Learn everything you need to know about Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ - now at the Disneyland Resort!
Disney Genie at Disneyland
UPDATED OCTOBER 2023. There is SO much to learn about visiting Disneyland right now and Disney Genie is at the top of that list. Because things change on a regular basis it can be hard to keep up! But, that’s where we come in
We’re covering everything you need to know about Disney Genie, the FastPass replacement at Disneyland Resort. This is possibly the biggest change to come to the Disneyland Resort in years. Our team uses Genie+ on every visit and we are here to share everything we know with you!
Get Away Today Cheat Sheet
- Disneyland Genie+ is available for pre-purchase with your Get Away Today tickets.
- Day-of Disneyland Genie+ price varies by date, and will only be shown on the day-of in the Disneyland app.
- Disneyland Genie+ selections can begin as soon as your tickets are activated at the turnstiles. Make selections via the Disneyland app.
Disneyland replaced FastPass and MaxPass with Disney Genie, so we decided to cover all the details about it. From what it is, how much it is, how to use it and more. Please keep in mind that information is always changing. Everything in this article is correct at the time of publishing and we will be updating as things change.
What is Disney Genie?
Disney introduced Genie at Disneyland Resort on December 8, 2021. It includes Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lanes.
Here is a brief definition of each of these new terms:
- Disney Genie = A free service that gives you itinerary planning based on your preferences and location inside the parks.
- Disney Genie + = A paid service that gives you access to Lightning Lanes for select attractions (one attraction at a time, based on availability), unlimited PhotoPass+ downloads and access to audio tours. It is most like the previous MaxPass, which has been retired.
- Lightning Lanes = Formerly known as FastPass queues, Lightning Lanes are an alternative to stand-by queues with expedited access to select Disneyland attractions. Lightning Lanes may be accessed via Disney Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lane selections.
How much does Disney Genie + cost?
Disney Genie + is $30 per person per day when you pre-purchase it with your Disneyland tickets. Otherwise, you can purchase after you scan into the parks each day where it is demand-based pricing and will fluctuate.
Disney Genie+ includes access for approximately 20 attractions. If you did all the Genie+ attractions in a day, which is totally possible, that breaks down to around $1 or so per attraction to access the Lightning Lane entrance.
How much does Individual Lightning Lane cost?
Individual Lightning Lane selections are dynamic and prices can vary depending on demand for the attraction. Only select attractions offer Individual Lightning Lanes. You can expect to pay approximately $7-$25 per person per attraction for Individual Lightning Lanes.Do I need to purchase both Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane?
You can purchase Genie+ AND/OR purchase up to two Individual Lightning Lanes per day. You don't have to purchase Genie+ to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane, or vice versa. They are considered separate from each other and are not tied together.
How do I buy Disney Genie +?
There are two ways you can purchase Disney Genie +:
First, you can pre-purchase Disney Genie + as part of your Disneyland ticket. By pre-purchasing Disney Genie +, you will have the service for each day of your ticket. For example, to upgrade a 3-Day Disneyland ticket to include Disney Genie +, you’ll pay an additional $90 ($30/day) and have Disney Genie + available all three days of your trip.
There are two main benefits of pre-purchasing Genie+:
- Locking in the $30/day per ticket price instead of being subject to dynamic pricing.
- Convenience of already having it loaded onto your Disneyland tickets. Once you’re in the Parks, you’re ready to go and start making your first Genie+ selection.
You can also purchase Disney Genie + through the Disneyland app. When purchasing Disney Genie + on the app, you are limited to buying one day at a time. Additionally, you must wait until you are physically at the parks to make the purchase.
When purchasing Disney Genie + on the app, you are limited to buying one day at a time. Additionally, you must wait until you are physically at the parks to make the purchase. Because of that, we recommend pre-purchasing your Disney Genie + tickets through Get Away Today.
Can I upgrade my tickets to pre-purchase Genie +?
If you bought tickets from Get Away Today, you can add Genie + to your tickets. However, there are a few important things to consider.
If you already have your tickets and have made theme park reservations, in order to upgrade you will need to modify your current theme park reservations. Because of this, we recommend checking theme park availability before upgrading your tickets to include Genie +.
Once you’ve made sure your dates are still available, give us a quick call at 855-GET-AWAY and we’ll be happy to make the change. If your dates are not available, you can add Disney Genie + to your tickets one day at a time once you’re in the parks and it will NOT affect your theme park reservations.
Can I pre-purchase Individual Lightning Lanes?
