Can someone explain Genie+ to me?

[Walt Disney1955]

We are in Canada, so for reasons that are out of our control I won't be going to Disney anytime soon. However, I always keep an ear to the ground to hear what is happening and I was wondering if someone can explain Genie+ to me. I am not the type that uses his phone to navigate around the parks, so would this just not apply to me at all?

 

[Graham9]

It's an app for your phone. It's the replacement for FastPass. Best explanation comes here;


I would suggest reading the comments about it afterwards.

Basically the former free FastPass is now being rebranded as Lightening Lanes. To use them you need the paid version of this app (Genie+). Not only that, but some attractions you not only need the app but an extra payment on top of that, which is not part of the park admission price.

The sting in the whole setup is having to pay $15 per person, per day to use it. So if you want any chance of going on rides, take an awful lot of money with you.

It is the reason why we are not coming to Disney for the foreseeable future.

 

[nickys]

Not only that, but some attractions you not only need the app but an extra payment on top of that, which is not part of the park admission price.

Just to correct you here.

You do not need to have Genie+ in order to pay for the super headliners.

 

[wdwmagic]

We are in Canada, so for reasons that are out of our control I won't be going to Disney anytime soon. However, I always keep an ear to the ground to hear what is happening and I was wondering if someone can explain Genie+ to me. I am not the type that uses his phone to navigate around the parks, so would this just not apply to me at all?

Disney Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane FAQ for Walt Disney World

Your most frequently asked questions about the new Disney Genie service coming to Walt Disney World.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Graham9]

Just to correct you here.

You do not need to have Genie+ in order to pay for the super headliners.

If that's the case, I stand corrected.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

So bottom line, it is not a mandatory thing am I right? It is just optional?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So bottom line, it is not a mandatory thing am I right? It is just optional?

Genie (without the plus) is like the park map, but on your phone, and it makes suggestions. Everyone gets it, but you're free to ignore it.

Genie+ is $15 per person per day, and works like the old paper FastPasses except it's on your phone instead of paper tickets.

IAS (individual attraction selections, which a lot of people refer to as "Lightning Lanes") are the top two rides from each park that are not part of Genie+ and "sold separately." All of these rides will still be rideable for "free" with either a normal standby line or a virtual queue.

 

[Graham9]

So bottom line, it is not a mandatory thing am I right? It is just optional?

Yes, it is optional.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's an app for your phone. It's the replacement for FastPass. Best explanation comes here;


I would suggest reading the comments about it afterwards.

Basically the former free FastPass is now being rebranded as Lightening Lanes. To use them you need the paid version of this app (Genie+). Not only that, but some attractions you not only need the app but an extra payment on top of that, which is not part of the park admission price.

The sting in the whole setup is having to pay $15 per person, per day to use it. So if you want any chance of going on rides, take an awful lot of money with you.

It is the reason why we are not coming to Disney for the foreseeable future.

Almost none of this is correct.

Genie is not an app, it's a feature in the Walt Disney World app. Genie is free, i.e. everyone gets it. Genie+ is not a "paid version of the app," it's a service that you buy.

 

[danyoung56]

IAS (individual attraction selections, which a lot of people refer to as "Lightning Lanes") are the top two rides from each park that are not part of Genie+ and "sold separately."

Just to be clear, a lot of rides will have Lightning Lanes, and will be accessible to Genie + at $15 per day. But the super headliner rides like SDMT and RotR will require an extra payment to use the Lightning Lane.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Just to be clear, a lot of rides will have Lightning Lanes, and will be accessible to Genie + at $15 per day. But the super headliner rides like SDMT and RotR will require an extra payment to use the Lightning Lane.

Yep.

1. Genie+ gets you into the Lightning Lane.
2, Individual Attraction Selections get you into the Lightning Lane.

People often (incorrectly) refer to #2 above as "Lightning Lanes."

 

[Disstevefan1]

We are in Canada, so for reasons that are out of our control I won't be going to Disney anytime soon. However, I always keep an ear to the ground to hear what is happening and I was wondering if someone can explain Genie+ to me. I am not the type that uses his phone to navigate around the parks, so would this just not apply to me at all?

It's too early to tell what kind of experience you will have if you just use stand-by lines.

Some supporters of the Genie app say the app will help to distribute the crowds and keep stand by lines to a minimum, so even if you are just using stand-by lines you could possibly have a better experience.

I read someplace a rumor that if a stand-by line gets too long, the stand-by is closed. And in that case, the only way to get on that attraction is to use Genie + or pay-per-ride. I think you need the app for these.

We will have to watch and see how this system evolves. My feeling is, if Disney is making enough money from Genie + and pay-per-ride they will stay with what is making money.

