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Post by nicsmom on Jan 5, 2023 20:24:21 GMT -5
The paid Fastpass/lightening lane system worked pretty well for us at Magic Kingdom. $25/pp on Jan 4. We tend to sleep in and close the parks. It kills me to have to wake up at 7am and try and fall back to sleep. But at 7am we booked Splash. I had to keep modifying the ride reservation to get a time after 3pm. At 11am, we booked Thunder for right after Splash. At 1pm I booked Space for just before our dinner reservation at 730. At 3pm. I booked Buzz for a time between thunder and Space. So basically, as we walked into the park we had a reservation for our 3 “big” rides + one.
The wait times were definitely longer than we would have waited ie: 80min plus. In general we have found the wait times to be inflated.
At 5pm there were few options left for LL selections, but we did book Ariel and Winnie the Pooh and did walk right on those before the extra deluxe hotel hours started at 11p. Between 3 and 12mn we rode every ride/attraction that we desired and some twice. We did not ride dwarfs this trip and that was ok.
So, I liked it better when it was free, but on this day, we would have not been able to ride much without paying the extra $80.
PS: We did NOT buy Genie+ at Epcot on 1/2/23 ($29/pp). We did purchase the extra paid LL for Guardians when we failed to get a queue spot at 7am. We were delighted to get a second ride during extra deluxe hotel hours. Without the paid genie we did not get to ride Soaring or Test Track. We waited an hour for Ratatouille in standby.
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Post by wdw1972 on Jan 5, 2023 21:04:50 GMT -5
I also miss the free fastpass! I've gotten to the point that I refuse to buy Genie+ and if that means my time in the parks is extremely limited then so be it. I've come to prefer my trips with limited or no park time! Thankfully I'm an early riser so I can get to a park at opening and spend an hour or 2 before heading back to enjoy the resort & non-park stuff the rest of the day.
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Post by cpnkirk on Jan 5, 2023 21:53:41 GMT -5
We've not had good luck with Genie+, but I think you did it right. The 2 times we've tried it, we only got 2 rides. But, we've never tried to start at 7 and work it for afternoon LL - that seems to be the best way to get value out of it.
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Post by helenabear on Jan 5, 2023 23:16:58 GMT -5
I have only ever been there when they were not limiting Genie+ purchases. No idea if it is different or not now. I looked but never bought. I am almost always up long before 7am so that's not my issue at all, but looking at availability at 7am I opted never to buy. I'd rather spend money on other things. No ILL purchases either so far but more likely to do that.
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Post by TexasChick on Jan 6, 2023 0:04:54 GMT -5
I have only ever been there when they were not limiting Genie+ purchases. No idea if it is different or not now. I looked but never bought. I am almost always up long before 7am so that's not my issue at all, but looking at availability at 7am I opted never to buy. I'd rather spend money on other things. No ILL purchases either so far but more likely to do that. I’ve bought the ILL when I just wanted to know when I’d go on something. I’ve only bought it a few times, but it was nice knowing that I had a time even if I had to pay for it since free FP isn’t an option anymore. I think we bought G+ on one trip and didn’t do it again. It is never great when we go because we schedule around school holidays which are always the busiest times! Busy times = not great G+ options usually, especially as the day goes on. |
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Post by annamaria on Jan 6, 2023 6:24:13 GMT -5
I refuse to pay for Genie + or LL. I paid for LL once when I was with my adult kids.
If we are going with our kids and their families, this is the only time I will consider paying for Genie + or LL.
We don't spend much time in the parks. We make enough trips to try another time. If we see a crazy wait time, we move on. There are times where we might say, "let's wait a little, we have all day" - not too often. We are early risers so many times there is that one ride we might try to aim for before the parks open. It's not done intentionally. We are up and figure might as well aim for a ride.
I miss Fastpasses too. They could have left the whole procedure the same and just charged a few dollars for it.
