Well, to say things are getting busy in Disney World is an understatement.
Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom
The crowds have arrived in FULL force this weekend, and the first sign we knew it was going to be busy was seeing the price of Genie+ go up to its highest in over a month. Well, today, that price has gone even HIGHER, so we expect to see even MORE people in the parks today.
Genie+ is a service that you can purchase that lets you skip the long standby lines for rides and access their shorter Lightning Lanes instead. The price is dependent on a number of factors: the park you visit plus how much demand Disney expects there to be for the service. You can also purchase Genie+ for multiple parks if you plan on park hopping.
Lightning Lane at Peter Pan’s Flight
The most expensive park for Genie+ is Magic Kingdom, followed by Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The multi-park option usually costs the same as the Magic Kingdom option. Yesterday, the prices were as follows: Multi-park was $25, Magic Kingdom was $25, EPCOT was $18, Hollywood Studios was $22, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom was $16. These were the highest prices we’d seen in over a month.
Lightning Lane at Expedition Everest
As of October 8th, the prices have gone up again. Multi-park and Magic Kingdom are now $29. The other parks remain the same: EPCOT is still $18, Hollywood Studios is $22, and Animal Kingdom is $16.
©Disney
Individual Lightning Lanes are as follows today: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is $12 (up $1 from yesterday) and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is $22 (same as yesterday). Both Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle / Run were already sold out for Individual Lightning Lane when we checked.
Tap Point for Lightning Lane entrance for Cosmic Rewind
This also comes on a day when Genie+ seems to be struggling a bit — we received a message on My Disney Experience earlier today that “new selections, purchases, or modifications to Disney Genie+ service features are temporarily unavailable.”
©Disney
We’ll be keeping an eye on the price of Genie+, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
Whew. We know that planning a Disney World trip is A LOT. And this Genie+ thing can be so confusing – which is why we bring you posts like this so often. But we’ve also put together a complete guide in ebook format that gives you all of the info you need, all in one place! Use code WDW2023 for 25% off our DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World.
Don’t Let This Bizarre Genie+ RULE Ruin Your Disney World Trip
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
Click HERE to See More About Disney Genie
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How much are you willing to pay for Genie+ in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
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The introduction of Genie Plus is Disgusting. My family and I have vacationed at Disney World 31 times over the years both before and after the Pandemic. During our visits BEFORE the Pandemic the parks were NEVER FULL and our vacations with 3 free fast passes were always wonderful and convenient. As a result of the Pandemic and the 4 month closing, Disney has implemented the terrible Genie Plus and Individual Attraction along with raising prices on everything multiple times. THE CROWDS ARE NOT GREATER NOW THAN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. Ask your guests. We have vacationed at Disney in 2022 and 2023 and there is no difference in crowd levels before and after the Pandemic. Tell the truth Disney there was NO REASON AT ALL TO CANCEL THE FREE FAST PASS AND REPLACE IT WITHE THE COSTLY GENIE PLUS AND INDIVIDUAL ATTRACTION. Disney ask this question to your guests in your surveys and you will learn how we feel about your terrible changes, price increases and crowd sizes. Ask them in your surveys
Could Not Agree More with your assessment of Genie+. Since reopening we have not felt the need to return and just reminisce about past good times.
Unreal. Disney has completely priced my family out from vacationing there and I thought we made a decent amount of money. Who can afford to go anymore?
The economy is about to make a huge downward turn and Disney’s stock is already in a terrible place down about 50%. I don’t understand their actions at all. Iger is taking what was already a bad situation and making it worse.
After the price hike for Disney+ was announced I cancelled my service. Keep raising prices Disney. I dare you. The customer has caught on.
Genie + is the main reason I haven’t returned. Paying for rides I used to be able to ride for “free” just doesn’t sit well with me. Not to mention all either price hikes. Disney, you’re doing this to yourself & the end result won’t be good.
I don’t buy the correlation between attendance and genie price. Disney is cash strapped with all the box office flops. Line wait times continue to drop. The price increase is a hopeful way to generate income, but will likely have the opposite effect with short wait times
It’s time to put the phone down and walk away.
