Guide to Disney World Genie+: Cost, Attractions, and Questions Answered
Genie+ services launched at Walt Disney World in October 2021, and since then, it has been ever-changing from guest feedback to ensure it is the best service Disney can provide for their guests.
The Walt Disney World Genie+ service is quite different than what it used to be when it was first launched. It’s essential to see the current and most up-to-date information available to maximize your vacation.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know for Genie+ at Walt Disney World. There is information in this post if it is your first time visiting or if you have been to Walt Disney World a few times. I guarantee there is helpful information for you here.
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What is Genie+?
If you don’t know what Genie+ is, guests can purchase a paid service to help ‘skip’ the lines for popular attractions. There are several applicable attractions at each of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World.
The ‘skip’ line feature is called Lightning Lane. Many attractions are included when a guest purchases Genie+; however, a few attractions in each park are separate and require the purchase of an individual lightning lane to ‘skip’ the line.
For a full park-neutral breakdown of Disney’s Genie and Disney’s Genie+ services, check out What You Need To Know About Disney’s Genie+.
It is important to note that Genie+ does not take away the standby lane for attractions. Standby lanes for guests are still available.
Advantages of Using Genie+
There are several additional advantages of purchasing and using Genie+ services, as it offers more than just lightning lanes for popular attractions.
Guests who purchase Genie+ can also expect unlimited PhotoPass downloads from their day, including PhotoPass attraction photos (added feature starting October 11, 2023).
There are exclusive Genie+ Photo lenses that guests can enjoy when using the app, to give their photos a little more Disney Magic.
Also, exclusive audio experiences give Disney history and fun facts at various points throughout the parks.
How Much Does Genie+ Cost?
The cost of Genie+ depends on a few things, mainly which park you are purchasing Genie+ for. And don’t worry, if you are a park hopper, there are special deals for multiple park Genie+ that you can buy.
Guests can expect to pay between $16 – $25 for Genie+ services for individual parks. As well as about $25 for a multi-park Genie+ service.
Note: To purchase a multi-park Genie+ service, you need to have a valid Park Hopper Ticket and initial park reservation.
This is the cost for Genie+, and the lightning lanes are included. It does not include the Individual Lightning Lanes cost that must be purchased a la carte. (Those attractions and specific costs will be listed below).
For Individual Lightning Lane attractions, guests can expect to pay between $7 – $15 per person per attraction.
Prices for each Individual Lightning Lane will vary by attraction and by day of the week. More popular attractions will cost more, especially during high-traffic days.
Note: Prices listed are the before-tax price, and purchasing Genie+ services or individual lightning lanes are subject to tax.
Disney World Genie+ Lightning Lanes
There are two ‘kinds’ of lightning lanes that are available. Select Lightning Lanes are included when Genie+ services are purchased. As well as Individual Lightning Lanes that are purchased a la carte.
Knowing the difference between the two is essential, as they are not interchangeable, and you don’t want to pay for services you don’t want.
Lightning Lanes (Included)
With the purchase of Genie+ at Disney World, select Lightning Lanes are included with the purchase.
These rides guests are able to book starting at 7 am for Disney World Hotel Guests, and at park opening for all other guests.
All of the attractions are listed below, separated out by the park they are located in.
Magic Kingdom Lightning Lanes:
The following attractions are available when you purchase Genie+ for Magic Kingdom. Of the 24 attractions in Magic Kingdom, 22 are available on Genie+. This includes rides, parades, shows, and other attractions.
Only some of these attractions will always be available, so check refurbishment closures in the My Disney Experience App for your trip.
Rides:
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Dumbo
Haunted Mansion
“It’s a small world”
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
Under the Sea – Journey of The Little Mermaid
Shows and Parades:
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade
Character Meet and Greets:
Meet Cinderella (& visiting Princess) at Princess Fairytale Hall
Meet Princess Tiana (& visiting Princess) at Princess Fairytale Hall
Meet Mickey and Minnie at Town Square Theater
EPCOT Lightning Lanes:
The following attractions are available when you purchase Genie+ for EPCOT. Where all of these attractions are available for Genie+, they might not be bookable due to refurbishment closures. Be sure to check those before your trip to help maximize planning.
