The Cost of Disney Genie+ Has More Than Doubled in Less Than Two Years

Disney Genie+ has been controversial since its launch in October 2021, and the mixed opinions from fans surrounding the system have only worsened as the company continues to make changes.

Launched as the paid alternative to FastPass+, Disney Genie+ allows Guests to select times to enter certain Walt Disney World attractions through Lightning Lane entrances with little to no wait time. When the system first debuted during the Resort’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, Genie+ cost $15 per person, but that is not the only change from its current setup.

In 2021, Guests were also able to book Disney Genie+ in advance of their trip. Booking in advance (and knowing that the price would be $15 per person, but more on that later) was a major advantage for Guests hoping to stick to a budget while taking advantage of the new system. And while $15 per person may not be a major cost from the onset of Genie+ to solo travelers or couples, any additional cost could surely add up when a Guest is paying for a family vacation.

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Within one year of the launch of Genie+, Disney announced a new dynamic pricing setup, essentially letting Guests know that the cost of the service would change based on the dates of their trip. Shortly after this change, Disney updated Genie+ to only be available to purchase on the day of your visit in the My Disney Experience app and not as a ticket add-on before arriving at the Resort.

Initial pricing fluctuations in November-December 2022 took Genie+’s original $15 price point and raised it to a max of $22 per person. (Note: These prices are only for Genie+ at Walt Disney World. The service debuted at a slightly higher price point of $20 per person from the beginning at Disneyland.)

On top of changing price points, Guests new to using Genie+ will want to note that some of Disney’s most popular attractions are not included in the service and Lighting Lane entry must actually be purchased separately. The newest ride in the Magic Kingdom for instance, TRON Lightcycle / Run, is currently priced at $20 for individual Lightning Lane access, which could be an added cost on top of Genie+ for the day if Guests choose to purchase both.

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Updates to Genie+ may have slowed down recently, but they are still a somewhat regular occurrence at Walt Disney World, particularly when new rides open. With the first day of regular operation for TRON Lightcycle / Run now underway, what comes next may not be too surprising, but it is certainly…not positive news for Guests on a budget.

Today, April 4, 2023, less than two years after the debut of Disney Genie+, Guests saw the highest price point yet for the service at $35. Today’s price is more than double the original cost of Genie+ at its 2021 debut, and as theme park journalist Scott Gustin noted this morning, it also marks the quickest sellout of the service in its history thus far:

NEW: Genie+ at WDW is sold out for today.

$35/person was a peak price – and now we have the fastest sellout so far. Sold out before 10am ET. pic.twitter.com/Z8b3RI1f4a

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) April 4, 2023

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With such a massive price increase, would you still purchase Genie+? For a family of four, for just one day at Walt Disney World, Guests would be looking at $140 (and that’s without any additional Lightning Lane purchases for the rides that are not included.)

With Genie+ selling out this morning, it seems that there are plenty of Guests willing to pay $35 per person for the service, and this could have implications for updated pricing and availability in the future (assuming that as long as Guests are willing to pay, Disney will be able to keep upping the price.)

As always, we will continue to monitor updates to Disney Genie+, and will be back with any new changes if they happen here on Disney Tips.