The WDW Magic Forums are a cantankerous, yet useful location online. Running since 1996, the site is the locale for a number of actual Disney insiders, avatars of various YouTube and fan site personalities, and a host of people who wish they were. It explains why there is sometimes negativity, partially due to various people jockeying to boost some and disparage others. The site is where I first came onto the scene, and remains a useful resource for connecting with insiders and potential leads. It’s just wise to remember that if you see attacks against an author on the forums, sometimes its competing sites / insiders trying to influence perception.
All of that said, new thread has popped up on the forums that is dealing with the upcoming Genie App. The software to be downloaded on guests’ devices has been long-announced, but scant public details since. While I have reported on the upcoming FastPass changes, user The Visionary Soul has put together a major list of things that are likely to show up.
Here are some of the highlights from a user that has a history of getting much right:
First, the good news, annual passes won’t be going away, and neither will the monthly payment plans. The bad news is that WDW’s ticketing practices will get much more obscure overall. Genie will let you choose options that are important to you and spit out a price depending on what you select and when you want to do it. The price is determined by a variety of factors that probably won’t be explained to you directly, especially if you’re including the package deals. For example, you’ll be able to buy an AP, but it may not be good every day of the year, and Waterparks access or Premier Access could end up being an add-on.
As you can see, the user is claiming that Disney will be using a complex, and hidden, algorithm to determine ticket pricing.
As I understand it, Genie the app will be a free planning product. It will help you plan and achieve an itinerary that will be right for you and your family. But to guarantee an itinerary, you’ll need to opt in for Genie+ or Premier Access or whatever they end up calling it.
This lines up with what I’ve been hearing about a paid, premium version of the app.
Now, in terms of tech, we know Genie is dependent on multiple hardware and software upgrades at WDW that are occurring right now. Assuming they go well, you should see Genie roll-out before Oct 1st.
Visionary Soul goes on to recommend guests consider purchasing an Annual Pass or renewing a current AP prior to the roll out of this system. That does seem wise. I suspect that prices are about to rise dramatically at Walt Disney World over the next 18 months, and it may begin around October 1st.
The original thread can be found here for you to read in full.
