Genie+ has been around since 2021 and how you use it is CHANGING soon!
Expedition Everest Lightning Lane
In case you missed it, Genie+ has replaced the old FastPass system in Disney World (and the MaxPass system in Disneyland Resort), and it now costs you a fee to purchase daily. Instead of reserving a FastPass lane, guests can now book Lightning Lanes one by one in the My Disney Experience app. And now the way you make those reservations is getting some updates!
Coming soon to Genie+ are some pretty big changes! Up until now, Genie+ users could not modify Lightning Lane selections in the My Disney Experience app without canceling their reservation first, which could get pretty annoying. But soon, guests will be able to modify Lightning Lane reservations WITHOUT having to cancel! This change could make the system a lot more convenient for many people.
Using Disney Genie+!
Also, guests will be able to change specific members within their party who are attached to their Lightning Lane reservation before submitting any changes! That means if someone in your party decides that Splash Mountain is too scary for them, you should be able to adjust your Lightning Lane reservation and remove them.
Splash Mountain Lightning Lane
This is a bicoastal update coming to both Disney World and Disneyland, so it applies to anyone visiting the parks in the United States. Be aware that Genie+ works somewhat differently between Disney World and Disneyland, and you can read more about that here.
Tower of Terror Lightning Lane
Note that these changes will NOT apply to Individual Lightning Lanes (also known as the pay-per-ride option). Individual Lightning Lane reservations are not refundable or eligible for modification, so make sure you choose the right time slot when you make your reservation.
Peter Pan’s Flight Lightning Lane
These changes have not yet taken effect but should roll out soon. Keep following DFB for more Disney World news and updates!
Read all about Genie+ right here!
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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There was a time, and it wasn’t that long ago when you went to the parks you could say “Hey, let’s go do this or let’s go eat that.” You could decide which park to attend based on your mood or the weather instead of your apps and schedule. Unfortunately that spontaneity has been replaced with “OK, now we have to go here and now we have to go to this place to eat and we have to place our mobile order now if we want to eat at lunchtime.” Yes, the once fun parks have now become a conglomeration of apps and schedules, fees and reservations. What may have seemed impossible has been achieved, Disney has sucked the fun out of the most magical place on earth.
There will be a test on this next week.
In-person or online seminars to understand Disney’s ever-changing rules and ever-changing price increases start at $75.
This is all crap. People spend way too much time on their phones trying to figure out all this stuff. Make it free like it was and just get a time to be in fast lane. Done.
Legacy park goer since 1973. Last time, and I mean LAST TIME to Disneyworld was 2019. Previous time 2013. Saw the handwriting on the wall in 2019 and just there and then viewed going back again with trepidation.
Visited Disney Village or West Side or whatever they’re calling the shopping area these days in 2021. Couldn’t even go to eat in the resorts. Tried the campsite, the Contemporary and finally got into the Polynesian resort only because the monorail didn’t stop there due to the monorail entrance under construction. Was finally able to get over to the Grand Floridian on another day as well after ordering online to pick up the worst tasting abysmal food we’ve ever tasted at WDW. The ambiance is over shadowed by too much else
Our family has discussed visiting WDW with our 2 new generations, but alas, after going some 70 times over the course of a lifetime I regrettably said absolutely not with a big “NO !” Outlining all the reasons not to go now. and perhaps forever. I’m sure that our family will never go and our new generations will avoid WDW till things change for the better for guests. And I don’t mean Disney hyping some new restaurant either.
Oh well.
Ronald Amsterdam
OH and incidentally I’m a Disney stockholder as well so my opinion is at least balanced by not only 50 years of resort going, but being invested in the company I suppose for idealistic reasons. And yes, I have recently purchased more Disney stock in the low$90’s and will continue too as well if it hits the covid lows in the high $70’s and low $80’s.
Ronald Amsterdam
I was hoping for better news. We won’t be satisfied until free fast passes are back! We pay too much to get into these parks to have to pay extra just to be able to ride rides.
