Disney Says Its Limiting Number of Guests Who Can Purchase Genie+

Last year, Guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort were introduced to Disney Genie+, a paid system that took the place of Disney’s incredibly popular FastPass system. Disney Genie+ required each Guest in a party to pay a certain amount per day in order to access a ride’s Lightning Lane — the new name for the FastPass lane. While Genie+ used to be a set price, it now fluctuates based on the day of the week and the time of the year and can go as high as $30 per person.

Since its inception, Disney Genie+ has been unpopular with Guests. Even though now-fired CEO Bob Chapek touted how many people were purchasing Genie+ and how it was improving the “Disney experience”, a number of Guests admitted that they were only purchasing the product because they felt it was the only way they would be able to experience a lot of what Disney Parks have to offer.

Haunted Mansion

In the year that Genie+ has been available, many Guests feel that the lines are worse than ever. Lightning Lanes have extended through entire lands, which is frustrating to both those who have purchased Genie+, and those who haven’t. Disney — and possibly returning CEO Bob Iger — have appeared to hear the complaints and have now clarified that they will limit just how many Guests can purchase Genie+ on a given day.

Theme park reporter Scott Gustin shared before and after photos of the changes made to the Disneyland Resort website:

Disneyland updated its Genie+ page in the past few days to include a line about the possibility of Genie+ sales being stopped based on demand. Screenshots of before and after.

Many who commented were shocked that Disney wasn’t limiting the number of Genie+ purchases already. Gustin then clarified that this might not be a change in the policy, but a website wording change, so Guests could be aware that they may not always be able to purchase Disney Genie+. We do not know how many people are allowed to purchase Genie+ every day.

space mountain

With Bob Iger back at the helm, Guests are hoping that he will get rid of Genie+ and bring back the old FastPass system. The major complaints about Genie+ have been the lack of availability of rides and the fact that Guests need to pay to ride an attraction after already paying hundreds of dollars to get into the theme park.

Disney’s New Design for a Roller Coaster that Jumps Tracks?

Disney’s new design for theme parks roller coaster with the ability to jump tracks has coaster junkies enthused, excited, shocked, and stunned, all at the same time.

Though fans of Disney Parks don’t always relish the idea of change in the parks, most can eventually find a way to roll with those changes once they realize that change is the predecessor to any new theme park addition, whether it’s a new take on an old ride or a brand-new attraction altogether.

A Disney Parks fan, I am. A coaster junkie, I am not.

Line the inside of a Disney Parks coaster car with velvet and fur, craft the lap belts from cashmere, and forge the safety bar from pure gold if you want. I’m happy as a clam standing in the “watch zones,” applauding you for your bravery.

So when reports about Walt Disney Imagineering’s design for a roller coaster with the ability to jump tracks surfaced, I paid little to no attention–at least as a lover of coasters. However, the wow factor of the prospect of such an attraction did create within me a curiosity that would have put Alice to shame in Wonderland–curiosity that begged two questions: how did they do that, and why would anyone be so stupid as to attempt such an experience?

(There was one more question, but that will spoil this whole piece, so I’ll wait.)

Earlier this week, the report was shared by an Instagrammer who simply calls himself, Wealth. After perusing his profile, we can only assume it’s because he asserts himself as a wealth of information. Be that as it may, the user shared a post with a few grainy photos all about Disney’s patent for a roller coaster that jumps across an open space in the tracks.

It continues as follows:

Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) just filed a patent for a roller coaster that jumps the track. This means the rollercoaster will fly through the air during part of the ride, with no track under it. It is rumored to be completed by 2030! Would you get on this ride?!

Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) just filed a patent for a roller coaster that jumps the track. This means the rollercoaster will fly through the air during part of the ride, with no track under it. The classic video game Thrillville: Off the Rails had a roller coaster that jumps the track on the cover of the game. This was a crazy idea that no one actually thought could work, but now Disney is trying to make that dream a reality.

The Instagram post even includes some sketches of the coaster cars and tracks–some more detailed than others.

Disney gets patent for roller coaster that jumps tracks

The sketches feature words and phrases like “drive assembly,” “onboard energy storage,” “charging element,” and “track-mounted capacitor charge plate,” lending themselves to describing the components of the tracks and the coaster cars.

The post struck fear in some who viewed it, as evidenced by the many comments posted in response to it.

“How?? Wind gust variations, body weight variations, miss the track by 1/4 inch and everybody on that ride is dead!” posted one user.

“Imagine the wrong weight distribution,” began another comment. “Disney trying to crash their stock price further than it already has.”

Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 - SKY Track : Off The Track - Jumping Coaster  [Trailer] - YouTube

In another post, a user commented, “A good amount of the rides at Disneyland kept breaking down this week; please fix your current rides before you focus on a new one.”

As of the time of this post, the Instagram offering has amassed more than 172,000 likes. The post also caught the attention of the fact-checker extraordinaires over at Snopes.com on Thursday, who went to work immediately to prove, debunk, or label otherwise, the post about Disney’s newest “flying” roller coaster design.

Ultimately, Snopes determined the story to be one that originated as satire on the site MouseSteps.com, though many who choose to get their news only from online social media platforms found the post very believable indeed–which goes along with that third question I had but didn’t share so as not to spoil the post. And that is, after all, who would believe such a tale, even if it is about the expert storytellers at Disney Parks?

Bob Iger Pens Heartfelt Note to Employees

November 20 was certainly a shocking day to be a Disney fan. In a stunning turn of late-night events, it was reported that Bob Chapek was OUT as CEO of The Walt Disney Company and former CEO Bob Iger would be taking over once again, effective immediately.