Rides:
Frozen Ever After
Living with the Land
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Mission: Space – Green
Mission: Space – Orange
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
Shows and Parades:
Turtle Talk with Crush
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Looking for the height requirements for a specific Walt Disney World Park?
Check out these other height requirement posts:
>Magic Kingdom Height Requirements
>Animal Kingdom Height Requirements
>EPCOT Height Requirements
>Hollywood Studios Height Requirements
>Blizzard Beach Height Requirements
>Typhoon Lagoon Height Requirements
Animal Kingdom Lightning Lanes:
The following attractions are available to book through Genie+ at Animal Kingdom. Of the 28 total attractions at Animal Kingdom, 10 are available for Genie+.
Be sure to check refurbishment closures before your trip so you can plan accordingly.
Rides:
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Na’vi River Journey
Shows and Parades:
Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!
It’s Tough to Be a Bug
Character Meet and Greets:
Meet Disney Pals at Adventurer Outpost
Hollywood Studios Lightning Lanes:
The following attractions are available through purchasing Genie+ for Hollywood Studios. There are 35 attractions at Hollywood Studios, with 12 available for Genie+ access.
Ensure you check which rides are closed for refurbishment to ensure proper planning.
Rides:
Alien Swirling Saucers
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tour – The Adventure Continue
Toy Story Mania!
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Character Meet and Greets:
Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
Shows and Parades:
Beauty and the Beast LIVE on Stage
Disney Junior Play & Dance!
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Muppet Vision 3D
Looking for a more customized Disney itinerary for your trip?
Red the Traveler offers Disney Trip Itinerary Services.
Email: red@redthetraveler.com for an inquiry request
Individual Lightning Lanes (A La Carte)
The following are the Individual Lightning Lanes available for purchase per person per ride fee. These attractions can be purchased with or without purchasing Genie+ first.
Remember, the cost of each Individual Lightning Lane is paid per person. If three people in your group want Lightning Lane entrance to the attraction, you must purchase a Lightning Lane for all party members.
Magic Kingdom:
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – $10 to $12
TRON Lightcycle – $20
EPCOT:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – $14 to $17
Animal Kingdom:
Avatar – Flight of Passage – $11 to $16
Hollywood Studios:
Rise of the Resistance – $15 to $25
How to Get Genie+?
After all that information, you’ve decided purchasing Genie+ is worth it to help make the most of your Walt Disney World trip. So now what? How do you buy Genie+?
Genie+ is purchased directly in the My Disney Experience App (Guide to My Disney Experience App coming soon).
Your vacation package (at least your park tickets) must be linked to your My Disney Experience App. Without the valid tickets in the app under your account, you won’t be able to purchase Genie+.
How Does Genie+ Work at Disney World?
Genie+ can be purchased at midnight on the day of your visit. Once purchased, the first Lightning Lane can be booked at 7 a.m. for Disney World hotel guests and at the park opening for all other guests.
To reserve a Lightning Lane, head to the ‘Tip Board’ section in the My Disney Experience App. I always recommend that you select the option to only show Lightning Lane options. This makes it easier to browse the section of Genie+ Lightning Lanes (also ensure that you’re at for the day is selected at the top; the default is always Magic Kingdom).
Scroll through the list until you find the attraction you wish to book, and select book experience. The app will then take you to a page where you can select who will be going to the attraction. This will only allow you to select multiple people if they are all linked to the Disney World account and have all purchased Genie+. If only one person in the group has Genie+, then they will be the only eligible person.
Once you’ve selected everyone who is booking the experience, it will ask for you to confirm the selection. After it is confirmed, then the Lightning Lane experience will be listed under your future plans.
It really is that simple!
How to Redeem Lightning Lane Entry?
Redeeming your Lightning Lane Pass is extremely easy. Accessing your pass is pretty straightforward whether you have a Magic Band or not.
