Friday Magic Kingdom. Roped dropped Mine Train and got there for a 20 min wait. Walked across and walked right onto Winnie the Pooh. Did the Mad Tea Cup, Dumbo, Little Mermaid, A Small World and Peter Pan by 9 o'clock. We watched the entire parade, my son and I rode Splash Mountain (for the last time) while my daughter and wife rode Aladdin. This was all by 2. Finished up in Tomorrowland, Space Mountain, People Mover, Laugh Factory. Good day, hit timing mostly right. Weather turned to shite Friday night big time.

Saturday (Purchased Genie+) - Epcot.
Roped dropped Remy Ratatouille ride and the day went to shite after that. We had a reservation for Frozen at 2 and the ride went down and it was cancelled. Never got another pass for a single ride. Nothing was available to be booked in Genie Plus. NOTHING! We gifted $80 to Disney. We were able to get in the queue for Guardians so that was cool. The Culinary Arts is the main reason my wife and I like Epcot, it was a 30 min wait for any food for or drink at every freaking booth.
Sunday - Double Parked Universal. Busy, loaded to the hilt. Main question for Universal, How in the hell do they not have triple amount of Butter Beer Booth's? That is the biggest WTF to me. They are leaving 6 figures in sales of Butter Beer daily by not doing this.

This post was edited on 1/17/23 at 8:30 pm

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Posted by nicholastiger

Member since Jan 2004

42524 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 8:17 am to SmackDaniels

Frozen ride broke for us as well
It opened later that day though and we got on

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Posted by TigerScratch

West Monroe

Member since Oct 2005

1310 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 10:58 am to SmackDaniels

quote:
SmackDaniels

Supposedly, you should only buy Genie+ for MK and Hollywood Studios. The other 2 parks are so much bigger than you can do other things and standby lines without too much wait as long as you're there early or late. We're gong in 3 weeks and will not rope drop, but be there early and do what we want till it get's too crowded. Take our lunch, pool, booze break and go back around 3-4 when people are tired of being there. For the E rides that we really want to repeat, we will go back to the park a few hours before close and hit them with smaller crowds.

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Posted by LSUfan4444

Member since Mar 2004

53760 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 11:21 am to SmackDaniels

It's greatest value is for use at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom (for afternoons or a full day in that one park). Epcot and Animal Kingdom are better uses for Individual Lightning Lane purchases.

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Posted by habz007

New Orleans

Member since Nov 2007

3693 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 11:33 am to SmackDaniels

It’s a good value if you can use it ‘correctly’ and take full advantage, but I’m NOT the person to be able explain it. I have nothing to do with booking or using it. I’m just along for the ride.

My wife and her friend (who is a Disney vacation travel agent) strategize ahead of time and early morning on park days. It has to be planned out, and they check back throughout the day early and often. They basically have it down to a science that the vast majority of people just don’t realize.

Is that a good thing for most Disney guests? No probably not. But we’ve been able to use and enjoy it.

ETA:

quote:
Lightning Lane

We make purchases for some Lightning Lane option rides too when possible. Paying the extra money to skip to the front of a major popular ride is worth it for us instead of waiting in line for 90+mins.

Just typing out this whole response makes me shiver

… Disney is not my kind of “vacation” at all. I just do it for the kids.

This post was edited on 1/18/23 at 11:45 am

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Posted by TheFlyingDrogbas

Baton Rouge

Member since Jul 2010

302 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 11:54 am to habz007

The issue is that Genie+ was not created to be of value to the consumer. If you read through Disney's annual reports, they talk about how they are getting higher spend out of park guests now than before Genie+ because that's what it was designed to do.

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Posted by SmackDaniels

Gulf Breeze, FL

Member since Mar 2007

15134 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 12:17 pm to TheFlyingDrogbas

quote:
getting higher spend out of park guests now than before Genie+ because that's what it was designed to do.

That's pretty obvious.

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Posted by coachbush

Lake Charles

Member since Sep 2016

108 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 12:40 pm to SmackDaniels

We only found value at Hollywood Studios. The other parks you can navigate without it if you have a plan.

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Posted by dewster

Chicago

Member since Aug 2006

25342 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 12:53 pm to coachbush

Can confirm G+ doesn’t help you navigate around mobility scooters whose operators stop 3 abreast in a busy, narrow corridor to to talk.

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Posted by LSUfan4444

Member since Mar 2004

53760 posts

Posted on 1/18/23 at 3:10 pm to TheFlyingDrogbas

quote:
The issue is that Genie+ was not created to be of value to the consumer. If you read through Disney's annual reports, they talk about how they are getting higher spend out of park guests now than before Genie+ because that's what it was designed to do.

It was definitely designed to be an add on. The way to use it to the guests advantage is to use it in place of something else, not in addition to.

So for us, that means less dining on site. Staying off-site. Those savings will then be invested into ILLs and G+ and possibly even after hours events to avoid the crowds.

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