Guests Pay For Lightning Lane, Still Forced to Wait In Outrageously Long Line - Inside the Magic

Comments for Guests Pay For Lightning Lane, Still Forced to Wait In Outrageously Long Line

Lightning Lane Radiator Springs Racers

Credit: @thecalibae

30 Comments

  1. Vinny Turner

    We purchased Individual Lightning Lane at DW for ‘Frozen’, ‘Mickey & Minnie’s’, and ‘Avatar Flight Of Passage’. Between that and the Genie+ LL, to me, it was worth every penny! Neve had to wait in any of the lines and got right through to the ride. Standby times when we got to these rides ranged from 90 to 145 minutes. Our time is valuable and I rather spend my time doing things in the park than standing for hours in various lines, missing out on enjoying the parks.

    1. Congrats.

      You are in the minority of those who are happy with the value, though. I will say, I’ve never seen someone in the LL lane not wait at least a few minutes when the wait times for standby was 90 – 145 minutes, but…

  2. Marghie

    Purchased Genie+ In Hollywood Studios on the 14th. The only ride experience available prior to 6 pm was Star Tours. When we arrived for our slot we discovered it had been moved back by 30 minutes from what we had booked. We ended up leaving the park because it was impossible to ride anything, as Rise of the Resistance was down and Smugglers Run wasn’t participating to Genie+ that day.

    I might as well have placed that money in the trash can. Disney should warn patrons that experiences are mostly booked before they purchase.

    1. Becky

      Same. If the LL features aren’t going to be available, then Disney should not be selling the LL Genie+. They need to cap the number of people that can buy it ahead of time so those who spend the money get to use it.

      1. Jordan

        Here’s the problem with them capping the number of people who can buy genie+; if they do that, then it will be a race for everyone to get it just in case they want to use it. People seem to miss the benefit of genie+. People who live in California or Florida who have the sudden urge to go to the park can do so and still have a chance to get a fast pass versus how it was before were they could be booked out 60 days out and no one but the people getting rooms would have a chance. Limiting it would literally defeat the purpose of it.

    2. Kim Reynolds

      We must have had twin experiences. Been coming to Disney parks every couple of years for thirty years – never again. My daughter waited three years to ride Rise of the Resistance- two full days, Genie purchases that got us on ONE ride all day, and never got on Rise. Maybe the parks are only for resort guests now – either way we’ve learned our lesson. Universal experience was 100 times better the same week, btw, so the pandemic blame game isn’t cutting it.

  3. Becky

    We visited Disney Hollywood Studios today at WDW. I bought the Genie + since most of the attractions we were interested in were listed as having LL capability. What they don’t tell you is that they just shut off LL access at will. So the entire day we rode one single ride using our LL because nothing else that had LL capability was taking LL reservations all day. I would not have paid the money for Genie + if I had know we wouldn’t be able to use it because they shut it off. I noticed that people staying at the resorts got access to LL when us off site people could not use ours. That’s fine, but we shouldn’t be paying for the service if we can’t actually use it.

    1. Larry

      Becky, the EXACT scenario happened to my family. Paid the money only to find out that the LL passes were “sold out”… Seriously? Then WHY doesn’t Disney TELL YOU what you can and cannot get PRIOR to paying for the service. A HUGE RIPOFF!!

  4. Matt

    LL is good for people staying at the resorts. They can reserve them an hour before park opens. Everyone else when the parks opens. For avatar flight of passage, no LL spots was available at park opening. For genie+, monitor the wait lines the day before to see what ride gets a queue in the morning. Since you can’t pick your time slot. It is given to you.

  5. Katie

    We used genie + and purchased the individual lighting lanes at Hollywood studios a few weeks ago and had complete success. I did exactly what some told us to do. Booked slinky dog for 9am and ROR for 9am too. I was able to ride everything genie + offered that day. Worth every pennie.

  6. CC

    Happened to me! Bought it for one ride and then the ride shut down. Bought the all day one for some rides and all the times were booked for the ones we wanted then had to wait and hour for ones we didn’t! It was ridiculous. No refunds for the ride that was shut down either.

