UPDATED July 24, 2024

Disney Genie is a complimentary service within Disney World’s My Disney Experience app and the Disneyland app. Disney Genie provides on-the-go planning tools and customized itineraries to help guests maximize their time in the parks!

NEWS: MAJOR Changes have come to the Lightning Lane Systems in Disney World as of July 24th. You can find information on the NEW Lightning Lane systems in Disney World HERE. You can also find information for Lightning Lanes in Disneyland HERE. 

Two optional add-ons are available through Disney Genie, and each are available for a fee. These options allow guests to bypass the standby lines for attractions and instead enter the Lightning Lane. Here we’ve assembled the ULTIMATE guide with all of the information and answers to YOUR questions about using Disney Genie, Disney Genie Plus, and Lightning Lanes in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.

On this page, we explain the ins-and-outs of ALL THREE SERVICES:

Disney Genie

ONE: The standard Disney Genie service – which includes features like recommendations for attractions and experiences based on YOUR preferences along with real-time touring strategies, dining tips, and more — is a FREE service.

Click on any links below to jump directly to a specific topic:

• FREE Disney Genie Overview
• Customized Itineraries based on YOUR preferences and Must-Dos
• Tip Boards to Make the Most of Your Day
• Your Virtual Assistant
• Dining Tools and Hacks
• Virtual Queues for New Attractions

Find our FULL GUIDE for Using all of the FREE features on Disney Genie HERE!

Disney Genie+

TWO: The Disney Genie Plus base-price option allows guests to select the next available time to arrive at an attraction (similar to the previous FastPass+ time windows) and enter that attraction’s Lightning Lane.

Click on any links below to jump directly to a specific topic:

• Disney Genie+ (Base-Price Option) Overview
• List of RIDES and Experiences available on Disney Genie+ in Disney World and Disneyland
• Park Hopping with Disney Genie+
• Helpful Tips!
• Additional Features on Disney Genie+

Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selections

THREE: Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection is a pay-per-ride service. Guests pay a fee to utilize the Lightning Lane for an individual, in-demand attraction.

Click on any links below to jump directly to a specific topic:

• Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selections Overview
• List of RIDES offering Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Access — AND THEIR PRICE RANGES — in Disney World and Disneyland
• Helpful Tips!

Disney Genie — FREE Customized Itineraries and Tip Boards

While the My Disney Experience app and Disneyland Resort Mobile app provide plenty of tools for advance planning (along with several features for use while in the parks and resorts), the Disney Genie — which is available within each of those apps* — provides customized itineraries with just a few taps on your smartphone.

*Be sure to download the latest version of the app to access the new Disney Genie features!

Need it in a nutshell? Click HERE to learn the basics of Disney Genie in LESS THAN 500 WORDS.

You can “tell” the Genie your wishes, too. Inform the Genie of what you’d most like to do and your personal preferences — from attractions you’d like to ride to characters you enjoy and more — and you’ll be presented with options to optimize your time.

(P.S. We find it helpful to do this ahead of your visit to receive good recommendations at the start of your day!)

Disney Genie will make personalized recommendations based on which park you’re visiting, nearby experiences, and personal preferences, using the information you’ve provided to evaluate thousands of options and build a plan just for YOUR traveling group.

And if your day changes — or as the day changes regarding what’s going on in the parks — the Genie can change, too! You’ll be able to receive a new itinerary whenever you need. Real-time tips, updates, and recommendations are provided, and the Disney Genie is even able to assist with any needed reservations for your whole group!

Ultimately, the itinerary pairs with a personalized tip board that delivers the information to you. The Tip Board displays things like current AND future attraction wait times, showtimes as well as information about Virtual Queues, dining availability, Mobile Order, and more (including where you should go next)!

Disney Genie wants to be your Personal Assistant in the parks!

Let’s dig a little deeper into some of the features:

Customized Itinerary and Updates

As discussed above, you’ll receive a customized itinerary which takes into account your priorities (be they specific like a must-ride attraction or broad like your child’s love of Disney Princesses) to build the perfect itinerary for your group.

And the customized itinerary will update throughout the day! It will change depending on what happens on that day in the park, and can even change depending on the weather.

Tip Boards

Along with your full-day itinerary, you also have access to a tip board built right into your smartphone.

This keeps you in the loop on attraction status, showtimes, dining availability, and current standby wait times and forecasted attraction wait times.

