Fishing,accelerating modifying and MEP

[Artygal90]

We have rider switch in conjunction with MEPs often and haven’t run into this issue that I’ve noticed. We are going again soon so I’ll try to pay extra attention to see how things get used. We always scan using our MB+ rather than using our phones.

Hi, I was wondering how rider switch + MEPs turned out on your last trip? I'm going in a couple months with a friend and my 2 year old, so we will definitely need to do rider switch for any of the "big" rides the adults want to do. I just learned about this fishing and accelerating thing and am really hoping I can leverage it to make our park days go smoother.

 

[pineapplepalms]

Hi, I was wondering how rider switch + MEPs turned out on your last trip? I'm going in a couple months with a friend and my 2 year old, so we will definitely need to do rider switch for any of the "big" rides the adults want to do. I just learned about this fishing and accelerating thing and am really hoping I can leverage it to make our park days go smoother.

We haven’t had issues, but I do think you need to watch the time windows. For example, if your LL time is passed when you enter and you have a qualifying MEP, it’ll take the MEP. If you have a rider switch set up where it is valid after a certain time, if you enter before that time for a qualifying ride, I think that’s when it might take the MEP instead of the rider switch. Also, sometimes we would get an MEP that was only valid for the ride that went down (happened with Pirates). So definitely check what rides the MEP you get is valid for before trying to accelerate with it.

 

[Artygal90]

We haven’t had issues, but I do think you need to watch the time windows. For example, if your LL time is passed when you enter and you have a qualifying MEP, it’ll take the MEP. If you have a rider switch set up where it is valid after a certain time, if you enter before that time for a qualifying ride, I think that’s when it might take the MEP instead of the rider switch. Also, sometimes we would get an MEP that was only valid for the ride that went down (happened with Pirates). So definitely check what rides the MEP you get is valid for before trying to accelerate with it.

I see… so let me explain a hypothetical situation to see if I’m understanding the “accelerating+rider switch” strategy correctly:

Let’s say the 2 adults in my party book a LL for MMRR for 8-9 am, which immediately breaks down and gives us each a “gold” MEP. Once we have an MEP I can then book us 2 LLs for, say, Smuggler’s Run at 12-1 pm. Even though it’s only 9 am, we could walk over to Smuggler’s Run LL, scan our ticket barcodes, and also ask for a rider switch pass. Adult 1 would go through the LL while Adult 2 stays with the toddler. After Adult 1 is done riding, Adult 2 should *immediately*proceed to the LL entrance and scan her ticket barcode to ride.

However, if either 1) we let our original 12-1 pm LL window pass for Smuggler’s Run without tapping in, OR 2) Adult 2 doesn’t tap in to Smuggler’s Run within the rider switch window (which is an hour? Two hours?), then the system will take the MEP rather than the LL or the rider switch pass for Adult 2 - because the LL and rider switch pass have expired and aren’t valid passes anymore.

* Edited to add - and the value of adding rider switch to all this, even though you still have to spend the time to go through the LL twice, is that Adult 2 can still go through the LL after their return window closes. eg If we arrive at Smuggler’s Run at 12:45 and Adult 1 doesn’t get back til 1:15, then Adult 2 would be SOL without a rider switch pass, even if they had a LL.

Did I get that right?

 

[pineapplepalms]

I see… so let me explain a hypothetical situation to see if I’m understanding the “accelerating+rider switch” strategy correctly:

Let’s say the 2 adults in my party book a LL for MMRR for 8-9 am, which immediately breaks down and gives us each a “gold” MEP. Once we have an MEP I can then book us 2 LLs for, say, Smuggler’s Run at 12-1 pm. Even though it’s only 9 am, we could walk over to Smuggler’s Run LL, scan our ticket barcodes, and also ask for a rider switch pass. Adult 1 would go through the LL while Adult 2 stays with the toddler. After Adult 1 is done riding, Adult 2 should *immediately*proceed to the LL entrance and scan her ticket barcode to ride.

However, if either 1) we let our original 12-1 pm LL window pass for Smuggler’s Run without tapping in, OR 2) Adult 2 doesn’t tap in to Smuggler’s Run within the rider switch window (which is an hour? Two hours?), then the system will take the MEP rather than the LL or the rider switch pass for Adult 2 - because the LL and rider switch pass have expired and aren’t valid passes anymore.

Did I get that right?

