On October 19, 2021, Walt Disney World launched its Disney Genie system. Disney Genie is a complimentary service found in My Disney Experience app that let you create personalized itineraries. These itineraries effortlessly map out an entire theme park day. Everything that is suggested is inspired by the things you tell Disney you love and helps you make the most of your park time. Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary as the day changes, allowing you to remain spontaneous.
The things that Disney Genie can to help you with are:
- Reduce time in lines while keeping in mind your top picks
- Pace your day with experiences you’ll enjoy and haven’t already done yet
- Build around your existing plans like dining reservations and Park Hopper preferences
With the launch of Disney Genie, Guests are able to also purchase Disney Genie+ to utilize the Lightning Lane entrances. (These are formerly the FastPass+ entrances.) Two different options are available. The first one is Disney Genie+ which allows you to add-on access to more than 40 attraction. The second option is the ability to purchase access to certain attractions that you can add on individually. The individual attraction access is available at the most highly demanded attractions.
Keep reading for more information, tips, and strategies on how to best utilize these options while on your Walt Disney World vacation.
Disney Genie+ Basics Individual Lightning Lanes Using Lightning Lanes Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Attractions Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Tips and Strategies
Disney Genie+ Basics
Disney Genie+ allows you the opportunity to select arrival windows for Lightning Lane entrances that are available at more than 40 attractions and entertainment across all 4 theme parks, one at a time throughout the day. (This is similar to how FastPass+ worked.) Disney Genie+ varies in pricing, based on the date the Guest is visiting, much like theme park tickets currently do. Pricing is lower on less busy days and it will cost you more to use the Disney Genie+ service on busier, peak days. Example pricing is $15 per Guest, per day on less busy dates, $22 on busier dates, and somewhere in between on other dates (plus tax.) Guests can currently only purchase it on the same day of your visit for a single-day use for existing ticket holders or Annual Passholders in the My Disney Experience app. This same day purchase can occur starting at midnight and may be limited for any individual day.
Guests who have purchased Disney Genie+ service can begin to book reservations for your first experience via the My Disney Experience app beginning at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit. Once you’ve ridden your initial selection, or the arrival window has passed, you can make another selection using the app. What if you book a reservation and it’s hours away? Well, you can book another reservation 120 minutes from the time of that booking. The app will let you know when you can book another reservation.
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
Some of the most highly demanded attractions will offer Lightning Lane entry as an “á la carte” purchase. This option is available for all Guests. That means it doesn’t matter if you’ve already purchased Disney Genie+ or not. Guests who choose this option can choose a time to arrive at up to 2 attractions each day. (They must be booked one at a time). Pricing and availability will vary by date, attraction and park. You will need to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for current prices and attraction availability.
The pricing of Individual Lightning Lane typically ranges from $10.00 to $17.00.
To purchase individual attraction access you can do it via Disney Genie in the My Disney Experience mobile app on the same day of your visit. Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel and Other Select Hotels will be able to make their first purchase starting at 7:00 AM on the day of their visit. This option is available to Disney Resort hotel Guests and Guests of Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels and Shades of Green. If you aren’t staying at a Disney Resort Hotel, you can make your first purchase when the park opens.
Using Lightning Lanes
Whether you purchased an Individual Lightning Lane or booked one utilizing Disney Genie+, you redeem you selection through the same process.
Each Lightning Lane reservation has an arrival window (usually an hour, but check your selections to be sure). During that time period, look for signage indicating the location of the Lightning Lane entrance. At that entrance will be Cast Members and several touch points (the same sort you see when scanning to enter the park). You can then scan your Magic Band, ticket/key card, or Magic Mobile pass to confirm your reservation during that time. (Note: after scanning at the entrance, many attractions have you scan again closer to the loading zone – so keep your Magic Band, ticket, or phone handy).
From there you will go through a designated Lightning Lane queue and then merge with the Standby queue just before the attraction or pre-show begins.
Note: If using Genie+, you won’t be able to book a new selection until you have completed all scans, whether that is one or two.
Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane Attractions
Here are the attractions in each park that offer Disney Genie+ access or Individual Attraction Access:
Magic Kingdom
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Selections
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- See Mickey at Town Square Theater
- See Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- See Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Space Mountain
- The Barnstormer
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
EPCOT
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Selections
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Frozen Ever After
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE – Green
- Mission: SPACE – Orange
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Selections
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
- Disney Jr. Dance Party
- Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
- See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Toy Story Mania!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Individual Lightning Lane Selections
- Avatar Flight of Passage
Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Selections
- Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest (currently closed for refurbishment)
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Meet Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
- Naʻvi River Journey
- The Animation Experience
Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Tips and Strategies
For general strategies, and tips for each of the theme parks, check out our guide.
Click here for more information about Disney Genie. And click here for an easy breakdown of how the process works.