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Post by twingirls on Jan 6, 2023 13:25:15 GMT -5
We have not use Genie+ or ILL in the 2 visits we have done since they started it. We tried to do one ILL for a ride but I tried at 7:02 and the earliest I could get was a 5pm and since we didn’t plan to be in that park in the evening we didn’t buy it. I really miss fastpass. Even if I had to pay a little for it I would like it better. I liked to be able to put all 3 rides in a row in the same area. I also feel like this system makes the parks much busier earlier because people have to get up at 7 to make reservations
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Post by ItsMe on Jan 6, 2023 14:19:32 GMT -5
We have no intention of paying for genie +, of course that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. When we find ourselves back there during Christmas or New Years I could see us maybe doing it one day.
We have purchased ILLs, and as much as we hate forking over more $ to the mouse, for a couple of the featured rides it’s worth it to us. At least we know we get to ride those few rides. Our general rule is we won’t wait in line more than an hour. We will see how that plays out on our next trip.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jan 7, 2023 12:21:19 GMT -5
Our general rule is we won’t wait in line more than an hour. We will see how that plays out on our next trip. I tell people that I will wait longer than an hour, maybe 1.5 is my limit, in the queue for the Tower or Terror because the Hollywood Tower Hotel grounds are so full of amazing details that it is worth it. |
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Post by jedimom3 on Jan 7, 2023 12:31:24 GMT -5
Our last trip in Oct, 2022, DS and I just got 2 day WDW tickets (since APs. NA) It was Columbus day week, and we've been often during that busy time (and Thanksgiving, Memorial Day week, etc.) We found we didn't get nearly as much done as usual w rope drop or end of the night. Lines were crazy! If we go back, and have a very limited #of days, I'll totally be considering genie +. We did spring for ILLs for GotG, and it was worth it for us. I'd also look at doing that possibly for Rise and FoP, IF time is limited again. (no APs,) Also starting to save for express pass for Halloween Horror nights. Those lines were insane too.
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Post by noreen99 on Jan 7, 2023 13:37:45 GMT -5
This isn’t going to win me any friends but I think genie+ should be priced same as other theme parks Universal ect… I would be more inclined towards a guaranteed front of the line access to what I want rather than the pay and maybe what you want is available when you want to do it.
My kids have gotten the hang of it I cannot stand it but it’s on our tickets for DLR - honestly I cannot fathom why it’s available for pre-purchase at DLR for anyone but they took away the pre- purchase for WDW resort guests…
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Post by simbasmom on Jan 7, 2023 14:20:21 GMT -5
Well, at least I can see that I'm not the only one who refuses to pay for Genie+. So far, it's worked OK, but I've been so many times, it's really not the end of the world not to be able to ride something like Jungle Cruise any more. I say that today, but who knows how I'll feel in a few years. But I know that those trips to DHHIR look better and better because there aren't hidden fees.
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Post by nicsmom on Jan 7, 2023 15:58:22 GMT -5
Yesterday we did HS and again got Genie+ ($20pp) and the paid LL for Rise ($20) The wait times were very long and we came with DS13 to RIDE. So…. ToT was 100-160 min all day. We didn’t get Slinky Dog. DS did single rider for RRR and we were able to experience everything without a wait. The Genie+ is definitely making standby lines long and slow.
Finally at Animal Kingdom I purchased individual LL for end of day at PAndora. Plan was to wait for safari and catch the Nemo and Lion King shows. It is Saturday of marathon weekend and crowds are heavy. WIt for safari never dropped below 70 min. So to “save” the day I bought Genie+ cuz I really do no want to wait in lines today. ANOTHER $120 add-on day. 😞
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Jan 7, 2023 17:47:47 GMT -5
My favorite part is the genius of the whole thing! Not only does it make a bunch of people spend hundreds of dollars per day extra, it makes the lines long and slow everyone else...which eventually makes THEM want to buy it, too! So obviously you can't have everyone buying it, or it would be just like without it...so you limit the amount of people that can buy it, and/or raise prices, or both! Thus creating artificial hype and artificial demand. It's perfect.
I should go into management.
Like management, I have zero interest in paying for this product.
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Post by starry_solo on Jan 7, 2023 19:21:20 GMT -5
That's how I felt when we did our WDW trip in late 2021...but we paid for ILL for Rise of the Resistance and for Flight of Passage....
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