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Is Genie+ Worth the Cost in Walt Disney World

Genie+ has brought with it a lot of questions, frustrations, and confusion, but also some great opportunities and magic for Guests traveling to Walt Disney World.  Let’s take a look at exactly what Genie+ is and then dive into if we think it is worth the cost.

genie+
Credit: Disney

What is Genie+?

Genie+ was introduced as part of Disney Genie in October 2021.  Disney Genie is the free planning tool found within the My Disney Experience app.  This feature provides Guests with suggestions throughout their day in the Disney Parks.

Based on crowds and Guests’ preferences, Disney Genie will suggest dining locations, rides, shows, and other activities in the Disney Park.

Genie+ is a paid feature that Guests can choose to add to their Walt Disney World Park ticket.  The cost for Genie+ is $15/day/person.

By purchasing Genie+, Guests are then given access to the Lightning Lanes throughout the four Theme Parks.  These queues allow Guests to skip the standby line and enter the attraction with a much lower wait time.

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Credit: Disney

How to Get Genie+

So if you are interested in purchasing Genie+, how do you do so?  Up until June 8th, Guests have two ways they are able to purchase Genie+ for their vacation.  They may choose to add Genie+ to their whole package ahead of time.  If they don’t want it every day, Guests can choose to purchase it the day of starting at midnight.

After June 8th, the only way Guests will be able to purchase Genie+ is by purchasing it the day of through the My Disney Experience app.

Starting on June 8th, there will no longer be the option to pre-purchase Genie+.  Disney has stated that there will be a limited amount of Genie+ sold to help make sure Guests who do purchase this option will have a good experience with it.

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Credit: Disney

Experiences Available with Genie+

Let’s look at what rides and attractions are available at each of the four Theme Parks with Genie+.  This will start our discussion on if Genie+ is worth the cost.

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
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credit: Disney

EPCOT

  • Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Frozen Ever After (through August 7th, then returning to be an individual Lightning Lane selection)
  • 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 StudiosAlien 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 (through August 7th, then returning to be an individual Lightning Lane selection)
  • 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!

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
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Is Genie+ Worth the Cost

We believe there are a lot of different considerations that go into determining if Genie+ is worth the cost or not.  First, we would dive into what Disney Park you will be attending that day.  As you can see from the list above, not all Theme Parks are created equal when it comes to Genie+ selections.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a lot fewer options for Genie+ compared to Magic Kingdom.  If your goal is to use Genie+ to get to the most attractions in a day, it might not be worth it in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  With fewer rides, you can definitely tour without Genie+.

The next question you want to think about is what rides you are hoping to experience when in Walt Disney World.  For those hoping to hit big attractions such as Rock n’ Roller Coaster, Slinky Dog Dasy, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Genie+ might be extremely helpful.

For those traveling with little ones who will be focused on the shows or taking the Parks slower, you might not need Genie+.  We highly recommend thinking through what rides you will focus on in the Disney Parks to help determine if Genie+ will be worth the cost.

Christmas Party
Credit: Disney

We also suggest looking at the time of the year you are going.  If you are traveling during the busier times such as spring break, Easter, or the holidays, Genie+ might be worth the cost to skip some of the long lines that build throughout the Disney Parks.

Thinking about your overall touring plans for the Disney Parks is also helpful in determining if Genie+ will be worth it.  If you are one that likes to move from ride or ride, this might help you get a few more experiences in by skipping some long lines.  If you like to take breaks in the afternoon and hop to another Park in the evening, Genie+ might be worth it as you can think about booking the evening Park as you rest.

Genie+ is an adjustment when it comes to planning a Walt Disney World trip.  There is a lot to know about this feature.  We have a few posts on How to Disney to help if you have more questions.  We highly recommend checking them out.

Determining if Genie+ is worth it for your family is something we can’t answer for you.  We do hope that breaking down some of these questions will help you think about it and then determine on your own if Genie+ will work for you in Walt Disney World.

 

 

Jennifer Retzlaff

Jennifer became a lifelong Disney fan during her first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of her life. She quickly started to introduce her love of Disney to her family with a Disney honeymoon and then family trips when her youngest was 18 months old. She loves the magic that Disney brings to people through theme parks, cruises, and adventures. As a teacher, she tries to bring Disney magic into her classroom to help kids believe that “If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It.” She is also part of the Magic Vacation Planner team as a personal travel advisor. With this team, she can now help others plan magical vacations. She loves bringing her love to Disney to readers with How to Disney.

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