When Disney World introduced Genie+, EVERYTHING changed.

We suddenly had to learn the ins and outs of how best to use Genie+, help you decide if it’s worth it, and learn all about every tip and trick we could figure out. But Genie+ has actually changed a LOT since it was first introduced in 2021, so we’re going to go over those changes to make sure you’re as up to date as possible on ALL of the features of the service.

Okay, so if you’re not familiar with Genie+ at all, here’s a quick introduction. Genie+ is an additional feature on the My Disney Experience app that allows you to bypass the standby lines for rides and access the Lightning Lanes for those rides instead, preferably for a much shorter wait time.

Many of Disney World’s rides are included, save for the more popular (and newer) rides, which have pay-per-ride system. The pay-per-ride system is the Individual Lightning Lane option and just means that those rides require an ADDITIONAL payment per person to ride if you want to access those Lightning Lanes (and skip standby lines).

Okay, got it? Well, Genie+ has seen a LOT of changes since it was first introduced, so we’re going to give you a full rundown of those so you’re ahead of the curve.

Surge Pricing

When Genie+ was first introduced, you paid one price per person for the service, no matter the day and that price was $15. However, Disney introduced surge pricing in 2022, which meant that Genie+ would cost MORE on days it was more in demand (aka busy days in the parks). That means on slow days, you may only pay $15, but on busy days, you can pay up to $35 (which is the highest we’ve seen so far — we expect that price could increase).

If you’re budgeting for a Disney World trip, you’ll have to figure out just how busy you think the parks will be during that time and guestimate the cost for Genie+ if you do plan on buying it for your trip. So think about this — will you be visiting during a holiday, holiday weekend, Spring Break, or during a special event? Then Genie+ will cost you more.

WHY Disney Raised Genie+ Prices and How To AVOID Paying More

Free On-Ride Photos

Although you might be paying MORE for Genie+ now than when it was introduced, a new perk is now available through the service. You now get unlimited FREE downloads of all your on-ride photos through PhotoPass for the day you purchase Genie+. 

That means you can get your ride photos from Space Mountain, Test Track, Expedition Everest, Haunted Mansion, and more if you purchased Genie+ on the day you rode those rides.

Here are all the ride photos you can get free through Genie+

Genie+ Selling Out Faster More Often

If you want Genie+ on any given day in Disney World, you’re going to have to be FAST to purchase it because during busy times, we’ve seen it sell out multiple days in a row before lunchtime. You can purchase Genie+ as early as midnight on the day you need it, so you might have to stay up late to make sure you get it while it’s still available.

If it does sell out, there’s not much you can do, but if you know you’re visiting Disney World during a busy time, that’s a good indicator to be ready to buy it at midnight.

Here are the signs that Genie+ might sell out

Whew. We know that planning a Disney World trip is A LOT. And this Genie+ thing can be so confusing – which is why we bring you posts like this so often But we’ve also put together a complete guide in ebook format that gives you all of the info you need, all in one place! Use code WDW2023 for 25% off our DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World.

Ability to Modify Lightning Lane Times

When Genie+ was first introduced, if you couldn’t make your Lightning Lane time or wanted something a bit more convenient for your schedule, you would have to cancel your Lightning Lane time and then re-book it. In 2022, though, Disney changed the feature so that you can now easily modify your Lightning Lane times. That includes changing specific members in your group, too, if someone decides they don’t (or do) want to ride something.

Note that this change did not roll over to the Individual Lightning Lane option. Those reservations are not modifiable or refundable, so you’ll need to make sure you choose the right time when you book them.

Here’s how to modify your Lightning Lane time in Genie+

 

When You Can Book Your Next Reservation

You can only make Lightning Lane reservations one at a time, and only AFTER you’ve scanned into the Lightning Lane at that ride can you make your next Genie+ Lightning Lane selection. HOWEVER, there’s an exception to that rule: If you make a Lightning Lane reservation that is more than two hours in the future, then after two hours pass, you can make your next Lightning Lane reservation.

Before, you’d have to keep track of when you could book another Lightning Lane in your head, but now, Genie+ will tell you when you can make your next Lightning Lane selection, so the app keeps track of it for you. It will show at the top of the screen in the “My Disney Genie Day” part of the My Disney Experience app.

Here’s more on how that works

Note that MORE changes could be on the horizon for Genie+. For example, something that often happens is that once a ride is no longer really NEW, it might fall off the Individual Lightning Lane list and become a ride available on Genie+.

We also don’t know just how high the price can go, so we could anticipate it being even higher when the parks are crowded (perhaps around the holidays). We also expect to see Genie+ sell out on even more dates, so that will change things a lot, too!

So if you’ve never used Genie+ or if you’ve used it before these changes went into effect, we want to make you aware of updates to the service. We’ll also continue to keep you updated on Genie+, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

Have you used Genie+ recently in Disney World? How’d it go? Let us know in the comments!

The post 5 Disney Genie+ Updates That Change Everything first appeared on the disney food blog.