A Disney Day with Genie+
I’m back with another Disney blog! This time, we’re talking about the new Disney Genie Service and Genie+! I used Genie+ during my most recent Disneyland visit and have so much insight, thoughts, and tips on how to make the most of it.
What is Genie Service & Genie+?
The Disney Genie Service, or simply referred to as Genie, is a complimentary addition to the Disney Parks apps that helps Guests plan out their visit, offering tailored suggestions of food to try out and attractions to visit. Within the Disneyland App, this tab also forecasts wait times for certain attractions so you can better plan out your day and make it as efficient as possible.
Guests can also purchase Lightning Lane (LL) entries as an add-on service that allow them to cut to the front of the line for certain attractions. Entry to LL for each applicable attraction can be purchased individually (a one-time purchase of $15 for a ride on Space Mountain, for example), or in “bulk” through the Genie+ service.
Genie+ is an additional service starting at $25 per ticket pet day (price can vary depending on demand) that gives Guests the opportunity to reserve LL for applicable attractions every two hours, or after their reservation for an attraction is redeemed, whichever comes first. Essentially, it’s like a paid Fastpass service to get you to the front of the line! Genie+ also comes with unlimited digital downloads to Disney PhotoPass, and a few other perks.
It is also important to note that big, E-ticket attractions such as Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers are not included in the Genie+ package and individual LL reservations must be purchased to skip the line for these attractions.
I still get confused by the whole system to be honest, even though I work for the company and visit the parks frequently. I often turn to Tik Tok or YouTube videos to hear tips and breakdowns on how to best utilize it. The Disneyland website also has a lot more insight! (But visit after you’re done reading, this blog. You know the rules.)
Live photo of the home page for Genie at the time this blog was edited. Alice in Wonderland is closed due to rain.
Testing the Waters
After entering the parks and connecting my ticket to the Disneyland app, I was able to immediately connect to Genie+. I quickly made my first LL reservation to my first attraction, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. I made this reservation at about 10:45 am, and I was able to redeem it between 11:10 - 12:10 pm. After redeeming this LL reservation, I made one to Toy Story Midway Mania over at Disney California Adventure (DCA).
Home screen of the Disneyland app once a reservation has been made using Genie+.
I know, I know, such a long walk to the other end of the resort lol. At this point in the day, I was able to park hop and wanted to grab food at Cars Land, anyways. Throughout the day, I booked reservations to The Haunted Mansion, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Web Slingers, and more!
In between waiting to redeem reservations, I watched shows such as the Amazing Spider-Man, snacked on Dole Whips in the Enchanted Tiki Room, and window shopped across the resort. I even took a midday rest at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa lobby, resting my feet after a long morning of walking between each park.
On average, I probably waited in line about 10-15 minutes per attraction with my LL reservations. The one exception is The Haunted Mansion, where I waited maybe 20 minutes because it broke down before I was about to enter the mansion itself.
Tips & Tricks
Since this was my first time using Genie+, I definitely struggled to use it and asked my friends who have used it before for help. Here’s some tips that may save the day on your next Disney visit:
Set a timer for 2 hours after booking a reservation
This timer will remind you to book a new LL reservation as soon as you’re able to! If the window to redeem your reservation is less than two hours, then a timer isn’t necessary, just remember to book a new reservation right after you scan to redeem your previous reservation.
Swap between parks when booking reservations
This one may be hard to explain without directly looking at the app, but hopefully I can explain it clearly. If you’re looking to book a reservation in DCA and you’re currently in Disneyland, you need to exit out of the suggestions they’re giving you on the “Disney Genie Service” tab of the app and select “change park” at the top. Then, select DCA (or select Disneyland, if you’re in DCA) and keep clicking through the prompts until you get to the LL reservation selection screen.
It’ll make more sense once you have the app open, but you cannot look at reservations available in both parks at the same time; you will need to change parks to look at reservations for one particular park at a time.
Bring a portable charger
You will be living, breathing, and dying by the app. Haha, just kidding. But you will be using your phone a lot. Whether it’s to book your next LL reservation, pull up the barcode (to be scanned at the LL kiosk at the entrance of each attraction) to redeem your reservation, order food for pickup, or check out current attraction wait times, you will be looking at your phone and may need a portable charger to support it.
I do not recommend bringing just your charging cable and plug to plug anywhere at the parks. While you can plug in anywhere you find an outlet, I wouldn’t do it simply because you will probably be in the way of a walkway (speaking from experience here, lol).
Have a friend connect your tickets to the Disneyland app
Whenever I got signed out of the app and needed a minute to log back in, I had my friend book our next LL reservation on their phone. This helped expedite the booking process and made sure we got to book our reservations with no delay.
Make sure everyone in your party’s tickets are connected to the Disneyland app so that the reservations will be made for everyone.
Be patient
Omg this tip is important. I was signed out of the app at least three times, had bad or no Wi-Fi signal, and had to pause my phone usage to cool it down throughout my day at the parks. Technology errors and glitches are to be expected, and using Genie+ on the Disneyland app is no exception. Be patient with the app and give it a rest whenever you find yourself stressing a bit too much.
On another note, when I went to redeem my reservation for Astro Blasters, the line had broken down and we were unable to ride. I asked the Cast Member what happens to my reservation and they shared that it turns into a Multiple Experience reservation, where I can book a reservation to another attraction shortly thereafter, including a few attractions that don’t typically offer LL.
Ask for help!
Cast Members across the resort are trained to help you out, whether they’re experts on the Genie Service or can point you in the direction of someone who can help. Your Disney-loving friends are also likely very informed on Genie+ too and can help after a quick text or call. But please remember that frontline Disney Cast Members are not the reason why app is glitching, so please don’t be mean to them! :)
Overall Thoughts
Overall I had such a fun day using Genie+! I was able to ride a handful of rides, which is way more than I typically am able to as a Disneyland regular. I was also able to spend less time waiting in line and more time walking around, window shopping, seeing shows and parades, and resting between reservations.
I didn’t like the technology issues and how many times I had to sign into the Disneyland app, however. It got really annoying after awhile and would probably be my biggest deterrent in purchasing Genie+ again in the future. I’m hoping this gets fixed quickly so that Disney trips can run more smoothly.
Is Genie+ worth it?
Okay, here’s the big question everyone’s been wondering. I think that yes, purchasing Genie+ is worth it if your goal is to ride a lot of rides, see the shows and parades, and meet many characters within a day. It is a great way to skip waiting in line and use that time to explore other offerings around the resort.
If you don’t mind waiting in line (it can be a lot of fun when you’re with the right people!), don’t really care to see the entertainment offerings, or don’t want to ride a ton of rides to begin with, it may be better to save your money for the churros and pickles instead.
What do you think? Will you be trying Genie+ service during your next Disney Parks visit?
Disclaimer: as I mentioned, I am no expert when it comes to the Genie Service and Genie+, and it’s very possible that I have some facts wrong here! Although I did my research and am pulling from my own experiences, a lot of information can be inaccurate or change as the program adjusts over time.
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