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148. Tim Grassey on Disney Genie+, Magic Key, and the Future of Theme Parks

09.07.2021 by Dan Heaton // Leave a Comment

Tim Grassey joins the Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about Disney Genie+ and other changes announced by Disney.


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Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary is less than a month away, but that’s not even the biggest news story from Disney. They’ve made several recent announcements that will dramatically change how we experience the parks. Disney Genie+ will replace FastPass Plus with a new paid service using the Lightning Lane. Certain individual attractions will require a per-ride charge separate from the payment for Disney Genie+. Many fans are understandably angry about this new service, which brings added complexity and higher costs to their vacation. Disney is treading in dangerous waters as they introduce so many updates at once.

There’s a lot to cover, so I’ve brought in an expert to help navigate the situation. Tim Grassey is back on The Tomorrow Society Podcast for his sixth appearance. He’s the co-host of the Marty Called podcast and follows all the news closely. We talk about a few positive changes with Disney Genie+ along with the big question marks. Beyond the impact on guests, I’m interested in how Disney’s recent approach could damage them in the future. We discuss what Universal and other vendors could do to draw guests away from Disney.

Tim also recently visited Walt Disney World, and we talk about that experience including his first time on Rise of the Resistance. The crowds were still high back in July, so it’s very different than the empty parks we’re seeing now. We close with important questions like “Which is uglier: the Harmonius barges or the Cosmic Rewind show building?” We can get discouraged by the recent news from Disney (and our world), so I enjoy covering a few silly topics. I really enjoyed the chance to talk with Tim again during such a busy time.

Floating mountains from far away in Pandora: The World of Avatar.
Photo by Erin Heaton

Show Notes: Tim Grassey

Listen to Tim Grassey on his past appearances on The Tomorrow Society Podcast on episodes 19, 38, 57, 86, and 123.

Listen to the Marty Called podcast with Tim, Josh Fenton, and Ben Rebstock and follow Marty Called.

Follow Tim Grassey on Twitter.

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Categories // Tomorrow Society Podcast Tags // Disney Genie+, FastPass, Interviews, Podcasts, Walt Disney Workd

About Dan Heaton

Dan’s first theme-park memory was a vacation at the Polynesian Resort in 1980 as a four-year-old. He’s a lifelong fan who has written and podcasted regularly about the industry. Dan loves both massive Disney and Universal theme parks plus regional attractions near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. His favorite all-time attraction is Horizons at EPCOT Center.

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