Last updated on July 5th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Walt Disney World has introduced three new programs in place of the FASTPASS system. Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane. Genie is free, and both Genie+ and Lightning Lane are separate purchases. So, is Genie Plus worth it? Is Lightning Lane worth it?
Are you looking for more info on planning a Walt Disney World vacation? Check out our Walt Disney World Planning Guide for just $4.99 with 70+ pages of information, packing lists, and more for the best vacation possible! Or, sign up for our newsletter to get a code for 20% off!!
Genie
Genie is free to use, and helps plan an itinerary for your Disney day. Input what you like (fast rides! Princesses! It’s a Small World!), and Genie will work its magic. You can view forecasted wait times, make dining reservations or mobile orders, and look up showtimes.
If you’re not a hardcore Disney World planner, using Genie can help keep your day moving and getting you on the rides and attractions you’re most interested in.
Make sure you’re checking the app throughout the day for itinerary changes or suggestions on where you could go next!
Genie+
Genie+ is a new pay service offered by Disney that’s the most like FASTPASS. It’s $15 per person, per day, and has to be purchased the day of starting at midnight. So you’re probably thinking “is Genie Plus worth it?”
Starting at 7am the day of your visit, jump on the Disney World app and make your first Genie+ selection.
From there, you can make another selection after one of the following:
- You’ve used the Genie+ reservation you made
- You’ve missed the return window for your Genie+ reservation
- It’s been 120 minutes since you made your last Genie+ reservation, or it’s been 120 minutes since the park opened
The number of people who can purchase Genie+ is a set amount, so if you’re up at midnight try to get it, or first thing in the morning!
When it’s time for you to return to the ride, head right to the Lightning Lane entrance!
So, is Genie Plus worth it? In my opinion, it depends on a couple things:
- What’s the crowd level at the park?
- If the crowd level is pretty low, you probably won’t have a hard time getting on the rides you want
- If the park is busier, Genie+ can help you get on rides faster, and save time during the day
- Make sure someone is checking the app throughout the day, and as you use other Genie+ reservations to make your next one
Rides available through Genie+
Magic Kingdom – Genie+ Attractions
- The Barnstormer
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (seasonal)
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- See Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- See Mickey at Town Square Theater
- See Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Splash Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
EPCOT – Genie+ Attractions
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE – Green
- Mission: SPACE – Orange
- Soarin’
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Test Track
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Genie+ Attractions
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
- Disney Jr. Dance Party
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
- See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours
- Toy Story Mania!
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Genie+ Attractions
- The Animation Experience
- Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
- DINOSAUR
- Feathered Friends in Flight
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Na’vi River Journey
Lightning Lane
Last but not least is Lightning Lane! Lightning Lane is similar to Genie+, but is available for two or three rides at each park, for a separate purchase. Pricing ranges between $7-17 per person, per ride.
Disney hasn’t shared the factors that go into pricing, but varies by day and isn’t announced ahead of time.
Make a decision with your group on who is interested in purchasing Lightning Lane, so you don’t buy more passes than you need. And make sure you assign someone to purchase the ride passes right at 7am, so you’re more likely to get your spot.
Also keep in mind, you can only purchase two Lightning Lane passes per day. They don’t have to be at the same park, but you are limited to two.
We talked about is Genie Plus worth it, but is Lightning Lane worth it?
These are the most popular rides in the park, hence the reason they’re available for purchase. You can certainly wait in line for these rides, but depending on the crowd level, you might be waiting a long time. A lot of what you’re paying for is saving time, so you can get on a popular ride quicker and still do everything else you want.
If you’re less worried about getting on other rides, and are ok with waiting in a long-ish line, then you can save some money and forego Lightning Lane.
But if this is a once in a long time trip, and you want to do everything and then some, it might be worth spending a little money to make sure you get to go on the rides you want.
And keep in mind, you don’t need Genie+ to purchase Lightning Lane passes. So you can pick and choose what you spend your money on.
Magic Kingdom
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
EPCOT
- Frozen Ever After
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Expedition Everest
What do you think? Is Genie Plus worth it? Is Lightning Lane worth it?
