The big G+ rides at HS gone by 1:07!

[SealedSeven]

All of the G+ capacity issues, reports of long SB waits, lack of G+ availability, etc. got me thinking about how miserably G+ has failed to deliver if they were trying to "level the playing field" for the "casual/average" guest.

Actually it worked perfectly for leveling the playing field. It made everyone have no clue on how to use it / everyone only get ~2 Lighting Lanes due to the system being crap.

 

[itf]

I hope there is no VQ.

I hope there is - paid LL only would effectively exclude off site guests totally.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

11:24 on 2/23/22 and all of the attractions in my OP are showing no availability.

and the standbys are 105-130 for all of them.

so much for G+ helping standby lines move faster.

yes I know it’s a holiday week.

but after this current travel boom, wdw will find itself with a lack of repeat guests if they can’t make this better.

I won’t be returning if this is what it looks like.

I really think they need to (at the very least) increase G+ capacity. I’d rather wait 15 minutes in LL for more rides than 5 minutes for less rides.

adding a ILL into the general G+ pool would help too.

C’mon Disney!! Please fix this!!

 

[snikki]

I honestly think they’re going to “fix” this by raising prices on G+.

 

[nicksinger8]

Current wait times/LL at 8:32 am
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For me, this is not working. Either you are unlikely to save much time or it is being pushed back too far. And then by the time you can book the next one, surely either most are unavailable or pushed back way too far in the evening. I can see why people struggle to get enough bookings at a decent time. Paying $60 a day for a family of 4 for this seems pointless. I know it is just a snapshot, but I get why people are unhappy.

 

[Disturbia]

For me, this is not working. Either you are unlikely to save much time or it is being pushed back too far. And then by the time you can book the next one, surely either most are unavailable or pushed back way too far in the evening. I can see why people struggle to get enough bookings at a decent. Paying $60 a day for a family of 4 for this seems pointless. I know it is just a snapshot, but I get why people are unhappy.

In Nov, return times didn’t get to 3 pm even for RnR until 1 pm, so we could book that or TOT (5 pm). The times I’m seeing now are ridiculous.

 

[Disturbia]

I honestly think they’re going to “fix” this by raising prices on G+.

I think they’re going to have to do this to improve the experience, but flight changes make checkin and checkout day Genie+ usage questionable for us, so we will still stick to pay as you go.

Also if it’s forecasted to rain (thinking back to Nov when it poured all day), then parks like AK don’t need it.

 

[nicksinger8]

I honestly think they’re going to “fix” this by raising prices on G+.

I am absolutely sure this is what they'll do. I think prices will raise enormously and slots will drop. Has to be $100-$150 a day per person maybe more. I just don't see how this system works any other way - you just can't get good value at a low or medium price range. I mean $60 for a family of 4 - say for two rides and saving 45 minutes or an hour. Actually, for an economist that's not too bad - each person basically values their time at about $15 an hour. Living wage in the UK and below the median wage. But it just feels poor value. Probably because Fastpass used to be free. Maybe they'll stick with it and wait until we all forget. But I went to Disneyworld last in 2004 and I still remember!!!

 

[snikki]

I think they’re going to have to do this to improve the experience, but flight changes make checkin and checkout day Genie+ usage questionable for us, so we will still stick to pay as you go.

Also if it’s forecasted to rain (thinking back to Nov when it poured all day), then parks like AK don’t need it.

I’ve added it to my length of stay tickets for November to lock in the price. We are flying in the night before so no check in day park issues. On check out day I’m planning on a 10 pm flight so I should use it that day. I’m hoping by November crowds drop a bit but who am I kidding.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I am absolutely sure this is what they'll do. I think prices will raise enormously and slots will drop. Has to be $100-$150 a day per person maybe more. I just don't see how this system works any other way - you just can't get good value at a low or medium price range. I mean $60 for a family of 4 - say for two rides and saving 45 minutes or an hour. Actually, for an economist that's not too bad - each person basically values their time at about $15 an hour. Living wage in the UK and below the median wage. But it just feels poor value. Probably because Fastpass used to be free. Maybe they'll stick with it and wait until we all forget. But I went to Disneyworld last in 2004 and I still remember!!!

That would be easier to stomach if:

1. ticket prices weren’t so high
2. Standby waits weren’t so high

no way I’m going back if I’m expected to wait 90+ minutes for everything. Cause there’s also no way I’d be willing to pay that price.

 

[Disturbia]

I’ve added it to my length of stay tickets for November to lock in the price. We are flying in the night before so no check in day park issues. On check out day I’m planning on a 10 pm flight so I should use it that day. I’m hoping by November crowds drop a bit but who am I kidding.

