Disney Genie and Genie+ services launched back in October, replacing FastPass+ at Walt Disney World and MaxPass at Disneyland. Genie+ is a paid service that allows guests to book and reserve attractions throughout the Disney parks for an additional $15 (plus tax) per ticket per day. Forty attractions at WDW are included with the Genie+ service. Since its launch, we’ve gotten many questions about the service, how to use it, and whether it’s worth it. We discuss all these topics below!
Disney Genie vs. Genie+
Before we get started, it’s important to note that Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ are two different services. Disney Genie is a free trip planning and day-of itinerary maker within the My Disney Experience app. Disney Genie factors in things like current weather conditions, temporary ride shutdowns, and your location within the park to recommend various experiences based on your preferences. Anyone can use Disney Genie at any time.
Genie+, on the other hand, is a paid add-on service that shortens your attraction wait times by reserving return windows to experience an attraction.
How Genie+ works
Many popular attractions throughout Walt Disney World are included in the Genie+ service, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan’s Flight, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Soarin’ Around the World, and Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster. Character encounter experiences are also included in Genie+, such as seeing princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall. View a complete list of attractions here. Once you have purchased the Genie+ service inside the My Disney Experience app, you can make your first ride selection starting at 7 am on that day. Once you select your desired attraction, you’ll be given an arrival window to experience the ride. You can make additional ride selections after checking into your first attraction or after two hours have passed since you made a reservation—whichever comes first. In this way, it is possible to hold more than one Genie+ reservation at once.
Once you’ve made a selection, you cannot modify it (like you used to be able to do with FastPass+). Instead, you would need to cancel the current reservation and make another one.
Is Genie+ worth it?
One of the most common questions we get is whether paying for the Genie+ service is worth it. Everyone has a different opinion! Generally, we do believe that Genie+ is worth it. The small price tag, in our opinion, is worth its value in the amount of time you’ll save standing in line and experiencing popular attractions. Depending on crowd levels, you may be able to experience anywhere from four to twelve attractions in a single day, without waiting in long lines. If certain attractions are a part of your family’s must-do list, Genie+ gives you the best opportunity to experience them without standing in long lines.
Should you add on Genie+ to every park day of your vacation? It depends on the park and the desired attractions you want to experience. If the price is not a concern, there are many benefits to adding Genie+ to each park day of your trip. However, if you want a budget-friendly alternative, we recommend adding Genie+ on days you plan to visit Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
How to add on Genie+ to your park ticket
Genie+ can be added when you book your vacation package. When you book your trip with Mousekeplanner, we can book the Genie+ service for you. If you only wish to use Genie+ on one particular day, you must buy it on the day you want to visit.
Does Genie+ affect standby wait times?
Standby queues are still available and haven’t changed. Many people are curious as to whether Genie+ has affected standby wait times. It appears, at least for now, that there is not a significant difference in standby times due to Genie+. Since Genie+ has only been around for a few months, we will have to wait and see if this trend continues.
What about Lightning Lane?
Lightning Lane is the technical name of the line that you get in when you reserve an attraction through Genie+. In other words, Genie+ allows you to reserve a spot in a Lighting Lane line. In addition, you can purchase individual Lightning Lanes for up to two attractions a day. A Lightning Lane pass varies in price from $7 – $15 per person, depending on the attraction and the day.
Some of the most high-demand attractions at Walt Disney World aren’t included in the Genie+ service, such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom and Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. To experience these attractions with lower wait times, you’ll need to purchase individual Lightning Lane passes—even if you have Genie+.
You must purchase Lightning Lane passes on the day you wish to use the pass. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, you get the added advantage of purchasing and booking your first Lightning Lane attraction at 7 am. Everyone else must wait until the park opens to make their reservation.
Disney vacation planning with Mousekeplanner
Navigating the Genie+ and Lightning Lane system can be confusing, but our Mousekeplanners are here to help you get the most out of these services. If you have any questions about how these services work, feel free to reach out to your Travel Advisor. We have visited the parks often since they first launched and can help you answer any of your questions!
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