No, Individual Lightning Lanes can only be purchased day of through the app and prices will vary. You’ll be able to see the price for your desired attraction the day you visit the park, but they will typically be anywhere from $7-$25 per person per attraction.
Do I HAVE to buy Disney Genie + to ride anything on my vacation?
Absolutely not. Standby queues will always be available to guests, and many rides don’t have Lightning Lanes available. It’s also important to note that even guests who purchase Disney Genie + will also use standby lanes at times. We always recommend checking the official Disneyland app for wait times. By using the free Disney Genie service, you may even have a better experience by being guided to the best attractions with lowest wait times.
There are also other ways to save time in lines. Rider swap and DAS (Disability Access Service) are all still available to all who qualify to use those services. Single rider lines may be available at some attractions as well. If you’re traveling with adults or older kids, keep an eye out for this option.
Do I need Disney Genie + for everyone in my party or can we share?
If you only want photo downloads with Disney Genie +, you just need to buy it for one person in your group. Everyone who wants to experience these popular rides will need to purchase Genie+ to use the Lightning Lane together.
Children aged two and younger will not need to purchase Disney Genie + because they do not need theme park admission. If their group has purchased Disney Genie +, they will be able to ride any attraction using the Lightning Lane with their group as long as they meet the height requirement.
Keep in mind that most Lighting Lane attractions have height requirements, so if you have any group members that are too short to ride, you can combine Lightning Lane and Rider Swap. Just check in with the Cast Member at the entrance to your Lightning Lane and they will make sure your rider who sits out is able to ride.
**Please keep in mind that if you want to combine Genie + and Rider Swap, anyone who is riding will need to have purchased Genie + in order to use the Lightning Lane. Some riders who purchase Genie + and use Rider Swap will be able to ride twice, but in order to utilize Rider Swap with Genie +, all riders must have purchased Genie +.
Will Disney Genie + sell out?
While Disney Genie + does not typically sell out, there are limited amounts of Lightning Lane spots available, so certain attractions may not be available. Like with the old FastPass and MaxPass systems, the earlier you get to the parks and start using your Disney Genie + selections, the more Lightning Lane options you’ll have. Keep in mind that the PhotoPass downloads and audio tour features will still be available to use throughout your day and do not sell out.
What attractions are included with Disney Genie +?
Lightning Lanes are available at many of the most popular attractions that previously offered MaxPass. Here is the list of available Lightning Lanes at Disney Genie + launch broken down by park:
Disneyland Park
Disney California Adventure Park
- Autopia
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Haunted Mansion (Holiday version included during Halloween Time and Holidays)
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- “it's a small world” (Holiday version included during Holidays at the Disneyland Resort)
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway (New October 2023)
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Space Mountain
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Disney California Adventure Park
- Goofy's Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! (Monsters After Dark included during Halloween Time)
- Incredicoaster
- The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure (coming soon to Disney Genie+)
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
- Soarin' Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
What attractions have Individual Lightning Lane options?
Individual Lightning Lane attractions at the Disneyland Resort often swap. However, each guest can only purchase up to two Individual Lightning Lane selections each day. When Disney Genie + launches, the following attractions will have Individual Lightning Lane options:
Disneyland Park
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Radiator Springs Racers
How do I use Disney Genie or Disney Genie +?
Accessing Disney Genie or Disney Genie + is really easy to use, especially if you are familiar with the official Disneyland app. The only way to access Disney Genie and all of its features is through the app, so once you’re in the app, scroll down to the Disney Genie section and you’re good to go.
Just be sure that before you travel, you have the most up-to-date version of the Disneyland app already downloaded. You’ll also want to load your credit card to make mobile ordering and potential Disney Genie purchases super easy.
Make sure all of your tickets are linked and assign one person in your group to be in charge. You’ll also need to turn on your notifications and location services in order for Disney Genie to work to its best ability.
Once you’ve accessed Disney Genie +, you’ll see all available Lighting Lane attractions and return times. You can select one at a time. The person in charge can make selections for everyone in the group. If you have some people that want to split up, you can make attraction selections for each member of your party. This way your group can have different plans, but keep everything organized.
Can I book a Lightning Lane selection for Disneyland if I’m in Disney California Adventure and vice versa?
If you have a Park Hopper ticket, then YES! You can make Lightning Lane reservations for another park. Park Hopping is allowed beginning at 11:00 am, so just be sure that your attraction return time is at 11:00 am or later if it is in the park other than the one you started your day in. If you select a Lightning Lane in the other park, it must be for a return time of 11:00 am or later depending on availability.