It even tells you where you should head next!

Virtual Assistant

Have a question that you need an answer to, like, RIGHT NOW?

Well, Disney Genie offers Virtual Assistance 24/7!

Dining Tools

You can even get guidance from at-a-glance dining information, with easy access to dining features such as Mobile Order, Dining Reservations, and Restaurant Waitlists!

The Dining Tip Board helps guests quickly find where to eat and help them place a mobile order, make a dining reservation, or join a walk-up waitlist.

Essentially, the Dining Tip Board combines several of the existing features of the My Disney Experience app and the Disneyland Resort app into one spot where you can see all of the next windows for Mobile Order Pick-Up Times, Walk-Up Waitlist waiting times, the next available reservation time for each restaurant, and more.

Click HERE to find out how the Disney Genie can help you HACK Disney Dining!

Virtual Queues

Similar to the dining tools mentioned above, another feature of the My Disney Experience app and the Disneyland Resort app that is incorporated into Disney Genie is the ability to join a Virtual Queue for a new or in-demand ride, when in use.

Virtual Queues are often utilized in Disney Parks as a line management tool for new attractions during their debut months. 

Learn MORE about Virtual Queues and Boarding Groups here. 

Feel free to visit any of the links below where we discuss the FREE features on Disney Genie in even greater detail:

• How Smart is the FREE Genie Planning Service in Disney World?
• Click here for our complete guide on using the FREE Disney Genie service. 

All of the above? It’s available for FREE.

Next up, we’ll discuss the TWO separate ways for guests to skip the standby lines and reserve which rides they want to go on — BOTH of these options require additional payment.

The previous ride reservation programs — FastPass, FastPass+, and MaxPass — are permanently retired, and these new services have replaced them at Disneyland and Disney World.

Disney Genie+ (Includes Several Rides for One Base Price)

Disney Genie+ Overview

Disney Genie+ is an optional paid service in addition to the standard Disney Genie.  Disney Genie+ allows you to bypass standby lines and enter the Lightning Lane (previously known as the FastPass line) at select attractions by paying a base price (Tax not included):

• Disney Genie+ starts at $15 per day*, per ticket at Disney World;
  
• Price also varies BY PARK in Disney World**;  Guests can either buy a single-park Genie+ option or a multi-park option (to accommodate Park Hopping).
• Disney Genie+ starts at $30* per day, per ticket at Disneyland Resort.

*Prices vary by date, and the Disney Genie+ service is subject to availability. As of October 2022, surge pricing (you may see the term “variable pricing” on the Disney World and Disneyland websites) has been introduced to the standard Genie+ service.

**Genie+ prices could be lower at one Disney World park than at another. For example, you might pay $27 at Magic Kingdom on a particular day, but Genie+ could be $18 at Animal Kingdom on that same day if there’s lower demand.

Thus far, the highest price we have seen in Disney World for Disney Genie+ is $39 per day, per ticket.

The highest price we have seen in Disneyland Resort for Disney Genie+ is $35 per day, per ticket.

Guests can find the pricing for the day on the Resorts’ respective apps: My Disney Experience app (for Disney World) or the Disneyland app. 

We are also tracking the price of Genie+ by date HERE, so you can get an idea of how special events at Disney World and various holidays may affect pricing.

See day-by-day PRICING for Disney Genie+ HERE. 

Guests are able to select return times — for 1 ride at a time with a one-hour arrival window — starting at 7AM. There is no limit to the amount of rides guests are able to select (pending availability for each attraction).

WHEN TO PURCHASE DISNEY GENIE+:

• In Disney World, guests can purchase Genie+ via the My Disney Experience app for each day beginning at midnight, but they cannot make Lightning Lane selections until 7AM.
• In Disneyland, guests can purchase and add Genie+ to a park ticket or vacation package in advance for $30 per ticket, per day OR purchase it once they enter a theme park (which is subject to date-based pricing starting at $30 per ticket, per day) via the Disneyland app. Lightning Lane selections can be made upon entering the theme park in Disneyland theme parks.

Guests can find the pricing for the day on the Resorts’ respective apps: My Disney Experience app (for Disney World) or the Disneyland app. 

See our ACTUAL WAIT TIMES in the Lightning Lanes using Disney Genie+ HERE. 

Again, this program allows guests to make one ride selection at a time. Generally speaking, once you’re done with your first attraction, you can select another available Genie+ Lightning Lane time, and so on, throughout the day.

