Broke down and got Lightning Passes

We just came back from a trip (1/3-7). Went to MK day 1 and didn't purchase the $15 LP though my wife was able to buy them for one ride for a lesser amount. But the crowds were up and we ended up spending an additional $75/day for the LP since we had someone who had not been since she was a kid and her child who was there for the first time. It did save some time and frustration and guaranteed we got into attractions like the Mickey train ride at HS.

We waited to buy them after midnight and probably could have gone without them on Friday since the crowds were down at MK and Epcot. Instead of using LP, we opted to hit RotR, Avatar, and Smuggler's Run right before park close on subsequent nights, basically giving ourselves extended hours since they allowed you to ride when you were in the queue. Plus I like walking through the park at night when the crowds are gone.

If you are visiting the parks during the busy times (seems like all the time now) or have some "must see" popular attractions, you may want to budget for the LP.

I did the same day when I had limited time in the parks recently - shared my experience on our last podcast and had a similar experience. Pained me to spend the $$ but it did ensure we got on a few rides we wanted to hit that we'd have had to skip otherwise.

Thanks for sharing. I'm just figuring I need to factor it into the cost of my trip. A bit frustrating, but it is what it is these days with Disney.

I'm looking at booking our trip now and I'm noticing that there's an option to add Genie+ to the package. Do you have to pay for Genie+ for your entire trip, or can you purchase it on a daily basis?

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Originally Posted by TheVBs

I'm looking at booking our trip now and I'm noticing that there's an option to add Genie+ to the package. Do you have to pay for Genie+ for your entire trip, or can you purchase it on a daily basis?

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If you buy it as part of your 'package,' you will have to pay for it for the entire length of the ticket. If you wait until you arrive, you can purchase it on a day-by-day basis.

We purchased it daily through the app. My wife handled the purchase and said we had to purchase it after midnight.

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Originally Posted by RhodeHog

We purchased it daily through the app. My wife handled the purchase and said we had to purchase it after midnight.

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Oh yikes! You had to stay up until midnight for each day that you wanted it? Or is it that you just had to wait until the day of to buy it and midnight was your first opportunity? I'm struggling to figure out the whole Genie + thing.

Midnight was when it came available but we were usually turning in shortly after that anyway. Night owls

For those of you who bought it on a day by day basis, how were the days that you didn't use it?

So, we just got back this weekend. We were there Jan 9-15. We bought Genie+ on Monday (MK) and Tuesday (DHS), and totally didn't feel like it was worth it. Basically, you buy it so that you can grab LL for rides you want. However, the only rides you need it for fill up fast, and you absolutely cannot grab another LL until you use the first one OR it expires. So, for example, at DHS, we grabbed the LL for Slinky Dog Dash, but couldn't get it until 11am. When the time comes, we scan our bands to go in, and I immediately try to grab our next LL for Rockin' Roller Coaster. It wouldn't let me until we had progressed sufficiently down the queue to reach the 2nd scan point. THEN it considered the LL as used, and I could schedule the next LL. We got Rockin' after 8pm. That's it. We were done getting LLs for the day. So, along with the individual purchases for Runaway Railway and RotR, we spent $39/person to ride those four rides, on top of our park passes.

While we didn't like FP+, at least then you could park hop and use that system to grab FPs for later in the day at your 2nd park. Not so now. With the Park Pass Reservation system, and your LL selections tied to whichever park you have a pass for, you have to use them in the morning, and if you can only grab stuff for later in the day, there goes your park hopping plans.

Who would've thought we would be longing for those halcyon days of FastPass+.

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Originally Posted by azcavalier

So, we just got back this weekend. We were there Jan 9-15. We bought Genie+ on Monday (MK) and Tuesday (DHS), and totally didn't feel like it was worth it. Basically, you buy it so that you can grab LL for rides you want. However, the only rides you need it for fill up fast, and you absolutely cannot grab another LL until you use the first one OR it expires. So, for example, at DHS, we grabbed the LL for Slinky Dog Dash, but couldn't get it until 11am. When the time comes, we scan our bands to go in, and I immediately try to grab our next LL for Rockin' Roller Coaster. It wouldn't let me until we had progressed sufficiently down the queue to reach the 2nd scan point. THEN it considered the LL as used, and I could schedule the next LL. We got Rockin' after 8pm. That's it. We were done getting LLs for the day. So, along with the individual purchases for Runaway Railway and RotR, we spent $39/person to ride those four rides, on top of our park passes.

While we didn't like FP+, at least then you could park hop and use that system to grab FPs for later in the day at your 2nd park. Not so now. With the Park Pass Reservation system, and your LL selections tied to whichever park you have a pass for, you have to use them in the morning, and if you can only grab stuff for later in the day, there goes your park hopping plans.

Who would've thought we would be longing for those halcyon days of FastPass+.

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In Disney's defense, it is working just like Chapek wants it to work. Squeeze $15 more out of you that gives you little, if any, benefit, and then get you to pay for more rides....after you have paid for park entry.

On YouTube, Defunctland did an excellent documentary on the evolving Fastpass system that included queuing philosophies and practices, comparisons of the new and old Fastpass system, and some info about why the current process is inefficient.

Brought back a lot of memories like giving the person with the best legs all of the passes so they could run to a ride after opening to get the early FP. My wife could work the system well. Agree, who would have thought we would miss it?!?

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yjZpBq1XBE

We were there January 16 thru the 23rd. I bought Genie+ as part of our package. I spent hours before we left studying Genie+. There was still a learning curve. I think it hurt that our first weekend was also MLK weekend. We arrived a little late our first day so I couldn't get any LLs. Wasted $45! I think I only got 2 our second day, but by our last day I got 5 LLs. That was a day that was worth it. I still miss the old free system of course! We had an impatient 4 year old though so I still feel like it was something I needed to do.

This makes me so sad. I used to love WDW. I kind of feel like a fool to go now. To pay for expensive tickets and expensive lodging and the pay AGAIN or miss going on the rides??? What kind of racket is this? I am saddened that the parks are so full. I guess Disney will keep jacking up the fees. I am not sure I will return.

On the bright side, Universal seems to be stepping up their game without the double dipping.