We’re almost ready to let Disney Genie out of the lamp!
Coming this fall to Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, Disney Genie is a complimentary and convenient new digital service designed to create your best Disney day. We’ve been listening to your feedback – you want planning to be easier, you want more flexibility and you want better tools to help you make the most of your visit – and that’s exactly what Disney Genie is here to do. We’ve made significant investments in this cool new technology, which guides you through our theme parks with tips that can help you reduce time in lines, discover magic around every corner and take the guesswork out of “what’s next.”
Built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, Disney Genie service will maximize your park time, so you can have more fun. It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will quickly and seamlessly map out an entire day. From specific attractions, foodie experiences and entertainment, to general interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more – just tell Disney Genie what you want to do and it will do the planning for you.
Here are a few more features:
- Get Itinerary Updates from Morning to Night: Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day, so you can be more spontaneous and go with the flow.
- Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
- Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.
For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying our theme parks, through a queue we are introducing called the Lightning Lane entrance that also saves you time in line:
- Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort.
- Individual attraction selections (available for purchase): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.
Lightning Lane selections will be made on the same day of your visit and can be used across multiple theme parks, great for those who love the Park Hopper option. Attractions continue to offer a traditional standby queue, or a virtual queue at certain attractions like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – to maximize flexibility.
While the FASTPASS, FastPass+ and Disney MaxPass services will be retired, we’re incredibly excited about the flexibility and choices Disney Genie service provides. You can choose from all of our new options, a mix of them or none at all, and continue to have a great experience no matter how you decide to plan your best Disney day.
We are also making some enhancements to our Disability Access Service (DAS) program, including new options to enroll in the program pre-arrival and for DAS participants to select attractions directly in the app. These options will be available in addition to our existing, in-person DAS program. Visit our Services for Guests with Disabilities page DisneyWorld.com and Disneyland.com for more details.
For more details on Disney Genie, visit DisneyWorld.com/DisneyGenie and Disneyland.com/DisneyGenie and check out this video from Gary Daniels, Vice President of Digital Experience. Stay tuned to Disney Parks Blog for updates real soon, including how to purchase Disney Genie+.
Comments
So basically families such as mines who have spent their last at times (not really my last but the money could’ve been towards a down payment on a car house land or something) don’t deserve to have a magical trip without putting out MORE money out to get perks we could before just by staying on property or to be able to do things you paid to do anyways like Disney is becoming more of a rip off I went to Florida this past summer and only went to legoland and sea world 2 parks staying near downtown Disney and didn’t spend half what I would total on a Disney vacation package for my whole trip and Disney steady taking away and raising the prices due to covid the magic isn’t even there like before
DVC, Annual Pass, Active Military (non-Florida resident) here. I have to agree with everyone else. This service is awful. Using it today, 1 December, and realizing the flaws in the system (especially that I don’t get a selection of times to choose when using the paid service, I just get whatever Disney gives me that they classify as next available) has turned me off from Disney even more. Disney, across all company products, has consistently offered less for more money. It’s abhorrent and shameful. Mr. Chapek, please remember who you serve. As a military officer, I urge leaders to turn their focus from service oriented towards those over them. The bottom line will be best impacted by a strict adherence to an idea that the bottom line doesn’t matter. True service is enabling, not restricting. What you and the company continue to do is to restrict those which you claim to serve.
I, and my family, will seek to sell our Disney vacation ownerships. We will no longer be held to exorbitant prices for diminished products all in the name of exclusivity. What you offer is no longer worth the price. More than anything, the vision the company now serves is not worth the price.
Getting rid of the magical express so you have to pay for it and renaming fastpass to Lightning lane plus charging for magic bands now, Walt Disney must be rolling over in his grave. Instead of Disney being the leader you are now just like everyone else. Selling our DVC, Universal here we come!
You should consider what happens when we all disregard your Genie program and it hurts your bottom line.
And, so you’re aware, the WHOLE POINT, of the character Genie, is that he was sought after by the entitled, and misused. What Genie offered was little use to the protagonist of the story, who was the average person. You have a deep deep deep misunderstanding of why your park was built and what people go there for. Genie is an apt name for this program and it’s also very telling. It’s the illusion of benefit at most. Not the incarnation of it.
Do you want to tell us what happens when fifty richie richs board each ride ahead of everyone else every hour? Longer. Wait. Times. The majority suffer so that the few can have the disney experience that we all paid an entry for.
Do you want to tell us what happens when this program decides that a specific ride is slow at x time and tells hundreds of people to go to that ride at that time? The line will no longer be faster and the waves of congestion will be bigger than ever before.
Exactly what do we pay for upon entry? If we’re paying a price for everything else within the park. The free option allows me exactly 3 rides per trip for such a steep price. I realize that this place is built to enjoy multiple times. But if you want me to come back, I have to actually enjoy it.