More specifically, once you’ve made a selection, you can make your next Lightning Lane selection when:

1. You have used the first one you booked;
2. Your first return time window has ended (if you miss it); or
3. 120 minutes have passed since you booked your last one* (or 120 minutes after park opening, depending on the situation).  Essentially, you can book another Lightning Lane 2 hours (120 minutes) after reserving a previous one if the return time for the first Lightning Lane is more than 2 hours away.

AND a handy update to Disney Genie+ now lets you know “When You Can Book” so you don’t have to keep track yourself!

If you go to “My Disney Genie Day” in the My Disney Experience app, click on the Tip Board section, and you should see this banner pictured above at the top of your screen (if you’ve purchased Genie+). If you can’t book a new reservation yet, it will give you the time that you can book. And if you’re eligible to book a new reservation, it will say “When you can book: Now.”

Additionally, if you visit the Tip Board in Disney Genie, you may also turn on a filter that will ONLY show you rides included in the Disney Genie+ service.

See WHY it is so important to book your first Disney Genie+ selection for the earliest time possible here. 

(*This is what’s referred to as the “120-minute rule.” *For example, let’s say that at 9AM you booked a Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane with a return time of 2PM. You don’t have to wait until 2PM to make another Lightning Lane reservation. Instead, 2 hours after you made that reservation, you can make another one. So at 11AM, you can choose another attraction AND you’ll still have the 2PM Haunted Mansion reservation. If you booked your first Lightning Lane at 7AM, though, the 2 hours don’t start until park opening time. So if you book one at 7AM but the park opens at 9AM, you can book the next one at 11AM — 2 hours after park opening time.)

HOW TO MODIFY A DISNEY GENIE+ RIDE RESERVATION: As of December 2022, an update to Disney Genie allows guests to modify ride reservations.

In our example here, we made a Lightning Lane reservation through Disney Genie+ for Jingle Cruise in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom (this update also applies to the Disneyland app). When we later tapped on the reservation, a small box populated the bottom of our screen. This is where guests can access reservation details, but you may also add someone to your Lightning Lane, cancel the reservation, view My Day, or modify it!

Once we selected “Modify Plan” we were directed to a new screen filled with options.

We selected a new time for our Lightning Lane reservations, but we could’ve also chosen from a variety of other times for other attractions as well. This adds a lot of flexibility to the process since you don’t have to cancel and rebook (which was the previous process).

While modifying your Genie+ selections vs canceling them might just seem like an extra convenience, it’s actually critically important when it comes to the 120-minute rule. Basically, if you modify your Genie+ selection, the 2-hour window to select your next Lightning Lane remains the same. If you cancel your Genie+ selection and make a new one, the 2-hour window resets. It’s all a bit confusing so be sure to read our full post to see examples. The key thing to know is that by modifying, you could put yourself in the best position to get another Genie+ selection SOONER, so modify whenever you can!

Disney Genie+ can be used in all of the theme parks and also with a Park Hopper ticket.

Find our Step-By-Step Guide to PURCHASING Disney Genie+ HERE, and our Step-By-Step Guide to USING Disney Genie+ HERE!

Click here to just read about the difference between Disney Genie and Disney Genie+. 

Disney Genie+ Attractions in Walt Disney World

The full list of the attractions included in the base-price Disney Genie+ for Walt Disney World is as follows:

Magic Kingdom

• Haunted Mansion
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Mad Tea Party
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• “it’s a small world”
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Jungle Cruise
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• See Mickey and Minnie 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 
• Meet The Little Mermaid at Ariel’s Grotto
• Space Mountain
• Reserved Viewing for Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade — See the reserved viewing area HERE
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Click here for the FIRST Genie+ Lightning Lane You Should Grab in Magic Kingdom

Animal Kingdom

• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Festival of the Lion King
• Kali River Rapids
• Feathered Friends in Flight!
• Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
• DINOSAUR
• It’s Tough to Be a Bug
• Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
• Na’vi River Journey
• The Animation Experience
• Expedition Everest

EPCOT

• Spaceship Earth
• Soarin’
• Living With the Land
• Test Track
• Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends
• Mission: SPACE
• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Mickey & Friends meet and greet at CommuniCore Hall

Click here for the FIRST Genie+ Lightning Lane You Should Grab in EPCOT

Hollywood Studios

• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours
• Tower of Terror
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
• Toy Story Mania
• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
• Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage
• Disney Junior — Live on Stage
• See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

At Walt Disney World, guests are able to make their first Disney Genie+ ride selection at 7AM on the day of their visit. (The purchase window for Genie+ opens at midnight.)

