Disney Genie Debuts October 19th

Today we were a part of a Zoom meeting with Disney Executives and given a behind the scenes preview of what Disney Genie will look like. First off, everyone has been wondering when it will debut, and it will be October 19th, 2021 for Walt Disney World. A date has not been given for Disneyland yet. It has been a bit confusing on how it works, so we will break it down for you.

We were told that the point of Disney Genie is to optimize Guests time. They said it would be a lot like a navigation system on your phone. The app will automatically update depending on where you are and what you are interested in. It will help you find the way to get the most out of your day and takes into account dining and any other settings you choose.

It was explained that the app uses algorithms to determined what to do and when and if you don’t like a suggestion, you don’t have to do it; you can swap it out for something else. Also, wait times will be available on the app if you choose not to use their suggestions. Disney Genie will also take into account what the forecast is like. If there are storms in the area, it will not choose outdoor attractions, and will modify to something that will be open. There will also be a Tip Board that will give the status for attractions and restaurants. You will also be able to put yourself on a waiting list for Full Service Restaurants if you cannot get a reservation ahead time.

If you like to Park Hop, Disney Genie already has you covered. You can put the time that you plan to Park Hop into the app, and it will modify that for suggestions for when you switch parks. Disney Genie knows that all Guests will have access to this, so not everyone will receive the same recommendations at the same time.

This is all the free version of Disney Genie. All of that is entirely complimentary and available to all Guests. They also explained that it would only update when you open your phone, so you don’t have to worry about your battery life.

If you want to know about the extras you can get with the paid version, we’re about to talk about that now. Disney Genie+ will cost $15 a day per Guest. You pay per day so if you don’t want it for each day of your visit you don’t have to. If you are an Annual Passholder there are no deals yet, but you can just pay for the days you choose if you want to use it. If you decide to buy Disney Genie+, you will have access to Lightning Lane. You can pick one attraction at a time, and you are given the next available window. If the time frame is too far off, you can select another attraction after two hours. It is said that it will be similar to the old Fastpass+ system but you cannot make your selections before the day you arrived at the Park. One Guest is allowed to make a reservation for their entire party as long as they are all on the app. They explained it is very similar to grabbing a boarding pass for a virtual queue.

For those who like taking pictures and having fun filters, Disney Genie+ will have Augmented Reality Lenses. Some will only be available in certain areas of the Parks but others will be available at home. They even explained that there’s one that you can use with your pets.

If you are looking only to buy individual Lightning Lane attractions, that is an option. You will be able to purchase a maximum of two different attractions per day. These attractions are not available on regular Lightning Lane. The list of those attractions are: at Magic Kingdom Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Space Mountain, at EPCOT Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and last but not least at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest. There was not a price given for these attractions yet.

We’re sure that more information will be coming out, and we will also know more once Disney Genie rolls out and Guests get to use it. It is not mandatory to use this app, but it could be a way to get the most out of your Walt Disney World vacation.

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