This is a horrible choice. You’ve made it simply so that you have to adhere to an ever changing and ill-defined paywall to experience rides in a socially distant and safe way. You don’t care at all if people have a magical experience, you simply want people to pay the ticket and come anyways. Disabled people are not buying it. Immunocompromised people are not buying it. The regular park goer is not buying it. The only who think this is a good idea are people who have no concept of forethought and throw money away. Genie does nothing that we can’t do with our own eyes by simply looking at a map and clicking for wait times. You just don’t want reservations because you know that only the people who get into a ride are going to come to the park. You want people to come knowing that you can’t accommodate us. Covid taught us that we can do so much better with wait times and scheduling. And now you have to scramble to come up with a product that gives the illusion of the same benefit. Walt is rolling in his grave that you’re misadvertising for profit. The happiest place on earth is becoming the biggest sell out.
I just wonder what Walt would say about the new Genie +, I know what I think – it sucks.
Hey – no complaints from me – it’s a bargain compared to what they charge at universal studios for their express pass which cost almost as much as a ticket for a pass that only allows single use per ride or cost twice as much for unlimited.
So disappointed in this. Was a heavy user of FastPass from the days it was literally a paper pass. Seemed fair that you could only get a new one after the window from your previous one had arrived. Now you continue to raise prices AND ask us to pay more to be able to actually ride the rides the come with admission. I used to take my son at least once per year. Now, without no expiry Park Hoppers and the advent of this Pay to Play Lightning Lane, I’ll likely only be able to bring my grandson once or twice over his childhood. The worst part? You can’t even book your Lightning Lane until the day of. That just bites. I loved having my dining reservations and fast passes booked before I got there so then I could just enjoy upon arrival… now someone in my party will need to be up at 7 to plan the day…and hope everything aligns with the park reservation you’ve made. Too much like work, no longer the happiest place on earth.
Well done, Disney. Should have been named Greedy+. Increased cost when compared to FastPass+ for the benefits of increased complexity, increased rigidity, increased device reliance, increased complexity, and increased issues. While everyone else is pursuing simplicity and added value, Disney goes completely in the opposite direction. Yes, I have direct experience as our family of four used Genie+ for a recent multiple day visit to WDW and because of moves like this, it will be the last visit for this previously Disney loyal family.
Pretty disappointed with this system. I mean, it goes one of two ways: either everyone buys it and uses it, making the lighting lane lines longer and the regular wait times shorter, or no one buys it and the opposite occurs. I just feel like no matter how you look at it, it’s not the most efficient option. I like the idea of the app helping you plan your day (especially for people who don’t frequent disney) but fast passes were fairly intuitive and they added to the magic of making your day. Coming from a large, blended family of 7 the added charges per person make family trips less feasible especially since they keep on raising park prices. We can’t even afford to stay on property anymore considering it would be cheaper to rent a car and stay off property. Plus, they keep on taking away perks that used to go along with staying in the hotels- overall I just don’t see us making trips like we used to do :/
So, my husband and I are seniors (60s). We’ve done Disney since 70’s first with 2 kids and now with grandkids. In past, I have paid an online service which would plan your day and also purchased a book which gave touring plans based on their research and your flexibility. All sounds good but in reality did not function. My husband doesn’t have a phone or use one. One grandkid does but all rest are younger. I can basically use a phone and I did download Disney app. This program sounds like a challenge for us. I used mobile ordering last summer and sometimes got twice the amount of food I thought I ordered. Questions: 1. If I make a reservation at 7 am Is all this planning done on one phone for a whole party of people? Because of my G-kids ages, we split up into 2 or 3 groups during a day to do everyones interests. How do you make multiple requests for these different age groups? 2. One of my party lost his phone on Splash Mtn and one lost her phone in Small World on same trip! Then what?? 3. Rides are shut down at alarming rates these days. What does that do to your scheduled time for the ride?? Can’t help but think of the times we went to Disney and everyone put down their phones and spent the day together.
