Disney Genie+ service continues to be very popular. As Disney continues to manage the strong demand we are seeing for this service, they have introduced variable pricing for Disney Genie+ at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This change went into effect on October 11th.

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At Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Genie+ now varies in price based on the date a guest is visiting. Similar to theme park tickets, throughout the year, prices may be lower on less busy days and higher during peak travel periods.

Prices for Genie+ service at Walt Disney World will be $15 per Guest, per day on less busy dates, $22 on some of our busier dates, and somewhere in between on other dates (plus tax; prices subject to change beyond October).

As a reminder, single-day purchases of Disney Genie+ at Walt Disney World Resort are only available directly through the My Disney Experience app on the guest’s date of visit. Click the link below for Genie+ tips on your next Disney World trip.

My Top 10 Genie+ Tips for Walt Disney World

At Disneyland Resort, Disney Genie+ will now be $25 per day when purchased in advance as an add-on with a new ticket or vacation packages. Single-day purchases for Disney Genie+ through the Disneyland app will begin at $25 per day, and may vary by date, based on demand.
Additionally, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure at Disney’s California Adventure Park is now part of Disney Genie+, providing guests with even more options to choose from when using this service.

Contact me with questions.

If you're traveling to Walt Disney World in 2022 and beyond, you've probably heard of Genie+. But what is it?

Genie+ is Walt Disney World's paid replacement of the old FastPass+ system. It arrived in late fall 2021 and completely changes everything when it comes to Disney travel. This system can feel overwhelming. Below, you'll find 10 tips for navigating Genie+ like a pro. This list is a labor of love between myself and many of my colleagues. (It's important to note that these tips are only for Genie+, and do not pertain to the paid Individual Lightning Lanes for headliner attractions.) 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

1) Call Me, Beep Me, Genie+ Me
You'll be on your phone all day long. I suggest planning some downtime activities to give yourself a break from the app. I offer my recommendations for easy "anytime" activities to my clients.

Regardless of how much you use your phone, you're going to need a portable phone charger. Amazon has tons of great portable phone chargers, including my personal favorite and an extra slim option. (Pro tip: keep your phone on battery save mode to help it charge faster and keep its charge longer.)

2) Practice Makes Perfect
Before you use Genie+ for the first time, go into the My Disney Experience app and get familiar. Like I mentioned above, you'll be on your phone a lot in the parks. Having a little experience with the Genie section will help the process feel less overwhelming.

When that early alarm goes off for your 7 am selection, the whole Lightning Lane process will seem much less intimidating and you can hit the ground running in the parks. (Pro tip: make sure you're using the most updated version of the My Disney Experience app.)

3) The limit does not exist.
There's no way of knowing how many folks will purchase Genie+ on any given day, because there's no limit to the number of guests who can add this feature. What does this mean for you? Book your top selections before they’re gone.

​Genie+ won't sell out, but Lightning Lane queues can only physically hold a certain number of people for the day. If Slinky Dog Dash is your top must-do, choose that first before selecting something that won't fill up, like MuppetVision 3D. (Note: MuppetVision is a personal favorite, but it's not a good use of a Lightning Lane.)

4) If at first you don't succeed, refresh and refresh again.
If you don’t like the times that are offered for a particular ride, and you haven't made your selection yet, refresh that screen! Occasionally, you'll see options that were previously unavailable. DO NOT do this for top priority rides, as these can run out of return times. (See #3 and #9)

5) Watch the Clock
Booking a Lightning Lane "blocks" your account for 2 hours. The only way to "clear the block" is to wait 2 hours from when you made your last reservation OR use the last selection you booked, whichever comes first. After that, you can continue to reserve Lightning Lanes every 2 hours. Use your phone alarm to help keep track. Remember, the 2 hour clock starts at park opening time. (ex: park opens at 9, book your next selection at 11)

​6) The Stacking Trick
Typically, you’ll have one Lightning Lane at a time. That's how the system is designed. But there IS a way to stack them and have your return times overlap. This happens when you schedule multiple return times for later in the afternoon/evening.

