At Disneyland During the Genie + Launch

 

First of all, being at Disneyland last week during the Genie + launch was not my intention.  If anything, I was hoping it would have launched a few weeks later.  As an annual pass Dream Key holder, I reserved last weeks dates early last October.  Two months ago.  The Disneyland app said "coming soon" for Genie +, so I was quite shocked opening the Disneyland app on December 8th with the program announcement.

Backing up, what is Genie +?  It launched at Disney World last October, and is a paid replacement for the fastpass system.  All the previous fastpass lanes have been renamed to Lightening lane.  I believe it's $15 a day at Disney World and $20 a day at Disneyland.  I don't know the prices, as I choose to not buy in and did the stand by lines.  On top of the daily fee is the fact that Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Spring Racers, and Webslingers are not apart of the daily fee and are separate add on prices.  Apparently Rise of the Resistance topped off at $20 a ride, per person.  

Last week I was at Disneyland Monday through Thursday.  The weekends were already reserved and unavailable by the time I selected the dates.  Also, whenever there's rain that affects line wait times and crowds in the parks.  Tuesday had rain in the morning and Thursday was a little drizzly.  Wednesday had perfect weather.  It was so nice!  It was also when Genie + launched.  Also, the Holiday parade was recorded that day for broadcast on ABC on Christmas day.  I rushed to It's a Small World and got off the ride right when the parade was starting in Fantasyland.  The 45 min wait time turned out to only be 20 minutes.  Total win.  I then I left halfway through the parade to hop on Big Thunder Railroad because the line was only 10 minutes.  WIN!!

 

Just putting this out there, I'm not a fan of Genie +.  I loved the fastpass system, but in hindsight I view it quite differently.  Defunctland has a video called "Disney's Fastpass, A Complicated History". I haven't seen it, plan to, but apparently it talks about the fact that fastpasses cause the problem it solves.

 

Thankfully Genie + was having issues that day, so I had crazy good luck with the line wait times in standby.

Experiencing Disneyland last October and Monday/Tuesday of last week, I realized how much I didn't like the fastpass system.  Without the merger of fastpass/lightening lane users, the regular line moves so fast!  I got into Indiana Jones on Tuesday, 45 minute estimated wait.  It was about 15-20 minutes.  The line was constantly moving.  Same with Big Thunder Railroad.  Without the fastpass/lightening lane mergers, that line kept moving with little wait, half the time that was projected.  I did Rise of the Resistance twice.  On Monday it was a 60 minute wait time, and it ended up being so.  On Thursday it said the wait time was 65 minutes, but ended up being 45 minutes.

There are plenty of videos on YouTube showing people trying out standby verses lightening lanes.  Apparently lightening lanes win out time wise, though I wonder what the wait would have been otherwise.  From my experience I had pretty good luck.  Honestly only averaged 4-5 rides a day, on purpose.  I didn't do the ticketed holiday event.  Not paying an extra $170 for that party.

Where the real slam happened was Thursday night at California Adventure.  During the holiday event on Tuesday, which boots out "day guests" (loved being called that...), out of the park at 7pm, I hung out at Downtown Disney and did stuff there, so no idea what was happening in DCA.  Now, on Thursday night DCA was crazy crowded.  Guardians has a 95 wait time.  Radiator Spring Racers had a two hour wait time.  For Racers the single rider line was so long it was closed!  So I watched a band perform on the stage next to the Paradise Pier Lake.  Got a hot chocolate macaron from one of those food wagons.  And found a table close to the Mostly Kosher stage and enjoyed their performance.  It's all good.

Side note.  When I visited Disney World in 2016, I didn't use a single fastpass, mainly because guests of their hotels can book them so far in advance, and I was staying at the Holiday Inn and just didn't want to mess with them.  I found a website, studied which parks were doing magic mornings/evenings and when, and then planned accordingly.  Certain times in the day have lower wait times.  During those six days I did so many rides, all with short wait times except Space Mountain (so bumpy compared to Disneyland), and Snow Whites Mine Train was just so long I never made it on that ride.  Not a big deal.

Anywho, I don't like this pay to ride scheme Disney has going on.  I want it to fail, but it seems it won't.  Just another way for Disney to bleed us dry.

Walt Disney, may you rest in peace.

Sarah