But don’t worry, I will go over both ways to redeem your Lightning Lane pass.
Redeeming Without Magic Band:
When it is about 5 minutes before the start of your lightning lane, you will get a notification that it is time to redeem your Lightning Lane. You can either select the notification or open the app to redeem the Lightning Lane.
If you are already in the My Disney Experience App, you can go to your ‘plans’ section, and it will list your lightning lane selection. A button to redeem, once hit, a picture of the attraction, the attraction name, the time slot, the guest name, and a bar code to scan will be on the screen. If there is more than one person in your party, you must swipe to view all the lightning lanes.
Redeeming With Magic Band:
Just like when you redeem your lightning lane pass without a magic band. About 5 minutes before your selected time, you can lining up for the attraction.
When it is your turn, you just tap your magic band to the designated magic band area and a cast member will give you the okay to go on through.
If there is more then one person in your party, it is important to have all of the magic bands linked to one account, to make purchasing Genie+ for everyone easier, as well as booking the passes for the group easier as well.
When it comes to redeeming for multiple people, as long as everything is connected, each person can just tap their magic band to the redemption area and everyone will be good to go.
Disney World Genie+ FAQ:
Even though Genie+ has been out for a while, there are still a lot of questions about how to use Genie+ and whether or not it is worth it for your trip.
I tried to answer all the questions about Disney World and Genie+. If you still have a specific question or additional questions, please email me red[at]redthetraveler. com
Can guests choose return times for an attraction?
At this time, Guests can only choose the next available return time. There is no way to select a specific time for a specific ride.
Hopefully this is something that changes in the future, however nothing has been mentioned yet.
Do I need to buy Genie+ for my trip?
Purchasing Genie+ is not a requirement for your trip, and if you are comfortable with waiting in line, then there really is no need to purchase Genie+ for your Disney World trip. You can still have a great trip at Disney World without purchasing Genie+
How does Genie+ work with Park Hopping?
Genie+ is typically purchased on a park basis. So if you are going to Animal Kingdom, you can purchase Genie+ just for Animal Kingdom. However, if you plan on park hopping, there is a special Genie+ option for you. It typically costs a flat rate of $25.
To purchase the park hoping Genie+ you will need a specific park hopping ticket, and park reservation. If you don’t have either one, the you will not be able to purchase the park hopping Genie+ service.
Can I make Genie Plus reservations 60 days in advance?
Unfortunately no you cannot. Genie+ at Disney World can only be purchased the day of your park ticket. Purchasing Genie+ prior to park opening (unless you’re staying on resort) is not available.
How many Genie Plus rides per day?
There is no limit to the number of total rides you and do in a day with Genie+, however, there are some rules with frequency of booking (aka the 120-minute rule), and booking multiples of the same ride.
What is the 120-minute rule of Genie Plus?
Genie+ at Disney World has a 120 minute rule, which is to prevent guests from booking all of the Lightning Lanes in first thing in the morning.
The 120-minute rule, is that after booking a Lightning Lane, you have to wait 120 minutes in order to book another one. The exception is if you select a Lightning Lane first thing in the morning, then you can book the next one after the time slot closes.
I will give some examples to help make this concept easier to understand because it can get confusing.
Example A, Magic Kingdom opens at 8 a.m., you aren’t a Disney World Hotel guest, and you must book your first Lighting Lane at the park opening. You manage to get an 8:15 a.m. slot for Peter Pan’s Flight. This becomes an exception to the 120-minute rule.
Example B, same scenario, at Magic Kingdom, making your first Lighting Lane at the opening. You were able to get Peter Pan’s Flight for 1 p.m. This means you have to follow the 120-minute rule, and you won’t be able to make your next Genie+ reservation until 10 a.m.
But don’t worry, in case you forget, Genie also tells you what time you can make your next Lightning Lane selection.
What happens if I miss my Genie+ time?
Unfortunately, if you miss your Genie+ time, you will be unable to use the Lightning Lane Pass, and you won’t be able to book another Lightning Lane for the same ride.