    1. Larry

      Agreed CC, same thing happened to my family. Won’t every buy it again.

  7. Danielle

    I was just there in Dec 16-17 and did Genie plus and thought it was worth it wait-wise….but liked it better when it was built into our pass instead of buying each day. I did buy one day of cars and it broke down on us right before the race part, so we got walked off and a new pass loaded o to our ticket. So we got to go back later that evening to ride again. I can’t justify paying $20 to get on Rise though, so will still have to wait to ride that one!

  8. Brandon

    Every person buying lightning lane / ie Genie+ is complicite in Disney’s Massive price hikes, price gouging, and general pricing for formerly free extras.
    You buy it, and they will charge more for it cause you prove people will pay for it.
    SHAME ON YOU!

    1. Thomas

      If I’m willing to pay for it, I have no shame that you won’t. Nice try.

    2. Not me

      Agreed suckers! Don’t feel bad that you are waiting. You are paying to skip lines and hey go for it… but to feel sorry for those who are giving more money to the greedy company ? Nope! Suck it up buttercup! Ha!

      1. Manny

        Troll much. Maybe that is why you hide behind your keyboard “Not Me” pseudonym.

  9. Lawrence Lewis

    I was at WDW Nov 28-Dec 5th, a time when the parks are normally not so busy, however not this trip, and we did not purchase Genie+. Our wait times varied between 30-60 mins which was fairly accurate (I timed it). The only real complaint I have is for Frozen where they seemed to let Genie+ people in at will. That wait time was not accurate which was 25min. In my opinion during the busy seasons they are going to need to cap how many people are using Genie+ or extended park hours. There was only one ride who’s wait time was 2 hours, Jungle Cruse, and we didn’t ride it. There’s just not enough time in the day for 2 hour waits.

    1. Kim Reynolds

      Yep – no such thing as low season anymore. Eye opening though – Apparently this is why my company can’t find anyone to come to work! 😉

  10. Chris B

    “Lightning lane is awesome and so worth my money!!!!” lmao

  11. Larry

    Disney’s “Genie+” service and their “Lightning Lanes” are a big RIPOFF. I simply see this service as a way for Disney to squeeze more money out of their guests who already pay too much for tickets to enter their parks. I bought the Genie+ on a recent trip to Disney World in FL. (I simply wanted to see what it was all about)…I was able to use the Lightning Lane on 1 ride. Others were unavailable OR… ON TOP OF what I paid for the Genie+ service I would have to pay ANOTHER FEE to use the Lightning Lane at the “more popular” attractions. I used to be a huge fan of Disney, they’ve lost me. The corporate greed and lack of service is out of control anymore. I KNOW several other park guests feel the same way due to discussions of this ripoff service while standing in line for 100 min to ride a Disney attraction. Just now worth it anymore. Sad!

    1. Cameron

      Agreed Larry! Let the suckers pay and wait

    2. Cameron

      Agreed Larry! and wait and wait. People need to stop and learn that they are lemmings

  12. If you use the Genie + service please plans the entire day for you. Following instructions is hard for most people. But give it a shot and you’ll be happy with the results. We just had a great time at Disneyland and California Adventure with great success!

  13. FIRE BOB CHAPEK

  14. Jamie

    I am a Disney shareholder and don’t feel this is right to charge for the LL or Genie +.

  15. Jamie

    I am a Disney shareholder and don’t feel this is right to charge for the LL or Genie +.

    This isn’t the Disneyworld park I grew up knowing. Yes, times are different. But this isn’t exactly how Walt envisioned it.

  16. Kim Potter

    We all make mistakes, try Genie+ it’s like pulling your service weapon by mistake instead of your taser, it happens we are all human.

    You just have to take chances.

  17. Kara

    ..” only to come to find that the line started outside of the queue..” Trying to make sense of this.

  18. Denise

    I will never understand why most people go to these parks when it’s the most crowded periods of time, not to mention the hottest.

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