time is 11am or later (after Park hopping starts). For example…at 8:00am you all scanned in to DCA and want to book Space Mountain…but SM is currently booking a return of 9:15-10:15am…you wouldn’t be able to book. You would have to wait until the SM return window was 11:00 am or later. Hope that makes sense!

Interesting, I had no idea. So I can make DLP LL reservations any time after tapping in to DCA, but the return window must be after 11a. I guess that means I should book whatever ride is at 11a or after just to restart the clock for the next LL- (can reschedule that LL Reservation whenever), is that what you would do ? Thanks again

 

[twodogs]

Interesting, I had no idea. So I can make DLP LL reservations any time after tapping in to DCA, but the return window must be after 11a. I guess that means I should book whatever ride is at 11a or after just to restart the clock for the next LL- (can reschedule that LL Reservation whenever), is that what you would do ? Thanks again

Definitely book something at the time you tap in, even if the return time is sooner than you will all get into the parks. That starts the 2 hour clock to book the next one. Then MODIFY the first one to a later time (before the window for it opens). If you CANCEL, then the 2 hour lock out restarts. If you MODIFY, it stays clicking away from the time you first booked. Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[twodogs]

So I would book something first in DCA if nothing in DL is past 11am at the time you tap in. Then modify the time of the DCA LL to later, and you preserve the 2 hour lock-out start time from the first booking.

 

[mlayton14]

So I would book something first in DCA if nothing in DL is past 11am at the time you tap in. Then modify the time of the DCA LL to later, and you preserve the 2 hour lock-out start time from the first booking.

Sounds like great advice thanks all

 

[LKing]

Not sure how many days you will be staying or how late you get going in the morning. If you are coming from the east coast, remember, there is a 3 hour time difference. Your 10 am is our 7 am.

If your reservation is for Disneyland, you will not be able to enter DCA before 11 am. If you want to select LL from DCA before 11 am, your park reservation for those days needs to be DCA.

 

[rtravels]

Yes! Everyone needs to go down and tap in, but that will work great! Have fun!

Wait a second, are you sure this would work? They have reservations for DL not DCA...so how would they "tap in " to DCA? Wouldn't they have to go to DL to tap in and get this to work? (which really wouldn't be much help given that DL is not just outside the door of their hotel).

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

If we were to stay and the GCH and planned to goto Disneyland park for the day , could we tap in to DCA first thing in the AM to make LL selections for Disneyland park? We would have park hoppers. Family are not early risers so thinking about us hitting the DCA entrance would be quicker and easier , then they can goto back to bed while I start making LL reservations for later in the day , would this work ?

No. You could not tap into DCA before 11AM if your starting reserved park for the day is Disneyland. Whether or not you enter Disneyland before 11AM, you cannot enter DCA before 11AM if your starting park is Disneyland. Unfortunately staying at GCH doesn't change this reality. If you want to start stacking Genie+ rides for the day for Disneyland then you need to drag the family to the Disneyland front gates or the Disneyland monorail entrance. If you are unwilling to do that, then you need to make that morning's starting park reservation for DCA and you will at first likely only be able to schedule DCA rides since barring technical difficulties Disneyland rides should not yet have return times showing for after 11AM. Gathering Genie+ for later will only have limited utility whichever park you start with because many rides will not advance very quickly and you cannot make a second Genie+ selection until the first selection has been redeemed or 2 hours has passed, whichever comes sooner. The advice to rebook rather than cancel your selections is sound but again will have limited utility early in the day for the reasons already noted.

 

[Porsche4]

I have one in my party who doesn't do well with early rising however we have made a pact that they will get up and hit EE and or rope drop on certain days and get to sleep in on others. Also we will be returning to the hotel early afternoon every day for a couple of hours rest break before park hopping in the evening. We all feel this should work for us. Perhaps as you only have one day you could persuade everyone it would be worth their while to get up early (it is only one day) and then they could have an afternoon rest break before hitting the parks again in the evening.

 

[mlayton14]

Excellent useful info added, thanks , can’t imagine being a hotel guest that just making the reservation for DCA but planning to spend the day at DLP would be any risk, talking later august this summer

 

[LKing]

Excellent useful info added, thanks , can’t imagine being a hotel guest that just making the reservation for DCA but planning to spend the day at DLP would be any risk, talking later august this summer

Not sure what you are saying here. You cannot park hop until after 11 am. If you make a reservation for DCA, you cannot enter DL until after 11 am. If it is after 11 am, you can enter either park regardless of where you made your reservation.

While WDW stopped their reservation system, the California parks did not. The California parks also alternate days for early entry. You might want to check which days have early entry for which parks before making your reservations.

 

[mlayton14]

Not sure what you are saying here. You cannot park hop until after 11 am. If you make a reservation for DCA, you cannot enter DL until after 11 am. If it is after 11 am, you can enter either park regardless of where you made your reservation.

While WDW stopped their reservation system, the California parks did not. The California parks also alternate days for early entry. You might want to check which days have early entry for which parks before making your reservations.

What I’m saying is that I can just as easily make my reservation for DCA instead of DLP but still spend the whole day at DLP after 11am with some lightning lanes already in the bag

 

[Pluto468]

Wait a second, are you sure this would work? They have reservations for DL not DCA...so how would they "tap in " to DCA? Wouldn't they have to go to DL to tap in and get this to work? (which really wouldn't be much help given that DL is not just outside the door of their hotel).

I think you're right about this. When we were at DCA last time I tried to get a LL at DL for later in the day, but it wouldn't let me because I hadn't scanned into DL yet.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I think you're right about this. When we were at DCA last time I tried to get a LL at DL for later in the day, but it wouldn't let me because I hadn't scanned into DL yet.

Nope, I regularly get a LL selection for DL when inside DCA before scanning in for DL for the day. You just have to select something that has a return time starting 11AM or later.

 

[LKing]

Correct.

@Pluto468 it doesn't matter what park you are in. It might have been that there were no LL available when you were trying.

 

[Pluto468]

Correct.

@Pluto468 it doesn't matter what park you are in. It might have been that there were no LL available when you were trying.

Good to know for next time. Thanks!

 

[LKing]

Good to know for next time. Thanks!

And I know you are already planning that next trip!

 

[twodogs]

Wait a second, are you sure this would work? They have reservations for DL not DCA...so how would they "tap in " to DCA? Wouldn't they have to go to DL to tap in and get this to work? (which really wouldn't be much help given that DL is not just outside the door of their hotel).

Sorry I did not see that the reservations are for DL. They would need to be for DCA to tap in there prior to 11am.