I’m not sure how TP will ever tell you what next Genie + to get. My experience this past week was that after the initial round of LL were sold out (which happened quite early), LLs would repopulate (sometimes at the extra drop times previously noted on this thread, sometimes not) at absolutely random times throughout the day - if I refreshed my G+ page constantly for a few minutes (between five and fifteen minutes) and they would be for random return times and would be gone in a minute or two (sometimes in seconds) if you didn’t grab them.
Oh, I forgot another tip in prior posts. If you know what G+ ride or ILL you want, go to your tip board and edit selections so nothing but that one is checked and it will be at the top of your tip board screen so when you refresh, you don’t have to then scroll to it each time (also for some weird reason, if you click on a ride to get more info, when you go back to the tip board, it will be on top - so you can do it that way too).
Everyone was so frustrated that Disney didn’t explain the G+ rules. Then someone pointed out that they’d never explained the FPP rules either, and this allowed them to quietly change the rules. But, a month is a lot quicker than than I would have thought.
How are people making their TP right now?
My trip is 12/19-12/24 so not sure the updates will be ready for me by then. And in the days leading up to the trip I have to organize packing AND Christmas (oh, and work?!?) so I don’t think I will have time to make a bunch of TPs. I usually spend hours happily tweaking my plans but haven’t been able to figure out how to do that now.
In the past TP would tell you which FPPs should be your priority. I’m guessing it will do the same based on your selections. Just like FPP, the recommendation may not be available when you are try to book. Genie+ is not so good for my OCD planning brain.
I really appreciate this feedback. I see myself in how you describe yourself as a planner, amd trying to see the best of G+, so your perspective is very informative. I am carefully trying to balance using it to my advantage and not letting it stress me out.
Just like how they have been. It will take some time for TP to offer planning help. This is what David D said, he is a code writer at Touring Plans:
"The ability to have our software calculate an efficient plan using forecasted Genie+ return times and your own inputted Individual Lightning Lane return times estimates (you have a choice with those, and if you pick early, you should be able to choose nearly whatever times you want) is forthcoming, likely by early 2022. So in the future, even though there are lots of unknowns, you’ll be able to experiment more with Lightning Lane planning."
Question for AP holders. Here is my scenario: I have an AP, but my kids and DH have park hoppers with Genie+ already included. When I look at our travel dates in MDE, the system appears to think that we all have Genie+ and does not present the option to purchase. I am hoping that this will change on midnight on the day-of, but I’m reading reports on other forums that the AP in this scenario can’t purchase Genie+ until 7am when selections open. Has anyone experienced this? Given the speed at which Genie+ selections are running out, I’m concerned that this puts us behind (which is what I was trying to avoid by purchasing the tickets w/Genie upfront). Any suggestions?
I usually spend hours tweaking and evaluating once I have my FPP times. I’m guessing now I’m better off making all my attraction selections and just sticking with Optimize? I’m not usually an Optimizer but rather and Evaluator.
I know. It’s not great and never will be like the FP days. I had no need to optimize either, but all options are now on the table.
It’s really sad that Disney won’t allow ANY reservations ahead of time. It’s possible that it may change in the future if G+ continues to be unpopular for a large percentage of visitors.
I could book a new LL every two hours, or after using the last LL I booked. Yesterday we did MK in the morning. LL1 was ToT at 2pm. LL2 (booked at 11) BTM for 12:05. At 12:10 LL3 booked Star Tours for 2.
Thank you! That makes sense and is the way I would expect it to work. I don’t know where this “two hour rule” came from. Will you write a blog post explaining the current rules?
It’s nice to have the TP staff weighing in here. Can someone answer why my TP has me RD ETPE Tomorrowland speedway?! Odd choice.
Last time we went I only ever used evaluate so I could control the flow and my priorities. At this point I am relying on TP for knowledge and to run a few simulations but I’m not sure I can actually rely on optimize just yet.
A lot of people will rope drop Speedway (especially if you have children) or Astro Orbiter since those lines build so fast.
Rope dropped Speedway on our second MK day in 2018 because DS8 (at the time, now DS11) loved it. On our first MK day it was the third ride.
Ah ok. We skipped Astro orbiter last time due to lack of FP and speedway was closed so did neither and they really aren’t priorities this time around either. I know TP’s work to decrease overall times but it’s sometimes hard to overcome the psychological aspect of some of the suggestions.
That’s why it works so well. It counters against normal human behavior.
Thanks, Steve, just to confirm, you tapped at BTM before booking LL3 at 12:10, correct?
This is great info!
There have been reports on chat of having to wait 2 hours if you cancel a LL. That was not true in the past. Did you test that out by any chance?
If you pick a ride to include in your touring plans, it doesn’t give it weight vs another ride, so it won’t know it’s not a top priority for you. It’s going to try and get you to every ride you picked.
I think this is a key feature of G+ that Disney was responding to after getting feedback about FPP. 1) People didn’t like the degree of planning required (TP forum users are an extremely biased sample of hyper planners), 2) Offsite guests didn’t get access to FPP for the most popular attractions, 3) There wasn’t enough attraction capacity to guarantee every guest 3 FPPs without including things that you really don’t need a FP for.
So I don’t think they should / will allow selections beforehand.