Using Genie with Large Group tickets - Told not to

[gabeoak]

Our high schooler is going to DisneyWorld to perform with her band. They have been told by the tour organizer (a third party tour planner) to not use the Disney app because it will mess up their ticket.
So.... Are they out of luck to use the Genie system for ride reservations?
The kids have paper tickets and have been told not to add them to Genie/App.
So this keeps them from being able to use Genie. I was just trying to see if there is a workaround once they scan in.
As it stands now, the tour company said if they add their ticket to the app, entry will not work properly.

 

[EmilyGahr]

I don't think that's true - they should be able to link their ticket to My Disney Experience and then add Genie+ ($15 per day) starting at midnight the day they want to use it.
Adding the ticket to MDE should have no impact or cause any issues with scanning into the park.

 

[lostprincess_danie]

When you say "they" are you referring to just your child or the whole band? I've never heard of a ticket being linked in MDE causing a problem, unless the ticket was not valid to begin with.

Now, if the entire band were on the MDE account, even if it's possible, managing that many tickets and Genie LL would be a nightmare. Maybe that's why it was recommended not to link them?

Is it a special ticket made available just for the band members that perhaps has restrictions linked to it?

 

[TheyCallMeStacey]

I heard you can't do genie+ with more than 12 and that it can be hard with more than 10.... maybe that's why?

 

[lanejudy]

Just a guess - but they may be trying to keep a level playing field for all band participants. Nobody uses Genie+. If some kids did the add-on but others weren't given the option or knew how or didn't have the funds for the upcharge, it could reflect negatively on the school.

To my knowledge there shouldn't be an issue linking the ticket to MDE. I assume it could be a YES (youth/sports group) ticket which do have some restrictions. I haven't heard those are restricted from Genie+ though. So my assumption is the directive is from the group leader trying to provide an equal experience.

 

[gabeoak]

Thanks for all of the replies so far."They" Is the tour group organizer that puts together these types of trips. The kids have been told that adding the ticket in the app will make the ticket invalid and not work at the parks.

Maybe you all are correct that it is a level the playing field strategy. It's a group of close to 300 by time you add in all the students, staff, and chaperones.

Kinda stinks if there is some sort of 12+ rule to limit these types of tickets. You'd think that that once through the turnstyles, the ticket could be added no issues.

 

[seashell7290]

Perhaps it helps them keep tabs? When my high school went, out tickets were kept from us until we got to the park and collected when we got back on the bus at night. We had assigned parks everyday. I’m sure to keep too many large groups from being in a park at once. I traveled with 600 from my high school. Yes we had on our busses.

 

[lanejudy]

Another thought... I'm wondering if it also has something to do with the group tickets and theme park reservations. I wouldn't be surprised if WDW may work with some large tour organizers for the theme park reservation system -- some groups have needed to link tickets and make their own reservations, but I can see that being problematic with large groups and people completely uneducated (for lack of a better term at the moment) on WDW practices. Maybe the tour group is providing the theme park reservations somehow, and if the ticket gets linked to a personal MDE it would lose that reservation. (We do know that transferring unused tickets to a different person does not transfer any related theme park reservations.)

 

[gabeoak]

Another thought... I'm wondering if it also has something to do with the group tickets and theme park reservations. I wouldn't be surprised if WDW may work with some large tour organizers for the theme park reservation system -- some groups have needed to link tickets and make their own reservations, but I can see that being problematic with large groups and people completely uneducated (for lack of a better term at the moment) on WDW practices. Maybe the tour group is providing the theme park reservations somehow, and if the ticket gets linked to a personal MDE it would lose that reservation. (We do know that transferring unused tickets to a different person does not transfer any related theme park reservations.)

Interesting thought. Their daily schedules do not include any food or ride reservations. Their days are wide open..... Except for a dessert party on one of the three nights. That is the only specific, reserved element on their days inside the parks.
Maybe that's the issue..

 

[lanejudy]

Their daily schedules do not include any food or ride reservations.

In addition to the ticket they need a theme park reservation simply to enter any park.

 

[gabeoak]

In addition to the ticket they need a theme park reservation simply to enter any park.

Ahhhhhh. So if they tried to add it to Genie, then it would look like a different reservation.

 

[lanejudy]

Ahhhhhh. So if they tried to add it to Genie, then it would look like a different reservation.

Yes, that's my thought. If they link it to their own MDE, IF a theme park reservation is already attached that theme park reservation would not transfer. Do you know if the group has been instructed how to obtain theme park reservations? This would be the first I've heard of a group essentially getting a bulk of theme park reservations somehow tied to the ticket outside of MDE, but I can see how WDW may need to provide that to some groups.

 

[patty57]

Why don't you ask the tour organizer? If you do, please report back.

 

[gabeoak]

Reporting back. The tour organizer confirmed that trying to add to the app would mess up the park attendance reservation. It had nothing to do with evening the playing field.

The kids have been at studios today in standby lines with not much luck. They waited 35 min of 100 for ToT amd were ushered out as it broke. No return slips given. RotR was down much of the early. Cast member said standby is 3 hrs at least despite what the sign says. My kid gave up and went back to the hotel pool. She said it was nuts.

 

[patty57]

Reporting back. The tour organizer confirmed that trying to add to the app would mess up the park attendance reservation. It had nothing to do with evening the playing field.

The kids have been at studios today in standby lines with not much luck. They waited 35 min of 100 for ToT amd were ushered out as it broke. No return slips given. RotR was down much of the early. Cast member said standby is 3 hrs at least despite what the sign says. My kid gave up and went back to the hotel pool. She said it was nuts.

Ugh. That stinks for the kids. Sorry to hear this.

 

[2PrincessesRmine]

We were told the same thing recently by our tour group. Many of us linked them and used Genie plus and ILL without any issues. Apparently they were having issues with people from large groups trying to change their reservation days and it would change the days of huge chunks of people from the group, leaving them without park reservations. As long as each person makes a profile before linking the ticket and you don’t cancel any park reservations it works fine. They just don’t want to have to deal with the mess when people screw it up. We had no problems.

 

[Disturbia]

OMG! Is this the same thing for large company events where you can’t add Genie+? I can’t imagine waiting again (like 2021) in those 2 hour lines.

This past March I saw kids from the tour groups crowding the food ordering lines and they were using coupons (it took us 40 mins to order
at Satu Li Canteen - special unique allergies). Pecos bill was a mess as well.

 

[gabeoak]

OMG! Is this the same thing for large company events where you can’t add Genie+? I can’t imagine waiting again (like 2021) in those 2 hour lines.

This past March I saw kids from the tour groups crowding the food ordering lines and they were using coupons (it took us 40 mins to order
at Satu Li Canteen - special unique allergies). Pecos bill was a mess as well.

Our kids group had disney dining gift cards given to them by the tour operator so it was seamless for anyone in line behind them.
They did not get to use Genie+ at any point in the trip. The tour operators continued to be adamant it would invalidate their ticket.