As you may have heard, Walt Disney World recently shared that the FastPass+ service, the service that allowed you to skip the long standby line for some of your favorite attractions, would soon be replaced by Disney Genie+. Last week Disney announced that this new fee-based service will be launched on October 19, 2021. Although there are still some questions on how Disney Genie+ will actually work with vacations, there is a good bit of information we do know about the new service.
What is this new service?
This new service actually includes three services: Disney Genie service, Disney Genie+ service, and Individual Lightning Lane Selections. All three options will be accessible on the My Disney Experience app on your phone. Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Selections are the paid-for services that will allow you to skip the longer attraction lanes.
Disney Genie
This basic-level service is complimentary. Disney is describing Disney Genie as a personal itinerary service that lets guests create their best Disney day. These features include a personalized itinerary creator that effortlessly and smartly maps out an entire day inspired by the things guests tell us they love – helping you make the most of your park time so you can have more fun. Here are some features that are to be included with the complimentary Disney Genie service:
-
Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day, so you can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.
-
Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
-
Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant, and more.
Disney Genie+
This service along with the Individual Lightning Lane is what will interest you the most. Disney Genie+ service is a paid-for service that will allow you to skip longer attraction wait times. The cost is $15 per person per day per person. Using Disney Genie+ you can choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Resort guests will be able to make their first selection at 7:00 am on the day of your visit.
Here’s a complete list of included attractions: Magic Kingdom Attractions
-
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
-
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
-
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
-
Haunted Mansion
-
“it’s a small world”
-
Jungle Cruise
-
Mad Tea Party
-
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
-
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
-
Peter Pan’s Flight
-
Pirates of the Caribbean
-
Splash Mountain
-
The Barnstormer
-
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
-
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
-
Tomorrowland Speedway
-
Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
EPCOT Attractions
-
Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
-
Journey into Imagination with Figment
-
Living with the Land
-
Mission: SPACE – Green
-
Mission: SPACE – Orange
-
Soarin’
-
Spaceship Earth
-
Test Track
-
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
-
Turtle Talk with Crush
Hollywood Studios Attractions
-
Alien Swirling Saucers
-
Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage
-
Disney Jr. Dance Party
-
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
-
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular – Returning December 19
-
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
-
Muppet*Vision 3D
-
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
-
Slinky Dog Dash
-
Star Tours
-
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
-
Toy Story Mania!
Animal Kingdom Attractions
-
Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
-
DINOSAUR
-
Feathered Friends in Flight!
-
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
-
Kali River Rapids
-
Kilimanjaro Safaris
-
Naʻvi River Journey
-
The Animation Experience
A couple of fun additions included with Disney Genie+ include Audio Tales and Disney PhotoPass Lenses. Audio Tales will offer insider tips, information, and other fun facts. Using Disney PhotoPass Lenses guests will be able to use their mobile device to snap magical photos that will include augmented-reality features. You do not have to have Memory Maker to take advantage of this feature and photos will be saved directly to your phone.
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
Individual Lightning Lane Selections is an additional service that can be purchased either with Disney Genie+ or separate from it. According to Disney information, there will be a limit of two different attraction selections per Guest, per day. The way I am reading this is you cannot select the same attraction twice.
This paid service is for only the most popular attractions (two at each park). Prices for this service will vary, however, we were given a couple of examples of opening day pricing. The Lightning Lane entrance to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be $9 per person on October 19 and $11 per person on October 23. As another example, on both those dates, Lightning Lane entrance to Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain will be $7 per person, while Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be $15 per person. Throughout the year, prices may be lower on some days and higher on other days. This option may be purchased at up to 2 different attractions each day.
Individual Lightning Lake Selections can only be purchased and selected on the same day of your visit. If you have a park hopper ticket you will be able to make a selection in two different parks. The first selection can be made at 7:00 am on the day of your visit.
Here’s a list of included attractions:
Magic Kingdom
-
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
-
Space Mountain
EPCOT
-
Frozen Ever After
-
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Hollywood Studios
-
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
-
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Animal Kingdom
-
Avatar Flight of Passage
-
Expedition Everest
When Can You Purchase These Add Ons
Guests can begin purchasing or adding Disney Genie+ to their Walt Disney World vacation packages beginning October 19. Also on this same date, guests will be able to purchase the services on the app on the day of use. Individual Lightning Lane Selections can only be purchased on the day of use.
Disney Genie+ can be purchased as early as midnight on the day of use (with first selections made at 7:00 am). Individual Lightning Lane Selections can be purchased at 7:00 am for guests staying at Disney Resorts, Shades of Green Resort, and Walt Disney World Swan, and Dolphin Hotels. All other guests can purchase Individual Lightning Lane Selections starting at each Park’s opening time.
Key Take-Aways
- Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Selections are paid for services. You choose to add either or both to your vacation. You do not have to purchase Disney Genie+ to be eligible to purchase Individual Lightning Lane Selections.
- Disney Genie+ can be added to your vacation package in advance of your trip and cost will be applied to every ticket day. Or, you can add it to your package once you arrive at Walt Disney World, either choosing to add it to all days or only select days.
- Individual Lightning Lane Selections can only be purchased on the day of your park visit and can be made across multiple theme parks (meaning you can use with Park Hopper tickets and make your selections in two different parks).
- Attractions will continue to offer either a traditional standby queue or a Virtual Queue (right now Remy’s: Ratatouille Adventures is the only attraction with a virtual queue.)
All this information seem a little overwhelming? We can help! Reach out to us today and we will help you plan a vacation that is just right for your family. Contact us at natalie@castleandcruiseadventures.com or click here to request a no-obligation quote.