Genie+ and Lightning Lane First Timer Primer
The Disney Genie service is a FREE planning tool available on the Walt Disney World and Disneyland app for smartphones.
****The free version of Genie does not include access to lightning lanes.****
The service works like this:
Choose attractions, restaurants, and accommodations in the app.
The app creates a generalized plan for your day, suggesting attractions with short wait times and recommending dining options. It also allows you to make reservations or pre-order food to minimize wait times.
How to Use Genie
Genie is an excellent option if you have some spare time and are looking for additional recommendations for things to do in your area. Genie is also a great resource for real time dining and snack recommendations.
I do not recommend relying on Genie for your full day of plans, it is just not robust enough for planning a full Disney day in advance because:
The app doesn't allow creating plans in advance. It only shows plans on the morning of the park visit, which makes it less useful for activities that require advance reservations. Most reservations for dining are made 60 days in advance of your trip and you need a strategy for selecting lightning lanes ready to go by 7am on your park day. The app does not allow for that kind of advanced planning.
While following the app's plan reduces wait times compared to wandering randomly, customized plans for specific dates and needs are still recommended.
The app prioritizes short waits over must-see attractions, suggesting nearby rides with shorter wait times instead of the attractions you have selected for your day. This will allow you to do more attractions, but might not get you to the headliner attractions that you’d really like to see.
The app requires manual management as it may continue suggesting rides that have already been experienced. Recommendations need to be deleted if not desired.
Lightning Lanes
Lightning Lanes are special entrances available at select attractions that allow you to skip the regular line and quickly access the ride, usually within 10 minutes or less. This system is similar to the now-discontinued FastPass system, but it is no longer included with the ticket price.
In most cases, there is a fee to use Lightning Lanes.
Each guest is limited to one Lightning Lane reservation for any specific ride. While you can ride almost any ride or show multiple times by waiting in the regular line, rides that use a virtual queue are an exception. However, the Lightning Lane can typically only be used once.
Using Lightning Lanes
During the return window of a reservation, you can go to the Lightning Lane entrance of the attraction and "tap in" by touching or scanning your ticket or MagicBand at the Mickey symbol.
If you see a green light, you can proceed into the Lightning Lane, which should allow you to access the attraction (either the loading zone or the first pre-show experience) within approximately 10 minutes.
If you see a blue light, it indicates a problem, and the attendant at the entrance can provide information on the issue. Usually, it means you arrived too early or late, but the attendant can suggest different options based on the specific situation displayed on their console.
How to Get Lightning Lane access
Disney’s Genie+ Service Explained
Disney Genie+ is an upgrade that provides Lightning Lane access to select attractions. By purchasing Disney Genie+, you can enjoy faster access to one ride at a time from a set of popular attractions throughout the day.
At Walt Disney World, Genie+ can be purchased for one day at a time as needed. At Disneyland, Genie+ can be added to your ticket package or purchased a la carte, one day at a time.
General Guidelines
With Genie+, once purchased, you can book your first Lightning Lane selection at 7:00 am, regardless of the park's opening time. This applies to both Disney-owned resorts and off-property hotels.
Occasionally, the final reservation time may differ from the time shown on the booking screen. If this happens and the new time doesn't work for you, you can try using the modify option to find a suitable time.
All your booked reservations, including Genie+, restaurants, and events, can be found in the "My Day" section of the app. Additionally, you can view a few upcoming reservations at the top of the app's home screen (tap the little house in the lower left to access the home screen).
If you have a 1 Park Per Day Ticket, you can only select rides in a park where you have a reservation. If you have a Park Hopper Ticket or Annual Pass, you can select rides at a park where you don't have a reservation, but you can only book return times after park hopping is allowed.
Once you have made a Genie+ reservation, you can make a new one after certain events or when a timer runs down. There are two main triggers for booking a new reservation:
You can make a new reservation once you have used the most recent one. When you tap the Mickey symbol at the Lightning Lane entrance, your reservation is considered "used." Some rides have two tap points, and you may need to tap the second one before you can make your next reservation. Please note that using a different reservation does not restore eligibility; only the most recently booked reservation does.
OR 2 hours after booking a new Genie+ reservation, whichever comes first.
Regardless, if you are using Genie+, you will want to set an alarm for every 2 hours so that you can make a reservation at that time. If the reservation you want is not available, make any reservation. Waiting until the one you want is available will push your times forward because the rule is 2 hours after booking your last reservation.
👉🏼 When in doubt - Try making a new reservation. The app will indicate if you are not eligible and provide a reason. If you recently made a reservation, the app will also indicate when you will become eligible again.
Additional Considerations
When you make a new Genie+ reservation, a eligibility time is set and you cannot book additional Genie+ reservations until that time expires, which is the earlier of -
The end time of the reservation you just made.
