Saving time in the theme parks is toadally our jam! That's part of why we loved using Disney Genie Plus at Walt Disney World. If you're planning on visiting Disney World in 2024, Disney is making skip the line services easier to use. As of July 24, 2024, Genie+ is retiring to the lamp. In its place, you'll be able to purchase and make selections ahead of time with Disney Lightning Lane Passes.
Here's what to know about Lighting Lane Multi Pass changes:
- All guests can book three attractions per day up to three days early at 7 a.m. ET. You can purchase the service at 7 a.m. as well.
- Disney World hotel guests have an advantage in being able to purchase and book seven days early (from check-in date) through the end of their trip (up to 14 days). That benefit also includes guests staying at Shades of Green Resort or the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels.
- There are tiers for the rides. You can choose one top tier ride and two lower tier rides (or just three lower tier rides). We go into all the new tiers for each park and their details in our Disney Genie Plus guide.
- You can select an available arrival window for each attraction. Once you book for one day, you can move on to book for the next day.
- You must book the first three rides in one park (and you must book the same attractions for the whole party initially, but you can modify if some party members want to do their own thing).
- Once you have entered a park and redeemed your first Lightning Lane, you can go to the My Disney Experience app to select another attraction (subject to availability). If park hopping, you can select a new attraction in either park.
- You can only book the rides in the park one by one. No more booking after two hours if you have not redeemed the first one.
What's changing with individual Lightning Lanes?
The individual Lightning Lane also has a new name as of July 24. It will be called Lightning Lane Single Pass. Each Lightning Lane Single Pass attraction still has a cost. (Remember that the standby lines and virtual queues remain free). The ride selection remains the same as before. Here are the other changes:
- Each Lightning Lane Single Pass goes on sale at 7 a.m. ET.
- All guests can purchase and book two Lighting Lane Single Pass attractions per day, up to three days early.
- Disney World hotel guests (as well as Shades of Green Resort and Walt Disney world Swan and Dolphin Hotels guests) have an advantage in being able to purchase and book two Lighting Lane Single Pass attractions per day up to seven days early (from check-in date) through the end of their trip (up to 14 days).
Got more questions? Hop over to our Lightning Lane Pass FAQs. We'll leave details about Genie+ below for old time's sake, but for the latest and greatest, be sure to hop over to our new Lightning Lane Pass introduction post.
Frequently Asked Questions About Current Genie Plus at Disney World: A Basic Overview and How to Purchase
Genie+ service can currently be purchased as a single-park or multi-park option with different price points. We'll go into more details below.
What is Disney Genie?
Genie Plus at Disney World is a new FREE planning tool available in the My Disney Experience app. You can use this new technology to guide you through the theme parks with tips to help you reduce time in lines, discover Disney magic and take the guesswork out of planning your day. You can learn more about all that's included in the Disney Genie service in our full post here.
What is Genie+?
Disney Genie+ is a paid skip-the-line benefit that allows guests to enter through a special line (think of the former FastPass+ lines) rather than the standby line. Not all Disney attractions are available with Genie+, which we'll get into below — but a majority of popular Disney attractions are included with Genie+. This add-on is toadally optional. All rides continue to operate with either a standby queue or a virtual queue at no additional charge.
How much is Genie Plus at Disney World?
As of June 27, 2023, Disney Genie+ prices now vary by date and by park. Guests can choose either a multiple-park option (eligible with park hoppers) or choose a single-park option. Each of the four theme parks will offer a different price point. Since Genie+ can only be purchased on the day of, guests should double-check the My Disney Experience app for the current price.
Tadpoles under 3 years old (who do not require an admission ticket) do not need to purchase Genie+ to go with their party.
When can I purchase Genie Plus at Disney World?
You can purchase Disney Genie+ day by day on each day of your trip using the My Disney Experience app. Genie+ is available for purchase when the clock strikes midnight on the day of your visit, but you don't need to stay up late (instead, make sure to purchase about 15 minutes early to secure it before the 7 a.m. selection process). All guests can make their first Genie+ selection at 7 a.m. from anywhere. As of June 8, 2022, all guests need to purchase Disney Genie+ service this way, daily, dependent on availability. During busy times, Genie+ can sell out by park (and the multi-park option becomes unavailable once a single park sells out).
Can I purchase Genie+ without a park reservation?
Yes! As of Jan. 9, 2024, date-based tickets no longer require a park reservation, so you can purchase Genie+ without a park reservation.
How does Disney Genie+ work?
You can make your selections across all of the theme parks if you have a Park Hopper ticket and purchase the Multiple-Park option with Genie+ (look near the bottom of the "My Day" tab where it says, "Plan for Your Next Park" to let Genie know your park hopping plans). These reservations can be made within the My Disney Experience app. One big change for people who have used FastPass is that you can only book a particular ride once per day.