We’ve compiled a list of attractions, entertainment, and character greetings that are not included in Disney Genie+ here.

Want to know the 5 MOST IMPORTANT Genie+ TIPS? Click HERE. And we want to help you AVOID the Biggest Mistakes on Genie+ — Click here!

Disney Genie+ Attractions in Disneyland Resort

The full list of attractions included in the base-price Disney Genie+ for Disneyland Resort is as follows:

Disneyland Park

• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Haunted Mansion
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• “it’s a small world”
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Space Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway 

Disney California Adventure

• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
• The Little Mermaid — Ariel’s Undersea Adventure

At Disneyland, guests can make their first Disney Genie+ selection once they’re in the park.

Click HERE to see how Genie+ is DIFFERENT in Disneyland versus Disney World. 

Park Hopping with Disney Genie+

Guests who have purchased a Disney World theme park ticket with Park Hopper benefits ARE able to Park Hop (visit more than one park on the same day) using Disney Genie+.

EXAMPLE: Let’s say you purchased a park hopper ticket and Disney Genie+. You decide to spend the first part of your day in Animal Kingdom, and want to hop to Hollywood Studios later and book a Lightning Lane for Tower of Terror. You can! Just be aware that you do need to buy a multi-park option to accommodate Park Hopping.

What happens if an attraction you’ve already booked through Disney Genie+ closes? 

If you purchase Genie+ and have used it to book a time to ride an attraction and that attraction goes down and temporarily closes, you’ll get what’s called a multi-experience redemption that’s good for other rides (although some may be excluded, unless it was the ride you’d already booked for).

So, for example, let’s say you’ve booked Peter Pan’s Flight in Magic Kingdom through Genie+ and you’re just about to hop into the Lightning Lane when a Cast Member informs you that the ride is currently closed. You’ll get a multi-experience pass that you can use later at Peter Pan’s Flight or other rides in Magic Kingdom.

Helpful Tips and Deeper Dives: Disney Genie+

Feel free to visit any of the links below where we discuss the following hints and tips for Disney Genie+ in greater detail:

• How do I purchase Disney Genie+? Find our Step-By-Step Guide to Buying Disney Genie+ HERE!
• What rides should I book first? THESE are the rides you should book FIRST using Disney Genie+.
• Can I ride the same attraction multiple times? Guests are NOT able to re-ride attractions through Genie+, meaning that guests aren’t able to make more than 1 Genie+ Lightning Lane selection for a ride on any 1 day.
• Can I still use Rider Switch? Guests can use Rider Switch with Disney Genie+.
• Does my whole group have to purchase Genie+? Definitely not. Genie+ can be added for as many or as few members of your group as you want.  Here’s how to book a Genie+ Lightning Lane for multiple people in your group, and how to modify your party, too.
• Can Genie+ sell out? Yes. It is rare, but we have seen this happen on especially busy park days and seasons. THESE are the best indicators that you may need to act fast to get Genie+.
• 7AM?!? What do I do first? Here are some tips to make 7AM easier when those first Lightning Lane reservations become available for the day in Disney World.
• How does Park Hopping work? You can Park Hop (visit more than one park in one day) when using Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection AND Disney Genie+. However, the processes ARE DIFFERENT. Learn more about Park Hopping using Disney Genie+ HERE and learn more about Park Hopping with using Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection HERE.
• Can I cancel Genie+ reservations? You CAN cancel Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations.
• Don’t make THIS MISTAKE when using Disney Genie+!
• Should I buy Disney Genie+ during the busy holiday season or other peak crowd times?
• Here are our TOP TIPS for using Disney Genie on the most CROWDED days in Disney World and Disneyland.
• The Disney World website states that “on average, guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using the Lightning Lane entrance if the first selection is made early in the day.” Our experience using Disney Genie+ in the parks has generally enabled us to get on quite a few more rides than that, and we discuss the topic in depth here. And our readers share their experiences HERE. 
• Is Genie+ NECESSARY now in Disney World? Read our thoughts here.
• THESE are the 5 MOST IMPORTANT Genie+ Tips for Disney World!
• Want to learn how to AVOID the BIGGEST Genie+ mistakes? Click HERE.
• Our readers share the BEST and WORST of Genie+ here.

