Jenna SaxtonThere’s a lot to be excited about when you’ve got a Disney World vacation on the calendar! The snacks (hello, Dole Whip!), the characters, the fireworks, the rides…but the lines? Not as exciting. Luckily, there’s a way to avoid the long waits and take advantage of every second you have in the parks with Disney Genie Plus (or Lightning Lane Multi Pass if you’re visiting after July 24th, 2024…more on that here)!
Disney Genie+ replaced the FastPass+ program in 2021 and, while they both enable you to skip the line at popular attractions in all four Disney World parks, there are a lot of differences that you need to know about before you go on your trip. Luckily, we’ve got all the answers to your questions about the complicated new system so that you can vacation like the Disney pro that you are!
Note that, if you’re planning your Disney trip for any dates on or after July 24th, 2024, you should STOP reading this and head to this post instead to learn all about Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass which is replacing Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selections this year.
What is Disney Genie+?
Disney Genie+ is the new way to bypass the standby lines at select Disney World and Disneyland attractions and enter using the Lightning Lane (which was previously the FastPass lane) during a 1-hour return window that you select. Unlike the former FastPass+ service, however, Disney Genie+ is an additional cost per person on top of your park ticket.
How does Genie+ work?
Disney Genie+ is an entirely new system, however, long-time Disney-goers may recognize some of the aspects of the former paper FastPass and digital FastPass+ program.
In Disney World, you can purchase Disney Genie+ on the day of your visit beginning at 12AM. Lightning Lane reservations become available for all guests who purchase at 7AM, so you’ll want to be awake bright and early to maximize your selections!
The Lightning Lane reservation windows work similarly to the former paper FastPass system in that only the next available time will be displayed. So, for example, you won’t be able to select a 2PM return window until all of the earlier return windows have filled.
You can only have one Lightning Lane reservation at a time with Disney Genie+, so you’ll be able to select your next one once:
- You’ve scanned into the Lightning Lane line at the first attraction you booked;
- The Lightning Lane return window has ended (if you didn’t end up using it); or
- Two hours (or 120 minutes) after you’ve booked your last Lightning Lane reservation. We’ll elaborate more on this “120-minute rule” below.
It’s also important to note that you can only make a Lightning Lane reservation for each included attraction once per day with Disney Genie+. If you wish to ride the same attraction more than once on the same day you will need to wait in the standby line.
Note that the process is similar in Disneyland Resort with a key difference being that you cannot make your first Lightning Lane reservation until you enter the park you plan to visit.
How do I use Genie+ to skip the lines?
In Disney World, you’ll first need to download the My Disney Experience app and log in with your Disney account to access Genie+. Currently, Disney Genie+ can only be purchased through the app on the day of your visit beginning at 12PM.
To make your purchase, select “My Disney Genie Day” in the app and click on the “Tip Board.” You’ll then see a Disney Genie+ banner at the top of the screen with “Purchase for Today.” Select “Get Disney Genie+ Service” and go through the prompts to select the guests in your party and process payment.
Beginning at 7AM, you can visit the Tip Board once again to make your first Lightning Lane reservation. Keep in mind that Lightning Lane reservation windows can fill up for the day (and fast!), so it’s important to prioritize which ride you make a reservation for first thing in the morning so that you don’t miss out on your chance to skip the line at the most popular attractions.
You’ll then be able to make your next Lightning Lane reservation for another ride through the Tip Board after you’ve scanned in at your first, the reservation window has expired on the attraction you have booked, or 120 minutes after you made your current reservation.
Note that you will need to use the Disneyland app if you purchase Genie+ in Disneyland.
How much does Disney Genie+ Cost?
Disney Genie+ is an additional per-person cost on top of your park ticket and the price varies based on the park(s) and date that you are visiting. In general, Genie+ costs $15-$35 (plus tax) per person per day in Disney World and $25-$30 (plus tax) per person per day in Disneyland.
Recently, Disney World has implemented a new pricing structure for Genie+ that varies by park with the option to buy Genie+ for a single-park or multi-park (enabling you to skip the lines at multiple parks if you plan to Park Hop). Overall, the cost of Genie+ tends to be lower for EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom and higher for Magic Kingdom and Park Hopping.
The daily pricing can be found on the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app.
What is included in Disney Genie+?
When you purchase Disney Genie+ on the day of your visit, you’ll be able to start making Lightning Lane reservations immediately in the My Disney Experience app, but that’s not all!
Disney Genie+ also includes some additional features that you can take advantage of in the app including Augmented Reality (AR) photo lenses and free digital PhotoPass downloads (note that this perk differs between Disney World and Disneyland). In Disney World, you’ll be able to download attraction photos taken on select rides (typically $18.95 per photo) and, in Disneyland, you’ll get unlimited PhotoPass downloads from your entire day including both attraction photos and others taken by Disney PhotoPass photographers around the park.
And, you’ll have even more free entertainment while you wander around the park with all the time you save from waiting in line as Disney parks-themed audio experiences are included in the purchase of Disney Genie+. You can listen as Disney Imagineers and special guests reveal hidden details about your favorite attractions and more – all for free!
What rides can you go on with Disney Genie+?
While most attractions are included in Disney Genie+, there are some exceptions. Each park has one to two rides that require a separate purchase to skip the line at – these are known as Individual Lightning Lane attractions (we’ll go into that in more detail later). Below is a full list of attractions included in the purchase of Disney Genie+ at both Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
Walt Disney World Attractions Included in Genie+
Note that you can make your first Lightning Lane selection beginning at 7AM on the day of your park visit in Disney World.
Magic Kingdom
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
- Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
- Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- The Barnstormer
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
EPCOT
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Frozen Ever After
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE – Green
- Mission: SPACE – Orange
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Play & Dance!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
- Toy Story Mania!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Festival of the Lion King
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
- Naʻvi River Journey
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Disneyland Resort Attractions Included in Genie+
Note that you can begin making Lightning Lane selections when the park you plan to visit opens in Disneyland and you need to have entered the park.
Disneyland Park
- Autopia
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Haunted Mansion
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- “it’s a small world”
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Space Mountain
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Disney California Adventure
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
What is the difference between Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Attractions?
Disney Genie+ is the base-priced option to skip the lines at select attractions in Disney World and Disneyland. However, Individual Lightning Lane Attractions are separately priced rides that are not included in Genie+. Each park has one to two Individual Lightning Lane Attractions which are typically the most popular rides. This includes:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom
- TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland Park
- Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure
Note that this list is subject to change.
Unlike Genie+, with Individual Lightning Lane Attractions you can select your preferred 1-hour Lightning Lane return window on the day of your visit. You will be able to do so at a maximum of two rides from the list above per day.
These attractions are priced “a la carte” and vary by ride and date, with Disney World rides costing between $10-$25 (plus tax) per person, per ride, and Disneyland rides costing between $7-$25 (plus tax) per person, per ride. Note that you do not need to purchase Disney Genie+ to buy Individual Lightning Lane Attractions.
In Disney World, you can purchase Individual Lightning Lane Attractions beginning at park open (unless you are staying at a Disney World Resort hotel in which case you can purchase at 7AM). And, in Disneyland, you can make your selections when you have entered the park. Once purchased, you will not be able to modify your reservation time or cancel.
What’s Changing on July 24th, 2024
Beginning July 24th, Disney Genie+ will be called Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Individual Lightning Lane Attractions will be called Lightning Lane Single Pass. You will still be able to skip the line at the majority of the rides and attractions throughout all four Disney World theme parks with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. However, Walt Disney World guests will be able to plan ahead in the My Disney Experience app with the ability to book up to 3 Lightning Lane selections 7 days prior to your vacation if you’re staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, or 3 days prior to your vacation if you’re staying off-site or visiting as a day guest. This early planning window will also be available if you wish to purchase Lightning Lane Single Passes.
The names will also change in Disneyland Resort, though how you book will remain the same with all guests needing to wait until entering the park on the day of your visit to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Passes.
FAQ
Can I ride an attraction more than once in a day with Disney Genie+?
No, however, you can wait in the standby line if you’d like to ride an attraction more than once on the same day.
What is the 120-minute rule I keep hearing about?
The 120-minute rule is Disney’s way of making sure that you can get the most out of Genie+ if your next Lightning Lane reservation is more than 2 hours away. Because some rides are more popular than others, you may find that the next available Lightning Lane return window is more than 2 hours away. In this case, you can book the return window at the popular attraction for later in the day and then book another Lightning Lane reservation for a different ride before using that later reservation.
For example, let’s say that you hop on the My Disney Experience app at 9AM and want to make a Lightning Lane reservation for Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, but because this ride is popular, the next available reservation window isn’t until 1PM. Instead of waiting until 1PM to make your next Lightning Lane reservation, you’ll wait 120 minutes (or 2 hours) and then be able to make your next reservation at 11AM.
Note that the 2-hour countdown starts at the time the park opens, so if you make your first selection at 7AM but the park doesn’t open until 9AM, you’ll need to wait until 11AM to make your second Lightning Lane reservation.
Can I purchase Disney Genie+ in advance at Disney World?
No, guests must purchase Disney Genie+ on the day that they plan to use it in Disney World. However, Disney has stated that they are working on ways to enable guests to plan with Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane selections prior to their visit. More details will be announced at a later date.
Currently, the purchasing window opens at midnight. We recommend that you purchase Genie+ prior to 7AM on the day that you plan to use it so that you can get the most out of it.
The rules are a bit different in Disneyland Resort and Genie+ can be purchased in advance when you buy your park tickets or vacation package.
Can I park hop with Genie+?
Yes, however, you must purchase the Park Hopper Genie+ option (which tends to be a bit pricier) and abide by current park hopping rules.
Can I modify Genie+ selections after I’ve made a Lightning Lane reservation?
Yes! To modify your Genie+ selections, go to the My Disney Experience app and “Modify Plan” under the reservation. You will then be able to select a new time or choose another attraction without needing to first cancel the one you already have.
What happens if an attraction I booked is closed during my reservation window?
If an attraction you’ve booked is temporarily closed during your reservation window you’ll receive a “multi-experience redemption” Lightning Lane that can be used at other attractions included in Genie+ that day.
Comments
Will you be purchasing Disney Genie+ on your next Disney World or Disneyland vacation? Let us know in the comments if you’ve used it before and if you think it’s worth the price!
