The question of whether to get Genie+ keeps popping up in our Disney Mama Docs Facebook group. To answer the question, let's start with a bit of background information. Disney replaced its 21-year-old FastPass system with Genie+ at theme parks in 2021. The most significant difference was that while FastPass had been free for all guests, Genie+ is a paid upgrade. Both were intended to free guests from standing in long lines, allowing them to enjoy other park activities.
Genie+ costs $15-32 per person per park day, rising with predicted park crowd levels. The irony is that on the days you need Genie+ the most, it will cost more and provide less benefit. I miss the old FastPass system and wish they had just transitioned it to electronic instead of paper tickets. The Disability Access Service (DAS) works exactly like this. Between the confusing terminology, the need to get up early, and the constant need to be on your phone, I'm not a fan of Genie+. Unfortunately, with no better option besides a Private VIP Tour at around $4,000-8,000 per day, I feel the need to use Genie+. The only exception is for those with DAS. Genie+ isn't necessary but can still be used in addition to DAS to maximize the efficiency of your park day.
How do you get Genie+? At Disneyland, you may purchase Genie+ as an upgrade to your park tickets at the time of purchase or each day after entering a theme park in the My Disney Experience App. At Walt Disney World, you can NOT purchase Genie+ in advance. You can buy Genie+ each day starting at midnight in the MDE app.
So, how does Genie+ work? Genie+ is an advanced ride reservation system in the My Disney Experience App. You book return times for rides in advance, and you enter the ride through the lightning lane when your time window opens. The lightning lane is a separate entrance from the traditional standby line (longer line). The physical distance of the lightning lane line is shorter, so even if it appears like the line is backed up compared to the standby line at the ride entrance, it doesn't take as long.
How should I use Genie+? You should purchase Genie+ before 7:00 am when the first ride reservation can be made. You should be on your phone, ready to book your first ride when the 7:00 am window opens. You can book your next ride reservation 2 hours after the park opens to the general public (remember Disney Resort Guests have an early entry) or after the final swipe-in for the ride reservation, whichever comes first. At WDW, there are usually 2 swipe-ins per ride. After we pass the 2 hours after the park opens for the general public, you can make a Genie+ ride reservation every 2 hours or after swiping into a ride, whichever comes first. This puts you on your cell phone often at the park. I recommend setting a 2-hour timer on your phone and starting it after making a ride reservation. Your trigger to book is either swiping into a ride or hearing that timer buzz.
What is ride stacking? Stacking is the term for making multiple ride reservations for later in the day. For example, If I'm going to Epcot in the evening, I start to make reservations for Epcot every two hours while at another park, dining, at the resort, or anywhere. I could score an Epcot ride reservation every two hours for later. If I did this for 8 hours, I could have 4-5 stacked return times for rides at Epcot. I head to Epcot in the evening and quickly jump on those rides.
Remember, not all rides are eligible for Genie+ reservations. Before deciding whether Genie+ suits you, you should consider what rides are included. As of March 23, 2024, the following rides are included with Genie+:
Disneyland Resort (California)
Disneyland Park
Autopia
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Haunted Mansion
Indiana JonesTM Adventure
“it's a small world”
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Pirates of the Caribbean**
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
Space Mountain
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Disney California Adventure Park
Goofy's Sky School
Grizzly River Run
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
Incredicoaster
The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Soarin' Over California
Toy Story Midway Mania!
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
Walt Disney World Resort (Florida)
Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Haunted Mansion
“it’s a small world”
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space 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
Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
Frozen Ever After
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE – Green
Mission: SPACE – Orange
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Soarin' Around the World
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Disney Junior Play & Dance!
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Muppet*Vision 3D
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
Toy Story Mania!
Animal Kingdom
Festival of the Lion King
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Feathered Friends in Flight!
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond!
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
Naʻvi River Journey
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Is there anything else I should know? There are paid computerized services that make Genie+ reservations for guests. Some cost hundreds of dollars. The most affordable one I'm aware of is the Standby Skipper app. While you may not want to pay even more for one of these service, just be aware of the potential disadvantage of not using one when others might be. These services are always scanning the MDE app for Genie+ reservations and grabbing up the reservations, which fit the requested criteria, without the user needing to be on their phone.
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