THIS is WHEN You Still Need Genie+ in Disney World. And THIS is when You DON’T.

Disney Genie+ Additional Features

Disney Genie+ also includes extra features such as Augmented Reality photo lenses in Disney World and Disneyland. And Disneyland guests using Genie+ can ALSO enjoy unlimited PhotoPass downloads from your day. 

See TONS of the fun PhotoPass lenses and features in Disney Genie+ HERE!

Additionally, guests who purchase Disney Genie+ in Disney World now get FREE digital PhotoPass downloads for attraction photos taken on the day of their purchase! (Note that previewing your photos is always free in My Disney Experience, but normally you will pay $18.95 plus tax to download one photo. The other option is to purchase the Memory Maker package for $169 a day to get unlimited downloads of your photos.)

Guests also have access to Disney parks-themed audio experiences audio experiences featuring Disney Imagineers and special guests. These audio experiences share fun facts about the attractions and other areas of the park around you.

Find our TOP TIPS for planning a Disney vacation with Disney Genie HERE!

Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selections (Pay-Per-Ride for In-Demand Attractions)

Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selection Overview

For guests wishing to ride Disney’s most popular attractions without a wait, Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selection is a separate paid upcharge from the base-priced option. Individual Attraction Selection allows guests to select return times to enter the Lightning Lane for a maximum of two specific, more popular attractions.

You may select a Preferred Time from the available slots and will be given a return time with a window of 1 hour to go on the ride.

The two attractions may be located in different parks for guests with a Park Hopper ticket.

The attractions featured in this paid option are NOT the same as those in the base-priced Disney Genie+. The price for the popular rides “a la carte” will vary depending on the date, attraction, and park — which means, the more in demand the ride, the more it will cost to ride.

Find our Step-By-Step Guide to Booking and Buying Pay-Per-Ride Attractions through Individual Attraction Selection HERE!

Additionally, please note that you cannot modify your reservations for these rides once you’ve made — they cannot be changed to a different ride OR canceled. If you don’t show up for your reservation, you will NOT receive a refund. However, if the ride goes down during your time, you may be refunded IF the reservation can’t be rescheduled or the ride remains down for the rest of the day. Note that you may need to speak with a cast member at Guest Relations if you have any concerns regarding refunds if a ride breaks down during your reserved Lightning Lane time.

The instance above happened to us when we paid to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and it broke down THREE times. Here’s what happened.

Individual Attraction Selection Attractions in Walt Disney World

The full list of attractions that are available for Individual Attraction Selection in Walt Disney World is as follows:

Magic Kingdom:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• TRON Lightcycle / Run

EPCOT:

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Animal Kingdom:

• Avatar Flight of Passage

Hollywood Studios:

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

How much do Individual Attraction Selections cost in Disney World?

Here is a look at the price range we have seen for the rides that qualify for pay-per-ride in Disney World:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – $10 – $12 per person
• AVATAR Flight of Passage — $11 – $16 per person
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – $15 – $25 per person
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — $14 – 17 per person
• TRON Lightcycle / Run — $20 per person

The price will populate within the app so it can be seen prior to purchasing:

Remember, this WILL change depending on the date, but the current maximum price right now is $22. (Note that tax is not included.)

Individual Attraction Selection Attractions in Disneyland

The full list of attractions available for Individual Attraction Selection in Disneyland Resort is as follows. 

Disneyland Resort: 

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disneyland
• Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure

Again, guests are only able to schedule an arrival time (with a one-hour window) through this service for up to TWO high-demand attractions per day.

How much do Individual Attraction Selections cost in Disneyland?

Here is a look at the price range we have seen so far for the rides that qualify for pay-per-ride in Disneyland.  

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — $20 – $25 per person
• Radiator Springs Racers — $7 – $18 per person

The price will populate within the app so it can be seen prior to purchasing:

Remember, prices WILL change depending on the date, but the current maximum price right now is $25.

Read more about Individual Lighting Lane Attraction Selections here. 

What happens if an attraction you’ve already booked an Individual Attraction Lightning Lane for closes? 

If you happen to find yourself with an Individual Lighting Lane ride that closes, you’ll get an “experience redemption,” which is basically a boarding pass that lets you ride that attraction at any time of the day after it reopens.

