Genie and Genie + is here whether we are ready or not!  Launching on Tuesday, October 19th, the newest version of “planning Disney” is here and we have much to learn. This “in the park” tool promises to help ease the stress of doing all the park planning and allows you to get the most out of your Disney vacation. 

The Genie service will guide you on the best times to visit characters, dine at your favorite restaurant or ride your favorite attractions, all in one place! A whole new world is upon us! 

Conveniently built right into the My Disney Experience app, Disney Genie and Genie + will launch on October 19 at Walt Disney World. You don’t need to download anything additional to your smart devices or learn a whole new app. Just be sure to have the most up-to-date version of the My Disney Experience app downloaded on your phone. Using your phone and this app is the only way you’ll be able to take advantage of this new service.

So, what exactly will this new Genie service do for you? Let’s find out!

Before we begin, let’s first clear up some confusion. There are two different versions of this new tool – Genie and Genie +.

Both are available in the My Disney Experience app as of October 19:

• Genie is a completely FREE planning tool available to all Guests visiting Walt Disney World. Anyone can use the Genie features to help you plan your day while you’re at the parks. This is an important key point, “while you’re at the parks”. The tool is meant to create spontaneity and flexibility to your day, while you’re in the moment, allowing you to build the perfect park day totally based on your favorite things to do. 

• Genie + is a paid feature in the app and is the replacement for what we previously called FastPasses (even though those were free). You get all the features of the free Genie planning tool, plus for $15 a day/person, Genie + allows Lightening Lane access (formerly FastPass lanes) to 40+ attractions and experiences across all four parks allowing shorter wait times to all your favorite rides. Visit here for a complete list of attractions included. Genie + is completely optional and not required to still have an amazing park experience. 

Genie (Free Planning Tool)

How does it work?

Genie is a complimentary service built to help you create your best Disney day possible, all based on you and your party’s top interests. Upon launching the free service in the app, you’ll have the opportunity to share what attractions, food, entertainment, and special interests you like. Genie will then grant you a personalized itinerary based on all of the information you entered and will update itself throughout the day providing you the best possible park experience.

What’s included? 

Tailored Recommendations

Based on what you tell Genie you and your party like, Genie will offer recommendations and suggestions throughout the day inspired by things you are most interested in doing. It allows you to focus on what makes you most happy while in the parks. Genie will even notify you when is a good time to visit your favorite attraction or experience and provide you with an estimated wait time. The new tool will take into consideration the ebbs and flows of the park day, the crowd levels, and your top priorities crafting an itinerary that’s customized just for you. It can’t get more personal than that! Want to update your preferences during the day? You can at any time. Your itinerary will update according to your new entries. 

Personalized Daily Itinerary

Within the app, there is a “My Day” tab. This is where all of your customized itinerary plans are located, such as dining reservations, Disney Resort hotel reservations, and activity bookings. As you make changes, the daily itinerary will change accordingly, always providing you with the best possible suggested experience. Have questions during the day? You’ll also find a virtual chat option where you can ask a Cast Member any questions at any time.

Custom Tip Board

This is probably the most important section of the tool. Here you’ll be able to see current and predicted wait times for any of your top attractions, entertainment, and dining. You’ll also be able to order food, make dining reservations, check into a restaurant or request to join a virtual queue (currently Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT). You’ll also be able to book Lightening Lane arrivals if you choose to upgrade to Genie + (paid feature).

As more is learned, we’ll be sure to update any new features or tips for managing Genie. 

Genie + (Paid Feature)

Want to get the very most out of your day and maximize your park time? This feature is for you. For $15 per day/person in your party, you will have the benefit of booking Lightening Lane arrivals and/or skip ahead of the standby or virtual queue.

How to purchase?

• Before Your Visit:  Available as an add-on to a ticket or vacation package for the duration of the visit. Purchase via Disneyworld.com or Love of the Magic Vacations (authorized travel planners).
• 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.

The best part? You don’t have to use Genie + everyday. You can pick and choose the park days that make the most sense for you. It’s completely flexible. You can purchase as needed.

How does it work?

Starting at 7 am on the day of your visit, you will have the option to select your first arrival window at any one of the parks. Once you’ve redeemed your initial selection (or the arrival window has passed), you can make another selection using the app, up to park closing. 

You can make one selection at a time for over 40 attractions and entertainment across all parks (visit here for a complete list of attractions included). If you have the hopper option on your ticket, you’ll be able to make Lightening Lane selections for any of the parks at any time throughout the day (if you do this, remember to buffer travel time between parks). This is a pretty cool feature because, unlike FastPass, you are no longer relegated to one park for multiple passes before you can make selections in another park. You can jump around as much as you want.

You can only use Lightening Lane once per attraction per day. So once you visit Haunted Mansion, for example, you can only ride the attraction again if you choose standby. 

Additional features

• Disney PhotoPass Lenses – Access special Disney PhotoPass Lenses for your mobile device, allowing you to explore magical new augmented reality effects.
• Audio Tales – Discover the parks in cool new ways through fascinating fun facts and behind-the-scenes insights you can listen to during your visit.

Remember, Genie + is completely optional and not required to still have an amazing park experience. But it does afford you to maximize your park time by minimizing wait times throughout the day. Genie + is designed for those that visit infrequently and need to pack everything in, in a short amount of time. Florida locals and frequent visitors are less likely to purchase Genie +, and rather wait for their favorite attractions stand-by.

Note that Genie + will not sell out and will always be available (there is no max) to purchase at the start, middle or end of day.

Al la Carte (Individual Purchases)

How does it work?

A la carte purchases can be made for premier attractions (you do not need to purchase Genie + to take advantage of these). You choose a time to arrive at up to 2 attractions each day (booked one at a time). You can purchase these through the My Disney Experience app on the same day as your visit.

Included Attractions

Here is the a la carte attractions list:

• Magic Kingdom – Seven Dwarfs Mine Train / Space Mountain
• EPCOT – Frozen Ever After / Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Hollywood Studios – Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway & Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance 
• Animal Kingdom – Avatar Flight of Passage / Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

Purchasing & Pricing

Prices for these a la carte options will range from $7 – $15 per person at launch.  The cost of the selections may vary day to day.

Keep in mind, the purchase of individual Lightning Lane selections can sell out. There are only a certain amount available each day. 

• Disney resort Guests have a slight advantage and will be able to purchase these in advance at 7:00 AM each day.
• For all other Guests, the individual Lightening Lane selections can be purchased at park opening time.  You do not need to be inside the park to make your selections and purchases.

Have questions? We’re happy to help!  Contact your Love of the Magic Vacations Travel Advisor today for a free no-obligation quote.

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