Theme Park Today

theme-park-today

Your Virtual Ticket to Theme Park Adventures

Is Genie Plus Worth It in Disney World?

This is your complete guide to answer the question, “is Genie Plus worth it?” The Disney Genie service debuted October 2021 bringing with it Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane. The Disney Genie+ is the paid portion of the Disney Genie service that essentially lets you skip the line in similar fashion to the retired Fast Pass system.

Since that time, many Disney guests have been wondering is Genie+ worth it and if they should spend their money to purchase the new service. That’s why we’ve written this article to help you decide for yourself!

 

What is the Disney Genie Plus 2023?

is-disney-genie-worth-it

We are going to start this guide with the main reason why many of you are here and that is, is it worth getting Disney Genie Plus? We would say as a general rule of thumb if your main objective is to get on rides as quickly as possible it is worth it to get Disney Genie Plus. The Disney Genie+ is a paid service that guests can use while visiting the Disney parks to essentially skip the stand-by lines and have shorter wait times. This service replaced the free FastPass system at Walt Disney World and the MaxPass system at Disneyland. 

As you’ll see below answering the question of is the Genie + service worth it? might not be as black and white as it seems. As every family visiting Disney World is different and some might benefit using the Disney Genie Plus service as specific parks over others. 

Start Here When Deciding If Disney Genie Plus is Worth It

The first step to deciding if the Disney Genie is worth it or not is to come up with a ride priority list. This will allow you to see if your list includes some of the most popular Disney World rides with the longest Disney World wait times. If you’re unfamiliar with the Disney World rides or how to come up with a park plan for your vacation we always recommend The Park Prodigy. 

The Park Prodigy vacation planners are Disney World experts and the best part is every customer receives Free park plans for their Disney World vacation. 

Disney Genie vs Genie Plus

So, there is some confusion when it comes to differentiating between the different components of the Disney Genie program. All guests traveling to Disney parks have the option to use the free Disney Genie service, which is a trip planning tool. The Disney Genie will give you recommendations based off your personal itinerary for dining, ride times and more.

The Disney Genie+ is the paid portion of the Genie, which allows you to select return times to use the Lightning Lane entrance to skip stand-by. Both the Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ can be used through the My Disney Experience app on your phone.

What is Lightning Lane vs Genie Plus?

Now, the last thing to compare when wondering if the Genie+ pass is worth it is the Individual Lightning Lane purchases vs Genie+. The main difference between Genie Plus vs Lightning Lane is how you book and pay your attraction selections. 

Guests also have the option, whether you purchase the Disney Genie+ or not, to pay an individual fee for attractions. There is a certain set of rides that will not be included on Genie+ that are available for a a one time fee. These rides are typically the most popular attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Flight of Passage.

Related post: Complete Guide to Eating Cheaply at Disney World

How Does Disney Genie Plus Work 2023?

is-disney-genie-worth-it

To fully answer the question is the Genie Plus service worth it, we do have to explain how to use it. There are some circumstances with the Genie Plus that guest might find to be complicated or time consuming if you’re looking for a relaxing vacation. Guests visiting Walt Disney World can purchase the Disney Genie Plus starting midnight on the first day of their visit. Once purchased, starting at 7am you can begin making your first Disney Genie+ selections on rides like Living with the Land, Haunted Mansion, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Star Tours.

With that being said, there are some other rules that might change your mind to determine if the Genie Pass is worth it or not. Unfortunately, all of your Genie+ selections cannot be booked together at 7am. Rather, you can only make your second Genie+ selection after you’ve ridden the first ride OR two hours have passed since you made your first reservation.

How many Genie Plus rides at a time?

While technically you can have more than one ride selection at a time on the Disney Genie+ service, it is hard to have more than one or two booked at a time with the time constraints. So, it can be difficult to predict what rides will be available when you go to make your selections after your first attraction. For that reason, many guests wonder is Genie Plus worth it.

Can you reserve an attraction more than once on Disney Genie Plus?

Unfortunately, you can only ride an attraction one time with the Disney Genie+. That is also true for Individual Lightning Lane selections and should be taken into consideration when debating if you want to buy the service. If you’d like to ride an attraction twice, you will have to utilize stand-by for the second time. 