This does seem a bit far. I’m sure there will be some perks… but all in all, it sounds kinda lame tbh. Especially during a time when many are out of work or staying home. 😑😑
Please please launch Genie Plus right away. Our trip comes up in about a week, our 6 year old and 8 year old girls have never been yet and this is a once in a lifetime for us. Our friends who have been all say they are in favor of this exciting debut and we will be delighted to enjoy it. Already have instructions to our suberb Disney rep to add it on as soon as it is available. (IF it becomes available next week). please…we are checking the news daily. 🙂
The Fastpasses never worked anyway so I simply don’t see what the problem is. Ya’ll complained about long lines and constantly having to wait. They rolled out free fast passes before cell phones–then ya’ll complained about having to run to every attraction and be chained to the time on the paper. They rolled out the app where you could hold all of your fast passes on your phone (um hello convenient)–then there were tons of complaints that ride passes ran out before everyone could get to them and ya’ll wanted more ways to get them–so now they offer to have us pay a small upcharge for extra convenience–if we want. I was a loyal maxpass user since it rolled out and will NEVER go back to a standby line. I would sit at Jolly Holiday over breakfast and pick my passes for the day from my phone, updating as we went. All of my photos would be included. When tickets to just have the privilege of walking in the doors are close to 200$ per person per day, you guys are seriously complaining about “being forced” to buy battery packs (how do you do disney without this already?) or pay extra for the chance to skip a line? Time or money people, that’s the only currency any of us have to spend in this life. Someone else in these comments had it right–check your privilege. If you either cannot or will not pay 20$ for the upgraded experience–then don’t, everyone’s situation/priorities are different and that is what this program is truly about. How many of you missed the part where the planning app is free for all users so you will be constantly updated on which rides have the shortest lines? Sounds like there isn’t going to be as much of a need for the ‘lightning lane’. People on here saying “families can’t afford this”–most families can’t even afford to COME to disney or they get it once in their life so quit with the “afford” versus “we dont want to pay extra”–that just makes ya’ll sound bitter. Small upcharges to spread out choice–cuz that’s what this is, freedom of choice, you’re welcome–actually are trying to make a more enjoyable experience for EVERYONE. You wanna make it about “class” and “wealth”–fine, let the “rich people” buy their lightning lanes cuz it gets them out of the regular lane! That is a free perk for anyone in the regular queue–it spreads out the benefits to everyone. Geez, at least let it roll out before you guys massacre it. I can only afford to visit Disney every couple years with my family of three–and I consider myself exceptionally blessed to be able to do so. So when I do, I want my experience to be as easy as possible and cram as much disney into my days as I can. The Maxpass system was a life-saver (seems like a lot of you didn’t even try that system but are quick to judge it) and this system sounds like a technological improvement on it which sounds like a win all around. Not being in your personal budget doesn’t mean its unaffordable–especially when its completely optional. Disney tries everything humanely possible to make the magic as real for us as they can–its why we love Disney like a religion. This is another example of how they are trying to do that. Let’s take a breath and be grateful.
I love this new Genie plan. We only go to Disneyland once a year for two days and I am more than willing to spend a bit extra for this wonderful add on service. Since we have such a short time – this is a great way for us to get the most from our precious time there. I am super excited to use the Genie app to its fullest! Thanks Disney for doing this.
So, let’s see if you are truly listening to comments! The average park visit is 9+ hours in a day. Most cell phones batteries with moderate to heavy use will be quickly depleted in less than that time. You’re rolling out an app and program which is entirely dependent upon the use of a smart phone, yet you have no public charging stations? So on top of my additional ticket costs, now I have to purchase heavy duty back up battery packs for all 6 of my family members? And as many others have said, the signal in the park and app performance during high crowds is abysmal. Finally, as far as the elephant in the room, how dare a company who promotes their guest experience as ‘magical’ place a poor tax on the families who struggle and save for years to give their children a once in a lifetime vacation? These parents will be forced to tell their children that they couldn’t afford to pay (or in my case chose NOT to pay) for the privilege of stepping over others. When Universal rolled out their version of this caste system, we were shocked and said many times how that personified the difference between Universal and Disney’s Mission Statement. Sadly, Disney has fallen to that level. What was once a place where everyone could have an equally magical experience upon passing through the park gates has now become just another chance for the upper classes to remind the middle and lower classes that they should stay in their place at the back of the line.
So we need to spend more money to have a fast pass 🙄. Disney is becoming a place that middle class can not afford
I sent in a complaint and the response I received was that decision was made on the basis of customer feedback. So apparently what we want is to wakeup before 7:00am and hope we can secure a pass. Then we want to be on our phone (which will be hooked up to a battery backup) all day for Genie recommendations.
No thanks, I’m out.
So, we buy a park ticket, then pay -who knows how much- to ride the fancy rides. (Yes, you can stand in the
“free” line, and wait for 3 hours.)That is after we pay for our transportation from the airport to the resort. People keep saying it was the “free” Magical Express, it was not free, either were the Magic bands, it was included in the high price of a Disney vacation. Now that price is higher, pricing out many customers, and zero amenities. No more EMH, only extended hours if you stay at a deluxe villa? We all pay the same for the base ticket, so why only extra hours for a villa customer? The higher room price is for the cost of the room / hotel amenities. Not the parks. Well, you will definitely have a different level of clientele from now on. Good work Chapek. We will not be back. I’ll just buy a new car instead.
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