Well, Genie+ has gone away in Disney World (and many might say “Good riddance!”) and has been replaced with Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Lightning Lane sign
The good news? This new Lightning Lane system brought back some features from the old FastPass+ system that many Disney fans have wanted. The bad news? It’s still going to cost you money (unlike FastPass+, which was free). However, we spent some serious $$$ to test out both Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass so we could answer ALL your questions about it. In the process, we learned a valuable lesson about the new system.
Okay, are you ready? Here’s what we learned: The new Lightning Lane system might seem complicated at first, but it actually makes everything a LOT easier! There, we said it. It’s an improvement over Genie+…a HUGE improvement. But let’s take a look at why it’s such an improvement.
Modifying selections is way easier
Okay, changing your Lightning Lane selections is WAY easier than it was with Genie+. First, the user interface has been GREATLY improved, so you can modify in just a few easy steps. In fact, it’s so much easier now, we’ve had Cast Members tell us that some folks have modified their selections and then immediately regretted it after because they didn’t realize they didn’t have to jump through a bunch of hoops like they had to with Genie+. Oops.
©Disney
So keep that in mind when you do change up your selections: make sure you want to make those changes.
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Park hopping is easier
If you have a valid park hopping ticket in Disney World, making Lightning Lane selections in other parks is a BREEZE. You’ll only need to scan in to your first Lightning Lane selection, and then you’ll be able to make a selection in another park right after that.
©Disney
Even better? There’s no additional cost associated with this, even if you start in a park that has a cheaper Lightning Lane Multi Pass than the park you’re hopping to.
Disney Simplified Park Hopping with Its NEW Lightning Lane System
Less waiting around
One of the things that bugged us when using Genie+ is it always felt like we had to wait a long time between our Lightning Lane times. However, this isn’t the case with Lightning Lane Multi Pass. We felt like we were pretty much going from one Lightning Lane to another with short wait times between.
Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane
This means you’ll be able to knock out a lot more rides in less time with the new system. Who doesn’t love that? That also means you’re probably getting more value out of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, too.
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You can have three at a time
With Genie+, you could only have one Lightning Lane selection at a time, unless two hours had passed since you made your selection: then you could make another, so you could hold two at a time. Well, that’s over and done with. You can always have three Lightning Lane selections at any time with the new selection.
©Disney
So if you scan into a ride with a Lightning Lane selection, you can immediately make another selection so that you always have three.
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You might be running around a bit
There is one downside to using the new Lightning Lane system. If you make a lot of Lightning Lanes, you might be zigzagging your way around the parks and doing a lot of backtracking. It would be great if the system were intuitive enough to book according to time and location, but we’re not quite there yet.
Space Mountain Lightning Lane
But, hey, you’ll get your steps in? However, this can get old fast when you’ve already been on your feet all day.
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So, yes, we really did spend almost $300 to learn all about this. We do it for you, though, so you don’t have to waste your valuable vacation time learning the new system from scratch. We’ll keep testing the system, too, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
We’re running a number of experiments with the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system to answer ALL of your questions. Don’t want to miss a thing? Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to catch all of the latest. You can also follow along on our social channels like Instagram and Facebook.
In the meantime, we’ve put together some guides for you! Take a look:
- COMPLETE GUIDE to the New Line-Skipping Service at Disney World
- Disney’s New Lightning Lane System Has One HUGE Problem
- This Small Print CHANGES EVERYTHING About Disney World’s New Lightning Lane Multi Pass
- The EASIEST Way To Use Disney World’s NEW Lightning Lane Multi Pass System
We Found a Trick To Get the BEST Lightning Lane Reservations in Disney World
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When we travel there for our annual trip, we’re coming from CA, and just keep the kids on West Coast time so they’re able to stay until park closing—our favorite time in the parks because it empties out. That schedule also lets us take advantage of evening parties and late hours. I used to stack lightning lanes starting in the late afternoon, but I’m struggling to figure out what my best bet is with this new system.
If I don’t scan into the park, but my first lightning lane for a throwaway ride expires, can I make another one the day of for a tier 1 ride? For example, my kids won’t ride haunted mansion…so if I prebooked the first slot for it, would I be able to do another tier one as soon as it expires or is booking another contingent upon scanning into the park?
If I pre book 3, can I modify them the day of without scanning into the park? And if so, do the tiers still apply? Or could I switch them to tier 1 as soon as the booking window opens?
Thanks so much for doing the legwork for the rest of us!!!
Hi Jenny. If your ride expires, you can book another one. The tiers do not exist once you scan into the park. Keep in mind, however, that if your ride expires, you will not get to choose that ride again. You can modify your selections the day of your park visit, yes.
I was wondering the same thing about letting a non-important ride expire. If you let the first one expire, can you make a new one from either tier or just the one it expired from if you arent in the park yet? We are park closers instead of park openers and I keep seeing people post that all the most popular rides are gone by the early adternoon when we would be getting there. We had learned the trick about letting one expire when it was still free fast pass. That worked well for us, but wondered if it would still work for sure with the new system.
Thank you!! Do the tiers still exist if you *haven’t* scanned into the park yet? That’s the last piece I can’t figure out–like if we’re not going into the park until 2 PM or something, how does that impact how any of it? Totally understand if you don’t know yet because I know it’s a weird use case! Thanks again for the response!
Hi Jenny! No, the tiers don’t disappear until you have tapped into your first ride.
Hi Iris! If you let the first one expire, the next ride you choose has to be in that same tier. The tiers do not disappear until you have scanned into your first ride. You will also not be allowed to choose the ride that expired.
Do you know anything about getting a multipass for a park you are going to hop to? My plan for my next trip is to start early in Animal Kingdom to do the safari and dinosaur, then hop to Hollywood Studios. Can I set up my lightning lanes for Hollywood Studios even though I’m scanning into AK first? Note: I’m an AP, so my park reservation is for AK.
Hi Katie! If your first Lightning Lanes are at AK, you can select a Lightning Lane at Hollywood Studios after you’ve fully scanned in to your first ride at AK.
I pay $170 for a daily yivkey and yhry want $35 per day on top of that for Free Fastpasses + another $20 for individual rides not included in the FP system.
Yhis would be a Hevk no for me.