Slinky and ROTR Genie+/ILL$ Tips and Experiences

[wisblue]

The pinned thread “ Everything Genie, Genie+, and Individual Lightning Lane” has a lot of excellent general information about how this system works and offers some general strategies for using it. That should be the starting point for anyone trying to get a handle on how to use this system given their general approach to touring the parks.

The long thread about Genie Usage, Tips, and Strategy frequently draws questions about getting LL reservations for Slinky and ROTR, mainly because LL reservations for these attractions "sell out" faster than any others at WDW. So, I thought it might be helpful to have a thread just devoted to those attractions so that the information doesn’t get buried among other subjects.

I see this as a place for posters to relay their specific experiences with these two attractions to help others with similar styles develop an approach that works for them.

 

[wisblue]

One of the most common questions raised is the challenge of getting a Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation for SDD because it “sells out” faster than any other attraction at WDW. That is complicated by the fact that ILL$ for ROTR also sells out faster than any of the other ILL$ attractions, so it can be a challenge getting a LL for both, especially if trying to get times in the morning.

Just looking at SDD, there is a general impression that those LL reservations disappear in the first minute. And, it is true that, starting at the stroke of 7:00:00, the return times for SDD go very quickly from 9 AM (for a 9 AM opening) and then to and through the afternoon and evening before being listed as “Not Currently Offered” (NCO), usually within a minute or so.

But, as a practical matter, more return times for SDD start popping up within a few minutes and, usually around 7:08-7:10, times start appearing with more frequency, and remain available for at least a few minutes. Some of those available times can be as early as the 9:00 hour, but there are quite a few more of them that appear with return times closer to noon, and they gradually move later into the afternoon and evening over the next couple of minutes.

I have seen this pattern both when I have played with the app from home and when I have been onsite and was actually trying to book an early time for SDD. One time, after my app froze right at 7 and I missed out on the early times, I was able to land a 9:10 return time at about 7:10 while on the bus headed to DHS.

So, if getting a LL time for SDD is a high priority for you, I suggest trying right at 7:00:00 to get a time. But, if you can’t get an acceptable time in that first minute, I recommend that you keep refreshing every minute or so until the next batch of times comes up. There may be isolated times that pop up from time to time in those first few minutes, but those might disappear before you have a chance to grab them. But, as long as the current pattern holds, some time a minute or two before or after 7:10, more times should start appearing, and you should be able to get something, even if it isn’t your first choice of time. If you’re looking for something in the afternoon your chances of getting a good time are pretty good.

 

[wisblue]

Another common question is whether it is better to try to book Slinky or ROTR first if you are trying to get both.

The ideal solution to this is to have 2 or more people in your touring group (or maybe someone who is offsite) help with the bookings right at 7:00. You could have one or more people trying to book Slinky while someone else tries to book a time for ROTR.

If that isn't possible, I have seen different opinions about which to try to get first. On the one hand, because SDD sells out faster, and takes a few seconds less to book than an ILL$ like ROTR, trying for Slinky first might make sense. On the other hand, SDD has generally shorter standby lines than ROTR, so going standby for SDD (possibly during early entry) might be an option if you can't get an acceptable LL time after booking ROTR, even using the "7:10 window" described in the previous post. (Additional times for ROTR often appear during this window too).

We have always had multiple adults available (onsite or at home) to help with booking, so I haven't faced this firsthand. I would be interested hearing what others have experienced.

 

[kathi]

This is SUPER helpful - thank you!!

 

[Davey Jones II]

Thanks for the info, Wisblue. But I'd like to hear about people's experiences booking headliners the rest of the day. If you miss that 7 a.m. start time, what ILL$ can you get later on?

 

[wisblue]

Thanks for the info, Wisblue. But I'd like to hear about people's experiences booking headliners the rest of the day. If you miss that 7 a.m. start time, what ILL$ can you get later on?

There is discussion about things like that on the long thread about Genie strategy. None of the other ILL$ attractions run out anywhere near as quickly as ROTR.

The Thrill Data website has useful charts about Lightning Lane availability for all attractions, both the Genie+ attractions and the ILL$ attractions.

 

[NJlauren]

@wisblue Thanks for directing me here!!

I think this will be plan unless my daughter tells me SDD is a must in which case that goes first! Thanks again

 

[wisblue]

Presumably this is a result of lower crowds and the near freezing temperatures in Florida this morning, but today Genie+ LL reservations for Slinky and ILL$ spots for ROTR have been much more available than usual.

The times reached Not Currently Offered status within a minute or two as usual but, in addition to the usual 7:10 batch, times kept coming up and staying up for the next 30 minutes.

Another reminder that if you can’t get any time at all for these attractions right at 7 AM that it pays to keep checking for awhile as times appear.

Just now at 7:57 a 9:30 AM time for ROTR came up and it was still there when I clicked on it and was told that I was ineligible because of no park reservation.

 

[itf]

There is discussion about things like that on the long thread about Genie strategy. None of the other ILL$ attractions run out anywhere near as quickly as ROTR.