How does this work if you can only book every 2 hours? At 7 am, you can make your first selection, and let's say your return time is for 2:50-3:50. At 11 am, you can select another attraction, again at 1 pm, 3 pm, and so on. If you keep choosing later return times, they can overlap, meaning you can hop from attraction to attraction with no waits!

​​7) Park Hop 'til You Drop
You can reserve Lightning Lanes for parks that you're not physically in. That means that if you're at one park in the morning, but know you’ll hop to another park later, you can make selections before you hop.

​Just make sure that your return time is late enough to accommodate the travel time between parks after hopping begins at 2 pm. This, of course, requires a park hopper ticket.

8) Head of the Party Planning Committee
If you have several parties traveling together, designate ONE person to handle Genie+ for everyone. Otherwise, with multiple people on the app making changes, things get messy quickly.

To make things easier for your designated Genie+ booker, make sure that everyone is linked via friends & family and that everyone has valid park admission and reservations.

9) Set in Stone
Once you book a Genie+ Lightning Lane, you cannot modify your return time. But you can cancel that Lightning Lane and rebook another. Please note that by doing this, you do risk that attraction booking up for the day. Lightning Lanes can, and do, fill quickly. Pro tip: If you do cancel and rebook, the 2 hour window restarts.
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​10) Time is Money
The time has come to head to your attraction! You have a 1 hour window to return. There is a grace period of 5 minutes before and 15 minutes after your hour-long window. That's it. If, for whatever reason, you'll miss your return time completely, don't panic! 

First, try to cancel that Lightning Lane in the app. Easy peasy. Missed Lightning Lanes can result in you not being able to book more Lightning Lanes later. (It can cause issues with the system, essentially tying up your account.)

The best option is to find a Guest Services Cast Member (look for the blue umbrellas) and explain the situation. Usually, they'll simply remove the missed Lightning Lane from your account! (This should go without saying, but remember to be kind to all Cast Members!)

My clients all get a detailed Genie+ guide, as well as personalized park touring recommendations and tips. To learn more about my client package inclusions, click here.

Three major attractions are temporarily joining Genie+ as of today!

Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios, and Frozen Ever After will all leave the Individual Lightning Lane (headliner) tier and join the Genie+ program.

This change is temporary and will last until August 7, 2022. This will help to give guests more options heading into the very busy spring and summer season.

For more information on adding Genie+ to your travel package, email me.

To get more information on becoming a concierge-level client, click here.

*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances that are Disney Genie+ and individual purchases are limited in availability, subject to change or closure, may vary by date, are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection. 

It's been a big week for Disney travel news! We've heard multiple announcements from Walt Disney World and have even heard a big announcement from Disney Cruise Line. Check it all out below!

Changes Coming to Toy Story Land in 2022
​Attention all honorary toys! After enjoying Toy Story Mania!, guests will soon be treated to a new experience. Jessie’s Trading Post will be full of the coolest toys and finest souvenirs.

That's not all! Also coming in 2022 is the previously announced Roundup Rodeo BBQ restaurant! This family-friendly dining experience will offer barbecue fare. It will also offer some fan-favorite Pixar characters! Stay tuned for more details!

New Character Sightings Available on Genie+
The latest update to theDisney Genie+ service has extra...character! Starting Jan. 26, guests who have purchased Genie+ will find select Character Sightings have been added as an option for Lightning Lane entry. Character Sightings will include:

• Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Magic Kingdom
• Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Magic Kingdom
• Mickey at Magic Kingdom 
• Olaf at Hollywood Studios

For more information about Genie+ or Character Sightings, contact me.
*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances that are Disney Genie+ and individual purchases are limited in availability, subject to change or closure, may vary by date, are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection. 

