Disney Genie+ Is Changing in Less Than One Month

How are we doing, Disney fans? It’s been a whirlwind adventure since Walt Disney World Resort reopened in 2020 after the COVID-19 closures. As we all adjust to the new normals at Disney including altered dining experiences, missing entertainment, new perks, and dropped benefits… it’s been a juggling act for sure! And now, we’re preparing for Disney Genie+ to change once again in less than one month.

Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes debuted in October 2021 at Walt Disney World, just days after the launch of Disney’s 50th Anniversary celebration. Disneyland Resort’s debut of Disney Genie followed a couple of months later.

The debut came in a three-piece puzzle with 1) Disney Genie – the complimentary My Disney Experience App upgrade to help Guests navigate a day in a Disney Park; 2) Disney Genie+ – the replacement of the former complimentary Fastpass System, but now an upcharge of $15 per person per day to skip the standby line on select numbered attractions via the Lightning Lane entrance; 3) Individual Lightning Lane – the a la carte option to pay to skip the standby line on select popular attractions not available via Disney Genie+.

Now, we’re gearing up for a change in Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes!

When first launched, Walt Disney World included two attractions in each of its four Parks as individual Lightning Lane attractions including:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
• Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom)
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (EPCOT)
• Frozen Ever After (EPCOT)
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
• Avatar Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
• Expedition Everest (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)

Disney decided to adjust this system down to ONE individual Lightning Lane attraction at each Disney Park which currently stands with:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT)
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
• Avatar Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)

BUT – on August 7, 2022 – this is all about to change once again. As noted on the Walt Disney World website, “Until August 7, 2022, Lightning Lane entry selections for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Space Mountain and Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain will be offered through Disney Genie+ service and will not be available as individual (à la carte) purchases.”

What does this mean? As of August 7, Runaway Railway, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s, Space Mountain, and Expedition Everest will likely be dropped from the current Disney Genie+ list of attractions and added back as individual Lightning Lane purchases.

Now that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is open at EPCOT, this means on August 7, each Park will go back to having two individual Lightning Lane attractions with the exception of EPCOT having three (Guardians, Remy’s, and Frozen Ever After).

This also means even though we suspect Disney Genie+ will remain at $15 per person, the value of the purchase drops as popular attractions are pulled from the lineup of available Genie+ attractions and sent over to the a la carte Lightning Lane option.

We’ll be sure to keep our readers here on Disney Tips updated as August 7, 2022 approaches and Disney announces further adjustments to Disney Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes.