No the Magic isn’t gone but it’s at 25%

[glamdring269]

A lot will depend on when you are going and if you are staying on-site. But generally speaking, you should do okay if you research how Genie Plus and ILL$ work well before you arrive. In some ways, G+ works like FP+ but in other ways, it is very different.

Yeah those are definitely important factors. We will definitely be on site, likely at Boardwalk or that area, and most likely next return date would be October 2023* during F&W. I know that's a busy time but we've been very successful at being very efficient following the above plan during this time in the past. And our evening hop is usually to Epcot where rides kind of matter but we tend to just enjoy walking around the F&W stuff more than rides in the evenings for the most part. Of course if G+ pops some opportunity for us like FP+ used to then we would take advantage of it.

*Who knows... in October 2023 we might be dealing with a whole different set of park circumstances.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It's been a few years since we've visited and just curious how our normal pattern might work today. We mastered the previous FP (paper/digital) pretty well but this new system has me wondering if we're going to not enjoy ourselves as much.

2 adults, no kids... here is our usual strategy:

Rope Drop
Get out of the park when the masses start arriving by around lunch or a little later (kind of just by feel)
Hang out at the resort/pool or do some resort touring... rest.
Park Hop to another park in the evening... sometimes for rides, sometimes for dinner/walking around with drinks (Epcot)... etc.

I don't mind paying for G+ or LL at all if it provides a benefit. Basically I'm just looking for something that kind of fills in for old school FP or FP+ with the pattern above. We rarely waited in line using the old system and this includes instances where I remember being in Epcot on Christmas night and getting FP+ for main rides on the fly. I think the 2 adult part really used to help with this since getting 2 is obviously easier than 2+. Not sure if this is still the case with G+ or LL.

How do you think our experience might be compared to say 2019 given the pattern above? Would we really notice much of a difference assuming no technical issues?

As with many aspects of WDW, G+ is not a system that works equally well every day across all 4 parks uniformly every day. how it performs is highly variable based on many factors- namely how many people buy it and how many are actively using it at the same time you are using it.

When few people are suing G+ it works pretty well. When many people are using it, it does NOT work very well, at least in my experience.

It is far more useful in MK than any of the other parks. At present, it is of very limited benefit in Epcot. Generally speaking, there are not long lines for most of the G+ attractions in Epcot. If you can utilize early entry for 1 of the Epcot Attractions, then G+ is of even less value.

Oddly G+ is somewhat useful if you plan to skip rope drop, but you are able to book G+ passes early in the morning. Starting in the morning, you can stack passes for when you will arrive in the parks.

With G+ technical issues can sometimes be in your favor.

Though you get fewer passes when the parks are busy, your choices are somewhat stark. You might only get a few G+ passes, but they will still potentially = cutting down wait times at a few big attractions.

Another reality we have come to accept, touring is much easier if we are willing to skip 7DMT and Rise. If it happens that the late night wait is short, we'll do them. We have been on both a number of times, and don't feel they are worth $15+. Rat and FoP are fun, and sometimes might be worth paying, but we don't squander early entry to ride them.

 

[FuzzyPeach]

It's been a few years since we've visited and just curious how our normal pattern might work today. We mastered the previous FP (paper/digital) pretty well but this new system has me wondering if we're going to not enjoy ourselves as much.

2 adults, no kids... here is our usual strategy:

Rope Drop
Get out of the park when the masses start arriving by around lunch or a little later (kind of just by feel)
Hang out at the resort/pool or do some resort touring... rest.
Park Hop to another park in the evening... sometimes for rides, sometimes for dinner/walking around with drinks (Epcot)... etc.

I don't mind paying for G+ or LL at all if it provides a benefit. Basically I'm just looking for something that kind of fills in for old school FP or FP+ with the pattern above. We rarely waited in line using the old system and this includes instances where I remember being in Epcot on Christmas night and getting FP+ for main rides on the fly. I think the 2 adult part really used to help with this since getting 2 is obviously easier than 2+. Not sure if this is still the case with G+ or LL.

How do you think our experience might be compared to say 2019 given the pattern above? Would we really notice much of a difference assuming no technical issues?

We do similar, either rope drop and leave at or before lunch, returning in the evening, or just staying out of the park until mid afternoon.

We found rope drop was still really valuable, especially with the early openings in the mornings. We tended to book maybe 1-2 LL in the morning, an early tap and then one as close as we could get after, and then begin stacking attractions for our 2nd park or our return to that park. We found that the group number didn’t matter too much, especially when not refreshing, since it’s just filling times consecutively.

On the fly doesn’t work near as well with Genie+ as it did with FP+. It’s much more comparable to on the fly FP-, where you’d be at the mercy of where you could get a time and probably will be criss crossing the park. Instead, learn about stacking and strategically use it to your advance to walk into your 2nd park with attractions lined up.

If you’re willing to put the work it, I think Genie+ is worth it and you’ll be saving yourself a lot of time if used to the fullest. I don’t find it enjoyable to use, but you definitely will be saving lots of time.

 

[glamdring269]

Another reality we have come to accept, touring is much easier if we are willing to skip 7DMT and Rise. If it happens that the late night wait is short, we'll do them. We have been on both a number of times, and don't feel they are worth $15+. Rat and FoP are fun, and sometimes might be worth paying, but we don't squander early entry to ride them.

Our last visit was actually when Star Wars land opened but Rise had not yet launched. So that is one we will definitely have to just figure out how to deal with once. Now with that said, if G+ is beneficial in getting rides like TSMM and Haunted Mansion later in the day then I would be completely ok with that system.

 

[DisneyFive]

It's been a few years since we've visited and just curious how our normal pattern might work today. We mastered the previous FP (paper/digital) pretty well but this new system has me wondering if we're going to not enjoy ourselves as much.

2 adults, no kids... here is our usual strategy:

Rope Drop
Get out of the park when the masses start arriving by around lunch or a little later (kind of just by feel)
Hang out at the resort/pool or do some resort touring... rest.
Park Hop to another park in the evening... sometimes for rides, sometimes for dinner/walking around with drinks (Epcot)... etc.

I don't mind paying for G+ or LL at all if it provides a benefit. Basically I'm just looking for something that kind of fills in for old school FP or FP+ with the pattern above. We rarely waited in line using the old system and this includes instances where I remember being in Epcot on Christmas night and getting FP+ for main rides on the fly. I think the 2 adult part really used to help with this since getting 2 is obviously easier than 2+. Not sure if this is still the case with G+ or LL.

How do you think our experience might be compared to say 2019 given the pattern above? Would we really notice much of a difference assuming no technical issues?

I would say that you would be able to get at least 2-3 good G+ headliners the the park you rope drop before your afternoon break, and then another 2-3 for the park you intend to hop to.

Quick G+ rundown:
You can book another G+ once you have 1) Tapped into your most recently booked G+ 2) Let 2 hours expire since your most recently booked G+, whichever is earlier

One caveat is the first 7am G+. If you book a G+ for later in the day, or late morning, you can't book another until 2 hours after the park officially opens. Example: MK with an official 9am opening... Let's say at 7am you book a G+ for Jungle Cruise at 11:30 am, you can't book another G+ until 11am (2 hours after park open). However, if at 7am you book something like BTMRR for 9:30am, you can book another immediately after you've been through the second touch point. (BTMRR has 2). This is why we tended to book our first G+ as early as we could and roll from there. It gives you a head start.


