UPDATED July 24, 2024

By now you probably know that the FastPass system has been replaced with Disney Genie+in Disney World.

We’ve been using Genie+ since its introduction in October 2021, and this new service can be a bit confusing! If you use it right, though, it could mean skipping a LOT of time in line in Disney World. So, if you’re considering the starting cost of $15 to hop into the Lightning Lanes, you might want to check out five of the MOST important Disney Genie tips!

IMPORTANT UPDATE: MAJOR Changes have come to the Lightning Lane Systems in Disney World as of July 24th, 2024. The previous Disney Genie+ Service is now Lightning Lane Multi Pass. You can find information on the NEW Lightning Lane systems in Disney World HERE. 

EDITOR’S UPDATE: The remainder of this post covers the previous Genie+ system, which was in effect through July 23rd, 2024. Click HERE to learn everything you need to know about the current Disney Lightning Lane systems.  

1. The value of Genie+ depends on your party and the day.

Alright, our first tip: The value of Genie+ depends on your party, your park, and the day. On an average day, you don’t NEED Genie+ to get through your must-dos and you won’t necessarily get through them any faster than someone with a solid park strategy will. It just gives you a little more downtime and less time in line.

That’s the key though, you DO need a solid park strategy to keep up with your must-dos if you don’t have Genie+ (and even with it sometimes!). Keep up with DFB for all the tips you need to make sure you hit EVERYTHING you want to during your Disney day.

On a crowded day though, Genie+ might save you a lot more time. If standby lines are longer, Genie+ could be more worth it. But keep in mind that there also might be more people using the service — making it harder to get the Lightning Lane times that you want.

Beyond that, we have to consider the price. The $15 starting cost* might feel like a small fee for one person, but if you’re a family of four it might not fit in your budget. $60 per day really starts to add up! And remember, there are Individual Attraction Selections in each park that are not included in Genie+ (Hint: These are the newest and most popular attractions). You will still have to book and pay extra for these pay-per-ride attractions if you want to skip the lines — even if you have already paid for Genie+. But also note that you don’t NEED Genie+ to purchase those attractions either. Individual Attraction Selection is its own beast.

EDITOR’S UPDATE: *In October 2022, Disney introduced variable date-based pricing for Genie+ with the price starting at $15 per guest, per day. Guests are able to check the price for the day on the My Disney Experience app prior to purchasing for the day.

Click here for more Genie+ tips!

2. Genie+ is more worth it in some parks than others.

Keep in mind that Genie+ is also more worth it in some parks than others. And, with Genie+ only able to be purchased on the day that you plan to use it beginning at midnight, you’ll want to consider whether you should purchase the service for just a few days of your trip rather than queuing up your purchase every morning. You don’t want to spend the $15 per person (at least) to find that every line in EPCOT is under 15 minutes all day!

Remember, you can add Genie+ at any time during your park day if you decide you want it. The downside to this is you might miss high-demand Lightning Lane slots like those for Slinky Dog Dash, but you have the flexibility to decide if and when you want Genie+.

Want help understanding Genie? Click here!

3. Book your next Lightning Lane as soon as you can!

You can book one Lightning Lane at a time with Genie+. You can book another immediately after you use your first OR after a 120-minute cool down — whichever comes first. 

To make the most of your purchase, make sure you’re booking ASAP all day! After you scan through two turnstiles to get on a ride, you will be able to book a new Lightning Lane, so go ahead and do it! That way, you’re getting the earliest time possible.

If your window is more than 120 minutes out, set a timer on your phone for 120 minutes from your booking time. If you booked that Lightning Lane at 12:10PM, then you can book another (Even if you haven’t been able to scan in yet!) at 2:10PM. This is a great tool for those higher-demand rides.

To learn more about the 120-minute rule, click here!

4. You can look for earlier times.

Don’t forget you can totally look for earlier Lightning Lane times! If there are only far-out Lightning Lane times and you’re hoping for something more immediate, keep refreshing the page.

It’s not guaranteed, but people cancel their reservations all the time. You might find the time you’re looking for.

Click here to learn about YOUR Genie+ opinions!

5. You CAN actually have more than one Lightning Lane at a time.

As we mentioned above, you can actually book more than one Lightning Lane at once if your day works out a certain way. Remember, you can book a new Lightning Lane when you use your last one OR after a 120-minute cooldown.

For example, if you book Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run for 6:30PM at 12:32PM, you’ll be able to make a new selection at 2:32PM — even if you haven’t used your Millennium Falcon one yet.

So, if you make a Soarin’ Lightning Lane reservation at 2:32PM and use it immediately, then you can book another immediately without waiting two hours again. Your Millennium Falcon booking stays valid through all of this.

Note! You can hold two Individual Attraction Selections at the same time, so you could hold those Lightning Lane reservations PLUS however many you can book with the 120-minute cooldown.

Want to learn more about the 120-minute rule? Click here!

These five tips should be YOUR toolkit when using Genie+ in Disney World. As always, keep an eye on DFB to make sure you’re in the loop on all the latest and greatest updates.

To see more about Genie+, click here!

What do you think of the Genie+ service? Tell us in the comments!