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Must Know Genie+ Facts for Walt Disney World

Genie+ has been getting a lot of press this week as it reached peak pricing at $35 per person. This planning feature can be added daily through the My Disney Experience app. By purchasing Genie+, Guests are given access to over 40 Lightning Lanes and, therefore, can pass the long standby lines. Doing this can save Guests time throughout their Walt Disney World vacation.

The cost of Genie+ is now based on surge pricing. This means that the cost will fluctuate based on crowd levels. The starting price remains at $15, with the highest price reaching $35 this week.

We have much information on how to get the most out of Genie+ on How to Disney. From which rides to focus on to which Parks might not need Genie+, we have tips for all of it. What we want to provide you today are the top facts about Genie+. These facts will help you be prepared to use Genie+ if you purchase it during your Disney vacation.

Genie+
Genie+

You Don’t Have to Purchase It Each Day

The recent crowds at Walt Disney World might have you thinking that you need to purchase Genie+ each day of your trip, but that isn’t the case. You can buy Genie+ daily starting at midnight. This makes skipping days you might not think you need Genie+ easy.

If you plan to focus on shows, dining, or other entertainment, you might not need to use Genie+. Think about your goals for the day to determine if Genie+ will help you navigate your day.

Related: You Will Want to Prioritize These Genie+ Bookings

Related: Genie+ or No Genie+ A Major Disney Vacation Dilemma

genie
genie

Have One Person Be In Charge

As you plan your strategy for Genie+, pick one person as the leader. This will streamline the use of the feature and keep the whole process slightly more manageable.

Start by ensuring everyone is connected under your friends and family section of My Disney Experience. Make sure that whoever is in charge can see everyone and manage everyone. This means that they will be able to make Genie+ selections for themselves.

You don’t want everyone in the app to click around and try to make selections. Have one point person that can make selections for everyone. This will get more out of the system.

Family at Disney
Family at Disney

Love Your Phone

Even though we all want to take time away from our phones while on vacation, this won’t be a reality if you use Genie+.  Since you will be checking My Disney Experience for wait times and Genie+ options, you will often look at your phone.

If this bothers you, schedule some time away by having breaks at the pool or just enjoying a meal or snack where you aren’t constantly running from ride or ride.

Because you are on your phone often, you will want to ensure you have those backup chargers ready so you don’t end up with a dead phone.

Dig Site Pool Coronado Springs Resort
Credit: Disney

Make Selections From Anywhere

A great feature of Genie+ is that you don’t have to be a Disney Park to make selections. This means you can hang out at the pool while making selections later in the day. Chill out in the morning or throughout the afternoon before heading back into a Park to enjoy Genie+.

This is an excellent option to take advantage of Park Hopping. You can start your day at Magic Kingdom while booking Genie+ return times in your second Park, such as Disney’s Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, for later that evening.

Use the ability to make Genie+ selections from anywhere to take breaks or move between Parks throughout your vacation.

credit: Disney

REFRESH

When making Genie+ selections, you are given the next available time. Because of this, you can often refresh (hard pull down from the top of the screen) to update and repopulate your options. Don’t give up if you initially don’t see a ride or a time that works for you.

Take time to refresh to double-check what could become available.

Mickey Mouse with Genie+ Logo
Genie+

Modify

One of the early complaints about Genie+ was that Guests weren’t able to modify their selections. Disney has recently adjusted this. Genie+ now allows Guests to modify their Genie+ selections. This means that Guests can adjust their times or ride if they find something that fits their plans easier.

We are so glad that Disney updated this option, making it much easier for Guests to make plans throughout their day.

One or More at a Time

You usually will hold only one at a time. Although there are ways to have more than one booked at a time – called stacking- this can be tricky throughout the day.

The best way to stack/hold more than one at a time is to book your return windows for later in the day. Doing this gives you a better chance of getting more booked at similar times as the day continues.

Keep in mind when you are stacking, Genie+ does allow you to overlap times. You can flex this to your advantage as you are given an hour for your return time. If you book Peter Pan’s Flight with a return window of 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., you can also hold a return time for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh for, say, 3:30-4:30.

This is possible because of the hour return time option. Pay attention to where the rides are in the Park so you have enough time to get to them within the window.

EPCOT Mornings
Credit: V Mills

When To Book 

You can book another Genie+ Selection three times during the day. The first two are straightforward. You either use that Genie+ selection, or you missed your return window. The third way you can book another Genie+ selection is the 120-minute rule.

120 minutes after you book a Genie+, or after the Park has been opened, you can book another selection. This means if at 7 am you book Peter Pan’s Flight for a return time of noon, you can book another Genie+ two hours after Magic Kingdom is opened.

Setting your cell phone alarm is the best way to ensure you get all this. This will help ensure you get all the benefits.

Genie Tip Board

Use the Tip Board

Finally, take some time to set up the Tip Board and My Genie Day. This will help you quickly navigate through rides and make your Genie+ selections.

By setting this up, you can quickly make your ride selections as they will be pinned at the top of your screen, making it easy to select. As you experience rides, you can remove them from Tip Board. This is a great feature that makes navigating Genie+ easier.

Genie+ is an excellent option for Guests wanting to bypass long lines; however, the pricing does add up. Ensure you know how to get the most out of your investment.

Related: Key Times When Genie+ is Worth it and When to Skip It

 

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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