Disney Genie+ just hit its record-high holiday price in Disney World, days before Christmas.
Disney Genie
The skip-the-line service fluctuates in price based on expected crowd levels, so during particularly busy times like the holidays, you can expect pretty high prices! Today, it’s at the highest price we’ve seen yet.
Disney Genie+ is the paid service that allows you to reserve Lightning Lanes at certain Disney World attractions, so you get to skip the line when you return for your reservation. It’s the “new” version of FastPass.
A recent change made it so that the price of Genie+ is based on which park you intend to use it in. For example, the cost to buy Genie+ for Magic Kingdom is more expensive than if you buy it for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Previously, it was just one daily price.
Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom
The price also fluctuates based on expected crowd levels in the parks. Around busier times, we see the price go up. And right now DEFINITELY counts as a busier time!
Magic Kingdom crowds
The holidays are some of the most crowded days in the Disney World parks as people plan their vacations around holiday breaks and special events. With the influx of people comes price increases for Genie+!
Crowds
Today, December 22nd, Genie+ costs $35 for multi-park, $35 for Magic Kingdom, $28 for EPCOT, $32 for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and $25 for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This is the highest price we’ve seen since Thanksgiving!
©Disney
In fact, the only time we’ve seen this high of a price since Genie+ changed to park-based pricing has been November 20th, 21st, 23rd, and 24th.
Genie+ will likely continue to have these high prices throughout the holiday season, possibly through New Year’s.
Genie
Some of the most popular rides in Disney World are not part of Disney Genie+. In order to skip the lines at these popular coasters, you must purchase an Individual Lightning Lane. Prices for those Individual Lightning Lanes also fluctuate based on demand, and today they’re pretty high. Here’s a look at all of those prices today:
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — $25
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train — $12
- TRON Lightcycle / Run — $20
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — $17
- Avatar Flight of Passage — SOLD OUT
Flight of Passage in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is almost always the first Individual Lightning Lane to sell out, so we recommend buying that one ASAP if you want to skip the line there. If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you can buy Individual Lightning Lanes starting at 7AM each day. If you’re staying off-site, you can buy them starting when the park opens.
Flight of Passage
Note that, for two of those popular roller coasters, NO standby line is available. For TRON Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, you must either join the virtual queue (for free) or purchase an Individual Lightning Lane.
Click here to learn how to use virtual queues in Disney World.
If you’re going to Disney World this holiday season, make sure you plan for the crowds! It’s a good idea to consider buying Genie+ so that you save time by avoiding those long standby lines. Also, be sure to be at the theme parks early (at least a half hour before opening time) so that you can be one of the first people in line for popular attractions!
Magic Kingdom Entrance
There are tons of fun things to do in Disney World for the holidays, like snacking at the food booths at the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays, checking out gingerbread displays at Disney World hotels, and watching Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, which runs at 12PM and 3PM from December 23rd through the 29th in Magic Kingdom.
It’s party time!
Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney news!
Click here to see our ULTIMATE Disney Genie+ Guide.
Are you going to Disney World this holiday season? Let us know in the comments.
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It would be interesting to see how Disney handled pricing if all guests got on the same page and refused to pay for Genie+. I think we’d all be better off not just financially, but I’m convinced lines would move faster if there was only one and stand-by lines weren’t held because of the Genie+ guests. Most of us end up paying for it, but what if we all decided not to?
Just came back from Disney. We actually got the virtual queue for Guardians but not able to get Tron. Don’t waste your money on the cookie stroll. The cookies were terrible and the prize at the end was just another bad tasting sugar cookie. The one dessert that we had at the ABC Commissary was the gingerbread, apple, cake. It was amazing!! The parks were really crowded but eased up during the evening hours. It’s been about 4 years since we went to Disney and it was my first time using the MyDisney app. I had trouble with it, having to switch screens and I spent a lot of time on my cell phone which ate up my battery instead of being able to take pictures. The best ride by far was Rise of the Resistance. Sad part is that most of the cast members looked miserable. We went to Ogi’s canteen and I know that it is supposed to be about atmosphere but the drinks were small and waayyyy over priced. Our bar tender was a bit of a jerk and we had intended on spending more time in there but left after our first drinks because of his attitude.
Thanks for another interesting (& useful) article! I’m wondering if the Genie+ prices could be collected on the daily and then used to project crowd index… on the daily? There are other measures for this, like points ranges for Disney Vacation Club room rates and historical data for ride wait times, but it seems like the historical data is especially prone to lower reliability, largely since there are now some ‘weird’ data years due to COVID and the resulting longer-term economical impacts. But these Genie+ prices – per park/per day – seem like they might be a useful indicator, especially since they come directly from Mr. Mouse, himself, who is the keeper of the secret crowd index data ;).
Imagine that… The parks are full, and Disney raises the price of Genie plus… Can you see my look of surprise… 🤦🏼♂️ It’s all about money and not the costumers.