Here's a possible scenario:
At 7am book your first headliner for as early as possible for your rope dropped park
Once you tap into that first headliner book another for as early as possible again (hopefully before lunch)
After tapping into the second headliner, look to see if there is a third that you could yet squeeze in before your afternoon break
If yes, book a third and once done with with that book a G+ for your evening park
If no G+ work before you want to head back for your afternoon break, start looking for G+ for your evening park
Two hours later book another G+ for your evening park
Two hours after that, book another G+ for the evening park
By this point you'll probably be in the evening park and can go from there

Dan

 

[glamdring269]

Here's a possible scenario:
At 7am book your first headliner for as early as possible for your rope dropped park
Once you tap into that first headliner book another for as early as possible again (hopefully before lunch)
After tapping into the second headliner, look to see if there is a third that you could yet squeeze in before your afternoon break
If yes, book a third and once done with with that book a G+ for your evening park
If no G+ work before you want to head back for your afternoon break, start looking for G+ for your evening park
Two hours later book another G+ for your evening park
Two hours after that, book another G+ for the evening park
By this point you'll probably be in the evening park and can go from there

Dan

Thanks Dan, this is fantastic. I have not really looked too deeply into G+ at this point since our next trip is so far in the future and who knows how many tweaks they might make between now and then. With that said, looking at the rough outline you've laid out here, this would be right up our alley if I'm reading it correctly. Am I correct in understanding that your basically implying a 2 hour gap between G+ bookings, therefore if one leaves Park 1 at noon with an evening G+, they could book another at 2PM, and another at 4PM, before potentially entering the park at 5pm armed with 3 pre-booked rides? Also, if this is correct, could I continue to mess around with these bookings up until ride time and try for something better similar to how I might have used FP+ in the past?

Thanks again. Did not really intend for this to turn into a G+ tutorial post but why not...

 

[OppR2nist]

Just got back, and I have to say the magic is alive and well. In fact, it's thriving. I saw enough new things and things I hadn't done before (or hadn't done in decades) that I filled my entire days and still had things left over to do. It really wasn't hard to find, and our family of four go full commando at the parks.

 

[DisneyFive]

Thanks Dan, this is fantastic. I have not really looked too deeply into G+ at this point since our next trip is so far in the future and who knows how many tweaks they might make between now and then. With that said, looking at the rough outline you've laid out here, this would be right up our alley if I'm reading it correctly. Am I correct in understanding that your basically implying a 2 hour gap between G+ bookings, therefore if one leaves Park 1 at noon with an evening G+, they could book another at 2PM, and another at 4PM, before potentially entering the park at 5pm armed with 3 pre-booked rides? Also, if this is correct, could I continue to mess around with these bookings up until ride time and try for something better similar to how I might have used FP+ in the past?

Thanks again. Did not really intend for this to turn into a G+ tutorial post but why not...

Yeah, don't want to derail this either, so I apologize to the OP and others, but...

You have the first part, about the 2 hour gaps, correct.

However, G+ isn't flexible like FP+ was. Once you book a G+ you can't modify it in any way. You can only cancel it and then try to rebook it. Once you cancel it, you are at the mercy of the G+ system whether you'll be able to get that attraction back at a time that would work for you. Once FP's run out they are gone for the day (like back with paper FP's). You can however "refresh" like back with FP+ days and sometimes the attraction you are looking for will pop back up, or an earlier time might pop up.

Dan

 

[JodyLynC]

The last time we went to WDW was 2017. We used Magical Express, Fast Passes, and had our gift shop purchases sent to our hotel. We are stunned that not only are these perks gone, but so are others. We didn't plan on going to WDW this year. My husband is attending a convention this fall. Finding out that some of our favorite perks are gone is really disappointing to say the least.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

had our gift shop purchases sent to our hotel.

We did a lot of shopping back in 2017 and really liked this. They had it sent to the gift shop and we'd pick it up the next day. Super nice to have.

However, in all honesty I'm not sure we'll stay on site again. We loved staying on site at Universal though and would do that again in a heartbeat but I don't want to stay at a Deluxe at Disney just to get evening extra magic hours..that's one of the most disappointing things they've done IMO.

 

[g-dad66]

Looking at the Availability Calender, I have to wonder if folks are cancelling, of if Disney is just increasing capacity (or both)

There were about 7 or 8 days in October that didn't have 4-park availability, but now there are only 2 such days.

 

[mom2rtk]

Looking at the Availability Calender, I have to wonder if folks are cancelling, of if Disney is just increasing capacity (or both)

There were about 7 or 8 days in October that didn't have 4-park availability, but now there are only 2 such days.

