How much is Disney Genie+?
The starting price for Genie+ at Disney World is $15, but it fluctuates depending on the day and demand. It can also sell out. Disneyland also offers Genie+, starting at $25 with the additional perk of unlimited PhotoPass downloads.
Disney World’s price hit $35 the week before Easter, a popular Spring Break week and opening week of TRON / Lightcycle Run, which is not included with Genie+ but is available through a free virtual queue or a la carte Individual Lightning Lane purchase.
What does Genie+ include?
Genie+ allows guests to spend less time waiting in line for many, but not all, popular experiences across Disney World. Those include attractions like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT, shows like “Festival of the Lion King” in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and various character meet-and-greet opportunities.
“On average, guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using Lightning Lane entrances, if the first selection is made early in the day,” according to the Florida resort. Lightning Lanes are expedited queues for guests with Genie+ reservations.
Guests with Genie+ also get free digital PhotoPass downloads from select attractions and access to special Disney-themed PhotoPass Lenses through Disney World’s app.
Is it worth paying for Genie+?
Using Genie+ last month, I only waited 5 minutes for Peter Pan’s Flight, one of the most popular attractions at Magic Kingdom, when the posted wait time was 80 minutes. And even though it was Spring Break season, I had no trouble booking Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and Mad Tea Party as well.
I could have booked even more attractions, but I kept losing track of time. The My Disney Experience app shows you when you can book your next Genie+ experience; I was just busy with other things.
I didn’t add up every minute from every attraction like I did last year, but I’m confident I saved hours. For $29, Genie+ was worth it to me.
Why Genie+ is still worth it to me
While everyone’s preferences, priorities and budgets are different, I would rather pay to spend less time in line and have more time to enjoy other park experiences – even if it stings because FastPasses were free.
Of course, there is a limit. For instance, I don’t buy Universal Express Passes at Universal Orlando Resort because their starting price of $89.99 is too high for me. At present, Genie+ is still within reach for my family and costs much less than adding extra park days, hotel nights and meals to our short trips.
When Genie+ isn’t worth it
You definitely don’t need Genie+ to enjoy Disney World, and there are plenty of reasons you may want to pass on the paid service.
If you’re visiting on off-peak days with fewer people and shorter wait times, there’s really no need for Genie+. You can still plan your day using the resort’s free regular Genie tool and save your money for something else.
If you’re taking a long trip and have ample time to revisit the parks or have the luxury of visiting multiple times a year, you don’t need to make the most of every minute. Instead, check wait times posted outside attractions and on the resort’s app. If a line looks too long, just come back another time.
If you’re footing the bill for multiple people, like a large family, or it’s already a stretch to afford your vacation to begin with, Genie+ can become prohibitively expensive – especially across multiple days. I always get Genie+ for Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the world. But to save money, I don’t necessarily buy it for other parks.
If you don’t mind waiting in line like we all used to before FastPasses, if you prefer to be spontaneous and not booking things on your phone throughout the day, or if you don’t really care for rides and just enjoy being in the parks for the food, parades and other experiences, you don’t need Genie+ either.
