food IS a theme park
It’s spring break season, the new TRON Lightcycle / Run roller coaster is open, EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival is in full bloom, and the crowds have grown pretty intense at Disney World.
Crowds
The parks are typically busy in the spring months of March and April, and we saw the effects of this hit Genie+ as it sold out AGAIN in record time, even at the highest price point we’ve seen so far.
What’s blue and purple and controversial all over?
©Disney
You guessed it, it’s the Genie+ skip-the-line service in the Disney World app! Disney World visitors have had some mixed feelings about this service, but regardless of how you feel about it, you may still want to buy and use it. And now that the price is uncapped and subject to surges, there are some key things to keep in mind. On April 4th, 2023, we saw Genie+ sell out FAST in Disney World despite a record-breaking price increase. And now we’ve got another key update.
If you’re heading to Disney World soon, there’s one thing that you absolutely NEED to have — the My Disney Experience app.
Main Street Train Station Disney World
This free app has SO many tools to help plan your trip, from ride wait times to park maps to Genie+ and so much more. One feature that we use frequently in MDE is Mobile Order, where you can order food from restaurants around the parks and resorts. But with the latest app update, Disney has CHANGED the system!
Disney World’s 18-month 50th Anniversary celebration came to an end on March 31st, 2023.
Gotta’ get that last photo of the 50th castle
We were checking out the crowds in the parks, seeing the decorations for the last time, and overall just taking the final day in. But even if you weren’t in the parks in person over the past 18 months, you could still get the feeling that the 50th was being celebrated by taking a look at Disney World’s app. Now though? All 50th Anniversary theming is GONE from the app.
Who’s ready to enter the grid?!
TRON Lightcycle / Run
TRON Lightcycle / Run is already operating in Magic Kingdom for a soft opening (ahead of its official opening on April 4th), which means that we got to try out the virtual queue system. Is it similar to the ones that Disney has used in the past? How does it work? Will it be difficult to secure a spot in line for the ride? We’re answering all your questions HERE in our guide to the virtual queue!
What are today’s park hours? How do you rent a wheelchair? What are the details about other rentals in Disney World?
Main Street
You’ve got questions, Disney has answers. But sometimes getting on the phone with Disney or even chatting with a Cast Member through the My Disney Experience app can take a LONG time — too long if your park day is about to start. So…what do you do? Well, a solution (or, at least, a partial solution) has been introduced.
Just because Disney World is The Most Magical Place on Earth doesn’t mean it can’t use some improvements!
Main Street U.S.A.
We know that many Disney fans have thoughts about recent changes in the parks, especially when it comes to Genie+, price increases, and crowds. So how do guests propose to fix the problems they see in the parks? We’re about to find out! [Read more…]
We’re all about letting technology do the work for us.
Yikes
Why manually order our meals when we can Mobile Order? Why meticulously plan out our day when Disney Genie can do it for us? Why look up information ourselves when “Hey, Disney!” has all the answers (soon, that is)? You get the point. Disney has been adding a lot of technology to the parks lately. And if you’re prone to losing your car in the parking lots (we’re guilty of this one all the time), you’ll want to check out the newest feature on the My Disney Experience App!
IMPORTANT NOTE!! Major changes are being made to the Genie+ system in Disney World starting July 24th, 2024. This post reflects the current Genie+ system that will remain in place through July 23rd, 2024. For our full page of information about the CHANGES coming to the system (which will go into effect on July 24th, 2024), click here. You can also click here to see our breakdown of Disney World’s NEW Lightning Lane System in Under 1,000 Words.
In 2021, the free FastPass+ system was officially discontinued and replaced by the Disney Genie system — specifically the paid Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection (IAS) options at both Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
©Disney
The big announcement came with enough information to make many people confused and left many with a lot of questions about the new system. The system has been in place in Disney World and Disneyland for a few years now, and we’ve tested it out in both spots to bring you our best tips and tricks. But it’s still a HUGE change with a bit of a learning curve and MORE changes are coming soon. Confused about how to use Genie+ in the parks? Want to learn about the changes coming to Genie+ soon? We’ve got you covered.
Disney World trips can take a lot of planning and preparation.
Cinderella Castle
You have to buy tickets and make park pass reservations, book a hotel, sort out transportation, schedule dining reservations, and more. And, while you may think you’re completely ready for your trip, with everything packed in your suitcase and ready to go, there is one more thing you should make sure to do before your trip!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