I think Disney adds capacity pretty regularly.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I agree that standby waits have been increased and I believe they're worse than they were with FP+. However, you cannot use G+ or ILL$ to ride any attraction more than once using the LL. It's one G+ or ILL$ per attraction and if you want to ride again that day, you need to get in the standby line.

Yeah, and with FP+. the "refresh warriors" definitely made things worse for everyone else.

If I had a dollar for every time I read "refresh is your friend" on these boards, I could retire to a private island...

 

[Davey Jones II]

I would say that you would be able to get at least 2-3 good G+ headliners the the park you rope drop before your afternoon break, and then another 2-3 for the park you intend to hop to.

Quick G+ rundown:
You can book another G+ once you have 1) Tapped into your most recently booked G+ 2) Let 2 hours expire since your most recently booked G+, whichever is earlier

One caveat is the first 7am G+. If you book a G+ for later in the day, or late morning, you can't book another until 2 hours after the park officially opens. Example: MK with an official 9am opening... Let's say at 7am you book a G+ for Jungle Cruise at 11:30 am, you can't book another G+ until 11am (2 hours after park open). However, if at 7am you book something like BTMRR for 9:30am, you can book another immediately after you've been through the second touch point. (BTMRR has 2). This is why we tended to book our first G+ as early as we could and roll from there. It gives you a head start.


Here's a possible scenario:
At 7am book your first headliner for as early as possible for your rope dropped park
Once you tap into that first headliner book another for as early as possible again (hopefully before lunch)
After tapping into the second headliner, look to see if there is a third that you could yet squeeze in before your afternoon break
If yes, book a third and once done with with that book a G+ for your evening park
If no G+ work before you want to head back for your afternoon break, start looking for G+ for your evening park
Two hours later book another G+ for your evening park
Two hours after that, book another G+ for the evening park
By this point you'll probably be in the evening park and can go from there

Dan

Thanks for the tutorial. But, if you're not up by 7 a.m., can you still stack a lot of LL starting late morning or aft/evening?

Also, if you have a 9:30 a.m. LL, for example, you have until 10:30 to use it?

 

[DisneyFive]

Thanks for the tutorial. But, if you're not up by 7 a.m., can you still stack a lot of LL starting late morning or aft/evening?

Also, if you have a 9:30 a.m. LL, for example, you have until 10:30 to use it?

To your first question, it depends on when you decide to book your first G+. If it is sometime in the morning I would say you could still stack 3 to 4 total G+ regardless.

You are correct with your second question. Also, there is a 10 to 15 minute grace period after, and 5 minutes before.

Dan

 

[Davey Jones II]

To your first question, it depends on when you decide to book your first G+. If it is sometime in the morning I would say you could still stack 3 to 4 total G+ regardless.

You are correct with your second question. Also, there is a 10 to 15 minute grace period after, and 5 minutes before.

Dan

Thanks, Dan.

 

[Boopuff]

Is it gone? I just got back from a HOT yet amazing trip. I in no way felt things were any less magical. Granted, if I compare trips now to trips in the past, yes there are differences, but times change. The internet -imo- has caused the demise of many magic moments. People used to get small, fun surprises, then the internet made people “expect “ magic, expect a free(fill-in-the-blank because an obnoxious tic-tock told be I’d get it! people who ask for multiple free things , all adds up to small things disappearing. The magic was plentiful in our case in part because we made it.

 

[mom2rtk]

For what a trip to Disney costs, I’m not looking for do it yourself magic.

 

[Jrb1979]

IMO it all depends on how you look at Disney. Those that enjoy the parks tend to not look at the outside stuff Disney is doing and enjoy the family time.

For my family it's all the changes that have stopped us from going. From reservations to Genie+ and rides breaking down or missing effects it's not the value it once was.

 

[accm]

We were there in February, and it felt just as magical as before honestly. The CMs we interacted with were amazing. My two young boys loved talking to them. The only thing I really missed at the time, and can’t wait for our next trip, we’re character hugs.
Did it cost more than it used to? Ya. But so does literally everything else in my life.