Disney diehards upset about losing FastPass with new Disney Genie app

ORLANDO, Fla. - Disney may be excited about its new Genie app, but a lot of people aren’t.

"It’s disappointing. We’ll probably just have to adapt to it, just like we did with the pandemic," said Disney annual pass holder Chris Graham.

Chris Graham and his wife are Disney pass holders. One of their favorite parts of visiting Disney is getting a FastPass for free. With the announcement of Disney’s new Genie app also came the announcement that the FastPass will be retired.  Instead, you’ll now have to pay $15 extra per person for the faster lines, now called Lightning Lanes. 

"We’re going to have a child here in a little bit and it’s going to cost us if we choose to do it, and $45 each time we go," said Graham.

People are so upset that when you look at Disney’s announcement video on YouTube, more than 8,000 viewers gave the video a thumbs down. That’s 87% of viewers.

RELATED: Disney retires FastPass, launches 'Disney Genie' and 'Lightning Lane'

"Since FastPass was introduced, it was perceived as okay this was a benefit of buying that expensive ticket, and essentially Disney has now said that benefit has changed," said Rollins College Marketing Professor Dr. Mark Johnston. 

Johnston said Disney does nothing lightly, and with all this customer feedback and reaction, "it wouldn’t surprise me if at the end they make tweaks and adjustments to what the final package looks like when it’s rolled out."

It’s not expected to roll out until this fall. 

There are app features that Disney diehards say they’re looking forward to, like customized trip planning in advance and booking Lightning Lanes the day of. 

But annual pass holders, especially, are feeling cheated.

"If there’s a way that they can include it in the cost for annual pass holders in some way, I think that would smooth a lot of things over," said Graham.

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