For example, let’s say you pay for the Individual Lightning Lane option for Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios. The ride goes down, so you’re not able to ride it during the time you were told to return. You’ll get that experience redemption and can just go back later to the ride once it opens again.

But what happens if the ride doesn’t reopen at any point during that day? Then you qualify for a refund, BUT you’ll need to ask for it. Make your way to Guest Relations and ask for a refund if the ride does not reopen or if it’s announced that the ride will be closed for the rest of the day. HOWEVER, if the ride does reopen, you do not qualify for a refund.

Helpful Tips: Individual Attraction Selection

Feel free to visit any of the links below where we discuss the following hints and tips for Individual Attraction Selection in greater detail:

• How do I purchase Individual Attraction Selections? Find our Step-By-Step Guide to Booking and Buying Pay-Per-Ride Attractions through Individual Attraction Selection HERE!
• What rides do you recommend booking first? THESE are the rides you should book FIRST using Individual Attraction Selection.
• WHY should you pay EXTRA to ride Disney’s most popular rides? We discuss that HERE.
• Can I use Rider Switch? Guests can use Rider Switch with Individual Attraction Selection.
• When can I purchase Individual Attraction Selections? Guests staying at Disney-owned and operated hotels, The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, and Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort are able to purchase their first Individual Attraction Selection at 7AM each day. Guests staying offsite will be able to purchase their first selection when the park opens.
• Can Individual Attraction Selections sell out? Individual Attraction Selection attractions can sell out for the day, but may also be restocked later. It never hurts to check again!
• Do I need to buy Genie+ in order to purchase Individual Attraction Selections? You do not need to buy Disney Genie+ in order to use the Individual Attraction Selection service as these services work independently of each other.
• How does Park Hopping work? You can Park Hop (visit more than one park in one day) when using Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection AND Disney Genie+. However, the processes ARE DIFFERENT. Learn more about Park Hopping using Disney Genie+ HERE and learn more about Park Hopping with using Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection HERE.
• We also discuss whether you should Park Hop using Disney Genie+ HERE.
• What is surge pricing? Let’s talk about surge pricing for these pay-per-ride selections.

Find out HOW MANY RIDES our team was able to ride using the paid-for options in each park HERE.

Frequently Asked Questions and Helpful Hints and Tools

Hey, DFB… Do you happen to have some sort of FREE Guide with this handy Disney Genie info that I can print or download on my phone for easy access?

Why, yes! We do… You can save the free image below on your phone, print it out for use in the parks, or just bookmark it so you can come back to it during your trip.

Is Disney Genie+ worth buying? 

Well, it depends. If you’re visiting the parks on a weekend or other busy times of the year like the holidays, then it could definitely be worth it to be able to wait significantly less time to get on rides. We definitely think it’s worth it in Magic Kingdom, because the park has so many rides! 

But there are other times in other parks where it might not make sense for you to spend the money on Genie+. In Animal Kingdom or EPCOT during less busy times of the year, you might not even see long waits around the parks.

But you could also be in a situation where the Lightning Lane reservations book up quickly for popular rides and the remaining attractions have very low wait times. In this case, Genie+ can’t be used to its full potential. 

And, since high-demand attractions in all of the parks are part of the Individual Attraction Selection Lightning Lanes, it might make more sense for you to just pay for those rides instead of Genie+.

Is there a benefit to staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel for access to the Lightning Lanes? 

The benefit for hotel guests comes in relation to Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Selection for the more in-demand attractions. All guests have the ability to buy Individual Attraction Selections. Guests staying offsite are able to purchase their first one when the park opens. But those staying at Disney-owned and operated hotels, The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, the Swan Reserve Hotel, and Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort are able to make their first Individual Attraction Selection at 7AM each day.

We have a few posts discussing this Resort hotel guest perk:

• The BIG Reason You Might Want to Stay at a Disney World Hotel Right Now
• Do You Need to Stay at a Disney World Hotel for the BEST Pay-Per-Ride Choices?
• Here are some tips to make the 7AM Individual Attraction Selection release time for Resort guests go more smoothly.

Can I purchase Disney Genie+ ahead of my vacation? 

This depends on whether you are visiting Disney World or Disneyland:

As of June 8th, all Walt Disney World guests are ONLY able to buy Disney Genie+ on the DAY OF your visit to the parks. (The purchase window opens at midnight). Resort hotels guests are no longer able to buy the service pre-arrival as a vacation add-on. (If you have already bought Disney Genie+ for ticket dates later this year, you will still be able to use the service during your visit.)

