The Genie+ Lightning Lane subscription service replaced the Fastpass system at Disney Parks earlier this year, allowing guests to pay a little extra to skip the lines of their favorite rides. That service also included the ability to reserve certain spaces for events like Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Unfortunately, ahead of Christmas, the rollout for daytime reservations with the Lightning Lane program didn’t go so well, resulting in cancelled reservations and frustrated guests.
On December 22nd, the beloved Magic Kingdom parade put on its first daytime performance of the holiday season. One of the options available to Genie+ subscribers was a reserved viewing area for the parade, where they could see the event and deal with a smaller crowd. According to Walt Disney World News Today, the Genie+ system accidentally overbooked the parade viewing reservations. This resulted in the cancellation of some reservations, but the guests were never notified of the changes. When parties with cancelled reservations showed up to the viewing area, they were turned away because their spot had been removed by the app. Due to capacity limits, there was nothing the Cast Members could do after the program’s mistake.
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This left guests searching for a spot to watch the parade amongst the crowds with very little time before the event started. Per WDWNT, a Cast Member told one guest that “it will push you out of the system if it overbooks because it is a live system.” Not other explanation was given at the time.
The Disney Genie app is the new go-to system for guests at Disney Parks, helping organize their trips and customize their experiences. The Genie+ option costs $15 per day and allows users to skip the lines to most rides throughout the parks. Some of the biggest attractions at Disney Parks aren’t included, but guests can purchase individual Lightning Lane passes to skip their lines.
“Disney Genie listens to the preferences that guests share with us to help design their best day and deliver an experience that’s made just for them,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said in a statement. “Pairing incredible technology with more than 60 years of expertise about how our guests visit the parks, Disney Genie will personalize their Disney day, allowing guests to spend less time planning and waiting and more time doing the things they love.”
Have you tried out Disney’s Genie or Lightning Lane programs? If so, let us know in the comments!