This means the only way to enjoy that attraction is to stand in the standby lane.
Can you use Genie+ on the same ride twice?
No, Genie+ only allows guests to use Genie+ Lightning Lanes to ride the available attractions once per day. This includes purchasing an Individual Lighting Lane.
What happens if the ride is closed during lightning lane?
Each Lightning Lane selection is valid for 1 hour, (ie Peter Pan’s Flight 8:15 – 9:15). If an attraction is closed during that time, you will be given a ‘magical experience’ pass. Which is essential a lightning lane for certain attractions.
If you happen to get this ‘Magical Experience’ Pass, be sure to read the limitations, as it doesn’t work towards any Lightning Lane attraction. It won’t work on any attraction that has Individual Lightning Lane, and sometimes it will work for attractions that don’t have Lightning Lane. So it is important to see which attractions qualify with special pass.
Can you use Lightning Lane when park hopping?
Yes, if you have a park hopper ticket, you can purchase a Multi-Park Genie+, allowing you to use Lightning Lanes at whichever park you go to.
Do I need to make my first lightning lane at 7 a.m.?
Reserving Lightning Lane at 7 a.m. is only available for guests on resort property. This includes all Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as, Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin, and Shades of Green Resorts.
For those guests, it isn’t required, but it is strongly encouraged, as once the park opens, all park guests will be booking Lighting Lanes, and they tend to sell out quickly.
What is the perk of staying on the resort with Genie+?
A huge perk to purchasing Genie+ at Disney World when you’re staying on resort is that you can book your first Lightning Lane at 7 am, which in some cases is a few hours before other park guests.
Is there any Disney Vacation Club or Annual Passholder discount for Disney Genie+?
There are no discounts or perks for Disney World Annual Passholders or DVC members at Disney World with Genie+. This could change in the future, but as of now, there is no benefit or perk, or discount.
Is Disney Genie+ worth it at Disney World?
This is the most asked question when discussing Genie+ at Disney World. And honestly, it can be a tough one to answer. So here is my take on it.
If you are going to Disney World during a peak time of year, I highly recommend purchasing Genie+ and individual lightning lanes. It may add another expense to your trip budget, but it will save you time, which opens the door to more possibilities.
If you’re only spending one day at each park, or are only spending 1-2 days at Disney World (whether park hopping or not), then I would also recommend purchasing Genie+ as, again it is going to save you time.
If you are having a long extended vacation at Disney World, spending more than one day at a park, then I don’t think I would recommend it. As you hypothetically have more time in each park than others, maximizing time in parks isn’t a priority.
I would also say that if you frequently go to Disney World (once a month or more), purchasing Genie+ probably isn’t necessary.
But that is the great thing about purchasing Genie+ at the Disney parks; it is done on a day-by-day basis. So let’s say you don’t purchase it your first day; you can always purchase it your second day, or vice versa.
The Wrap-Up: Walt Disney World Genie+
Many things have changed since Genie+ first launched at Disney World, and we covered all of it!
Genie+ is an optional paid service that allows guests to ‘skip’ the line through time slot reservations of rides. To ensure everyone can enjoy attractions, guests who purchase Genie+ can only reserve one-time slot for a ride for the day and have time limits for booking or reserving those time slots.
Genie+ at Walt Disney World is purchased day by day, and a valid theme park ticket AND park reservation are required to purchase.
Genie+ offers lightning lane access for specific rides and specific times. This allows guests to minimize wait times and enjoy other Disney World Parks aspects.
Additionally, PhotoPass and select attraction photos are available for unlimited download when guests purchase Genie+.
There are two different kinds of Lightning Lane access. Lightning Lanes are included in the Genie+ purchase and a la carte or Individual Lightning Lanes, which are a separate purchase. Guests have the option to only purchase Genie+, to only purchase individual Lightning Lanes, or an option to buy both.
The cost of Genie+ varies by which park you plan on attending and the day of the week. The cost of individual lightning lanes also goes by the day of the week and crowds.