This is unlike the old FastPass system, where you could book an attraction as many times as it was available to book. Some guests expect the Disney Genie plus to be exactly like the old system which is it not. Therefore, you might want to take that into to consideration when wondering is Disney Genie Plus worth it.

How does Genie Plus work at Disneyland?

If you’re heading to the west coast Disney park and wondering is Genie Plus worth it, do not fret. All of the rules are essentially the same as the Disney World Disney Genie, with slight differences. The Disneyland Genie Plus system is very similar to the MaxPass system that was in place before the Genie.

The main differences between Disney World and Disneyland Genie Plus are the following:

  • If you are already at Disneyland, you can only purchase the Disneyland Genie Plus AFTER you have been scanned into the park for the day. 
  • You can purchase the Disney Genie plus as an add-on for the length of your ticket beforehand. 
  • There is no onsite advantage with Disneyland Genie Plus
  • You get free Disney PhotoPass on the day of your purchase

Related post: The Top 15 Best Disney World Restaurants

How Much Does Genie Plus Cost?

So, how much is Disney Genie Plus? Like we mentioned above, the Disney Genie+ service does cost money at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort. In this next section, we are going to lay out pricing and help you decide is the Genie+ service worth it or not.

How much is Genie Plus at Disney World 2023?

  • Pricing is variable depending on the day between $15 – $30 per day

How much is Genie Plus at Disneyland 2023?

  • There is date-based pricing, starting at $25 but can go up depending on how busy it is. 

What’s All Included with the Disney Genie+?

So, what is included with Genie Plus? While mostly the Disney Genie+ service is used for skipping stand-by lines, there are some other features that guests can benefit from with their purchase.

  • All guests have access to exclusive Disney PhotoPass AR lenses through your smart phone for fun interactive photos that make for great souvenirs. You can change Cinderella Castle to the retro pink cake 25th Anniversary overlay, or even take a selfie with Grogu.
  • Disneyland guests can enjoy free PhotoPass for the day they purchase Disney Genie+. That means all pictures taken in the parks can be downloaded from the My Disney Experience app, which typically costs money and is not included with the Walt Disney world Genie+.
  • Free Audio Tales with behind-the-scenes facts from Imagineers and other fun facts about the resort.

How Far in Advance Can I Buy Genie Plus?

While in the past, you could purchase the Disney Genie+ when you bought your tickets into either Disney park. As of June 8th, 2022, you will no longer be able to purchase Disney Genie Plus in advance. You can only purchase Genie+ the day of your theme park visit.

Does the Disney Genie Plus Sell Out?

While the Disney Genie+ service will always be available to buy, that doesn’t mean that attractions offered through the service wont all be booked before you can get to them. If it is a peak time, you might have to be very attentive to the app to ensure you get all of the selections you want. So, is the Genie+ worth it?

Related post: Complete Guide to Single Rider in Walt Disney World

What Rides are Included in Genie Plus?

is-disney-genie-worth-it

In this next section we are going to list all of the Genie Plus rides at Disneyland and the Genie Plus Disney World rides. Some guests determine if Genie+ is worth it depending on how many rides are included versus the cost of the service.

Walt Disney World Genie+ Rides

Magic Kingdom

  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • See Mickey at Town Square Theater
  • See The Princesses at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Space Mountain (through August 7th, then returning to be an individual Lightning Lane selection)
  • Splash 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

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

  • 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
  • Naʻvi River Journey
  • The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

EPCOT

  • Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Living with the Land
  • Mission: SPACE
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Test Track
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Turtle Talk with Crush

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

  • 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: Smuggler’s Run
  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • See Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams
  • See Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Toy Story Mania!

Disneyland Genie+ Rides

Disneyland

  • 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
  • Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Disney’s California Adventure Park

  • 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

Related post: Complete Guide to Meeting Princesses at Disneyland

Is Disney Genie Plus Worth It 2023? Pros and Cons

To determine if the Genie+ service is worth it or not, we are going to compare the pros and cons of using it.

