UPDATE: Disney Genie and Lightning Lane has launched as of October 19, 2021 at Walt Disney World. ALL of the information and Frequently Asked Questions in this guide have been updated to reflect the most current information as of the launch.

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Disney recently announced that Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will be receiving new services named Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lane this fall. As part of this announcement, FastPass, FastPass+ and Disney MaxPass services will be retired, with these new services taking their place.

Often referred to as “Paid FastPass,” these new programs will offer more than just skip-the-line options, but it starts to get confusing when you dig into it. That’s why we’re breaking it down and answering some of the most common questions.

For our purposes here, we will be focusing on how the system will work at Walt Disney World. Last Updated: 10/21/2021

The Basics – Overview

Disney announced a new service that will not only be replacing FastPass for Walt Disney World, but will also add additional features to the existing app to help you plan your day.

Disney Genie will be a FREE service, included in the My Disney Experience app we already use at Walt Disney World. This free service will help you plan your day at the theme parks by showing anticipated wait times for attractions, help you mobile order your meals, and more.

You can pay to upgrade your free service to Disney Genie+ (notice the “+” at the end). Disney Genie+ costs $15 per member of your party, per day. It is not required for your visit to the parks though, and is an add-on.

Disney Genie+ is a way to get Lightning Lane access to certain attractions. And Lightning Lane is the new name for the FastPass line.

While most attractions allow you to book a Lightning Lane reservation using Disney Genie+, a couple rides at each theme park are excluded from the service. These are some of the more popular attractions, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom. To get Lightning Lane entry for these rides, you would need to pay for an individual Lightning Lane pass, which is not included in Disney Genie+.

Those are just the basics, but I am sure you have plenty of questions now, (I know I did,) so the next sections will describe each of these services in more detail. If you’re already familiar enough with them, you can skip down to the Frequently Asked Questions below to find your specific question.

Disney Genie (Free Service)

Disney Genie allows you to input your party’s general interests, and will give you personalized suggestions throughout the day.

From specific attractions with low wait times, to when is the best time to place your mobile order for lunch, Disney Genie will help guide you with touring details catered to you.

Here are some of the ways you can use Disney Genie:

• Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day, so you can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.
• Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
• Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.

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Disney Genie+ (Available for Purchase)

Disney Genie+ is an add-on available for the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort.

How to Purchase Disney Genie+

• Before Your Visit:
  Available as an add-on to a ticket or vacation package for the duration of visit. Purchase via Disneyworld.com or authorized travel professionals.
• Same Day of Visit:
  Available for single-day use for existing ticket holders or Annual Passholders. Purchase via Disney Genie service in the My Disney Experience app.

This optional add-on allows you to make reservations for access to the newly branded “Lightning Lane” entrances for most attractions, formerly known as FastPass. You can only make one Lightning Lane selection at a time, and not all attractions are included in the Disney Genie+ price.

Lightning Lane selections can only be made on the same day of your visit, but they can be used across multiple theme parks, suitable for park hopping.

After purchasing the Disney Genie+ service, you can book your first reservation via the My Disney Experience app beginning as early as 7:00 AM on the day of your visit.

Disney Genie+ also unlocks additional features like augmented reality lenses at the parks and Disney parks-themed audio experiences (that can tell you facts about things at the parks).

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Individual Lightning Lane (Available for Purchase)

Certain attractions are not included in the Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selections.

These include more popular rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios.

For these more popular attractions you can pay to reserve a time for up to two a day, ala carte. You DO NOT have to purchase Disney Genie+ to be able to reserve one of these single attraction Lightning Lane reservations.

Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park, and range from $7 to $15 per attraction per person at launch. These prices may vary over time.

Individual Lightning Lane purchases allow you to select a return time from available options, but you are not be able to modify or cancel your ala carte selections once they have been purchased.

Confirmed Participating Attractions List

This list has been updated to include all attractions that feature Lightning Lane. Note that attractions marked as “Individual Only” will not be included in Disney Genie+, but will be available for a separate individual purchase.