Disney continues to address the low hanging fruit. NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR CHANGES TO THE PARK RESERVATIONS OR THE THE USE OF THE LIGHTENING LANE
1. BRING BACK THE FREE FAST PASS (three rides)
2. Eliminate the genie plus
3. Eliminate the Lightening Lane
4. Reduce Numerous Price Increases For Park Goers.
5.Stop using the Park Patrons as an ATM MACHINE FOR YOUR UNPROFITABLE STREAMING SERVICE
PLEASE DISNEY, GO BACK TO WHAT DISNEY WAS IN 2019. DISNEY WAS VERY PROFITABLE IN 2019, AND ALL OF YOUR GUESTS WERE VERY HAPPY
This isn’t the big change we need. Having to set an alarm to get on your phone at 7am everyday while on vacation isn’t vacation. That’s what I have to do every day at work. Staying on your phone all day instead of spending time with the people you are traveling with and absorbing the experience isn’t vacation either. Let’s have a redo. Go back to pre-Covid. Even better go back to the mid-2000’s when we started going and everything was magical. Bring back Magical Express, bring back free fastpass, do away with park reservations, bring back the dining plan.
The good side about the complexities of a visit are it allows anyone the opportunity to enjoy their day, all they have to do is learn the system. Would you prefer a system where only the rich get to wait in short lines? With so much demand, and so little supply, things can’t work the way they did in the 70s, 80s, etc. I LOVE GENIE+!
So disappointed in the “new” DISNEYWORLD.” We were avid DISNEYWORLD fans, even becoming Vacation Club members more than 25 years ago at OKW. Our family traveled from the NY/NJ area each year, and when we became snowbirds 15 years ago, we visited at least four times a year with enthusiasm. Five years ago, we sold our NJ home to purchase a new home near DISNEYWORLD and became Yearly Passholders. Forward to today, we only visit the parks to meet a family member on vacation. We now go to the various Disney resorts for breakfast, lunch or dinner reservations and then hang out at the resort. The park reservation system plus the GENIE+ system have made a fun-filled spontaneous experience So disappointed in the “new” DISNEYWORLD.” We were avid DISNEYWORLD fans, even becoming Vacation Club members more than 25 years ago at OKW. Our family traveled from the NY/NJ area each year, and when we became snowbirds 15 years ago, we visited at least four times a year with enthusiasm. Five years ago, we sold our NJ home to purchase a new home near DISNEYWORLD and became yearly Passholders. Forward to today, we only visit the parks to meet a family member on vacation. The once spontaneous fun-filled Disney vacation has been ruined by GENIE+, having to make park reservations, and the loss of the fun-filled spontaneity of a Disney park visit. We may not renew our yearly passes next year.
Nope – still not going.
It seems like all this is going to, is to make things more complicated for a lot of guest. Some people have no problems with Genie+, but for a lot of guest it is just too much. Not hard, just time consuming and annoying. If they are going to make changes, just simplify it. That was the beauty of FastPass, it was simple.
the previous comments are what my feelings are about going to WDW. We also went to WDW multiple times starting with our 25th anniversary and celebrating other anniversaries and we just celebrated our 55th anniversary. We loved going since it was a vacation that started at the home airport and with luggage pickup and magic express we didn’t have to do or plan anything [except special meals, which now are glorified fast food places, and the shows, the first night was the Polynesian show since we would stay at the Poly and the other must do show was the hoop-de-do ]. We also did a lot of the other activities such as wanyama safari and wine tastings etc. The rest of the days could be open to go to any of the parks, we would often go to all 4 parks in one day, depending on what we wanted to eat or grab a fast pass for a ride. since that flexibility and magic is gone we now go to other places and have no desire to ever go back to WDW since it is no longer a relaxing vacation but just a destination
The old fastpass system was better in every way and it was free. I hate genie minus.
