Disneyland Guests Expect Wait Times To Soar After Unpopular Update to Pirates of the Caribbean

While several attractions undergo closures for refurbishment in the new year, Disneyland is adding one to its Genie+ service “temporarily” in an effort to appease guests, but it seems to be having the opposite effect.

Disney’s Genie+ service has been highly controversial since it was first rolled out a few years ago. In addition to the My Disney Experience apps, Genie+ is an additional, paid service guests can use to plan their day, download PhotoPass photos, and book Lightning Lanes (formerly FastPass). The cost of Genie+ varies depending on the park and the day, and is reliant upon the time of year for general cost. Just this week the service saw record-high prices between Christmas and New Year’s Eve and has sold out almost every day since Christmas.

The service has faced a variety of criticism due to requiring an extra cost from guests already paying exorbitant prices for their trips and the fact that it requires guests to spend more time on their phones throughout the day. In addition to Genie+, some attractions, like Rise of the Resistance, require an additional Lightning Lane purchase as they’re not included in the Genie+ offerings. Overall, it’s been mostly disliked by a majority of guests and Disney park fans, but for now is the best way to plan your day at the parks.

Coming up in 2024 several Disneyland attractions are closed for refurbishment, with many of them currently unable to promise a reopening date. The Mark Twain Riverboat has been closed since September and Fantasmic! hasn’t returned since the Maleficent animatronic caught fire earlier this year (although it’s expected to reopen in May). The Haunted Mansion is also expected to close in late January for a prolonged refurbishment without an expected reopening date.

Perhaps the most well-known closure is that of Splash Mountain, one of Disneyland (and Walt Disney World’s) most controversial attractions. The ride closed in Disneyland in May this year and both versions are being replaced by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a log-flume ride based on Princess and the Frog (2009), which is expected to open by the end of 2024. With all of these attractions down for the foreseeable future, Disneyland quietly announced that it would be putting a nearby ride up on Genie+ temporarily.

Starting January 22, Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland will be added to Genie+ while its surrounding attractions undergo their refurbishments. The news was shared to X/Twitter by Scott Gustin, and fans quickly took to the comments to share their dissatisfaction.

NEW: Starting Monday, Jan. 22, Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Park will be *temporarily* added to Genie+ while nearby attractions undergo refurbishment. pic.twitter.com/7fduzWUemF

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) December 29, 2023

“HOW IS THIS A SOLUTION TO ANY OF OUR PROBLEMS!?!?!?” demanded @Raingoons. “This is how “temporary” eventually becomes permanent sigh,” declared @ScaryGaryAK. “The year is 2026, and every Disneyland Ride costs additional money,” joked @djgriffofficial.

“They’re going to ruin the best people eating line in the park. Just another ride that has to be planned instead of walking up and enjoying at any time,” @PREF1X complained. “So their solution is to make waiting in line even worse? Genie+ is a fine concept, but they’re really mishandling it,” stated @Spence_Mountain. These are just a few of the dozens of complaints under the post and in the quotes and it’s clear that the decision is wildly unpopular.

Adding Genie+ to attractions makes the standby wait times even longer due to having to accommodate Lightning Lanes and Genie+ reservations. With the addition of Pirates of the Caribbean to the Genie+ system at Disneyland, a ride that is typically under a 45 minute wait in the cool air can now possibly reach up to over an hour, if not longer. Added to the unfortunate circumstances of several nearby attractions being down for maintenance, and the wait for Pirates will likely soar to unprecedented heights.

If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland in January, be aware of the new update and Genie+ option for Pirates, and be prepared to wait for several rides.

What do you think about Pirates of the Caribbean being added to Genie+?