Magic Kingdom

• “it’s a small world”
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Enchanted Tales with Belle (Once reopened)
• Haunted Mansion
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Individual Only)
• Space Mountain (Individual Only)
• 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

EPCOT

• Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
• Frozen Ever After (Individual Only)
• Journey Into Imagination with Figment
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Individual Only)
• Soarin’
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
• Disney Jr. Dance Party
• For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular – Returning Dece 19, 2021
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Individual Only)
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Individual Only)
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Toy Story Mania!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Avatar Flight of Passage (Individual Only)
• Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King
• DINOSAUR
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (Individual Only)
• Feathered Friends in Flight!
• It’s Tough to be a Bug
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Na’vi River Journey
• The Animation Experience

It’s worth noting that all of the attractions listed above do still feature a standby line, except for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, which is currently operating as virtual line only at this time. Any rides utilizing virtual line only will either require a free Boarding Group reservation or an individual paid Lightning Lane reservation to experience them.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – DISNEY GENIE (Free Service)

Is Disney Genie required for any reason?
No. You do not have to use this free service if you do not want to. It was designed to help you get more out of your visit.

Where do I download the Disney Genie app?
Disney Genie is inside of the existing Walt Disney World My Disney Experience app we already use. You may need to update your app to reveal the new functions.

Why should I use Disney Genie?
It is a useful way to view and make dining and other reservations for a given day through the app. (You still cannot make park reservations through the app though.) Another useful feature is forecasted wait times, which can be sorted by your own personal favorites. That way you know when is the “best” time to get in line.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – DISNEY GENIE+ (Paid Service)

How much will Disney Genie+ cost?
Disney Genie+ costs $15 per day per ticket holder at Walt Disney World. (This may change in the future.)

When can I purchase Disney Genie+?
Before your vacation you may be able to add Disney Genie+ as an add-on for all of your ticketed theme park days, either through the official Disney World website or an authorized travel agent. Passholders and single-day ticket holders can purchase Disney Genie+ in the My Disney Experience app on the day of their visit, (any time after midnight).

Where can I purchase Disney Genie+?
You can use the free Disney Genie section of the My Disney Experience app any time, and then on the day of your visit you can pay to upgrade it to Disney Genie+ through the app as well. (You may also be able to purchase the service when buying a vacation package ahead of time.)

Will everyone in my party need to manage their own reservations using their own mobile device?
No. Just like the rest of your vacation planning, you can manage Lightning Lane reservations, and other Disney Genie features, for your entire party using one account on the app. Be sure everyone’s park tickets are connected to the same account prior.

How early will I be able to make ride reservations using Disney Genie+?
All guests will be able to reserve their first attraction beginning at 7am. You can only reserve one attraction at a time using Disney Genie+.

Can I reserve all my Lighting Lane reservations for the day in advance?
No. You will only be able to make one ride reservation at a time using Disney Genie+. Once you use one, (or 120 minutes passes,) you can make your next one.

When is the soonest I can make my next Lightning Lane reservation using Disney Genie+?
You can make your next Lightning Lane reservation using Disney Genie+ either after you’ve used your current reservation -OR- after 120 minutes from the last time you made a Lightning Lane reservation, whichever comes first. (Note: The 120 minutes does not include any time prior to park opening.)

How long will I have to arrive when it’s time for my Lightning Lane reservation?
You will have a one-hour window to experience the attraction once it is time for your Lightning Lane reservation.

Can I select what time I would like for my Lightning Lane reservation using Disney Genie+?
Uou can only select the current time that is available for any given attraction using this service, which Disney says is the “next available” time. Refreshing the page may show a different time though. (Individual paid ala carte Lightning Lane reservations do allow you to select from multiple options, more info in next section.)

Can I reserve Lightning Lane for the same attraction more than once in the same day?
No. You can only reserve a specific attraction once per day using Disney Genie+.

Am I limited to reserving Lightning Lane for attractions only in the same park?
No. You can reserve your next Lightning Lane reservation for any park, suitable for park hopping, (as long as that time is after park hopping opens).

