As we plan our Walt Disney World vacations, we must carefully consider a lot and budget. Most of us know the basics, such as Resorts, tickets, dining, and souvenirs; however, there are a few additional costs that we now have to think through before our Disney trips.
One of these costs is Genie+. Genie+ is part of the new Disney Genie feature found on the My Disney Experience app. Guests can choose to purchase Genie+ during their Disney vacation. By adding Genie+ to their ticket, they are given access to the Lightning Lane for specific rides and experiences. This is a way to skip the more extended standby lanes.
Disney just announced that the cost for Genie+ will begin to have varied prices. Most days will continue to be $15 per day per person at Walt Disney World. The change will be seen on busier days such as Christmas, New Year, and other peak times. The cost will be $22 per day per person during these times.
This price increase has us wondering- is it worth it? We think the answer entirely depends on the day and your goals for the day at Disney Park. Let’s look at when Genie+ might not be worth the cost.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom: Worth It
One of the times that we think that Genie+ can be worth it is when visiting Magic Kingdom. We feel Genie+ is worth it at Magic Kingdom because of all the options Guests have for using it throughout their visit.
As Magic Kingdom has so many attractions that offer Genie+, it seems like guests can always find something to use Genie+ on. Even if it isn’t the most popular rides such as Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, or Jungle Cruise, other experiences such as Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Seas: Voyage of the Little Mermaid, or even Pirates of the Caribbean can be found throughout the day.
Magic Kingdom is an excellent place to use Genie+ because you have so many options to use it throughout the day-saving lots of time in lines.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom- Not Worth It
Where Magic Kingdom has many options for Genie+, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a limited number of options for Guests when it comes to Genie+. Because of the limited choices, we don’t think Genie+ is worth it at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
By arriving early, Guests can avoid long lines without using Genie+. We have some tips and tricks for this Park HERE that can help you with these plans. Remember that you can purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Avatar Flight of Passage without having Genie+. This is a great way to skip that long line in the morning and experience Kilimanjaro Safari or Expedition Everest.
With so few rides that offer Genie+ at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we highly recommend saving the money here.
EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios- Toss Up
These two Disney Parks are harder to determine if Genie+ is worth it. Both have many rides and experiences that participate in Genie+; however, it is often hard to get them.
At both of these Parks, it seems like return times for Genie+ quickly ends up in the evening. If you aren’t planning on being in the Park that evening, this can make Genie+, not worth it. On the other hand, if you plan to take time at the pool or rest, you can easily stack Genie+ return times for the evenings at these Parks. This makes having Genie+ worth it, as you can quickly experience a variety of rides with short wait times.
Going into EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a plan is essential for getting the most out of your Genie+ purchase if you choose to do so.
Visiting in the Evening- Worth it.
Another time we have found paying for Genie+ worth it is when we plan to be in the Parks at night. One of the frustrations with Genie+ is that Guests cannot choose their return times. Because they have to take the next available time, we often see these pushed to the evening during busy times.
If you have plans to return to a Park in the evening, you can often “stack” Genie+ return times. Even though you can only make one every two hours (if you haven’t used it), if you do this while relaxing at the pool, you can often get 3-4 return times for your evening. This is a fantastic way to get onto many rides without long waits. In this case, we think Genie+ is worth it.
Not Ride Focused- No Worth it
If you are heading into the Park and your focus isn’t on rides, then we don’t think Genie+ will be worth it. Most of the Genie+ options are rides; if this isn’t your focus, then purchasing Genie+ is probably unnecessary.
Genie+ isn’t always needed in the Parks, focusing on characters, shows, and food. You can typically experience these options with a good touring plan. Although some characters might see long lines in the middle of the day, you can often visit them early in the day and later at night with lower wait times.
There is no denying that Genie+ is expensive. Adding $15 or $22 per day per person adds up for Guests. There are some places where Genie+ can be super helpful; however, there are also some areas where we would skip getting Genie+ and save money. We hope that sharing these ideas with you will help determine if Genie+ is worth it for you during your Walt Disney World vacation.