Doesn’t really change anything, it still costs. I was hoping for more when I get came back. Maybe it’ll take some time… Or maybe A greedy Disney is still a greedy Disney. Make Them free again!!!
DVC member, stockholder, annual passholder, and life-long Disney fan. But they are starting to lose me. We’ve cut our annual trips in half for next yr. Used to be able to go and ha e a great time (even at the busiest times of the yr) thanks to 3 free fast passes each day, magical express, free photo pass included with annual pass, dining reservations, park hopping, NO genie+, etc. Not nearly as fun anymore. It’s stressful getting up at 7 am to start planning your day and staying attached to your phone all day. VERY disappointing.
I cant say it enough, the magic is gone!! A life-long Disney World patron since 1975, I raised my kids with annual vacations to DW for more than 20 years. I now grieve for my grandchildren that will possibly never know the magic we created as a family all those years.
Even if today’s interest rates would allow me to refinance my house in order to afford another DW vacation, I refuse to be held hostage by apps and genies and restrictions. What kind of vacation is that? No thanks.
I am a shareholder as well and have lost big time on Disney stock. For a company that is raking in billions, I sure can’t tell they are profitable by looking at their stock. They should have stayed out of politics. Mackey Mouse doesn’t vote!
On our last trip I was talking to a cast member at the Frozen ride. She told me Genie has created longer lines for standby. I believe it.
Oh gloriosky!
I went last week with my family. Waited over 90 minutes for two rides where the line barely moved, then realized that I was going to HAVE to buy the passes to enjoy myself. Apps to ride rides ( that I’ve already paid for with enormous admission costs). Apps to get my food. Endless reservations and stress. My photo snapped as I walk in like I’m visiting the pentagon. Like an above comments..Disney has managed to take the happiest place on earth and stomp it into the ground.
Will Bob Iger or anyone high up in the Disney org. read these comments? Probably not—but they should!
The people that say they like or enjoy Genie + are the people that did not use or did not know how to use FP.
No experienced Disney park goer likes Genie +. PERIOD.
I was hoping this article was going to say something about Genie + slowly morphing back into FP but sadly it didn’t.
They knew what they were doing when they rolled out this awful scam. There was not a single reason to replace FP with Genie + other than to squeeze us some more. I’m so sick of Disney treating us this way.
You know what’s amazing? Chapek didn’t get it, but maybe Iger and his successors will:
They’re not thinking long-term, only year to year profits. And they’re basing their business model on just the past 2, 3 years COVID situation.
Are they not taking seriously the VAST majority of AP holders who are disgusted and aren’t renewing? Not to mention that so many of us are long-time (decades) visitors and there really isn’t any appeal to going for the 20th time under these conditions? Plus pricing out visitors who have serious travel to pay for to get there?
There’s no vision to any of this, and the parks have just become a side-business for them. Their streaming and other media interests are their main priority, while their film business is really hitting rock bottom.
Gigi, can a comment be sent by you directly to Mr. Iger. If yes please send the comment made by Tony D.
I was really hoping the announcement would be the removal of the latest version and a rewind to the fast pass days. The fact they continue raising prices without really increasing experience AND they can’t even give you 1 fast pass or genie whatever they call it this week is absurd. If you demonstrated the increases were to pay the employees in the parks more or give them better healthcare, I’d be all for it. The pockets of your board is of very little consequence to any of us. Anyone who defends this genie system is a definite plant by Disney, because the blogs certainly demonstrate it’s not popular. I love the parks and will continue to go yearly (I know, part of the problem is we STILL all go) but I refuse to pay a fee to jump ahead of one line just to get to the back of another…
Hi Ron. I do not have direct access to Bob Iger or the Disney company.
Gigi, does that mean that the comments on the blog DO NOT go to Disney that are just available to members on the blog
Hi Ron! Yes, your comments just come to us here at Disney Food Blog. 🙂