Disney Genie+ Pros

  • You get to skip the line! There is nothing worse than waiting in long lines all day, especially with little ones, so getting on as many rides as possible with low wait is a huge pro!
  • You can get on many attractions with Genie+. Guests using the Disney Genie Plus have reported that you can ride almost everything you want with this service and tends to be more successful than the old FastPass system.
  • One of the best benefits of Genie Plus are that at Disneyland, PhotoPass is included, therefore all of the photos you would typically have to pay for are included!

Disney Genie+ Cons

  • It costs money. Unfortunately, Disney lovers will know that in the past, this service used to be free at Disney World. With the rising costs of Disney vacations, it is just one more expense that can be hard to swallow after everything else being so expensive.
  • You have to wake up at 7am to book! If you are not an early riser, you might hate this about the Disney Genie+ system.
  • It is difficult to have more than one attraction Lightning Lane at the same time with the complicated rules of the Disney Genie+.
  • The system is live, and can be glitchy. If you have selected a return time, it could potentially change by the time you confirm your selection on the end screen. This makes is difficult to plan your day if you can’t be certain when your return time will be.

When is Disney Genie+ Not Worth It?

is-disney-genie-plus-worth-it

There are certain times throughout the year when we do not think that you will need the Disney Genie service. We have some tips that can save you some money and time in the parks, and should definitely be considered when wondering, “is Genie Plus worth it?

  • Slow season – When crowds are lower at the Disney parks, you are going to see shorter wait times. If the wait times are already low, you might not want to waste your money. Check out the Crowd Calendar over at The Park Prodigy to see if it will be busy during the length of your visit!
  • Disney Resort Hotel guests might not think Disney Genie+ is worth it with the Early Theme Park Entry perk that comes along with it. Disney hotel guests are allowed a half hour early into the theme parks to begin enjoying the attractions, which might make the Genie+ not worth it.
  • If you don’t want to be glued to your phone! Using the Genie+ service requires you to be on the screen a lot to get the Lightning Lane selections you want.

Related post: Guide to the Best Disney Snacks Magic Kingdom

Which is Better Lightning Lane or Genie Plus? 

disney-genie-plus-vs-lightning-land

Another very common question we receive is, which is better lightning lane or Genie Plus? And as a general rule of thumb, guests will always get on more rides with the Disney Genie Plus. The main reason is the Disney Lightning Lane will only include one skip the line pass in each park. While the Disney Genie Plus service will include the ability to skip a majority of the lines at each park. 

So when deciding if the Disney Genie Plus is worth it vs the Disney Individual Lightning Lane we would always suggest to create a Free park plan to understand which rides are the most important to you. 

Related Page: How the Disney Genie Works

Final Answer: Is the Disney Genie Plus Worth It?

pros-of-single-rider-line

The answer the question of is Genie Plus worth it or not is difficult, because it depends on what you want out of your trip. We believe that if you have smaller children and are visiting Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios, the Genie+ service would be worth it. There are many attractions with long lines especially during peak season in those two parks, and standing for hours in the hot sun can be difficult for anyone.

If you’re an attractions lover, you might think Disney Genie+ service would be worth it, as well. Guests who have used the Genie+ have reported to getting on all of the rides they wanted and more. If you’re using it on Disney Genie Plus rides at Disneyland, you also get PhotoPass included, which is a huge perk.

Genie+ might not be worth it for those who are looking to save money and are fine with planning their trips around crowds. Travel companies like The Park Prodigy offer Crowd Calendars to help guests predict when the parks are going to be busy or not.

Whether you choose if the Genie + service worth it or not, you’re bound to have a good time inside of the Disney theme parks. If you’re looking for expert travel advice or discounted Walt Disney World tickets, check out our friends over at The Park Prodigy for all of the latest deals.

Related post: What is Go Away Green at Disney?

Is Genie Plus Worth It FAQ

Is Genie Plus available at Disneyland?

Yes, Disney Genie+ is available at Disneyland. It is slightly different than Disney Genie+ at Walt Disney World, but both offer a “skip the line” service.

Is Disney Genie free?

While the Disney Genie planning tool is free through the My Disney Experience App, you will have to pay for Disney Genie plus. You can purchase the Disney Genie Plus at Disneyland and Disney World to use the Lightning Lane services offered through it.