Last year, FastPass+ was temporarily suspended when Disney World reopened. At Disneyland, FastPass and MaxPass were also temporarily suspended and are still not available.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Earlier today Disney announced that FastPass, FastPass+, and MaxPass will be retired, and some NEW, PAID services will take their places at Disneyland and Disney World. Just how much will these pay-to-ride programs cost and what do you need to know about them? We’re breaking it all down here.
As we mentioned, today Disney announced that FastPass and FastPass+ will NOT be returning to Disney World or Disneyland. FastPass and MaxPass also will not be returning to Disneyland.
FastPass is Not Returning
In their place will be a NEW, paid system. There will actually be two separate new ways for guests to skip the standby lines and reserve what rides they want to go on, and both will require additional payment.
Disney Genie+ TLDR
As we know, Disney will be introducing Disney Genie, a free, “virtual personal assistant” as part of My Disney Experience this fall. A secondary, paid service will be called Disney Genie+. This paid service will replace FastPass and MaxPass. It will allow guests to bypass standby lines at select attractions by paying a base price: $20 per day per ticket at Disneyland Resort and $15 per day per ticket at Disney World.
Jungle Cruise FastPass Entrance
Base Price Disney Genie+ (Ride Less Popular Rides For One Base Price)
With Disney Genie+, guests will be able to to select return times (for 1 ride at a time) for as many of the included attractions as they’d like. This service can be used in all four parks with a park hopper ticket. (For those who used the old FastPass system or have experience with MaxPass in Disneyland, this will be familiar.)
Attractions in the base-priced DisneyGenie+ have not been officially announced, but we’ve heard directly from Disney via a media call that they will include attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and Haunted Mansion.
Disney Genie+ Popular Attraction Upcharge (Pay An A La Carte Price PER RIDE To Experience The Most Popular Attractions in Disney World)
Now, if you want to ride Disney’s most popular attractions without a wait, there will be a second paid upcharge (which is separate) that will allow guests to select return times for a maximum of two specific, more popular attractions.
I repeat: the attractions featured in these two paid options will NOT be the same. Not-so-popular rides will be included in the base price of Disney Genie+ (or you can wait in the standby line for free). Popular rides…ya gotta pay separately to ride (or stand in the standby line for free). The price for the popular ride a la carte option will vary depending on the date, attraction, and park — which means, the more in demand the ride…the more it’ll cost you to ride. Yep — your favorite Disney rides could now have SURGE PRICING. lol except we’re crying.
Splash Mountain Sign
Freaked out? Totally Confused? Us too.
Let’s break down all the info you need to know here in a step-by-step fashion:
Disney Genie
The first thing we want to briefly talk about is Disney Genie. Disney Genie itself is a FREE service that will be available as part of the My Disney Experience app in Disney World and the Disneyland App at Disneyland Resort.
©Disney
Disney Genie will help guests plan their visits based on their interests, the rides they want to go on, and more. Disney Genie will give guests a personalized itinerary and tip board based on what they want to see, show them forecasted future wait times, connect them with a virtual assistant, and help them place mobile orders, join a mobile dine walk-up waitlist for restaurants, and more.
©Disney
For example, you’ll be able to tell the Disney Genie what attractions you want to experience, etc. and it’ll create a personalized itinerary for your day, which is flexible and can be modified as your day continues.
Click here to learn more about Disney Genie.
Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lanes
What is It?
While Disney Genie itself is free, if you want to skip the standby lines and go through essentially what used to be called the “FastPass queue” then you’ll need to pay for the Disney Genie+ service.
©Disney
With Disney Genie+, you’ll be able to select the next available time to arrive at an attraction (sort-of like making a single FastPass+ selection) and use that attraction’s “Lightning Lane” (essentially the new name for FastPass+ lines).
©Disney
When your arrival time comes up, you’ll then head to the attraction, use the Lightning Lane, and skip the standby line.
How Many Selections Can You Make?
You’ll be able to make 1 of these attraction selections through Disney Genie+ at a time (sort of the way you could get one FastPass at a time way back in the day).
Galaxy’s Edge
Once tap in for your Lightning Lane selection, you can book another one. Ride that one, book another. Etc.
How Many Rides Are Included?
Not all rides will be available through Disney Genie+. This ability to select attraction return times through Disney Genie+ will be available for more than 15 attractions at Disneyland Resort, and over 40 attractions at Disney World.
So far, Disney has indicated that some of the rides that will be available through Disney Genie+ include Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Haunted Mansion
You’ll be able to make these selections throughout the day, subject to availability.
What Else is Included?
At Disney World, Disney Genie+ will also include Disney PhotoPass Augmented Reality lenses. At Disneyland, your purchase of Disney Genie+ will include Disney PhotoPass downloads from that day. If you buy Disney Genie+ you’ll also get access to some special audio experiences in the app that will feature Imagineers and special guests. These audio features will let you learn fun facts about the attractions and other areas of the park around you.
What’s the Cost?
And now, the most important question you might be wondering — how much will Disney Genie+ cost? At Disney World, the cost will be $15 per ticket, per day. At Disneyland, the cost will be $20 per ticket per day.
