“Simplified” Version of Genie+ in the Works at Walt Disney World

Have you used Disney Genie+ yet? If you are still in the midst of planning your first trip to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” since fall of 2021, you may still be waiting to see what all the fuss is about when it comes to Genie+ at Walt Disney World. And of course, more changes are on the way for the program, though they should help make your trips easier.

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What is Disney Genie+?

In short, Disney Genie+ is the paid replacement for FastPass+, which never returned when Disney Parks reopened during the pandemic. The lengthier explanation, however, warrants a discussion of the multiple tiers that make up Disney Genie.

First is simply “Disney Genie.” This is the free portion of Disney Genie+ that all Guests can access in the My Disney Experience app. Here you’ll find the tip board with recommendations for when you should visit favorite attractions based on anticipated wait times, and ways to favorite the experiences that are your top priorities.

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The next level up is Disney Genie+, and this is the part of the system that might seem familiar if you’ve used FastPass+ in the theme parks before 2020. Genie+ can be purchased on the day of your trip to give you access to Lightning Lane (formerly FastPass) entrances of select attractions. Unlike FastPass+, however, Genie+ only allows Guests to select the next available time slot for a ride rather than multiple options to choose from.

On top of all of this are Individual Lightning Lanes. These are attractions that are not included in the cost of Genie+ but have Lightning Lane entrances which you can purchase access to on an a la carte basis. Currently, these attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON Lightcycle / Run in the Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Avatar – Flight of Passage in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

What is changing about Genie+?

Disney Genie+ has undergone several major updates since it debuted, but the most notable have been the change to day-of purchases only, and the move toward dynamic pricing; meaning the cost of the service will be higher if your visit falls on a date with higher crowd levels in the Park (and of course, those are the dates when you will likely want to purchase Genie+.) The service was also initially marketed as being unable to sell out, though this changed last year and Genie+ actually can sell out depending on demand vs. crowd levels in the Parks.

For future changes to Genie+, Disney is looking to simplify the Guest experience. In an official announcement that also shared details on the return of the Disney Dining Plan, extended Park hours, and the end of theme park reservations, Disney stated:

We have heard from guests that they would like ways to plan with Disney Genie+ service and individual Lightning Lane selections before the day of their park visit, and we want you to know we are working on ways guests may do this for visits in 2024. Our goal is to give you the opportunity to spend less time planning in the park and more time enjoying your visit with friends and family. 

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While complete details will be revealed at a later date, it sounds like Disney could be gearing up to bring back a system similar to FastPass+ that will allow Guests to make selections for certain attractions ahead of their trips.

And, even though Disney’s announcement notes that the change would be based on Guest feedback, it seems like opinions of Genie+ could still be mixed (as they had historically been with FastPass+ as well.) Many Guests agree that being on your phone so much during a trip to the theme parks feels like it takes away from the rest of the vacation, however, with FastPass+, a common complaint from Guests focused on the need to select rides weeks in advance of their days at the Parks.

Hopefully, the next Genie+ update will provide a middle ground, or more options for Guests with varying preferences for how they like to plan their trips to Walt Disney World. As always, we will be back with the latest updates as they become available here on Disney Tips.