Disney’s Genie+ replaced FastPass+ in Disney World as the system to help guests skip the lines at some attractions, and it’s been a controversial transition. The newer service costs money (compared to the previously free FastPass+), and it can be tricky to use sometimes.
Genie+ is how you can skip the lines!
We’ve experimented a LOT with the new system since we’re in Disney World every day. We have all kinds of resources to help you make the most of Genie+ if you choose to buy it when you’re in the parks. But Disney’s recent update about Genie+ has us a little confused….
In case you’re not familiar with Genie+, this paid FastPass+ replacement costs $15 per ticket per day. If you buy it, you can reserve Lightning Lane passes at several attractions in the Disney World parks. That means you’ll get to skip the line at those attractions!
Tower of Terror Lightning Lane
Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works: Beginning at 7AM on the day you bought Genie+, you can make Lightning Lane selections for 1 attraction at a time. You’ll use the Genie+ feature on the My Disney Experience app to make those selections, which include a scheduled return time. Once you’ve scanned into the Lightning Lane (which is what the physical line is called) at the attraction you reserved, you can make a new selection for a different attraction.
Lightning Lane entry
That’s a pretty broad look at the process. If you want more details about how it works, check out our step-by-step guide here:
Click here to see our step-by-step guide to using Genie+.
Recently, we noticed that Disney added some new language to the Genie+ website. The added information states that “on average, guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using the Lightning Lane entrance if the first selection is made early in the day.”
©Disney
However, in our experience, that estimate of 2 to 3 attractions in one day is pretty low. When we’ve used Genie+, we can generally get on quite a few more rides than that! Some of the most popular attractions run out of Lightning Lane availability pretty quickly, but you can generally still book a couple of those popular rides if you’re ready to make your first reservation right at 7AM.Â
Jungle Cruise tends to fill up fast with Genie+.
In certain parks, like EPCOT, there are fewer rides available with Genie+ than in others, like Magic Kingdom. For example, Magic Kingdom currently has 22 attractions available with Genie+, while EPCOT only has 11. So it’s likely that the EPCOT attractions will fill up faster with Genie+ because there are fewer options for guests to choose from.
Spaceship Earth Lightning Lane
But even in the parks with fewer attractions (and thus more limited availability), we’ve been able to book several (if not all) of the attractions in one park in a single day by knowing how Genie+ works and being ready to make our selections as soon as we’re able to.
Soarin’ Lightning Lane
So we think that Disney kept their estimate pretty conservative on the Genie+ website. With the right preparation, you should be able to book more than 2 or 3 attractions per day in every Disney World park. Be sure to check out our guides to using Genie+ so that you’re as prepared as possible before your vacation!
Lightning Lane
And stay tuned with DFB for all the latest Disney news and updates.
Click here to see our FULL guide to using Genie, Genie+, and Pay-Per-Ride in Disney World.
All About Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selection
BIG Genie+ Changes Being Planned For Disney World
FULL List of Rides Included With Genie+ in Disney World
3 Tips to OUTSMART Genie+ in Disney World Right Now
Please Stop Skipping These Genie+ Hacks in Disney World (They Really Work!)
Genie+ Tips for the Most Crowded Days in Disney World and Disneyland
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Have you used Genie+ in Disney World? Which parts confused you the most? Let us know in the comments.
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Question for Angie B, how could you possibly ride 6 rides with LL given that you have to wait at least 2 hours between bookings? Were you at the park for 14 hours? Or am I missing some fundamental aspect of the system?
My experience was in line with all the others on this thread where LL was very expensive for what we got. At Magic Kingdom, we used it on Thunder Mountain first, then the only other two we were able to get (booking right at the 2 hour mark) were Space Ranger Spin and Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, which really didn’t have super long lines anyway. We couldn’t use it on any major rides at HW, because we weren’t willing/able to be at the parks until 9pm. We visited April 19-23. Crowds were extremely high but it seems like that’s always the case now?
Disney still has yet to come up with a compromise for guests who ONLY want to go on 2-3 rides per day anyway. This is the biggest issue right now that has not been fixed since Fast Passes were taken away.
My family and I only want to visit the park for 3-4 hours at max. In the past, we would go in, do our 2-3 FP+ rides within a 3 hour window, then grab a snack, some souvenirs and leave to go back to our resort for pool and dining.
It seems WDW is doing everything they can to keep people stuck in the parks, yet not doing anything or even spending money. I am not going to wait in lines for anything. Rides, food, bathroom, buying merch, etc. So if I can’t schedule an exact time, I won’t be doing it.
Id rather spend $500 in 20 minutes then $500 over 10 hours. Same fulfillment and enjoyment for me.
It also is wiser for WDW to have a guest who is willing to spend insane amounts of money but doesn’t care about spending any time there. Gets me in and out with same profit for WDW yet gives more space for other guests. Win for all. Disney should be promoting this type of guest, not destroying them.