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Disney Genie, Genie+ and Lightning Lane FAQ


The Disney Genie Service has reimagined the guest experience at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. The new service may have left you scratching your head asking "what does this mean for my next vacation?!" Have no fear as we have put together some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the relatively new service that was announced in 2021. 

Before we dive into the FAQ, let's review the basics of this service. Disney Genie is a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create your best Disney Day. It allows guests more flexibility and better tools to help make the most of their visit. There are actually 3 separate services we'll review, in addition to some new terminology to learn: Disney Genie (complimentary), Disney Genie+ Service (available for purchase) and Individual Lightning Lane Entry (also available for purchase). Lightning Lane is the entrance at select attractions that will let you bypass the standby queue. Let's dive in to the FAQ about each service and how it pertains to your next Disney vacation. 

Do I have to download a new app or is this part of the My Disney Experience or Disneyland mobile app? You do not have to download a new app. The Disney Genie service works within the My Disney Experience and Disneyland mobile app. Make sure your app is the most up to date version and you should see the Genie service within the app. 
Reminder screen when you login to the My Disney Experience app.
Click on "Upgrade now" to download the latest version of the app.    

When did the Disney Genie service become available? The Disney Genie service launched on October 19, 2021. 

What exactly does the Disney Genie do? The complimentary Disney Genie Service includes a personalized day optimizer, real-time tip board, forecasted wait times, virtual assistant, mobile order, restaurant wait lists, check-in and reservations, and attraction virtual queues. Some of those features were already available in the My Disney Experience and Disneyland mobile apps so you may already be familiar with those features. The personalized day optimizer, real-time tip board, forecasted wait times and virtual assistant are all new features that will provide enhanced guests experiences. 

How much does all of this cost? The Disney Genie service is complimentary so there is no additional charge for the features listed above. 

At the Disneyland Resort, Disney Genie+ is $25 plus tax, per guest, per day when purchased in advance as an add-on with a new ticket or vacation package. Single-day purchases for Disney Genie+ through the Disneyland app will begin at $25 per day, and may vary by date, based on demand. 

At the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Genie+ will vary in price based on the date and the theme park the guest is visiting. Current prices range from $15 plus tax per guest, per day on less busy dates to $35 on some of the busier dates. 

The price for the Individual Lightning Lane entry options vary by date, attraction and park. For example, on November 27, 2023, the price for an Individual Lightning Lane for Star Wars: Rise of Resistance was $22 plus tax, per person. Throughout the year, pricing may be higher on some days and lower on other days. 


How does the Disney Genie+ Service work? Guests who purchase the Disney Genie+ Service will be able to make one selection at a time, throughout the day, for the next-available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You will only be able to make one selection at a time and then once you use the Lightning Lane entrance for that attraction or 120 minutes after you have made your selection, you can make another selection for a different attraction. It's important to note that guests will only be able to use the Lightning Lane entrance one time per attraction, per day. Not all attractions are available through the Disney Genie+ Service. 

The Disney Genie+ Service also includes Audio Experiences and Disney PhotoPass Lenses at the Walt Disney World Resort or Disney PhotoPass Downloads at the Disneyland Resort. 

What attractions are available with the Genie+ Service? Lightning Lane entrances are available at more than 40 attractions and entertainment experiences across all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks. Attractions may vary by date, are subject to change and may not be available at all on the date of your visit. Availability can also change throughout the day so make sure to check the mobile app for the latest availability. 

The following attractions are included in the Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane Selections at the Walt Disney World Resort:

Magic Kingdom
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
  • Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
  • Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • 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
  • 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’ Around the World
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Test Track
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Turtle Talk with Crush
Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Beauty & the Beast Live on Stage
  • Disney Junior Play & Dance!
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
  • Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Toy Story Mania!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
  • Festival of the Lion King
  • DINOSAUR
  • Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
  • Feathered Friends in Flight!
  • Finding Nemo: The Big Blue...and Beyond!
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
  • Kali River Rapids
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
  • NaÊ»vi River Journey
  • The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Does the Disney Genie+ Service include PhotoPass Downloads for Walt Disney World? The Disney Genie+ Service at the Walt Disney World Resort only includes digital downloads of select Disney PhotoPass attraction photos and does not include all of your Disney PhotoPass photos. Guests at Walt Disney World can still purchase the Memory Maker to receive all of their PhotoPass Downloads. 

