We’ve had another BIG week of Disney news!
Not only did the 100th anniversary celebration kick off in Disneyland, but we got some major announcements for TRON Lightcycle / Run which is set to open on April 4th, 2023. You may think this time between the holidays and spring break/TRON’s opening is slow, but the wait times are telling us otherwise.
While the wait times are not incredibly long like they were during the holiday season, there are still some long wait times that might convince you to buy Genie+.
Genie+ is Disney’s paid skip-the-line system that allows you to book a time to use the Lightning Lane for a faster wait time. This can be a huge time-saver at popular attractions and at parks like Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom where there are a lot of popular rides. Genie+ introduced flexible pricing in 2022, so the price of Genie+ depends on the day — we’ve seen the price fluctuate between $15 and $29 per person per day.
So should you buy Genie+ in Disney World right now? Take a look at these wait times and decide for yourself!
Magic Kingdom
We’re starting at Magic Kingdom, where Splash Mountain had the longest average wait time by far with 106 minutes during its last week in Disney World. The ride has now closed and construction has already begun for the transformation to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train typically has the longest wait time in this park, but this week the average wait time here was 73 minutes. Last week the average wait time was 74 minutes, so the average stayed about the same!
Next, Peter Pan’s Flight averaged 62 minutes, Jungle Cruise averaged 44 minutes, and Space Mountain averaged 43 minutes. After that, average wait times had Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Haunted Mansion at 38 minutes, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at 30 minutes, Astro Orbiter and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at 29 minutes, and Pirates of the Caribbean at 26 minutes.
Following those times, “it’s a small world” and Magic Carpets of Aladdin averaged 19 minutes, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid averaged 18 minutes, The Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini averaged 17 minutes, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Tomorrowland Speedway averaged 15 minutes, and then Mickey’s PhilharMagic averaged 14 minutes.
Next, Mad Tea Party and Prince Charming Regal Carrousel averaged 10 minutes. The Enchanted Tiki Room, the Carousel of Progress, the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, and the Liberty Square Riverboat all averaged 5 minutes.
The Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, and Tom Sawyer Island averaged no wait.
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EPCOT
Over in EPCOT, the ride with the longest average wait time was Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, with an average wait time of 71 minutes, which is a decrease compared to last week’s average of 81 minutes. Frozen Ever After had an average wait time of 66 minutes, which means the average wait time went up 2 minutes since last week.
Next up is Test Track at 50 minutes, Soarin’ at 31 minutes, Mission: SPACE at 16 minutes, Turtle Talk with Crush at 15 minutes, and Spaceship Earth at 11 minutes.
Then, there was Journey into Imagination and Living with the Land at 9 minutes, The Seas with Nemo and Friends at 8 minutes, and Gran Fiesta Tour at 7 minutes.
Awesome Planet, Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along, Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival, Impressions de France, and Reflections of China had no wait times this week.
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Hollywood Studios
Last week, it was a close call for the highest wait time in Hollywood Studios, but there is no question who had the highest times this week — Tower of Terror had an average wait time of 91 minutes. Rise of the Resistance was the next highest with a 78 minute average wait time, followed by Slinky Dog Dash with an average wait time of 77 minutes.
Next, Toy Story Mania and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway averaged 53 minutes, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith averaged 52 minutes, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run averaged 41 minutes.
After that, Alien Swirling Saucers averaged 29 minutes, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue averaged 19 minutes, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy and Walt Disney Presents averaged 14 minutes, and Muppet*Vision 3D averaged 10 minutes.
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Animal Kingdom
And last but not least, let’s visit Animal Kingdom, where Avatar Flight of Passage had the longest average wait time of 90 minutes. This means the time dropped from the 105 minute average from last week.
Then, there was Na’vi River Journey at 64 minutes, Kilimanjaro Safaris at 40 minutes, Expedition Everest at 25 minutes, and DINOSAUR at 17 minutes.
Triceratop Spin and It’s Tough to Be a Bug averaged 10 minutes. Both The Boneyard and Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail averaged no wait time. Kali River Rapids closed for refurbishment on January 9th.
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Overall, Genie+ may still be necessity depending on your group’s priorities. If you want to get on as many rides as possible, we recommend using a mix of tips like rope dropping and Genie+ Lightning Lanes to get the most out of your Disney day.
Stay tuned to DFB for more updates at Disney World!
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Do you try to get on EVERY ride when you visit Disney World? Or do you take it easy in the parks? Let us know in the comments!
CL says
Question, why do you think this is happening? I’m here now for a trip and chose this week because it was a slower week traditionally and the crowds don’t seem bad but every single ride has a long wait. Is Genie+ causing this to happen now you think? Like I’m in HS right now and the crowd seems like a 5 out of 10 but Tower of Terror has a 165 min wait standby. Doesn’t make much sense
Nancy says
I have been here since January 22 and the crowds are crazy. We have just given up on going to the parks during the day. Going in the evening and staying late has worked better. At least we can get on some rides. Have given up on most of the big attractions.