Click HERE to learn about these changes to purchasing Disney Genie+.

In Disneyland, guests can purchase and add Genie+ to a park ticket or vacation package in advance for $30 per ticket, per day OR purchase it once they enter a theme park (which is subject to date-based pricing starting at $30 per ticket, per day) via the Disneyland app. Lightning Lane selections can be made upon entering the theme park in Disneyland theme parks.

When can I make my first Lightning Lane Selections in Disney World and Disneyland? 

Disney World guests can make their first Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation as well as their first Individual Attraction Selections (aka pay-per-ride) at 7AM each day, and guests not staying on Disney World property can make pay-per-ride Lightning Lane reservations when the park opens.

It’s a little different at Disneyland however. Disneyland guests will not be able to make their first Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation or book Individual Attraction Selections until they enter the theme park.

If I am a Disney World Annual Passholder or Disneyland Magic Key holder, do I have access to Disney Genie?

Yes. The free Disney Genie service is available to all Disney World guests and all Disneyland guests, including Annual Passholders and Magic Key holders.

Disney World Annual Passholders and Disneyland Magic Key holders are able to add Disney Genie+ and/or individual Lightning Lane selections on the day of their visit. Disneyland Magic Key holders may be interested to know exactly how Disney Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection is different from the previous MaxPass program, and you can find out here.

Why is 7AM such an important time now in Disney World? 

A few things now happen at 7AM (Did you really expect to SLEEP IN at Disney?!?)

• On-site guests can begin reserving Individual Attraction Selection time slots at 7AM
• Your first Genie+ reservation can be made at 7AM
• The first set of boarding groups for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind are made available at 7AM

Are there any discounts? 

So far, we have not seen any discounts announced for any features of Disney Genie.

Can Disney Genie+ sell out? 

Yes. It is rare, but we have seen this happen on especially busy park days and seasons in both Dismey World and Disneyland. THESE are the best indicators that you may need to act fast to get Genie+.

Also bear in mind that any attraction’s Lightning Lanes time slots CAN “sell out” (or book up) at any given time if they are in demand. Individual Attraction Selection Lightning Lanes can also sell out. 

In October 2022, the Disneyland website was updated to reflect that Disney Genie+ IS “subject to availability.”

Will more Lightning Lane time slots open up?

It’s possible! Plans constantly change throughout the course of a day and we’ve seen rides that were completely booked earlier in the day have availability open up again later on. We recommend you keep refreshing your My Disney Experience app or Disneyland Resort app for the most up-to-date availability. 

Is standby still an option for these attractions? 

Traditional standby lines are still available (as are Virtual Queues for select attractions, when in use). The purchase of Lightning Lane access through Disney Genie+ or Individual Attraction Selection is completely optional.

You can still use the standard Disney Genie planning service for FREE, if you’d like. Disney Genie+ and/or Individual Attraction Selections are optional. You can do none of these, all of them, or a mix.

Can Lightning Lanes actually have LONGER wait times than the Standby lines?

Based on our research and experience, the short answer is “no.” But you can join us for a deep dive into the discussion HERE.

What if the ride I have a reservation for goes down for technical issues or weather?

If a ride you have a reservation for is down for some reason during your return window, you won’t lose your reservation. 

For a Genie+ attraction: you’ll be able to make a reservation for another ride, and your original reservation will remain for the ride you had scheduled. You could also opt to use that reservation for a different qualifying ride (which will be a modified list of the rides included with Genie+).

For an Individual Attraction Selection (IAS) attraction: You’ll automatically be issued an “Experience Redemption Pass” in your My Disney Experience app or Disneyland app to return to that same attraction only (not valid at any other attraction) at any point later on in the day. You will also technically have the ability to purchase a third IAS for that day. 

I am traveling with a large group. How many people can I book at one time for a Lightning Lane?

While you experience may vary, a reader kindly shared their experience that they were able to book Disney Genie+ Lightning Lanes for up to 12 guests at once. For the pay-per-ride Individual Attraction Lightning Lane Selection lanes, they were only able to purchase 10 at once. 

The most important thing to remember is that Disney is always evolving, and features of this system could change at any time. Our team is in the parks every day continuing to test all aspects of the entire Disney Genie system and we’ll be sure to keep you updated with any new information!