You can purchase Disney Genie+ in advance for all of the days of your trip, but can only book attractions on the day of your visit. Yep, 60 and 90 day FastPass selections are GONEZO. You can now only book attractions on the day you go to the park.
When Can You Select Your Rides?
At Walt Disney World, guests will be able to make their first Disney Genie+ ride selection at 7AM on the day of their visit. At Disneyland, guests can make their first Disney Genie+ selection once they’re in the park.
Individual Attraction Selections (For Purchase)
So we’ve discussed Disney Genie and its FREE planning services. And we’ve talked about Disney Genie+ and its FastPass/MaxPass-like service that allows you to pick return times for 1 attraction at a time and use the lightning lane to skip the standby line…for a fee.
But, Disney has also announced that Disney Genie+ will have another paid option for guests. If you want to skip the standby line at select (more popular) attractions, you’ll need to pay for Disney’s Individual Attraction Selection service. This is similar in a sense to what we’ve seen offered at Disneyland Paris, where you pay a fee to utilize what was essentially the FastPass lane, but you pay just for that individual attraction.
©Disney
What Attractions Will be Included in This Individual Purchase Option?
The attractions offered through this individual purchase option will be different than those offered through the base-price Disney Genie+.
So far, Disney has indicated that the following rides will be included in this individual attraction selection option: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom, Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure Park, Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Web Slingers in Disney California Adventure park, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT. Disney will release the rest of the attractions in this group later this year.
Rise of the Resistance
Note that Disney has indicated virtual queue boarding groups will continue for free to all guests for Rise of the Resistance, but if you do not get a boarding group you can try to get a spot by using the paid Individual Attractions Selection option. The same will be done with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, which will use a virtual queue free to all guests when it opens (but when Individual Attraction Purchases become available, you’ll also be able to pay to schedule a ride at this attraction).
How Many Individual Attraction Selections Can You Make Per Day?
With this individual attraction selection, guests will be able to schedule a time to ride up to 2 high-demand attractions each day and use the Lightning Lane entrance during their scheduled time to ride. These two attractions can be at different parks if you have a park hopper ticket.
What is the Price for Individual Attraction Selections?
Pricing for this Individual Attraction Purchase option will vary by date, attraction, and park. Note that you do not need to buy Disney Genie+ in order to use this Individual Attraction Selection service. So, for example, if you JUST want to ride Rise of the Resistance and you don’t care about anything else, you do NOT need to purchase Disney Genie+ to ride it. You only have to pay the individual cost of that ride.
Off they go!
When Can You Make Individual Selection Bookings?
Note that these Individual Attraction Purchases can be made on the same day of your visit and used across multiple parks.
HOTEL PERK ALERT! At Disney World, if you’re staying at a Disney owned and operated hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, or the Shades of Green Hotel you’ll be able to make your first Individual Attraction Selection at 7AM. All other guests will have to make their selections when the park opens.
Cars Land
Also, keep in mind that attractions will continue to offer standby queues or virtual queue options for guests not wanting to use any of these paid options. Essentially, you can continue to visit the parks and just join the standby lines as usual. You can also use the Disney Genie planning service for FREE if you want. Disney Genie+ and/or Individual Attraction Selections are completely optional. You can do none of these, all of them, or a mix.
Disney Genie is set to debut in the fall, and it’s our understanding that these new options (Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection) will also debut in the fall.
©Disney
Check out the video below to see more information about Disney Genie, Genie+, and more.
Learn all about Disney Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Selections here.
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This might be the end of Disney for us. Visa, DVC, annual passes, the works
This is terrible, no magical express, no meal plans and now no fast passes. This makes it difficult to plan your day. There is no benefit of staying on Disney property. I did look forward to our yearly family vacations now there is no benefit or even magic!
Well… it seems like everyone is overall unhappy about it. I’m right there with them! We are going in October and I’d cancel
But I don’t want to break my nephew’s heart but I don’t plan on returning. Too many downhill changes and this is the nail in the coffin. If it’s out in October then I may pay for it as my last hoorah but begrudgingly.
On a side note I don’t understand the photo situation. Genie plus gets special simulated photo ops… im guessing like the tinkerbell in your hand Or whatnot but you don’t get to download it or any other photos? So that means they try to suck you in with limited availability photos so you will pay to upgrade your photo pass. Right? Or does Disney world also get downloads?
Stephanie, I think you’re understanding the AR photo enhancement correctly. The way I read it is that Memory Maker/ PhotoPass downloads are NOT included at Disney World, just the AR filters.
We have crossed the pond 25 times to visit DW, this will probably be the last for us – paying to queue jump. No thankyou
We used to go to Disney every year and had the timeshare and it was so enjoyable, but I am glad that we sold our timeshare there . seems as though they are only interested in the profit and certainly not with what was
Walt’s intent. If they are not careful they may shoot themselves in the foot. A trip to Disney for 6 people staying at their hotel and eating on property is in excess of $10,000. and that was a few years ago. Now it’s beyond a Magical vacation. They are not the only game in town.