Kind of… if you let your LL window pass, then it would take the MEP when you tap in. For the other part, rider switch generally doesn’t have an end time, it’s more that it’ll say it’s valid after a certain time. Usually it’s not an issue, but say the first group finishes really quickly and the rider switch start time hasn’t come up yet, if you tap before that time then it would take your MEP.

In this situation though, where it’s 2 adults and a toddler and you’re accelerating a much later LL and have no risk of missing your window, I don’t know if you really need to set up rider switch. It would just enable you to book your next LL sooner since you could book it right after you set up the rider switch, rather than after the second person taps into the ride. We usually use rider switch if our older kids want to ride more than once.

 

[Artygal90]

Kind of… if you let your LL window pass, then it would take the MEP when you tap in. For the other part, rider switch generally doesn’t have an end time, it’s more that it’ll say it’s valid after a certain time. Usually it’s not an issue, but say the first group finishes really quickly and the rider switch start time hasn’t come up yet, if you tap before that time then it would take your MEP.

In this situation though, where it’s 2 adults and a toddler and you’re accelerating a much later LL and have no risk of missing your window, I don’t know if you really need to set up rider switch. It would just enable you to book your next LL sooner since you could book it right after you set up the rider switch, rather than after the second person taps into the ride. We usually use rider switch if our older kids want to ride more than once.

Got it! That kind of takes the pressure off. Thanks for explaining.

 

[ghtx]

Can I get some clarification to make sure that I understand "accelerating" Lightning Lanes/MEPs? There is a lot of info on this thread, but I couldn't find a post that clearly explains how this whole process is supposed to work (maybe it's there but I couldn't find it).

I think I understand "fishing" for an MEP: I would make a regular Lightning Lane reservation with G+, say for Indiana Jones, and I would hope that the ride is broken down during my time slot, since then my Indiana Jones times LL slot will automatically convert to a Multi-Experience Pass (MEP), which can be used on (almost) any other ride, and has no time restrictions (except that it must be used that day).

Then, I can make another regular Lightning Lane reservation with G+ - let's say that I make one for Space Mountain for the 1pm-2pm time slot, and say that it's currently 10am. "Accelerating" means that I can immediately go to Space Mountain, and I can tap in at the Lightning Lane entrance, and even though my Space Mountain Lightning Lane shouldn't work until 1pm, it somehow will let me in, because I have the MEP. After riding Space Mountain, my 1pm Space Mountain LL slot will be gone, but my anytime MEP will remain. Then, I can repeat the process all day, and I can use any new LL that I book immediately, rather than wait until the posted time.

But, if I were to try to ride something for which I didn't have a LL reserved (e.g. Big Thunder), and tap through the LL entrance, then it would take my MEP, and I would not be able to continue doing this (unless I got another MEP somehow).

Is that all correct?

And, if it is correct, why does this work? This is clearly like a glitch or an oversight or something, right? Is this something that Disney is aware of and looking to fix?

 

[OlliePop27]

Can I get some clarification to make sure that I understand "accelerating" Lightning Lanes/MEPs? There is a lot of info on this thread, but I couldn't find a post that clearly explains how this whole process is supposed to work (maybe it's there but I couldn't find it).

I think I understand "fishing" for an MEP: I would make a regular Lightning Lane reservation with G+, say for Indiana Jones, and I would hope that the ride is broken down during my time slot, since then my Indiana Jones times LL slot will automatically convert to a Multi-Experience Pass (MEP), which can be used on (almost) any other ride, and has no time restrictions (except that it must be used that day).

Then, I can make another regular Lightning Lane reservation with G+ - let's say that I make one for Space Mountain for the 1pm-2pm time slot, and say that it's currently 10am. "Accelerating" means that I can immediately go to Space Mountain, and I can tap in at the Lightning Lane entrance, and even though my Space Mountain Lightning Lane shouldn't work until 1pm, it somehow will let me in, because I have the MEP. After riding Space Mountain, my 1pm Space Mountain LL slot will be gone, but my anytime MEP will remain. Then, I can repeat the process all day, and I can use any new LL that I book immediately, rather than wait until the posted time.

But, if I were to try to ride something for which I didn't have a LL reserved (e.g. Big Thunder), and tap through the LL entrance, then it would take my MEP, and I would not be able to continue doing this (unless I got another MEP somehow).

Is that all correct?

And, if it is correct, why does this work? This is clearly like a glitch or an oversight or something, right? Is this something that Disney is aware of and looking to fix?

You generally have it correct. All the specifics are discussed in extensive detail in this thread, and also in the sticky thread located here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/genie-plus-experiences-and-reviews.3862934/.