Can I still ride attractions I DO NOT have a Lightning Lane reservation for?
Yes. You can still get into a standby line for any attraction, (except for any attractions that require a Boarding Group).

Can I cancel or modify a Lightning Lane reservation?
Reservations made using Disney Genie+ can be cancelled using the app. You must cancel your existing reservation to be able to replace it with a new one though. (You cannot modify an ala carte individual purchased Lightning Lane however.)

Who is eligible to purchase Disney Genie+?
Anyone with a valid theme park ticket or annual pass can purchase Disney Genie+. There is no discount for annual passholders.

Do I have to purchase Disney Genie+ for every day of my vacation?
No. You can purchase Disney Genie+ on a daily basis, or not purchase it at all if you wish. (Select vacation packages that are purchased in advance may come bundled with your tickets and Disney Genie+ service, and that may include every day of your visit automatically.)

Will Disney limit how many guests can purchase Disney Genie+?
No. Disney has said that Disney Genie+ will not sell out on any day. It is possible that the number of total Lightning Lane reservations per attraction will be limited though, similar to FastPass reservations. Because of this, passes for certain attractions will run out sooner than others. You may want to consider that before purchasing Disney Genie+ later in the day.

Do on-site hotel guests get anything special for Disney Genie+?
No. On-site hotel guests do not receive anything special for this service. They are however able to reserve paid ala carte individual Lightning Lane reservations before regular guests (see next section for details).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – INDIVIDUAL RESERVATIONS (Paid)

How much will individual Lightning Lane reservations cost?
Pricing will range from $7 to $15 at launch, depending on the date, the attraction, and current demand. These prices may change going forward.

Will ALL attractions have ala carte pricing?
No. Only 2 high demand attractions per park will offer Lightning Lane reservations by themselves for an additional cost. All other Lightning Lane attractions will be included in Disney Genie+ except these select few. See the list above for which rides we expect to be included.

Will I need to purchase Disney Genie+ first to then be able to purchase individual reservations?
No. You can purchase individual Lightning Lane reservations with or without having Disney Genie+ activated for the day.

When can I purchase individual reservations?
On-site hotel guests can purchase their individual Lightning Lane reservations as early as 7AM the day of their visit. All other guests will be able to purchase them after that particular park opens.

Can I select what time I want for individual reservations?
Unlike Genie+ selections, yes, you can select from multiple options. Choose a time of day and multiple times will be displayed. As the day goes on, there may be less available. (If you select a ride for a park you don’t have a park reservation for, you will only be shown times beginning at 2:00PM, when you can park hop.)

How many individual reservations can I purchase per day?
You can only purchase up to 2 total individual Lightning Lane reservations. Both can be scheduled at the same time.

Will I have to wait until I use one before purchasing another individual reservation?
No. You can purchase up to two individual reservations at the same time, but you can only have 2 total per day.

Can my 2 individual reservations be for the same attraction?
No. You can only reserve a paid individual Lightning Lane once for an attraction for the day. For instance, you cannot pay for Lightning Lane for Avatar: Flight of Passage twice in the same day.

Can my 2 individual reservations be at 2 different parks?
Yes. You can purchase an individual Lightning Lane reservation for one park and one from another park. For example, you can purchase a reservation for Avatar: Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom and another for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom. As long as you can park hop using your ticket, you can purchase your 2 reservations for 2 different parks, and at any time.

Can I get a refund if I cannot ride one of my individual attraction selections?
Disney says that if a ride breaks down and remains closed for the remainder of the day, your credit card will automatically be refunded for that purchase price. If the ride breaks down and comes back online, but you are unable to return, you can contact guest services to receive a refund. You may not be entitled to a refund for any other reason, but you could always speak with guest services for more information.

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That’s all for now, but let us know in the comments if there’s a question you couldn’t find an answer to above. Some of the details contained in this story may be subject to change as they continue to tweak and implement updates to the service now that it has launched. Last Updated: 10/21/2021

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