I’m on the unhappy bandwagon. I remember when Six Flags added the Pay to Skip the line option. I wasn’t crazy about it and never bought it. It feels like dividing people by the money they have but Six Flags tickets are not as costly as Disney. Aside from a couple of childhood trips, I’ve been a DVC member now since ’09 and I liked the early fast pass where you got a paper pass on the fly. Fastpass+ did rob the spontaneity and added more planning but at least it was included with your ‘Very Expensive’ park admission. Now, prices are higher, no more free magic bands (2 price jumps in 6 months for DVC), No more Magical Express, dwindling perks (the whole point of being in DVC) and now more expense in this new Genie+ system. I’m sorry Disney had to suffer with all the rest of us during the lockdown but they seem to want all their losses back by this new business model. Profits first, patrons last. I have been considering using my DVC for just accomodations and visiting places other than the parks. Shame.
When I called the Disney express and was told the reason that they don’t handle our luggage anymore cause of covid and I made this call recently I do not believe that I’m sure that was true n the beginning of the covid there r luggage handlers all the at the airport as far as we r concerned Disney doesn’t want to pay their employees to do that and that just makes it harder for people especially when u have someone that can not walk the airport and then I have to get some else to help get us to the bus my husband is having knee surgery and can’t help me do all that shame on Disney u DO NOT care about anyone especially the heartless greedy jerk that is running it and trying to keep himself and stockholders wealthy Walt Disney didn’t ever have this n mind and he would b broken hearted to c what has happened to his dream how heartless and yes my family is very very angry how can u treat people like that with all the covid that has been going on we k ow u don’t care how heartless of u
Have you heard when the categories will be released of which rides will be included in the $15 genie+ and which ones will be in the “why pay less when you can pay more “ list. If you can only buy 2 per day, then I’d assume each park would have at least 2. That would be helpful to know. My fear is buying it and then having my first ride be available at 1-2 then after riding that ride, my next available time for a ride that has a long queue is 5-6pm and that’s all I have time for. $15 for 2 rides. $15 for an all day fast pass seems cheaper than something like the Universal Express pass but if they sell a bunch, then all the rides with usually long lines may get booked up for the day and leave you with lightning line passes for things with 5-10 minute standby lines. For me, it’s not the money but I just don’t think it will be useful.
I have no idea what this is going to do to disabled guests who have used the Disability Access Service program, or if it will work in tandem the way Fastpass+ used to. It’s so nerve-wracking to try and navigate all of this! It feels like the new CEO came bursting with new and more costly ideas straight out of the gate, and while it may benefit their bottom line, it’s absolutely making it difficult for families who have been custodians of a generational love for the parks. Without this core support, that bottom line will eventually be impacted from the loss of repeat visitors. Maybe they feel like “there will always be new guests”? Scary and sad thought.
Just another money grab gimmick that used to be free and included like Magical Express, free parking for resort guests at their resort, no longer offering Charter Annual Passes, Annual Pass price hikes with no Memory Maker, etc, etc. Universal has a better product.
I always thought they should do this. Universal does this with Gate A, but they don’t tell people when they can ride. If I’m paying extra money, then I should be able to get in the Fastpass lines at any time I want. You should just purchase a Ride Fastpass that allow you to ride at any time. They could tier the prices based on the number of rides. Disney needs to look to Universal on this one. smdh
Curious about a couple of things. We are non-Florida resident annual passholders. How will this feature be added, if we choose, to an annual pass? Daily? With each Park Pass? Length of stay? Curious minds and wallets want to know. We don’t want to accidently push the wrong button and get billed for $15. per day × 365
Donna, at present the info from Disney indicates that APs will add Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selections the day of your visit (so a planned visit with a Park Pass). Disney has said those purchasing day of Genie+/IAS will be able to do so at midnight of the day they want it. (That’s not to say you NEED to stay up until midnight to buy it, but that’s when it’s supposed to go live each day). Disney has also said they’re exploring other enhancements for APs with regard to Disney Genie/+/IAS, so if this day of system changes, we’ll report.
REALLY WDW!!!!!!….Pay to park your car, no more magical express, pay for fast pass, no meal plans, pay for magic bands…..PAY, PAY, PAY, PAY!!!!!!!! We have been to Disney and their stinking hotels for over 25 years, and this is it. NO MORE We pay a lot of money just for the tickets and hotels, there is NO LONGER any magical moments at WDW, only overdraft notices from my bank. SHAME on all the execs and BOD….U STINK
Should we just give Disney our account numbers to our bank accounts??
Wow, no thank you. Last year for us as annual pass holders. Fast pass system worked fine, greedy greedy Disney!!
In the pandemic age, when they don’t even make people wear masks outside when you obviously can’t keep 6’ spacing, it’s simply no longer worth the money or risk without MaxPass. Genie+ is designed to gauge you, is limited in use number, is inexplicably confusing, and requires multiple things to be done at specific times in the day or you lose the opportunity. Maybe it would be different it we lived nearby and the trip there wasn’t already so time consuming that we need to maximize the experience because it will be so rare. Just can’t get on board with 10+ hours there and 10+ hours of travel back to get 10 good rides in per day. Not worth it.
Locals only