Our Biggest Concerns with Disney Genie
I previously discussed how Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane secure Disney’s future.
From now on, theme park attractions will pay for themselves in a tangible way rather than by driving overall demand for theme park admission.
Credit: Disney
Still, some questions remain about the upcoming services. Here are some of our biggest concerns with Disney Genie and its byproducts.
Quirks of Virtual Assistants
Earlier today, my virtual assistant, whom I usually adore, went nuts. It started demanding the identity of the person talking into the Bluetooth speaker.
We couldn’t get Alexa to stop, and this went on for more than five minutes. I felt like John Connor being chased down by a T-1000 for a bit.
That’s the thing about virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Cortana. When they work well, you love them.
You’ll blindly trust your phone to guide you anywhere. I mean, how often do you ignore the onscreen instructions and take a different path when you’re driving?
AI mapping runs our lives now when we’re behind the wheel. Similarly, we don’t do our calculations or keep our own lists as a rule.
The virtual assistant does all these things for us, which is terrific when it works. But, unfortunately, when it doesn’t, you wind up in an endless loop of frustration.
You try to tell the AI to stop, it doesn’t understand, it tells you it doesn’t understand, and then you try to tell it to stop again.
Disney theme parks already get intense enough on their own sometimes. Imagine if you need to find a bathroom, and Disney Genie acts up!
Of course, cast members will still be there to assist you. Still, this sudden reliance on technology hasn’t worked well for online customer service.
Why should we expect seamless operation at the parks?
WiFi concerns
Can you hear me now? These commercials no longer feel topical, as WiFi signals are mostly good now.
Sure, you’ll run into the occasional weak spot, usually in the place when it’s least convenient for your purposes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHm4PbsLs0M
Still, those are the minor annoyances of modern living. Overall, we’re all quite fortunate about our WiFi connectivity here in North America.
Well, that statement comes with an asterisk, doesn’t it? WiFi at Disney theme parks remains a work in progress.
Also, I feel like I’ve described Disney WiFi that way for the body of a decade.
For whatever reason, Disney has never fully committed to fixing the problem.
As such, wireless networks at Walt Disney World and (especially) Disneyland remain unreliable.
In fact, some resort hotel rooms I’ve stayed in were virtually signal-free. For this reason, WiFi is one of the first things I check when I enter the room.
Recently, cast members have added 5G mini-towers at various resort locations. But, unfortunately, their signal strength apparently isn’t very good.
Photo: AT&T
As such, every location needs several of these mini-towers – they look like light poles – at each resort campus.
Within the theme parks, that’s a problem, as their presence ruins the illusion.
For these reasons, I have legitimate concerns about how much I’ll be able to trust Disney Genie access.
Photo: Disney
Suppose Disney wants to commit to this service. In that case, it’ll need to upgrade internet coverage across all parks and resorts in Anaheim and Orlando.
Evening the Playing Field
Here’s a minor gripe that does cause a bit of frustration. Disney Genie will level the playing field between first-time guests and experienced veterans.
Credit: Disney
That’s tremendous for the noobs, and I’m glad they’ll enjoy their visit more than they would have before Disney Genie existed.
However, most people reading this are Disney diehards, the kind who visit the parks regularly and know all the tricks.
Disney Genie will trigger a hard reset of park knowledge. So, all our insider tips will go out the window.
Okay, that’s probably an exaggeration. As with anything else, experience always proves invaluable.
Still, we won’t possess the competitive advantage that we’ve always had in the past, which is a bummer.
Loss of Control
Remember how I said we all trust our AI GPS completely? That’s true of most virtual assistant suggestions.
Photo Source: Engadget
We, as a society, have quickly grown to trust all advice and information we receive from AI because it’s, you know, the ultimate source of knowledge.
Siri knows everything in the course of human history. You and I guess most of the time when we watch Jeopardy.
Photo: Disney
So, Disney will try to solve analysis paralysis by suggesting things for guests. It’ll offer advice on attractions, restaurants, and more.
By letting the AI choose an itinerary, we’ll fade into the back a bit, ceding some of our agency to Disney Genie.
Nobody can say for sure how much this will happen. The answer likely depends on your personality.
Some people are more trusting and accepting of virtual assistants than others.
Still, all of us will listen to Disney Genie at least some, making it our most loyal advisor and confidante at the parks.
That’s new and at least somewhat strange to accept.
The Cost
Okay, Disney Genie is free, the point that Disney has made repeatedly since its announcement.
However, that’s like saying standing on the golf course is free. If you want to play golf, you need to buy clubs and pay a greens fee.
Image Credit: Disney
I suspect that most vacationers will add Disney Genie+ and/or Lightning Lane at some point during their trips.
For families, this decision will prove costly. For example, let’s say that a traveling party of five visits for five nights.
At Walt Disney World, you’re paying $375 more just for Disney Genie+. Now, you’ll get your money’s worth in the deal, an essential point here.
Since half the guests or more won’t pay for the service, you’ll experience many more attractions via the Lightning Lane entrance.
Importantly, you’re paying for that privilege, though. In fact, you’re paying $75 more a day for it. At Disneyland, the cost is even higher at $100 a day.
I’m only talking about the Disney Genie+ side of the equation, too. We still don’t know Lightning Lane pricing yet.
Credit: Disney
The best estimate stems from Disneyland Paris’ current price model, which ranges from $9 to $18 per attraction.
At Disneyland, that’s the equivalent of guaranteeing yourself a ride on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for $90 for your party.
(Matt Stroshane, photographer)
On the one hand, you receive the certainty of experiencing an E-ticket attraction. On the other, you’re paying a stiff price for the right.
Adapting to that new kind of system just feels wrong. As a spoiled Disney fan, I’m used to getting everything in the parks for the price of admission.
Other theme parks ditched that policy a while ago, even Disneyland.
However, I’ve kept it at Walt Disney World and thereby hate the thought of losing it. Ah well. Change is good, right?
