This newest Disney addition and change has a lot to it and can be quite confusing. The aim
of this post is to help clear up any confusion and help you feel more confident going into your Disney vacation.
Let's start with defining a few new terms!
Disney Genie: a new free program on the My Disney Experience App that builds an itinerary based on your preferences within the app.
Genie+: the new, paid skip-the-line program that replaces the old Fastpass+ system. It covers most of the rides in each park.
Lightning Lane: physical skip-the-line lane in the parks.
Individual Lightning Lane Pass: Another paid skip-the-line system which covers the more popular rides at each park (2 at each park).
Let's dive a little deeper into each program!
Disney Genie
This complementary service within the My Disney Experience App builds out your day and gives suggestions on which ride you should ride next based on wait times. This service has three main tools to help you get the most out of your vacation: the Tip Board, My Genie Day, and Future Plans. The "Tip Board" consists of ride wait times, Table Service Restaurant availability, and Mobile Ordering. "My Genie Day" gives you suggestions based on your preferences. And lastly, "Future Plans" lays out all of your currently scheduled park pass reservations, dining reservations, resort stay, and more.
Genie+
A package price that allows you to skip the line at most rides, and costs $15 per person, per park day. Unfortunately, you cannot schedule these passes like you could with the Fastpass+ service, you have to make your Genie+ reservation at 7am the morning of your park day (book these quickly, they go fast!). Also, you can only book one reservation at a time, so I would recommend getting your preferred ride booked closer to park opening (after rope drop, if you decide to do so). After you ride your first ride, you can make your next Genie+ selection. There are a few more things to keep in mind when it comes to Genie+. First, this system will only show you the next available time, so if the next time available is near park closing, you will want to snag it while you can. Second, if the first ride you book isn't until later in the afternoon/evening, Disney is allowing you to book a second reservation two hours after park opening. Lastly, you can only ride each ride once per day with Genie+, so if you book a reservation for Pirates of the Caribbean once you cannot book it again.
*If you have a park hopper ticket, you cannot book a ride for the next park until after 2pm, when you are allowed to park hop.
*Also includes: interactive Disney PhotoPass lenses and Audio Tales
Individual Lightning Lane
These passes are paid for at the time you make your reservation, and cannot be paid for
ahead of time. Guests staying on Disney property can make their Lightning Lane selection starting at 7am, and guests staying off-property can make their selection at park opening. Prices for the Individual Lightning Lanes vary based on the season, time of day, crowd, etc.,
but currently cost between $7-$15 per person, per ride. One thing to keep in mind if you are park-hopping is that you can only purchase 2 Individual Lightning Lane selections per day, even if you are going to all 4 parks. The current rides that an Individual Lightning Lane can be purchased for are:
Magic Kingdom - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train & Space Mountain
Hollywood Studios - Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance & Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
Animal Kingdom - Avatar's Flight of Passage & Expedition Everest
Epcot - Remy's Ratatouille Adventure & Frozen Ever After
*Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes are independent of each other! You do not have to purchase both.
If you have further questions about these new system or would like help planning your Disney vacation contact me today to learn more about my complementary Disney vacation planning services: savannah@wowtravelagency.com
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