Disney World and Disneyland Genie Plus and Lightning Lane 101
The Walt Disney World Fastpass system was revamped in October 2021 with the new Disney Genie Plus system. The new Walt Disney World Genie Plus system is a paid fastpass system.
Learn the ins and outs of the Disney World Genie Plus system before your next Disney World vacation. In the past few days, Disney Genie Plus debuted at Disneyland too so these tips will be important for both Disney Parks.
Disneyland Genie Plus debuted in December so be on the lookout for Genie Plus in California too!
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Genie Plus Terminology
There is several new terms being thrown around with the Disney Genie Plus system. To understand the process, I first wanted to lay out these new terms.
Disney Genie – this is the free, complimentary system embedded in the My Disney Experience App that provides guests customized itinerary planning
Disney Genie Plus – the paid add-on “fastpass” system that allows guests to bypass the standby queue
Lightning Lane – this is the new “fastpass” line or in other terms the faster queue
Individual Lightning Lane – purchase Lightning Lane access for two select attractions at each Disney Park (these attractions are not included in Genie+)
What is Disney Genie Plus?
So what is the Disney Genie Plus System? Simply put, the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Genie Plus is the new paid fastpass system.
At Walt Disney World, Genie plus costs $15 per day, per guest. While at Disneyland, Genie + costs $20 per day, per guest. Unfortunately, it can get expensive quickly.
Disney guests have the option to purchase Genie Plus as an add on to your park ticket for your entire Disney vacation or can be purchased ad hoc per day.
How does Genie Plus work? Once you purchase Genie plus, you can use the My Disney Experience app every morning to make a Genie Plus reservations.
All Disney guests can make their first Genie Plus reservation at 7 AM.
Once the window opens to schedule your Genie plus reservation, you simply go to your “Tip Board”, pick the Disney Park you are visiting that day, and select the attraction for your Genie Plus reservation.
After you use your Genie Plus reservation, you can make another reservation. There is no limit on how many Disney Genie Plus reservations you can make in a day.
But you can only use Genie Plus for each ride once per day. This change is different from Disney’s old fastpass system.
What’s included in Genie Plus?
This new Disney Fastpass system doesn’t include every attraction in the park though. The Disney Genie Plus includes every attraction at each Disney World Park except for two rides and every ride at Disneyland except three rides.
The rides that aren’t included in Genie Plus are referred to as Individual Lighting Lane attractions. I’ll go into more detail about these below.
Here is every Disney Genie Plus attraction. All these Disney attractions will be included when your purchase Genie Plus.
Magic Kingdom Genie Plus Attractions
- Haunted Mansion
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- It’s a Small World
- Tommorowland Speedway
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Splash Mountain
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
- Barnstormer
- Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Epcot Genie Plus Attractions
- Mission Space
- Test Track
- Living with the Land
- Soarin’ Around the World
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- Journey Into Imagination with Figment
- Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Hollywood Studios Genie Plus Attractions
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock n Roller Coaster
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Tower of Terror
- Star Tours – the Adventure Continues
- Toy Story Mania
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-Along
- Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
- Muppet Vision 3D
- Disney Junior Dance Party
- Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular
Animal Kingdom Genie Plus Attractions
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Dinosaur
- It’s Tough To Be a Bug
- Kali River Rapids
- Feathered Friends in Flight
- Na’vi River Journey
- A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
- Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Disneyland Genie Plus Attractions
- Autopia
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Haunted Mansion
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- It’s a Small World
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
Disney California Adventure Genie Plus Attractions
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout
- Incredicoaster
- Monster Inc Mike and Sully to the Rescue
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania
What is Individual Lighting Lane?
Like I mentioned above, not every Disney attraction is included with your Disney World or Disneyland Genie Plus purchase. So what about the other two attractions at each Disney Park?
Each Disney Park has two attractions that are Individual Lightning Lane attractions. Individual Lighting Lane attractions are very popular rides that typically have a long wait time.
Like Genie Plus, you have to pay for Individual Lighting Lane rides too. The price for Individual Lighting Lane rides varies by ride and day.
The price ranges between $7 and $20 per person per ride. At Disney World, the max price is $15 and at Disneyland the max price is $20. And the prices can change if you are visiting at a busier time of the year versus a slower time of the year.
For example, since inception, Rise of the Resistance has been $15 per day at Disney World and $20 per day at Disneyland while Disney World’s Space Mountain has been cheaper at $7 or $9.
Similar to Genie Plus, Individual Lighting Lane attractions can be purchased at 7 AM if you are a Disney resort guest but if you are staying offsite, you can’t purchase individual lighting lane reservations until park opening.