@undercovertourist ☝️ Save this walk-through on how to make a ride reservation with the Genie+ service at Walt Disney World.A little prep will make a big difference. 🐸⏰ 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑚, 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑛𝑒𝑦 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑒+ 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑡 7 𝑎.𝑚. 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡.To learn more ℎ𝑜𝑝 over to our blog for more tips on using Disney Genie+ service! #undercovertourist ♬ original sound - undercovertourist
Which Disney World attractions are included with Genie+?
What is not included with Genie Plus at Disney World?
A few in-demand rides (and rides that utilize a virtual queue) are excluded from Disney Genie+. Instead, these rides will be available for an additional price per ride, such as TRON Lightcycle Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. These a la carte options can be purchased same-day, in-park. You can use a pay-per-ride for a particular attraction once per day and pay to upgrade for up to two different rides per day (regardless of where you are staying).
What is Lightning Lane?
Lightning Lane is the name of the queue you will enter at each attraction. The FastPass entrances have been renamed Lightning Lanes (ka-chow!).
Do you have to purchase Genie+ to buy individual Lightning Lane selections?
No, you do not need to have Genie+ to purchase individual Lightning Lane selections. (You can opt for one or the other, or purchase both skip-the-line options.)
Which attractions are included as individual Lightning Lane selections?
Can Genie+ rides "sell out"?
Genie+ rides are not guaranteed. The most popular rides can run out of available Genie+ Lightning Lane selections. We usually see this later in the day for most attractions. However, the most popular ones can run out within minutes during busier periods. Don't give up hope on them, though! You might see more availability pop up later, possibly due to cancellations. Act quickly on those if you see them.
Likewise, Disney Genie+ service is subject to availability, which means single and multi-park options could potentially sell out for the day.
If I am park hopping, but only want to buy Genie+ for one park, can I?
Yes! You will have the option in My Disney Experience to purchase the multi-park or an individual park option.
What if I choose Genie+ service for a single park and later want to park hop with Genie+?
Stop by Guest Relations to see if upgrades are available for the day!
How much are individual Lightning Lane selections?
Pricing and availability may vary by date, attraction and park. These tend to range between $7 and $25 on any given day, however. You can see the price before you pay.
Can individual Lightning Lane selections sell out?
Yes. Once all the available add-on ride slots are filled, the individual Lightning Lane box will say, "Not currently offered."
Do offerings ever change?
Yes! Originally Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, Frozen Ever After, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure were individual Lightning Lane selections but are now included in Genie+.
As of March 20, 2023, attraction photo downloads are now included with Disney Genie+. If you purchase Genie+, you'll be able to download any ride photos from that day at no additional cost. This includes popular attractions such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Test Track and more! Check out our guide to Disney World ride photos for more details.
Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Selection Process FAQs
How do you select a time window for a Genie+ attraction?
For Genie+ attractions, navigate to your "Tip Board" (from the main menu, you can find it under "Rides, Shows and Lightning Lane Entry") where you can only book the next available time window, which could be as soon as five minutes later or hours away. You cannot initially make them in advance for times that are later in the day (however, you can modify times — see below!). Click on "Book Experience." The next page will confirm the arrival window (note: due to demand, this can change), show if you have any overlapping plans and you can adjust your party, if needed, before you officially book it.
Can you edit your Genie+ reservation?
Yes! Guests can now easily modify a Genie+ reservation instead of having to cancel and rebook. You may change the selected attraction to a different attraction within the same theme park or the time window (as well as the party members). Thanks to this game-changing update, you can have more flexibility with your Genie+ plans without having to sacrifice the two-hour waiting period to make your next one! We recommend refreshing so that if you see a better time pop up, you can adjust it and not have to risk losing that reservation.
How soon can you make another Genie+ attraction selection if you can only get one at a time?
You can make another Genie+ selection when one of the following happens (whichever comes first):
- You tap in for your last booked Genie+ reservation.
- The window for your last booked Genie+ reservation passes.
- It's 120 minutes after the park opened (if you made your first res at 7 a.m.).
- It's been 120 minutes after making a reservation during normal park hours.
Can you book more than one experience?
You can only make one Genie+ selection at a time, but you can hold overlapping Genie+ selections because there is a two-hour window before you're able to select another one. You can also purchase an individual Lightning Lane selection that overlaps with a Genie+ selection.
It is possible to join a virtual queue (when in use) AND purchase an individual Lightning Lane selection for the same ride, thus granting you the ability to ride twice in a day.
But what if my Genie+ return time window is more than two hours away?
