Is there ever really a BAD time to go to Disney World? A bad day in Disney World might still be more magical than an average day outside the parks, but there are certainly some times when the crowds, weather, or other factors make it a little more difficult to get things done.

It’s busy

It’s President’s Day weekend, which means that a LOT of people are visiting Disney World as they get time off of work and school. The wait times and price for Genie+ certainly reflect the large crowds! This is something you’ll need to be prepared for if you plan to go to Disney World during its busy times, including over holiday weekends and during the summer months.

Disney Genie+ is the new way to skip the line at some Disney World attractions. You’ll pay a set fee and then use the My Disney Experience app to reserve Lightning Lane return times. When your time arrives, you’ll head to the attraction you booked and hop in the Lightning Lane, bypassing the standby line. (This system used to be called FastPass, and it used to be free.)

Lightning Lane sign at Beauty and the Beast show

In Disney World, Genie+ ranges in price from $15 per person, per day, to $29 per person, per day. Although Disney hasn’t confirmed that $29 is the highest possible price (and we’ve seen it get more expensive in Disneyland), that’s the highest we’ve seen so far in Disney World.

Disney Genie

Over President’s Day weekend, as the crowds surge into the parks, Disney is keeping Genie+ at that high price of $29 per person, per day. This was the price over the weekend (on February 18th and 19th), and it’s the same price today (February 20th).

©Disney

In addition to the high cost of Genie+, the pay-per-ride attractions are completely sold out as of 9:45AM EST. Some of the most popular rides in Disney World are not included in Genie+, but instead you can skip the lines by paying a separate fee (generally between $11 and $22 per person, per ride, depending on the ride and day).

©Disney

The pay-per-ride attractions include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Avatar: Flight of Passage in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Before they sold out this morning, the cost to skip the line at Rise of the Resistance was $25, and it was $17 for Cosmic Rewind.

©Disney

Standby line wait times are looking pretty long at most of the theme parks, with Flight of Passage at 140 minutes, Kilimanjaro Safaris at 95 minutes, Slinky Dog Dash at 110 minutes, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at 85 minutes (note that this coaster was supposed to begin its refurbishment closure today, but that closure appears to have been delayed).

©Disney

Long wait times continue at EPCOT, with Frozen Ever After at 85 minutes and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at 105 minutes.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

However, the wait times at Magic Kingdom seemed fairly average and even…low? Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad both had wait times of only 35 minutes when we checked around 10AM EST. However, The Jungle Cruise had a wait time of 75 minutes, so it wasn’t all great news.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

If you’re in Disney World during one of these busy times — such as during a long weekend, the summer, or the holidays — make sure you’re prepared for the bigger crowds that will join you in the parks. You may want to consider purchasing Genie+ to ensure you get on more rides, or be at the theme park entrance at least 30 minutes before the park opens so that you can head straight for your favorite rides before the lines get long later in the day.

Entrance to Magic Kingdom

Remember that guests staying at Disney-owned hotels can enter the theme parks 30 minutes before the official park opening time each day! It might not be a long time, but you could get ahead of the crowds and hop in a line before it gets long with that time.

You’ll Get MORE Time in the Parks Now!

Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney World news.

Click here to learn all about Disney Genie+.

Have you been in Disney World during an especially busy time? What are your best tips for beating the crowds? Let us know in the comments!

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