You can purchase two individual lighting lane rides per day and you can not purchase a ride more than once per day.
So what are the Disney individual lighting lane attractions?
Magic Kingdom Individual Lighting Lane Rides
- Space Mountain
- Seven Dwarf Mine Train
Epcot Individual Lighting Lane Rides
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
Hollywood Studios Lighting Lane Rides
- Rise of the Resistance
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Animal Kingdom Individual Lighting Lane Rides
- Flight of Passage
- Expedition Everest
Disneyland Individual Lighting Lane Rides
- Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
Disney California Adventure Individual Lighting Lane Attractions
- Radiator Springs Races
- Web Slingers: A Spider Man Adventure
Disney Genie Plus 120 Minute Rule
There has been a lot of talk and confusion over the Disney Genie Plus 120 minute rule. First, everyone is eligible to make their first Disney Genie+ reservation at 7 AM.
With the Disney Genie+ reservation system, you can make another Genie+ reservation once you redeem your first Genie+ reservation or 120 minutes after park opening, whichever comes first.
This rule was established because the most popular Disney rides fill up quickly and you may get a Genie+ reservation later in the day This way these guests aren’t penalized and can still make other Genie+ reservations.
For example, we made a Slinky Dog Lighting Lane reservation at 7 AM and the return time wasn’t until 4:30 PM. At 11 AM, we we’re able to make another Genie+ reservation for Toy Story Mania.
Essentially, Genie+ allows you to stack Lighting Lane reservations if you have your first Genie+ reservation later in the day.
Best Uses Of Disney Genie Plus
There has been a lot of controversy over the past weeks on Genie Plus and the cost to use this new Disney fastpass system. So when is Genie Plus most helpful?
In my opinion, Genie Plus is most helpful at both the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland. Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Disneyland have the most rides so Genie Plus is helpful to get things done more quickly.
We didn’t feel like Genie Plus was necessary at Epcot or Animal Kingdom because there are significantly less rides. Since there are less rides, you just need to pick and choose what you want to ride.
Disney’s California Adventure has a fair amount of rides so if you want to see everything in one day, Disneyland Genie Plus may be a good idea.
I’ve also found that Genie Plus is best used in conjunction with rope dropping the Disney Parks, especially at Epcot and Animal Kingdom.
If you decide to rope drop (arrive at the park for opening), you can get in line for the Disney rides with the longest waits early in the morning. Then you just have rides with shorter waits left for the rest of the day.
There are also some rides that the best uses of your Disney Genie Plus reservations like Slinky Dog Dash, Peter Pan’s Flight, Rock n Roller Coaster, Jungle Cruise, etc.
Before your trip, look at the ride wait times. The rides with the longest waits are the rides you should try to get using Genie Plus.
Genie Plus Strategies
What are some Disney Genie Plus strategies to get the most reservations in a day. The first tip is to make your first Disney Genie Plus reservation as early as you can.
If you are staying at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, make your first Genie Plus reservation at 7 AM for the best times and selection.
When picking your first Disney Genie Plus reservation, you can either pick something with an early time or pick the ride with the longest wait.
I would recommend picking an early morning return time. As soon as you use your Genie Plus reservation, you can get another one. The goal would be continue making new Disney Genie Plus reservations all day long.
I’ve found the best pick of Genie+ attractions occur during the morning so that’s why I recommend using these as early as possible to use Genie+ on as many rides as possible per day.
The only ride that I would personally pick a later in the day Genie Plus return time is for Slinky Dog. I’ve found that Slinky Dog always has a long time, unless you plan to rope drop that attraction.
But if you do pick a later in the day return time as your first Disney Genie Plus reservation, Genie Plus has a 120 minute rule like I mentioned above.
Additionally, if you are planning to visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland during busiest times of the year like Christmas or Spring Break, Genie+ may be essential for all parks.
The lines are the longest during these times of year so Genie+ will allow you to ride more and wait in line less. If I was visiting during these times of year, I would budget Disneyland or Disney World Genie+ for each day of my Disney trip.
Disney Genie+
As you can tell, the Disney World and Disneyland Genie+ system isn’t exactly foolproof. The new Disney “fastpass” system is quite confusing but it can help you skip the lines while at Disney.
When going to Disney World or Disneyland, consider what time of year you are visiting and what you would like to get done at the Disney parks when considering if you should buy Disney Genie+.
Hopefully this system becomes easier and more user friendly in the coming months but Disneyland and Disney World Genie+ definitely cuts down on the time you will spend in line.
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