As we mentioned before, you can only select the next available time. So, if it's a particularly busy day, you might find that, when you're looking at noon, the next available time for a popular ride could be 7 p.m. Snag it anyway! Your ability to make Genie+ selections will be frozen for two hours, but starting at 2 p.m., you can make another Genie+ selection for another ride. If that ride is more than two hours away, then, at 4 p.m., you can make one more, and so on.
Speaking of individual Lightning Lane selections, is that process different?
Yes! For individual Lightning Lane selections, you can select any of the available time windows that pop up, which range throughout the day. For best availability, select at 7 a.m. if you're a Disney World Resort hotel guest or a guest of select hotels in Orlando, or right at the park open, if not. It will show any overlapping plans and allow you to edit your party, if needed. You'll still want to make these as quickly as possible, as the time could potentially change or a ride could sell out while you make one.
How does Genie+ work if you're park hopping?
If wanting to use Genie+ in multiple parks in one day, be sure to purchase the multiple-park option. Let Genie know that you're park hopping by going to the "My Day" tab and selecting which park(s) you'll be hopping to and during which hours, so Genie can make recommendations based on your park hopping plans.
As of Jan. 9, 2024, all-day park hopping is back!
If you cancel a Genie+ reservation, did you use your only chance for that attraction?
No! Because you can only use Genie+ access once per attraction, you do need to modify or cancel it if you wish to change your arrival time. If you miss your window and do not successfully cancel or modify it, you will not be able to make another reservation for that attraction. We missed our arrival window for Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. The reservation did not disappear right away, but when we checked 15 minutes later, it was gone. We attempted to make another but could not because we were ineligible since we "used" it already.
Can you be early or late to your Genie+ or individual Lightning Lane reservation?
The arrival windows are meant to be firm, so you must get there on time. (We were able to scan into the first touchpoint at Haunted Mansion five minutes early though.) If you're late, the cast members may not be able to let you through. If it's an instance that's out of your control (such as a different ride breaking down that caused you to be late), we suggest kindly explaining the situation, but it's up to the discretion of the cast members at the attraction entrance.
What if the attraction that you have a Genie+ or individual Lightning Lane selection for breaks down?
Don't worry! There are certain recovery efforts that the cast members will be able to implement, in case this happens. For instance, if you paid for an individual Lightning Lane selection that you haven't used yet but it breaks down and never reopens, a refund or gift card may be offered. If the ride breaks down after you've already scanned in and are waiting in line, then you may not be able to get a refund, but they could issue a Multiple Experiences Pass or a different return time window instead. Cast members will take care of you! Look for the blue Customer Experience umbrellas.
Is Genie+ available during Early Theme Park Entry, Extended Evening Hours or After Hours events?
No, Genie+ and the individual Lightning Lane selections are only available during normal park hours.
Can I book for multiple people?
Yes! You can reserve Genie+ or individual Lightning Lane selections for up to 12 people — you'll need to be connected in the "My Family and Friends" area of the My Disney Experience app.
Miscellaneous Disney Genie and Genie+ FAQs
Is Genie+ different at Disneyland and Disney World?
Yes! While both services vary in price depending on the day, Genie+ at Disney World typically starts at $15 per day, while Disneyland Genie+ starts at $25 per day. Genie+ at Disneyland includes PhotoPass unlimited PhotoPass downloads while just attraction photos are included with Genie+ at Disney World (plus some fun photo lenses!) At Disneyland, you can purchase Disneyland tickets with Genie+ included in advance, while Genie+ at Disney World can only be purchased same-day within the My Disney Experience app.
What else is included in Genie Plus at Disney World?
Aside from Lightning Lane access, Genie+ includes augmented reality photo lenses and audio experiences at both resorts.
As of March 20, 2023, attraction photo downloads come with with Disney Genie+. If you purchase Genie+, you'll be able to download any ride photos from that day at no additional cost. This includes popular attractions such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, Test Track and more!
Do Disney Resort Hotel guests get any perks related to Genie+?
Remember those individual, a la carte Lightning Lane options we talked about? Disney World Resort hotel guests are able to make those reservations as early as 7 a.m. on the day of their visit (versus the general public who cannot reserve until park opening). That's a huge advantage for hotel guests, as popular rides such as TRON may run out of reservation windows. All guests, regardless of where they stay, are limited to a maximum of two pay-per-ride attractions per day. You can only book a particular ride once per day.
What about Annual Passholders?
Annual Passholders will need to purchase Genie+ on the day(s) of their visit.
Can we purchase tickets pre-loaded with Genie Plus at Disney World?
Disney World tickets no longer come with the option to include Genie+. Instead, you will need to purchase Genie+ the morning of, each day of your trip (subject to availability). If you purchased tickets with the Genie+ add-on before June 8, 2022, they remain valid and you do not need to purchase again.
What other questions do you have about Genie Plus at Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: Disney Genie at Your Service! All of the Details on Disney's Add-On Service
Keep hopping!
