Since Disney released the exclusive skip-the-line tool in the Disney Parks in 2021, Genie+ has been confusing, to say the least.

Not only can the service be tricky to use, but it’s also pretty expensive. It can be hard to gauge when you need it and when you don’t as Disney World’s crowds have gotten a bit unpredictable. However, just when we thought that we were getting the hang of things and had a good system going with when to purchase Genie+ and what rides to use it for, Disney announced that it would be changing soon. Today, those changes went into effect, and we immediately noticed a BIG new problem.

The new Genie+ change was put into effect on June 27th, 2023, and we headed into the parks ready to try it out as well as talk to some Cast Members in the hope of getting the full scoop on the updated Genie+ situation. We found so much helpful information that could come in handy if you’re planning on utilizing Genie+ on your next Disney World vacation along with one pretty major problem that might affect your next trip. Let’s talk about it!

The Problem

With the new Genie+ changes, you buy the service based on which park you’ll be using it in. You can buy Genie+ for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the price for each park is different. If you’re planning to Park Hop (visit multiple parks in a single day), you’ll need to buy the multi-park option.

But here’s the problem: Disney will NOT sell you the multi-park option if Genie+ is sold out in ANY park. So if Genie+ sells out in Magic Kingdom, you cannot buy the multi-park option even if you were just planning to visit Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. When one park sells out of Genie+, the multi-park Genie+ option is gone as well. (We’ve seen Genie+ sell out a few times in Disney World, but it’s not a super common occurrence.)

So what if you still want to park hop but the multi-park Genie+ option is unavailable? You have a few options. First, you can park hop and only use Genie+ in ONE of the parks you’re visiting. Just buy Genie+ for that individual park and then use standby queues for the other parks you visit.

You can also choose to buy multiple single-park Genie+ services. So if Magic Kingdom is sold out but you had planned to visit Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, you’d have to buy Genie+ for BOTH Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. That could mean that Genie+ is pricier than you’d planned for that day.

We’ll be watching for any updates on this problem, but for now, it sounds like the multi-park rule is sticking around.

Learn more about how to use Genie+ here.

We also searched for some answers to other Genie+ questions we got from readers — here’s what we found!

Why did Disney change the system? I was just getting the hang of the old one!

According to a Cast Member, Disney’s intention with introducing the park-specific pricing is to keep Genie+ as the same system we already know and have been using since 2021 but offer specific prices for each park based on the value of the service there. Since there are more attractions offered with Genie+ in Magic Kingdom than in EPCOT, it’s more valuable in Magic Kingdom. When Genie+ had a single, set price, it was kind of unfair for it to cost the same in both parks.

The single park option has been introduced as a way to “discount” the pricing for those parks where Genie+ isn’t quite as valuable. Of course, that also means that the new system is a way for Disney to hike up the price where Genie+ is more valuable.

What if I don’t purchase the multi-park option in the morning and decide later on that I want to park hop?

If you buy Genie+ for a single park and then decide later that you want to park hop and use Genie+ in both parks, you can upgrade to the multi-park option if your ticket allows it (i.e., if you have a Park Hopper-eligible ticket). You’ll just have to pay the remainder of what the multi-park option costs compared to the single-park option that you’ve already purchased.

A Cast Member told us that this is not possible on the My Disney Experience app but that you must talk to Guest Services in person and upgrade that way.

If you don’t have a ticket linked to your account that has a Park Hopper option attached, you’ll be unable to purchase the multi-park ticket. Remember that upgrading will only be possible if ALL of the parks are available. If one park sells out, you’ll be unable to purchase the multi-park option and will have to purchase another single-park option.

Can I go ahead and book Lightning Lanes in other parks for later?

If you’re planning ahead for the day and see Lightning Lanes that are available in the park you’re hopping to after 2PM (when you can start Park Hopping), the app will allow you to go ahead and make those Lightning Lane selections for later on as long as you have the multi-park Genie+ option. However, you’ll still be unable to use those Lightning Lanes before Park Hopping hours, so you’ll have to be careful with planning.

For example, let’s say you start your day in EPCOT and plan to hop to Magic Kingdom later on. You buy the multi-park Genie+ option to use Genie+ in both parks. You can book Lightning Lanes in EPCOT for any time and use those while you’re in the park. You can also make Lightning Lane selections for Magic Kingdom as long as the return window is AFTER 2PM. (You can make the selections before 2PM, but the return window must be after 2PM since you cannot enter Magic Kingdom until after that time.) This is the same rule that applied before the recent Genie+ change.

How will this change affect vacation packages that already include Genie+?

The Cast Member told us that they would just be checking the Genie+ options included in vacation packages on a case-by-case basis because right now, it’s still very early and there are all sorts of ticket types floating through the parks. Contact guest services at Disney if you have questions about your specific vacation package.

How does pricing work? Is there a set price for each park or does it depend on demand?

The prices for all Genie+ options will fluctuate day by day much like they do now, but each park will be priced differently depending on demand for that specific park. The multi-park option will likely always be the highest-priced option.

We’re expecting the prices for all options to increase during busier times (like the summer break and holiday season) and decrease when demand for Disney World is lower.

If I purchase the multi-park option and don’t end up park hopping, can I downgrade to a single-park option and get my money back?

We asked a few different Guest Relations Cast Members this question and got conflicting answers. One Cast Member told us a simple “no” — once you buy the multi-park option, you’re stuck with it even if you don’t use it. However, other Cast Members told us that it is possible to downgrade as long as you visit a Guest Relations stand in person. They said that they have the ability to cancel and re-book your Genie+ selections, so you can get some money back that way. It’s possible that this will change, but it never hurts to ask politely if you run into this situation!

Whew! That’s a lot of info! However, we hope that it helped you guys out as much as it helped us. This new system is just that — NEW — so we look forward to learning more about it and providing you all with the best tips and tricks when it comes to navigating the system. Make sure to follow along for more!

Not interested in purchasing Genie+ at all? Click here for tips on navigating the parks without a skip-the-line service.

What do you think of the new Genie+ system? Do you like it more or less than the previous one? Let us know in the comments!

The post Big Problem EXPOSED by Today’s Genie+ Changes in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.