Two hours (120 minutes) from the current time. One exception is if you made the booking before the park opens, in which case it's two hours from the official opening time of the park where the attraction is located.
Modifying a Genie+ reservation (whether the most recent one or any other) does not reset the two-hour countdown clock.
If you cancel your most recent Genie+ reservation before the eligibility time ends, you can book again. The eligibility time is no longer relevant.
If a Genie+ ride is unavailable during your reservation window, you will receive a replacement pass. These passes are as good as gold because they can be used in many locations at any time! The My Disney Experience app will notify you and provide a "Lightning Lane – Select Experiences" pass in the My Day section. This pass is valid for the rest of the day and can be used for attractions in the same tier as the one you missed. Check the pass to see eligible attractions.
You can modify a Genie+ reservation to change the time or the ride, you can only make modifications if there are still passes available for that time frame. Modifying a reservation does not reset the 2-hour clock for booking the next reservation.
The system allows you to make a reservation that overlaps with another reservation, but it will warn you about the overlap, pay attention to this when stacking and park hopping and be confident that you actually have time to make that connection.
Using Genie+
To Make a Genie+ Reservation
To make a Genie+ reservation, follow these steps:
Open the app and go to the "Tip Board" section.
Look for attractions with a "Genie+ Lightning Lane" button and a listed time.
Tap the button to reserve a time window for that attraction.
If you haven't purchased Genie+ yet, the app will guide you through the process.
After purchasing, it will take you back to the Tip Board to reserve your Lightning Lane time, please note that the time for the reservation may have changed because reservation times roll over quickly.
To Cancel a Genie+ Reservation
To cancel, follow these steps:
Open the My Disney Experience app and go to the “My Day” section of Genie.
Select one of your upcoming Lightning Lane reservations.
Tap on "Cancel." After canceling, you can make a new reservation, even for the same ride. Please note that you have until a few minutes after the reservation end time to cancel your reservation.
Individual Lightning Lanes
In each park, you can purchase separate Lightning Lane reservations for the most popular attraction(s). These reservations are not included in Genie+ and can be bought a la carte. Unlike the "rolling" nature of Genie+, where you "get what you get and don't throw a fit" as long as there is availability, Individual Lightning Lane purchases offer more flexibility in selecting a specific time slot. This allows you to fit it more precisely into your plans.You can buy up to two reservations per day. Prices vary based on ride popularity and park attendance. Prices are higher on weekends and holidays.
General Guidelines
If you're staying at an official Disney-owned resort, you can start making Individual Lighting Lane reservations at 7:00 am for that day only. If you're staying at another hotel, you can start making individual paid ride reservations at the official opening time for the park that ride is in.
You can make Lightning Lane reservations for both individuals at once, without any waiting period like Genie+. Some reservation slots may be sold out later in the day, and eventually, there may be no more available slots. With a 1 Park per Day Ticket, you can only select rides in the park where you have a reservation. With a Park Hopper Ticket or Annual Pass, you can make reservations at a park where you don't have a reservation after the park hopping time.
You can only make one reservation per ride each day. Once you've used or let expire an Individual Lightning Lane reservation for an attraction, you cannot make another reservation for the same attraction.
Individual Lightning Lane reservations are separate from Genie+ reservations, so making Individual Lightning Lane reservations does not affect your ability to make Genie+ reservations if you purchase both.
If your ride goes down during your reservation window, you should be assigned a special pass. This pass allows you to ride that particular ride once at any time for the rest of the day. If you don't receive the pass, please visit Guest Relations. If the ride remains closed for the entire day, you are entitled to a refund. Please note that you may need to visit Guest Relations if the refund is not issued automatically. If the ride becomes operational again, but you were unable to ride due to leaving the park or having another conflict, you will not receive an automatic refund. Nonetheless, Guest Relations should still be able to assist you.
Making an Individual Lightning Lane Reservation
To make an Individual Lightning Lane selection, follow these steps:
Open the app and go to the "Tip Board" section.
Look for attractions that have an "Individual Lightning Lane" button displayed, along with a starting time and price.
Tap the button to book a reservation.
The app will show you all the available times to book for that day, starting from the time listed on the button and continuing throughout the day.
Choose a suitable time, select the number of people in your party, and proceed to payment.
If you don't have a credit card linked to your Disney account, you will need to provide payment information.
That's it! You've successfully made your Individual Lightning Lane selection.
You cannot cancel or modify paid Individual Lightning Lane reservations. Guest Relations staff have the technical ability to modify one, but will only do so under special circumstances.
I have found that Genie+ Is the most useful when it is used as a part of a well planned itinerary. If you’d like some expert advice on planning your Disney Vacation, you’re in the right place!