When can I purchase the Disney Genie+ Service? At the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disney Genie+ Service can only be purchased each day you wish to use it as an in-app feature purchase. It can no longer be purchased in advance. At the Disneyland Resort, you can pre-purchase the Disney Genie+ Service by adding it on to your vacation package or theme park tickets. You also have the option to add the Disney Genie+ Service each day through the Disneyland app.

Do I have to purchase the Disney Genie+ for my length of stay or can I purchase it just for some of my park days? No, you don't have to purchase the Disney Genie+ Service for your entire stay. You can purchase the service on each day you wish to use it as an in-app feature purchase through the My Disney Experience or Disneyland mobile app. 
How does the Individual Lightning Lane entry work? This option allows guests to purchase access to the Lightning Lane entrance at up to two different attractions per guest, per day. It is important to note that these attractions are not included with the Disney Genie+ service. 

What attractions are available for Individual Lightning Lane entry? Some of the most popular attractions are available for a la carte purchase and are not included in the Genie+ service. 

The following attractions are included in the Individual Lightning Lane Selections:

Magic Kingdom Park
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run
Epcot
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Disney's Animal Kingdom Park
  • Avatar Flight of Passage
Attractions may vary by date, are subject to change and may not be available at all on the date of your visit. Availability can also change throughout the day so make sure to check the mobile app for the latest availability. 

Can I purchase both the Disney Genie+ Service and Individual Lightning Lane entry options? Yes. You can purchase both the Disney Genie+ Service and Individual Lightning Lane entry options. 

Can I purchase just the Individual Lightning Lane entry option? Yes. You do not have to purchase the Disney Genie+ Service to purchase the Individual Lightning Lane entry options. 

Can I still ride attractions if I don't want to pay for the Disney Genie+ Service or for Individual Lightning Lane entry? Yes! There will still be standby attraction queues and virtual queues for select attractions available complimentary to all guests. 

What happened to FASTPASS, FastPass+ and Disney MaxPass service? These services have been retired and the Disney Genie+ Service has taken its place. Lightning Lane will use the former FASTPASS and FastPass+ queues. 

When can I make my Lightning Lane selections? Lightning Lane selections can be made on the day of your park visit. Walt Disney World Resort Guests can make their first selection starting at 7am.  At the Disneyland Resort, guests can make their first selection once they enter a theme park.

Can I make Lightning Lane selections at multiple theme parks or just one per day? Guests can make selections across multiple theme parks per day. So if you start the day in the Magic Kingdom and then park hop over to Epcot, you can continue making Lightning Lane selections throughout the day. It is important to note that Individual Lightning Lane entry selections are only available for up to two different attractions per day, per guest. 

Full Overview of the Disney Genie Service courtesy of the Disney Parks YouTube Page.
Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to watch on YouTube.

How does the Genie service impact the Disability Access Service (DAS)? Disney has made some enhancements to the Disability Access Service (DAS) program, including new options to enroll in the program pre-arrival and for DAS participants to select attractions directly in the app.

Visit DisneyWorld.com/DisneyGenie and Disneyland.com/DisneyGenie for more information on the new Disney Genie service. 

We will continue to update this post as Disney continues to make changes and improvements to the Disney Genie and Genie+ service. Don't forget, if you book your next Disney vacation with a Kingdom Konsultant Agent, they will help walk you through these new services to find the best fit for your family. 

What do you think about the Disney Genie Service? Are you still confused by how it works? Let us know in the comments. 

Ashley has been a Disney Parks fan from an early age and loves anything vintage Disney. You can email Ashley at ashley@kingdomkonsultant.com.
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