If they are not making the money they expect, they will tweak the system as needed.

It's actually good you will not be going to Disney any time soon as it will allow time for the system to settle into what it will be.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It's too early to tell what kind of experience you will have if you just use stand-by lines.

Agreed.

Some supporters of the Genie app say the app will help to distribute the crowds and keep stand by lines to a minimum, so even if you are just using stand-by lines you could possibly have a better experience.

At a minimum, Genie+ will have fewer users than FastPass+ did, so standby lines should move quicker. There will also be more people in them, so wait times might not decrease much, if at all.

I read someplace a rumor that if a stand-by line gets too long, the stand-by is closed. And in that case, the only way to get on that attraction is to use Genie + or pay-per-ride. I think you need the app for these.

That's not a rumor, that's baseless speculation.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Agreed.


At a minimum, Genie+ will have fewer users than FastPass+ did, so standby lines should move quicker. There will also be more people in them, so wait times might not decrease much, if at all.


That's not a rumor, that's baseless speculation.

I know I trigger you when I talk about the rumor about closing the stand-by lines. I am going to leave this rumor on the table as I would not be surprised if Disney does it "in response to guest demand"

Hey, let's hope it never happens and I can get into the standby line for FOP.

I won't try to speculate how long the stand-by for FOP will be when this new system in in place.

Optimistically they will not be longer than they were previously when we had FastPass.

 

[nickys]

I know I trigger you when I talk about the rumor about closing the stand-by lines. I am going to leave this rumor on the table as I would not be surprised if Disney does it "in response to guest demand"

Hey, let's hope it never happens and I can get into the standby line for FOP.

I won't try to speculate how long the stand-by for FOP will be when this new system in in place.

Optimistically they will not be longer than they were previously when we had FastPass.

Disney have said that there will always be a way to ride for free. So I don’t see them doing it.

I guess they could go the “Standby Return” route of DLP.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney have said that there will always be a way to ride for free. So I don’t see them doing it.

I guess they could go the “Standby Return” route of DLP.

Let's hope so! I am totally OK with a return time. I totally get that I am at AK at 10AM and I may get a 7:30 PM return time for FOP, I am OK with that as its free.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Genie (without the plus) is like the park map, but on your phone, and it makes suggestions. Everyone gets it, but you're free to ignore it.

Genie+ is $15 per person per day, and works like the old paper FastPasses except it's on your phone instead of paper tickets.

IAS (individual attraction selections, which a lot of people refer to as "Lightning Lanes") are the top two rides from each park that are not part of Genie+ and "sold separately." All of these rides will still be rideable for "free" with either a normal standby line or a virtual queue.

Sounds useless to me, and more importantly, a cash grab. No thanks. As long as you can still grab the maps at the front of the park, that's all I need. If it is the Magic Kingdom I barely need one anyway. Why are people unable to even peel themselves away from their phone while at a theme park? I had no problem navigating the old school way around the park and getting things done. Perhaps I am doing the opposite of what everyone else is and I make up time for it.

 

[Jrb1979]

Sounds useless to me, and more importantly, a cash grab. No thanks. As long as you can still grab the maps at the front of the park, that's all I need. If it is the Magic Kingdom I barely need one anyway. Why are people unable to even peel themselves away from their phone while at a theme park? I had no problem navigating the old school way around the park and getting things done. Perhaps I am doing the opposite of what everyone else is and I make up time for it.

Genie itself might be useless. I think Genie+ will be worth it. Unless you didn't use Fastpass.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Why are people unable to even peel themselves away from their phone while at a theme park?

I generally agree with this sentiment, but booking your next FastPass takes like 10 seconds. You can do it while you're standing at the urinal. It doesn't need to be an all-encompassing thing that takes up family time.

 

[RoadiJeff]

It's an app for your phone. It's the replacement for FastPass. Best explanation comes here;


I would suggest reading the comments about it afterwards.

Basically the former free FastPass is now being rebranded as Lightening Lanes. To use them you need the paid version of this app (Genie+). Not only that, but some attractions you not only need the app but an extra payment on top of that, which is not part of the park admission price.

The sting in the whole setup is having to pay $15 per person, per day to use it. So if you want any chance of going on rides, take an awful lot of money with you.

It is the reason why we are not coming to Disney for the foreseeable future.

Is the cost just $15/day to use this? If so, it is not near as high as Universal's Express Pass system. An unlimited Express Pass for one park (no park hopping) more than doubles the $132 per day cost of a ticket. For a single day ticket to one park with an unlimited Express Pass at Universal the cost came to over $287 with tax when I checked yesterday.