Things you Should Know About Before Using Genie+
Okay friends, let's talk about Genie+. This new paid skip the line feature has been out for several months now, and we would like to share our experience, and some tips for using this new feature in the My Disney Experience App (MDE). Before we start, let us explain what Genie+ is and who it's a good choice for. Before we get into the details, you'll need to understand some Disney World (WDW) terminology.
Lightning Lane (LL): The LL is the physical entrance/line that allows guest that has Genie+ return times to skip the stand-by queue. In other words, this is the old FastPass lanes.
Individual Attraction Selections (IAS): There are some rides, the most popular rides, will not be included as a Genie+ option. These rides will be known as IAS. Guest that wishes to skip the stand-by lines will have to pay person, plus tax. Example: A family of four would like to purchase an IAS for Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood studios. The family will need to log into their MDE app and purchase a IAS return time for $15.00 per person plus tax, making the total $63.92. If you want to learn more about IAS, please click here.
Genie Itinerary: This the the free version of Genie. It’s suppose to create the perfect day for park guest by taking into consideration of their must do’s. However, this system did not work well for us and seem to make recommendations not in line with out must dos. We recommend you making your own itinerary, if you become a client of Wave of the Wand, a customized itinerary will be created for you.
Genie+ This paid feature allows guest to skip the stand-by line at select attractions in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. Guest can purchase Genie+ with their resort package, this will add Genie+ to every park day. Or Guest can purchase day of their park visit ($15 dollars per person) and choose select parks. This is a good option for people that really do not like waiting in long lines, or wanting to as many attractions as possible for their park day. This can also be a good option for those that are park hopping and only have 2 or so days in WDW. There are several caveats to be aware of before purchasing, please click here to learn more.
This new system can be very expensive for families, and it's a very confusing system to learn. We want to help you get the most out of your Genie+ purchase. So, here's a few tips that can help you understand Genie+ and how to use it.
Do Your Research Before Arriving to the Parks
This is the most important step! If you purchase Genie+ day of and think you're just going to wing it and learn as you go, you may end up very frustrated and overwhelmed. And not to mention, you'll probably miss out on the hard-to-get attractions. If you're reading this, that means you've already started researching, good for you!
We highly recommend that you check out a few YouTube Vloggers that take you step-by-step on how to use this system. We Recommend Molly with allears.net for learning the Genie+ features, she incredibly knowledgeable and full of helpful tips. She has several videos on Genie+, and many other WDW videos that will help you. Check out her videos!
Make Your First Selection at 7am on the Dot!
Something very important to know is LL selections run out of availably. Purchasing Genie+ DOES NOT guarantee you access to the LL. Several guest just like you are wanting to get the most out of their money. This makes it very challenging to snag some of the more popular attractions. These attractions can run out of availability within a matter of seconds! We're not kidding, if you're wanting to use your Genie+ for Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios, you'll need to logged in and ready to go as soon as the clock hits 7am the day of your visit. Here's our top 7am attractions for you to snag! Reminder: Guest can only hold one Genie+ attraction at a time, unless the hit the 120-minute rule (click here to read more about the 120 min rule), so choose wisely.
Magic Kingdom:
Jungle Cruise
Peter Pan's Flight
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Railroad
Space Mountain*(until Aug, 7th 2022 this attraction will be included via Disney Genie+ service and will not be included as an individual Lightning Lane selection)
Hollywood Studios:
Slinky Dog Dash
Tower of Terror
Rock'n'Roller Coster
Mickey and Minnie's Run Away Railway*(until Aug, 7th 2022 this attraction will be included via Disney Genie+ service and will not be included as an individual Lightning Lane selection)
EPCOT:
Test Track
Soarin'
Frozen Ever After* (until Aug, 7th 2022 this attraction will be included via Disney Genie+ service and will not be included as an individual Lightning Lane selection)
Animal Kingdom:
Na'vi River Journey
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Expedition Everest(until Aug, 7th 2022 this attraction will be included via Disney Genie+ service and will not be included as an individual Lightning Lane selection)
Manage Your Expectations & Keep Trying
As states before, this system is complicated. Disney has recently updated the description to include "On average, guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using the Lightning Lane entrance if the first selection is made early in the day," If you try to wing it and not do your research, this can absolutely be true. We on average can snag around 8-12 daily when using this system, this of course can vary for you.
But it's important to know that you may not be able to get every popular attraction using Genie+. Around 12pm-2pm you'll notice most of the popular have already met capacity. If this happens, keep refreshing the page. New availabilities do pop up, however their never guaranteed. Pro tip: Set up your preferences in your Genie day, and pin your favorites to the top of your list.
Take Advantage of the Extra Perks
Did you know that when you purchase Genie+ you also get PhotoPass lens as well? A select number of these Lenses will only be accessible in designated areas of the parks, while others can be enjoyed across the Resort. Our favorite the Baby Yoda lens in Galaxy's Edge located in Hollywood Studios.
So, whether you’re unwinding in your Disney Resort hotel room, traveling on the Disney Skyliner or strolling around Disney Springs, you’ll be able to interact with a variety of themed effects, transforming yourself and the surrounding area. You can enjoy select Lenses for up to 45 days after the last day of your Genie+ service entitlement.
How to Access Disney PhotoPass Lenses in 3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Purchase Disney Genie+ service before your trip or on the day of your visit.
Step 2: Upon entering a park, open the My Disney Experience app and tap on the “More” menu at the bottom of the home screen.
Step 3: Tap on “Disney PhotoPass Lenses” to find a special AR (augmented reality) camera, which will give you access to the Lenses. Please note: You will need to allow access to your device’s camera and location.
Bonus Tip: Use Wave of the Wand Travel for your WDW Vacation!
As Always we hope these tips help bring magic to your vacation. We truly want you to have the most magical experience possible. If you're planning on visiting WDW soon please contact us!
Our Certified Travel Advisor Ange specializes in Disney and Universal travel. She is a huge Disney fan with extensive knowledge on Disney World. She helps guide our clients along the way with personalized advice and tips to help you experience all the magic these lands have to offer.
The best part, All of our services are 100% free. We are extremely committed in providing the best travel services, and we are always ready to go above and beyond in order to ensure the highest level of personalized service for you. Find out what magic we can bring to your vacation. Click here to contact us for more information.
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