Welcome to your ultimate guide for navigating Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World. Let’s dive right in! We’ll be focusing on four key terms: Genie, Genie+, Lightning Lane, and Individual Lightning Lane.
Firstly, it’s important to distinguish between Genie and Genie+. Genie is a FREE service available on the My Disney Experience App, designed to assist you in planning your day. To access Genie, simply tap the three-line hamburger icon in the bottom right corner of the app, then under ‘My Visit,’ select ‘Today’s Plans’ with the Genie icon.
Genie+, on the other hand, is a PAID feature within the app. Each day you’re in the parks, starting at midnight on any given day you have a park ticket, you can purchase Genie+ for each person in your party. Genie+ includes select rides for which you can reserve Lightning Lane access throughout the day. It’s worth noting that Genie+ availability can be limited, so it’s recommended to purchase it as early as possible. While it opens at midnight, you can buy it later, but to ensure availability, aim to purchase it before 7 am, as you can make your initial Lightning Lane selection at 7 am.
The standard Lightning Lane is utilized when you’ve purchased Genie+ for the day. With Genie+, you can make Lightning Lane selections for various rides throughout the day, subject to availability. However, not all rides are covered by Genie+, leading us to Individual Lightning Lanes.
Individual Lightning Lane is a separate purchase made per ride, per person, and is distinct from Genie+. It’s reserved for rides not included in Genie+. While having Genie+ for the day is optional for purchasing Individual Lightning Lanes, it’s not a requirement.
Genie+ proves invaluable in several scenarios:
Individual Lightning Lane rides, not covered by Genie+, present a few scenarios where they can be beneficial:
As always, I’m happy to help you come up with a game plan based on my knowledge of wait times, Genie+, virtual queues, and lightning lanes! Fill out my quote form here and I’ll help you plan your entire trip, book your hotel and park tickets, secure hard-to-get dining reservations, and book magical extras such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Savi’s Workshop. My services are 100% complimentary. Disney pays me so you don’t have to! Learn more about my services here.
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