It seems like Disney World never has an off-season anymore and crowded parks mean more waiting in line. Disney World Genie Plus is a helpful way to pay a fee to spend less time waiting in lines, but only if you truly understand the system. After many tests these are our Disney World Genie Plus tips, full review, and when we think Disney World Genie+ is worth it.
Keep reading below for Disney World Genie+ in Florida, but use this article if heading to Disneyland in California instead.
- Disney World Genie+ Definitions
- Individual Lightning Lanes
- How Much Is Disney World Genie+?
- What Rides and Attractions Are Included with Genie+?
- How Do I Book Genie+ Lightning Lanes?
- Is Disney World Genie+ Worth It?
- Disney World Genie+ Tips
Genie Plus Definitions
The naming system of Disney World Genie+ is confusing, but here’s a quick overview of the four most important terms.
Genie is a free service included in the Disney World app. It is supposed to make recommendations based on crowd levels and your preferences to minimize waiting. However, we’ve found Genie is not very useful.
Disney World Genie Plus is a pay service that is purchased anytime after midnight on the same day as your visit. Genie Plus allows guests to book multiple Lightning Lane experiences for that day.
Lightning Lanes are a selection of Disney World rides and shows booked via Disney World Genie+. Reserve the next available one hour window and then head to your attraction during the return time. Scan into the Lightning Lane queue and skip the regular standby line.
Individual Lightning Lanes are purchased individually for extremely popular attractions like Tron Lightcycle Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Rise of the Resistance. Individual Lightning Lanes are booked for a one hour return window of your choosing based on availability.
On average pay $15 to $25 per person per ride to skip waiting in line. You DO NOT NEED TO BUY GENIE+ if you are only interested in paying for Individual Lightning Lanes.
Disney World Genie Plus Individual Lightning Lane Rides
Guests can purchase up to two Individual Lightning Lane Rides (ILL) each day. ILL prices vary by attraction and day. On-site guests book Individual Lightning Lane attractions at 7am, but off-site guests must wait until the park opens.
This means many popular ILL often sell out before, or within moments, of park opening.
Magic Kingdom Individual Lightning Lanes
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Tron Lightcycle/Run (official opening April 4, 2023)
Hollywood Studios Individual Lightning Lane
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Epcot Individual Lightning Lane
Animal Kingdom Individual Lightning Lane
- Avatar Flight of Passage
How Much Does Disney World Genie Plus Cost?
Disney World Genie+ prices vary by day depending on crowd levels, which park you choose, and if you plan on park hopping. Budget $18 to $35 per person per day for Disney World Genie Plus.
Purchase after midnight and start booking at 7am for the best chance of securing several included Lightning Lane attractions listed below.
Disney World Genie Plus Lightning Lane Rides and Attractions
Genie+ Lightning Lanes at Disney World include a mix of rides, shows, and several character meet and greets. Below is a list of included Lightning Lanes for each Disney World theme park.
I’ve bolded high priority Genie Plus Lightning Lane (LL) attractions. These LL are those most likely to run out early in the day, especially during high crowd days.
Magic Kingdom Genie+ Lightning Lanes
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
- Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
- Space Mountain
- The Barnstormer
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
Hollywood Studios Genie+ Lightning Lanes
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Play & Dance!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
- Toy Story Mania!
Epcot Genie+ Lightning Lanes
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Frozen Ever After
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Animal Kingdom Genie+ Lightning Lanes
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Festival of the Lion King
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
- Naʻvi River Journey
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
When Can I Book Disney World Genie Plus Lightning Lanes?
Not understanding when to book your next Lightning Lane is the biggest mistake I see people make with Disney World Genie+.
Everyone can buy Genie+ after midnight on their park day and book their first included Lightning Lane at 7am. Book your next Disney World Genie Plus Lightning Lane once you scan into the attraction OR it has been two hours since you last booked a ride.
Guests staying on-site can also buy Individual Lightning Lanes at 7am. Off-site guests can purchase Individual Lightning Lane attractions at official park opening time.