Disney is like a county fair now. Pay to get in then pay to ride. Trashy decision by Disney to suck a few more dollars for the CEOs pockets. Shame on Disney.
Totally agree. Anything to get more out of individuals who want to have some fun on their vacations. I know Walt would never have done such a thing. A Disney wants to do now is see how far they can go with their prices. Maybe if nobody went, they would get lower. This Geni thing is despicable. Bring the fast pass back.
I absolutely agree with Ron. Genie plus is another money grab. It also FORCES you to spend what should be vacation time messing around on the internet. Worst thing they have ever done at WDW. Please go back to a Fast Pass option.
More disgusting behaviour from Disney
In my opinion, you have to be a fool to purchase Genie+. There has been countless stories of folks only being able to ride 2 or 3 rides with it. I have done individual Lighting Lanes for some of the top-tier rides, but will never buy Genie+ for the rest of the rides. Another example of Disney trying to separate your money from you.
I totally agree! We were avid Disney fans and the changes they have made have taken the fun out of a Disney Vacation. They want more money for everything and added prices to items that once were free. We have always had the luxury of staying an extended amount of time on Disney property one summer we stayed 2 months at Fort Wilderness and we could enjoy all the amazing things Disney has to offer. We could rent a boat, go for a swim and run in a part at night if we wanted to. But with the changes they have made it impossible to enjoy a long Disney Vacation because everything needs to be planned to the minute! Do you have a reservation to get in. You are only allowed a set number and then adding a daily fee for Genie Plus is crazy! Gone are the days of changing plans. It is so sad, Walt wanted a place were families could play together and they have made it a place one the top few can enjoy. It is only a matter of time they start charging for the parades and the Fireworks will have a look up charge. If you do not pay the fee do not look up!
I totally agree with the above statement!!!
Love Disney, but with these prices, we are priced out of the parks. Looked into to visiting later this month. Tickets for the four of us, $676 for one day, excluding taxes, food, and transportation. We spent less in two days in Paris, including hotel.
Breaks my heart, but not sure when we will return to WDW.
Agree with, Ron above. This is just a ploy by Disney to continue to nickel and dime the guests. Like any other,”carnival,” there is always a gimmick to earn money and convince people that this is in their best interest despite the facts.
Disney is one of the best at price gouging…
None!!! Because we pay enough already to ride rides!!!!
Shame on Iger and D’Amaro, and they make millions
How much more can Disney try to suck out of people. My family has been a DVC member since 1999. My husband and I would go twice a year once on our own and once with our kids and grandkids. We would get our fast passes even during the times when you had to use a Kiosk but they were free. We did not go during the pandemic since my husband has an auto immune disease but we returned last July with the family all 14 of us. It was a nightmare booking park reservations for 14 people. My husband and I did not visit the one park in the morning because he needed to go for dialysis. We asked guest services if we could go at 2 to a different park and they said reservations were full so they make us go and check in at Animal Kingdom and come back so we could go to Epcot in the afternoon. We refused to buy Genie + and with some planning were able to get on the rides we wanted. My husband and I were down this May for 5 days but did not visit the parks . In 2024 we are coming down in April and will be visiting Universal and couple days at Disney. In all the years we came to Disney we have never had a problem with crowds. We went one year during Thanksgiving again with family and the parks were busy but fine. This is just a money grab by Disney executives to pay for failing parts of their business. My youngest grandchild will be 3 in 2025 and we will bring her and the family to Disney after I will sell my DVC since it no longer worth the money and enjoyment.
Peg , you have mentioned all of the issues that I agree completely with you. My family and I have been going to Disney since 1984. My wife’s birthday is July 7 so we have been to Disney on July 4 about 10 times. The crowds were never enormous and certainly not to the point of calling the park full. We had 3 Free Fast Passes and went on ALL THE RIDES WE WANTED TO GO ON. Disney is not telling us the truth about the number of guests in the park daily. Shame on you Disney. Reduce the price of hotel rooms and eliminate the Genie Plus and Individual Attraction. Mr. Walt Disney would be very disappointed, and to you Mr Iger, you said when you came back that the price increases had gone too far and you would reduce these prices. WHEN!