Our flight on checkout day (April 2nd) was originally 8 pm and I had booked 12:25 pm Space 220 lunch. Well, flight got changed to 5 pm with a 2 pm pickup on Mears. To top it off I lost Space220 trying to get Topolinos (clicked 4 times it was available) and got so many errors, log in again, paste code etc) and ended up with nothing.

I also think Disney is going to drop park hour changes right before we travel.

 

[nicksinger8]

That would be easier to stomach if:

1. ticket prices weren’t so high
2. Standby waits weren’t so high

no way I’m going back if I’m expected to wait 90+ minutes for everything. Cause there’s also no way I’d be willing to pay that price.

I wouldn't pay $100-$150 either. That's the point. Disney can reduce the number of lightning lane slots 10 fold and make the same money and make the Genie Plus a very valuable and satisfying product. But what then happens with standby lines? That will be interesting. Fastpass One was very good at spreading lines throughout the day and so made standby lines shorter too. But everyone will be happier - select few get Genie Plus. Fair enough. And everyone else is equal. No one is looking constantly at their phones (at least not for Genie +). Maybe they could have elite Genie Plus AND Fastpass one. The mess is caused by sheer greed. I know they have to maximise profits, but Walt's vision and all.

 

[Disturbia]

How about Copper, Gold and Silver Genie+; they can add Diamond, Titanium and anything else they mine on the moon or something later on.

In the big scheme of things its so magical how pixie dust is being sprinkled on our wallets and making cash disappear! Fairytales do come true for Disney execs

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I wouldn't pay $100-$150 either. That's the point. Disney can reduce the number of lightning lane slots 10 fold and make the same money and make the Genie Plus a very valuable and satisfying product. But what then happens with standby lines? That will be interesting. Fastpass One was very good at spreading lines throughout the day and so made standby lines shorter too. But everyone will be happier - select few get Genie Plus. Fair enough. And everyone else is equal. No one is looking constantly at their phones (at least not for Genie +). Maybe they could have elite Genie Plus AND Fastpass one. The mess is caused by sheer greed. I know they have to maximise profits, but Walt's vision and all.

Walt also said “build a great product, and the money will come.” Seems they are doing it the other way around these days, and it’s not working so well.

i’d do 1-2 60-90 min standbys tops, and the rest I would want under 30 min. If they can make that system work I’d be ok with it.

but I’d also love it if I could do something more akin to FP one or two.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

How about Copper, Gold and Silver Genie+; they can add Diamond, Titanium and anything else they mine on the moon or something later on.

In the big scheme of things its so magical how pixie dust is being sprinkled on our wallets and making cash disappear! Fairytales do come true for Disney execs

Hush! Don’t give them any ideas!

 

[amylevan]

I honestly think they’re going to “fix” this by raising prices on G+.

While I agree, they better be careful. The more you charge, the more those who buy it will expect a premium and guaranteed access. There are already a lot of unhappy guests who aren’t getting what they expected, increase the price point and there will be increased displeasure for lack of availability and app glitches.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

G+ is worthless anyways. We got next to no use out of it at HS.

I'd rather just wait in a long line honestly. I had to wait for 90minutes at guest services anyways, might as well just wait to ride a ride and be done with it.

 

[Disturbia]

Hopefully something changes for the better soon.

They allow pre booking anyway (at 7 am) so why not let people book 2 LLIA$, a Genie+ tier 1 and a Genie+ tier 2 one week in advance at say 7 am (typical stay for on site guests at current prices). I don’t like 7 am but I think the reasoning is so that the system doesn’t get jammed during park entry.

I think the ability to stack is stealing evening passes. Why not just stagger passes throughout the day (like VQ, but 3 times and no rebooking). So at 10 am you have passes available for 10-2 pm only; at 2 pm you have 2-6 pm passes and at 6 pm you can book 6-10 pm and that’s it.

This will allow you to eat, take a break 3-7 pm etc.

Edit: And if you pay for Genie, it should be doing the work and booking something from your tip board automatically with you having the ability to modify.

 

[RamblingMad]

While I agree, they better be careful. The more you charge, the more those who buy it will expect a premium and guaranteed access. There are already a lot of unhappy guests who aren’t getting what they expected, increase the price point and there will be increased displeasure for lack of availability and app glitches.

Basically, folks will complain, nothing will change, and they will come back in a few years and pay more. It's not like the crowd levels are low.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Basically, folks will complain, nothing will change, and they will come back in a few years and pay more. It's not like the crowd levels are low.

Sad but true.