Sometimes we get Disney World changes that inconvenience us, and other times we come out with a win.
©Disney
If you’ve visited Disney World lately, you might have noticed changes in everything from decor to crowd levels, and even new attractions. But, one recent change in particular has helped us sleep better at night while on vacation at Disney World.
When coming to Disney World there’s one HUGE topic that’s on everyone’s minds — THE CROWDS. Better yet, we’re always looking at the best ways to avoid them and get to experience as much (or free up our schedules as much) as we want. When Disney World introduced Genie+ we thought that would put an end to that stress.
Genie+
However, once Genie+ went live in the Disney World app, it seemed to unlock a new inconvenience for us we never saw coming. In order to purchase Genie+ for use the next day, you had to be up late (or early depending on your outlook on it), to snag it as soon as possible! This meant staying up to midnight (12AM) on the day you intended to use Genie+ in the parks to buy it at the first possibility, otherwise, you could risk it selling out!
Park-specific Pricing
It’s no secret that you’re plenty exhausted on your Disney World vacation with all there is to see, do, and eat, but now we threw a 12AM purchase into the mix along with making our first selections for rides attractions at 7AM — mere hours later. We could easily see how this interrupted visitors just trying to get a good night’s sleep and rest up for the next day ahead of them — and it went on to be one of the systems main complaints. However, we’ve entered a new era when Lightning Lane Multi Pass was introduced!
Lightning Lane changes are HERE!
This revised version of the system allows Disney World hotel guests the convenience of booking Lightning Lanes in advance of their reservation — up to 7 days ahead and even if you’re not a hotel guest, you can still purchase AND book Lightning Lane Multi Pass AND Lightning Lane Single Passes at 3 days in advance.
©Disney
So far in our experience, this is a much easier compromise than having to set an alarm at midnight to remind you to make a purchase when you’re already dazed from a full day walking around the parks. We’re hoping the pros for this new version of the paid Lightning Lane system continues to make users and park visitors feel more at ease with making these selections well in advance for their day’s plans and keeps them from feeling so constrained.
We’re always keeping up with the latest updates, changes, and news happening around Disney World’s parks and hotels. Be sure to stay tuned with us at Disney Food Blog for more!
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Were you a fan of Genie+ or do you like the new Lightning Lane system better? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
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The FastPass System and the Magical Express were 2 big perks that attracted me to visit Disney World and to stay on Disney property. Since the end of FastPass and Magical Express I have found fun alternatives to Disney Parks and resorts. My thought is, if I have to rent a car to get to my Disney hotel, then why stay on Disney property (since Disney provides transportation to and from the resort to their parks I wouldn’t get much use from the rental car I paid for). When I have a rental car I can avoid the high prices of the Disney restaurants and the lines for Disney resort transportation. I can even venture to other parks and attractions not associated with Disney, resulting in less time at Disney and less of a need or desire to stay at Disney. In the past I kept booking a Disney Resort because of the convenience of the Magical Express and the FastPass system, but now that it’s gone, I have spent more time at other non-Disney properties and attractions. I plan to keep up that trend and visit Disney for a day or two or none, when I travel to Orlando.