Accelerating is not a glitch. It is a feature of the system. The intent is to compensate people for their booked ride being down. The purpose is not to fish for MEP's.

Accelerating also works at WDW, but it is much more difficult to do it there than at DLR for several reasons. 1) There are far fewer rides per park at WDW, which makes it harder to get as many LL's per day and actually take advantage of acceleration. 2) More people per day are using LL at WDW because there's more tourists, whereas DLR has more locals not necessarily getting Genie+ every visit. The combo of more attraction capacity at DLR, plus more LL attractions, plus generally lower usage = more LL availability every day (especially if park hopping) and the opportunity to take advantage of acceleration if you happen to have a ride breakdown (which is not really something you want to have happen, so a bad thing must happen for you to "take advantage" of acceleration).

 

[MonocularVision]

Accelerating is not a glitch. It is a feature of the system. The intent is to compensate people for their booked ride being down. The purpose is not to fish for MEP's.

Eh, the MEP itself is the compensation. I am pretty sure Acceleration (the system using the not-yet valid LL instead of the MEP when tapping in) is a bug. As a software engineer I can even imagine how the bug is working.

 

[disneychrista]

Eh, the MEP itself is the compensation. I am pretty sure Acceleration (the system using the not-yet valid LL instead of the MEP when tapping in) is a bug. As a software engineer I can even imagine how the bug is working.

But with a name like MULTI experience pass, one would think that it might just be that this is the intent.

 

[OlliePop27]

Eh, the MEP itself is the compensation. I am pretty sure Acceleration (the system using the not-yet valid LL instead of the MEP when tapping in) is a bug. As a software engineer I can even imagine how the bug is working.

Thanks for sharing. Certainly a valid opinion and perspective, especially given your background.

At the end of the day, who cares. It's the way it currently works until it changes. If it changes, so be it.

I was mostly responding to the concern about it going away. If it goes away, none of us can control that. Discussing it on these boards isn't going to change that. Disney is well aware of the feature/glitch/bug and has decided not to change it, whatever the reason. The system launched in late 2021 and this feature/glitch/bug has been discussed on these boards since the beginning.

Discussing it now isn't suddenly going to be the reason it changes, if it ever does.

Fastpass, similarly, had features they changed over time - such as unenforced return times before they clamped down on it.

Enjoy it while it lasts, but don't be surprised when things inevitably change again in the future - Fastpass, Genie or a new service.

 

[twodogs]

But with a name like MULTI experience pass, one would think that it might just be that this is the intent.

To me, Multi just means that you can use it to ride your intended ride at a later time, when the ride is back up, or you can use it to ride what Disney considers a comparable ride via the LL. I personally don’t think that Mulit implies that it can be used to accelerate, although I am very glad it works that way because it has been a big help on our last few trips!

 

[Cal-Pie]

Currently holding a gold MEP that I got from MMRR. If I book that ride again will it take away my MEP, or will it take the LL?

 

[woodys_girl]

Currently holding a gold MEP that I got from MMRR. If I book that ride again will it take away my MEP, or will it take the LL?

Should take the LL.

 

[Piscus]

Currently holding a gold MEP that I got from MMRR. If I book that ride again will it take away my MEP, or will it take the LL?

Just scan the barcode for your park tickets at at the scanner, it'll take the LL reservation for each ticket.

 

[ironband74]

Eh, the MEP itself is the compensation. I am pretty sure Acceleration (the system using the not-yet valid LL instead of the MEP when tapping in) is a bug. As a software engineer I can even imagine how the bug is working.

I concur.

Whomever wrote the code probably first checks to see eligibility of any pass in the guest's wallet so it knows whether to light up green or blue. Once eligibility is determined, it probably then decides which pass to consume, and simply looks at the value of the passes in the wallet that are eligible for the attraction without regard for time. My guess is that the dev was thinking "already checked for time in the eligibility check, don't need to check it again for consumption" without considering this edge case of eligible MEP and eligible LL which hasn't activated yet.

Despite that, I like to imagine that it is an intentional bug meant to throw us system gamers a little bone (sorry we killed your MaxPass roulette, but here is something fun for you to do) and/or to give the developer's family and friends a little something extra (like Chewie mode on the Falcon)

It would be fun to look at the source code.

 

[xdan0920]

Another reason this may not work at WDW is the rides tend to go down far less often, in my experience. Indy, Toy Story, Spider-Man are down basically every day at DL. At WDW they will run a ride even if nothing is working. So are less likely to fish for that MEP.