The Walt Disney Company CEO, Robert Iger arrives for the World premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Chapek didn’t even make it 3 years as CEO, but the news was welcomed by many. Upon his return, Iger penned a heartfelt email to Disney employees. The email reads:

Dear Fellow Employees and Cast Members,

It is with an incredible sense of gratitude and humility—and, I must admit, a bit of amazement—that I write to you this evening with the news that I am returning to The Walt Disney Company as Chief Executive Officer.

When I look at the creative success of our teams across our Studios, Disney General Entertainment, ESPN and International, the rapid growth of our streaming services, the phenomenal reimagining and rebound of our Parks, the continued great work of ABC News, and so many other achievements across our businesses, I am in awe of your accomplishments and I am excited to embark with you on many new endeavors.

I know this company has asked so much of you during the past three years, and these times certainly remain quite challenging, but as you have heard me say before, I am an optimist, and if I learned one thing from my years at Disney, it is that even in the face of uncertainty—perhaps especially in the face of uncertainty—our employees and Cast Members achieve the impossible.

You will be hearing more from me and your leaders tomorrow and in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, allow me to express my deep gratitude for all that you do. Disney holds a special place in the hearts of people around the globe thanks to you, and your dedication to this company and its mission to bring joy to people through great storytelling is an inspiration to me every single day. 

Bob Iger

Bob Iger and Mickey Mouse

The news of Iger’s return will most likely be welcomed by many Disney fans who never got used to Bob Chapek and the changes he made. Fans turned against Chapek, as he constantly seemed to focus more on profit and less on Guests and that special “Disney magic.”

Guests were vocal during Chapek’s entire tenure, voicing their dissatisfaction with the theme park reservation system, Disney Genie+, cost of admission, rising costs of food, shrinking portion sizes, and more.

Bob Chapek

While the immediate future is uncertain, it will certainly be interesting to see how Iger tries to bring the company back to its former glory.

BOB CHAPEK IS OUT! Bob Iger Is CEO Once Again!

We have some stunning breaking news, Disney Family!! In a shocking report from The Hollywood Reporter, we are learning that BOB CHAPEK IS OUT AS CEO! And, effective immediately, former CEO Bob Iger will be taking over The Walt Disney Company once again.

Here is more from The Hollywood Reporter

We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic,” said Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board. “The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.”

Bob Chapek

Bob Chapek took over as CEO of Disney in February 2020 and his tenure has been anything but easy. Aside from dealing with Covid at the start, Chapek made many controversial decisions, and in the less than three years since his tenure began, more than 70% of people have said that Disney has “lost its magic”.

Some of Chapek’s most controversial moves include, his weeks-long silence on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, getting rid of the popular FastPass system and instituting the paid Genie+ system, and requiring all Guests to make a theme park reservation to visit.

Chapek’s tenure also hasn’t been great for Disney stock, which is down more than 35% this year.

Bob Chapek and Bob Iger

While Chapek has not been popular with fans, it also appears he wasn’t popular with Bob Iger either. In an earlier report, those close to Iger revealed that appointing Chapek as his successor was one of ”his “worst business decisions.”

With the beloved Iger back in as CEOc it will certainly be interesting to see how Disney pivots, what changes Iger might make at the Parks and at Disney+, and what the future holds.

Disney “Most Woke Corporation in America” According to Recent Survey

Once a year, the American Conservative Values ETF (ACVF) conducts a survey aimed at Conservative Investors to determine what companies investors think misalign with their values. “It’s an ongoing informal survey intended to identify companies with woke or liberal reputations, as well as capture trends over time,” said ACVF CEO William Flaig, one of the group’s co-founders. Typically tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google top the list but not this year.

Disney, overwhelmingly, has been voted “THE most woke company in America” by this group of Conservative Investors. Tech giants Facebook, Google and Twitter made the top five but this is the first time Disney has topped the list. In 2021, Disney ranked low on the list when just 10 percent of ACVF investors ranked it as woke.

CVF President Tom Carter said, “It’s clear Disney’s adoption of left-wing ideology led by its war on parental rights is harming the company’s brand among politically conservative investors.” He went on to say that the ACVF is currently boycotting 29 companies, including Disney, and actively encourages its investors to do the same.

This line of thinking extends past just the ACVF as well. Financial columnist and analyst Steve Beaman said that many investment groups and individual investors are tired of companies (on both sides of the aisle) mixing business and politics. “Corporations need to focus on products and customers along with shareholder returns,” he said. “That should be the main focus, not some agenda involving political and social issues.”

Many conservatives have gone beyond stock boycotts and have boycotted the Parks and films as well due to their increasing frustration with Disney’s involvement in political issues. Disney Fan turned Disney Boycotter, Tara, spoke with me and said, “Disney used to stand for something everyone could love: simple family friendly fun. Now they want to have some sort of mission statement with an agenda and I’m not ok with that. We used to go 3 or 4 times per year. We won’t go again until they stop the woke stuff”

Bob Chapek

Disney Parks 4th Quarter Earnings Call showed signs that the company may be feeling the crunch from these protests. Earnings were well below anticipated estimates and stocks suffered more dramatically than they have in 20 years immediately after the call. The Disney online community continuously comments “go woke, go broke” in protest what they perceive as a “Woke agenda.” While the company certainly won’t go broke, it is possible they may take a step back from politics if these financial trends continue.