Genie+ Cheat Sheet

Published by Amy Frazier on

Tips & Tricks for Genie+

  • Geine+ is the paid service that allows guests to book Lightening Lanes for select rides across Disney Parks.  Price per person, per day will vary based on the date and park.
  • All guests may purchase Genie+ beginning at midnight on the day of their visit.  Unless you are visiting at extremely busy times, it is typically safe to wait until the morning of to purchase this service.
  • Lightning Lanes are the physical entrances guests use by booking Lightning Lane passes with Genie+
  • Individual Lightning Lanes are additional paid, a la carte selections at each park.  Guests who purchase ILLs will also use the LL entrance.
  • Guests can select single park Genie+ service or choose a multi-park option if they plan to park hop.
  • Guests DO NOT have to purchase Genie+ to purchase Individual Lightening Lanes.  Currently ILLs are available for Tron & Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT, Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios, and Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom.  Guests may purchase up to TWO (2) Individual Lightening Lanes per day.
  • All Guests may select their first Lightening Lane of the day beginning at 7:00 am, regardless of hotel reservations.
  • Walt Disney World Resort guests are also able to purchase Individual Lightning Lanes beginning at 7:00 am.  Guests without a Walt Disney World hotel reservation may book ILLs beginning at park open.
  • Guests are not able to select times for Lightening Lanes and are assigned the next available time.  Between 7:00 am and 7:30 am, return times will not be displayed on the MDE app.
  • Once a LL is booked, it can be modified from the My Disney Experience app to change to a more desirable time.
  • After booking the first LL at 7:00 am, guests may book their next and subsequent LLs after using the first Lightning Lane OR 120 minutes after park open, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. If the current LL is booked after park opening, guests may book their next LL after the current one is used or 120 minutes from when the current LL was booked.  If that is confusing, the app will tell you when you may next book a LL.
  • You will want to book your most important ride first. These rides are the ones which typically become unavailable first in each park:
    • MAGIC KINGDOM: Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise,
    • EPCOT Frozen Ever: After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track
    • HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n Rollercoaster, 
    • ANIMAL KINGDOM: Navi River Journey
  • It is our opinion that unless visiting at peak holiday times (including Spring Break), it is probably not necessary to buy Genie+ for Epcot or Animal Kingdom
  • Even if the next available time for a LL is not ideal, go ahead and book it, then try to modify for a better time.
  • When you are setting up your Genie Day, only select about 4 attractions at a time.  Those selected attractions will appear at the top of your potential LL list.  Once you have booked and/or used a LL for your desired ride, remove it from your Genie Day and replace it with the next most desired ride. 
  • Make use of the morning hours, including Early Entry if applicable.  You may then “Stack” LL for the afternoon and evening when the crowd levels pick up.
  • If you are not a morning park person, it is still worth getting up at 7:00 am to book your first LL.  Then you can stack throughout the day until you are ready to enter the park.
  • STACKING (for afternoon park entry): Assume park open is 9:00 am; at 7:00am book your first Lightening Lane return time. If that return time is earlier than you want to enter the park, modify to get a later time. Also purchase any Individual Lightning Lanes at this time.
    •  When the park opens at 9:00 am, the 120 minute clock starts.  I recommend setting an alarm on your phone to remind you at 115 minutes.  At 11:00 am, book a second LL. Set your clock / timer for 115 minutes then book a third LL and so on.
    • Once you enter the park and begin booking LLs, you will be able to book the next LL once you have used one.
  • STACKING (with morning park entry): Assume park open is 9:00 am. At 7:00 am book first Genie+ LL return time, modify if desired.  The 120 minute clock begins at park open (9:00 am in this scenario), so at 11:00 am book a second Lightning Lane ASSUMING YOUR FIRST RETURN TIME HAS NOT BEEN CALLED. Once your first return time has been used, you can then book another LL.

After this crash course, you should be able to handle anything Genie+!  

Have a MAGICAL TIME!

Categories: Feature