Pixar Day at Sea - Coming in 2023
Disney Cruise Line Guests will be immersed in the stories of their favorite toys, monsters and heroes during the all-new Pixar Day at Sea aboard special sailings on the Disney Fantasy in early 2023.
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This day-long celebration on select seven-night voyages will bring beloved Pixar tales exclusively for Disney Cruise Line Guests. These experiences will include themed dining, character encounters, dance parties and a theatrical musical experience.

Contact me for more information about Pixar Day at Sea sailings.

Disney Genie officially launched on October 19, 2021! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know.

Disney Genie
Like I explained before, this free component of My Disney Experience will be available for all guests. This complimentary service offers new features, including a tool that can map out an entire day based on your pre-travel choices. It will also help to reduce wait times in rides, pace your day, and build around existing plans.

While Disney Genie is free, there will be 2 different ways to utilize paid Lightning Lanes to save time in lines. Lightning Lane entrances, available for a fee, will be used.

Genie+
Disney Genie+ will be an add-on at 40+ attractions. It will cost $15 per person, per day. Using this service, you can select arrival windows for Lightning Lane entrances, one at a time throughout the day. Genie+ will also feature audio files and PhotoPass lenses. Genie+ will not sell out. 

Once you have Genie+, you can book the next available arrival window for your first experience via the My Disney Experience app beginning at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit. Once you’ve redeemed your initial selection (or the arrival window has passed), you can make another selection using the app, up to park closing.

I can add this on to your ticket or package for the duration of your visit prior to travel, or you can choose to purchase for single days on your own in the My Disney Experience app.

Individual Attraction Selections
These are the headliner attractions. These highly demanded rides will offer Lightning Lane entry as an "á la carte" purchase. This option will be available for everyone—with or without Disney Genie+ service—and lets you choose a time to arrive at up to 2 attractions each day (booked one at a time).

Purchase of Lightning Lanes for these headliners will be only be via Disney Genie in the My Disney Experience app on the same day of your visit. Pricing will vary by date, attraction and park. Prices and availability will be listed in the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit.

You can only purchase individual selections for up to 2 different attractions per day. These will have a limited, and can sell out. Guests at Disney resorts will have "first dibs" on attractions.

• Guests of a Disney Resort Hotel: These guests can make their first purchase starting at 7:00 AM on the day of their visit. (Available to Disney Resort hotel guests, as well as guests at the Swan, Dolphin, and Shades of Green.)
• All Other Guests: These Guests can make their first purchase when the park opens.

The photo below outlines which rides are included with the Genie+ add-on, and which are included with the “a la carte” premium Individual Attractions. 

Tips
Disney Genie, as well as its paid components, only work if you have the most updated version of My Disney Experience app. Update this the day before you travel, and double-check that it's the most updated version before you use any part of Disney Genie. We also learned that it's MUCH easier to add Genie+ prior to travel, rather than adding by day once you're already there.

I have already added Genie+ for all currently booked clients who have requested it. If you have questions about how I can add Genie+ to your trip, contact me. For more information about becoming a concierge-level client, click here.

What a crazy week it's been! “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” is in full swing as of October 1st, and now Disney has some MORE news!
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The previously announced Disney Genie service will launch on Oct. 19 at Walt Disney World Resort! This service will be available for all guests right in the My Disney Experience app! This complimentary service will perfectly compliment my tips and suggestions with your decisions in real time!

The technology will work similarly to a navigation app on your phone. Basically, Disney Genie will update your itinerary. This will help to:

• Reduce time in lines
• Build around existing plans (dining reservations, Park Hopper preferences, etc.)

This launch will also include Lightning Lanes at 40+ attractions! This will be available for additional purchase through Disney Genie+ OR individually “a la carte” at the most highly demanded attractions. Pricing will vary, depending on date, attraction, and park. Additionally, some rides, like Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, may still operate on a virtual queue. 

For more information about how Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, or Lightning Lanes will work, contact me!