The Thrill Data website has useful charts about Lightning Lane availability for all attractions, both the Genie+ attractions and the ILL$ attractions.

Remy looks like it's also gone before park open (so not available to we humble off-site guests) quite frequently.

 

[wisblue]

Remy looks like it's also gone before park open (so not available to we humble off-site guests) quite frequently.

Still not anywhere near as quickly as ROTR which can reach Not Currently Offered status for the first time within a minute or two after 7.

 

[itf]

Still not anywhere near as quickly as ROTR which can reach Not Currently Offered status for the first time within a minute or two after 7.

True. I wonder if there’s anything can be done to make them last longer. Suspect the demand is inelastic and putting it up to $20 may not even make a meaningful difference to availability

 

[conniehar90]

Once you make a reservation, can you cancel/change it? Would this be the reason why other times pop up?

 

[wisblue]

You can cancel (but not change) Genie+ LL reservations, like SDD.

You cannot cancel or change ILL$ reservations, like ROTR.

The speculation is that more times pop up because people select a time but do not complete the reservation process and they get returned to the pool 10 minutes later.

For Genie+ attractions (like SDD) it could also be because someone cancels a reservation.

 

[wisblue]

I'm bumping this thread because these questions keep coming up on the "Strategy Only" thread and I think it might be helpful to use this thread as spring break season approaches for people to post their specific experiences getting LL times for SDD and ROTR.

I have been checking availability occasionally from home and the pattern of fresh times appearing a couple of minutes before or after 7:10 AM has continued. 7:11 seems to me to be the most common time they appear, but if I was going to be in the park that day, and didn't get a time I wanted at 7:00:00, I would start checking and refreshing around 7:08.

I'd like to hear what others have experienced, including what kind of time they were hoping for (earliest possible, early afternoon, evening, or whatever), and what time they were able to get.

 

[mjlass11]

One of the most common questions raised is the challenge of getting a Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation for SDD because it “sells out” faster than any other attraction at WDW. That is complicated by the fact that ILL$ for ROTR also sells out faster than any of the other ILL$ attractions, so it can be a challenge getting a LL for both, especially if trying to get times in the morning.

Just looking at SDD, there is a general impression that those LL reservations disappear in the first minute. And, it is true that, starting at the stroke of 7:00:00, the return times for SDD go very quickly from 9 AM (for a 9 AM opening) and then to and through the afternoon and evening before being listed as “Not Currently Offered” (NCO), usually within a minute or so.

But, as a practical matter, more return times for SDD start popping up within a few minutes and, usually around 7:08-7:10, times start appearing with more frequency, and remain available for at least a few minutes. Some of those available times can be as early as the 9:00 hour, but there are quite a few more of them that appear with return times closer to noon, and they gradually move later into the afternoon and evening over the next couple of minutes.

I have seen this pattern both when I have played with the app from home and when I have been onsite and was actually trying to book an early time for SDD. One time, after my app froze right at 7 and I missed out on the early times, I was able to land a 9:10 return time at about 7:10 while on the bus headed to DHS.

So, if getting a LL time for SDD is a high priority for you, I suggest trying right at 7:00:00 to get a time. But, if you can’t get an acceptable time in that first minute, I recommend that you keep refreshing every minute or so until the next batch of times comes up. There may be isolated times that pop up from time to time in those first few minutes, but those might disappear before you have a chance to grab them. But, as long as the current pattern holds, some time a minute or two before or after 7:10, more times should start appearing, and you should be able to get something, even if it isn’t your first choice of time. If you’re looking for something in the afternoon your chances of getting a good time are pretty good.

This is exactly what happened to me for both SDD and RoR. I was off Disney WiFi and refreshing at 7am, and I initially was assigned a time for SDD, which I went for first, but by the time I was on the next screen and assigned a later time, it said it was no longer available. I then tried for an ILL for RoR and same thing happened again. I constantly refreshed and a ton more times for both popped up around 7:10, much more and for a longer time than the initial 7am. I got times in the late morning/early afternoon for both

 

[Westerner]

.

 

[MsVanderquack]

I booked SDD at 7:08 yesterday for early afternoon return and Rise at 7:18 with lots of return options. Thankful for all the folks here because when everything sold out immediately I would have panicked. But I just waited (and maybe panicked a tiny bit too and then it was ok!

 

[Gonflipin]

I was able to edit ‘my top selections’ for MK only on the tip board. Why isn’t that an option for HS? (Or is it just my app?)

 

[Gonflipin]

These tips were amazing. I did a test run this morning and like clockwork at 7am, the times flew by and we’re gone before the time hit 7:01. At 7:08 very briefly more times came up and just at 7:11 more times came up (even a 9:05am!) for a longer period of time. Wow. What are the chances those times make it all the way to checkout? This was all for SDD by the way.

 

[wisblue]

Looking at LL availability for SDD on thrill data over the last 30 days, it looks like there are drops around 9:35, 12:05, and 2:35. So you might want to try refreshing around those times.
Link

The question I always have about these is whether they are just random “pop ups“ that might result from someone cancelling. Those might be gone before you can claim them, especially if you have to cancel an existing reservation first.