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Credit: DisneyDisney recently issued us a surprising warning on how we can use (or not use) its newest and most controversial system.
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When visiting Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or any of the Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, there’s one thing you can count on doing, which is waiting in line. Because of the popularity of the Disney Parks, millions of Guests visit each year, meaning you’ll more than likely have to wait in a few lines to ride and experience your favorite attractions.
We have seen insane crowds storm the Disney Parks lately and it seems like the problem of long lines is only growing.
To make matters worse, Guests do not completely approve of Disney’s solution to this: the new Genie+ and Lightning Lane systems. Disney Genie is free, but for an extra charge, Guests can upgrade to Genie+, which allows them other access to reservation systems and the option to purchase individual Lightning Lanes for rides, essentially letting them pay to skip the stand-by ques. As stated above, this new system has been met with lots of frustration and criticism from new and long-time Disney Guests and fans.
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Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane were released last year to lots of confusion and frustration, leaving some Guests feeling confused by the service. In theory, this paid service should enhance Guests’ experience at the Parks, but in practice, it seems to just be an expensive itinerary planner for some, while others love it. These paid services allow Guests to skip lines for a price, meaning Disney now has a financial incentive to have long lines.
At Disney World, for $15.00 per day per Guest, you can skip the long standby queue by making a Lightning Lane reservation (new FastPass) and returning at that time. At Disneyland, the cost is slightly higher at $20.00 per hour.
We recently got a warning when opening the Disneyland app on our phone, with Disney telling us to double-check if we really wanted to utilize these new systems:
Pardon The Inconvenience
We strongly encourage you to check today’s Lightning Lane availability and other park details before purchasing Disney Genie+ service, as purchase of Disney Genie+ service is nonrefundable. We apologize for any inconvenience.
With this warning, it seems as though even Disney knows that Genie+ and Lightning Lane are not a surefire way to experience all your favorite rides and attractions. It is quite strange for a company to acknowledge the shortcomings of its own product like this.
While Disney promises a more efficient Park experience when using Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane, the company has even backtracked on its description of these new systems, changing their official descriptions online. In the past, we have seen many examples of Guests stuck in incredibly long lines after paying $20 for special access. We also continue to see these Lightning Lane lines get backed up, making lots of Guests wonder if what they paid for was really worth it
Needless to say, it seems like Disney still has some kinks to work out for its newest system.
Have you used Disney Genie yet? What do you think?
Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!