Here’s a simple example to make the most of Genie+:
- At 7am book your first Disney World Genie+ Lightning Lane selection.
- If your first selection has a return window within 2 hours of the theme park opening time, book a second Lightning Lane after scanning into your first Lightning Lane attraction.
- If your first Lightning Lane is more than two hours after the park opens, book a second Lightning Lane two hours after park opening.
Continue booking Disney World Genie+ Lightning Lanes:
- after scanning into the next booked attraction
- OR two hours from your last selection, if your return time isn’t ready
Guests with park hopper tickets can book Lightning Lanes at a second park for return times after 2pm.
Is Disney World Genie Plus Worth it?
Everyone has different budgets and expectations for their Disney World vacation. However, I’ll do my best to help you decide if buying Disney World Genie+ is worth it for your next trip.
Magic Kingdom has the most included Genie+ Lightning Lane attractions. With the new per park pricing Genie+ at Magic Kingdom consistently has the highest price, but is still a great choice when spending extra money to skip waiting in line.
High crowd times like spring break, Christmas, and other school breaks make for incredibly long wait times. Budget for Genie+ during these times or expect to spend your day in long lines. Even with Genie Plus you won’t get as much done as a random weekday in January, but it makes the trip much more enjoyable.
If budget isn’t a concern, I recommend Disney World Genie Plus for all four theme parks plus buying select Individual Lightning Lanes. This combination is expensive, but lets you do much more during a Disney World vacation.
I recommend skipping Genie+ for partial park days and most low to moderate crowd days at Animal Kingdom (if you rope drop). You can also skip Disney World Genie+ if you plan on using Magic Kingdom or Epcot extended evening theme park hours during low crowd days.
Disney World Genie+ Tips
Purchase Early and Book At 7am
Everyone can purchase and book Genie Plus Lightning Lanes starting at 7am on their park day. Booking your first LL early gives the best chance of snagging popular attractions like Slinky Dog Dash before the Lightning Lanes run out.
Set An Alarm
When your next Lightning Lane return time is over 2 hours away, setting an alarm helps you snag another LL exactly when your booking window opens.
Keeping the alarm constantly set for your next booking window means you’ll end up with more Disney World Genie+ Lightning Lanes than those who forget to book.
Have A Backup Battery
Booking LL, making mobile orders, and checking wait times on the Disney World app uses a lot of battery on mobile phones. Keep a charged battery backup in your park bag and always have a quick charge with you.
I prefer my Anker charger (affiliate link: Buy on Amazon), but Disney World Fuel Rods are a decent option in a pinch.
Check Genie+ After Scanning Into Lightning Lanes
Not sure if it is time to book your next Lightning Lane after scanning into your current ride? If you’ve lost track of when to book your next LL, simply check the app.
The Disney World app tells you the next time you can book. Set an alarm for a future time or book right away if you are eligible.
Always Book Your Next Available Lightning Lane
Sometimes the next available Lightning Lane attraction times don’t work with your dining or tour reservations. In these situations it is tempting to wait to book your next Lightning Lane.
However, Disney World Genie+ now allows modifications to existing Lightning Lanes. This means you can book, start the 2 hour clock for your next Lightning Lane, and then modify the existing reservation for a time or attraction that works better with your plans.
Download The Disney World App
Before your Disney World trip, download the Disney World app (Google Play or Apple App Store) and confirm everyone in your group is properly linked in My Disney Experience.
You can only book Genie+ Lightning Lanes or purchase Individual Lightning Lanes for people linked to your account. Avoid a panicked start to your day by having this done before your first day of vacation.
Final Thoughts On Disney World Genie+
Using Disney World Genie Plus is more competitive than the same service at Disneyland, but still often worth the extra expense.
Booking at 7am, keeping an alarm set for your next reservation window, and understanding high priority Lightning Lanes helps get the most out of this pricey service.
Planning a Disney World vacation? Use our planning timeline checklist to make planning easy!