Do I have to have a Park Hopper to have Genie+?
You can add Genie+ service to either a Park Hopper or a 1-Park per Day ticket, however we strongly recommend buying a Park Hopper ticket so that you have the most flexibility with your ticket. This is especially true if you are starting the day in Disney California Adventure Park.
There are several Genie+ attractions with Lightning Lane access inside Disney California Adventure Park, and it’s pretty easy to get through all of them in a morning with the new service. If you have a Park Hopper ticket, beginning at 1pm, you can move on to the other 12 attractions available through Genie+ in Disneyland Park. You can get so much more done with a Park Hopper!
Can I have more than one Lightning Lane at a time?
Yes… and no. Lightning Lane selections are intended to be available one at a time, however there are three exceptions to this.
First, Individual Lightning Lane attractions are not tied to the Disney Genie + selections. You could hold up to two Individual Lightning Lane attractions and hold one Disney Genie + Lightning Lane.
Second, much like Disneyland’s previous FastPass and MaxPass systems, Disney Genie + will allow you to make a new Lightning Lane reservation after you’ve redeemed your active reservation OR two hours after you’ve made your selection. For example, if it is 10am and the next available time for Space Mountain is 2:00 pm, you could select Space Mountain for a 2:00 pm return and you’d be able to select another Lightning Lane at 12:00pm. You will NOT have to wait until 2:00 pm to make your next Lightning Lane reservation
Third is our favorite, and most flexible exception: Multiple Experiences. These happen if an attraction you have a Lightning Lane return time for goes down at any time during that window. Those reservations become “Multiple Experiences” that you can use for most attractions at any time during your day. You are able to hold as many “Multiple Experiences” you get (again, the attraction you’re hoping to ride has to go down temporarily in order to get one), PLUS whatever active Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation you make.
How long will I have to wait in line with Disney Genie +?
Lightning Lanes are intended to have much shorter wait times. While you won’t skip the line entirely, we typically wait 5-15 minutes per ride that has stand-by lines of 40-60 minute waits. There will however, always be exceptions to this. For example, if a ride experiences some down time during the day waits are often longer as a result of demand build up.
The Individual Lightning Lanes seemed to have shorter wait times than the traditional Lightning Lanes offered with Genie+, with typically at least half the standby wait time.
Adding Disney Genie+ to Your Package
We are thrilled with the addition of Disney Genie + to the Disneyland Resort. If you’d like to add Disney Genie + to your vacation package or Disneyland tickets, we’d love to help. These tickets are available to purchase at getawaytoday.com. And of course, when you purchase your tickets with Get Away Today, you’ll always get a savings off the gate price and have flexible options. Theme park reservations are required and can be made 180 days in advance. If you’re planning to visit the parks past the 180 day mark, we’ll send you a reminder when it’s time to make your theme park reservations.
We can’t wait to help you plan your Disneyland vacation!
Join the Conversation!
Leave A CommentGet Away TodayJune 05 2023
Hi Lili! Thanks for your questions! Disney Genie+ is the service you use to make your Lightning Lane reservations. There are Lightning Lanes that are included with the purchase of Genie+ and then you can pay for additional Lightning Lanes that are not included in Genie+. If you have more questions, please feel free to call our agents at 855-GET-AWAY and they would be happy to assist!
LiliMay 29 2023
Hi! I am a but confused about the lightning lane. So I am understanding we can combine Gene+ and if the attraction offers Lighting lane, both an be used? So lighting lane is to speed up wait time too? That's what I'm confused about. I am taking a 6yr old, 9 and 12 and two seniors. I want to make sure all enjoy this day. I'm reading and I am a little overwhelmed as it will be our first time to this Park. We are planning to get Gene+ for all and Park hopper. Thanks.
Get Away TodayDecember 23 2022
Hi Ashley! Once you are scanned into the Park, you will be able to access Genie+ to make your Lightning Lane reservations.
AshleyDecember 23 2022
I have purchased 1 day per park tickets and it came with genie + included. I don't see anything on the app that shows I have genie +. Is there some way I need to activate it before I can use it?
Get Away TodayMarch 23 2022
Hi Elena! If there are reservations for your dates available still, please give us a call and we would be happy to help you upgrade those tickets! If reservations are sold out over your dates, then you'll want to add it on at the Park. If possible, we recommend upgrading before hand so it's one less thing to worry about at the Parks. :)
Elena PrunedaMarch 21 2022
I have park tickets purchased already, how can I add the geni plus? Do I have to call or can I purchase at the park?
Get Away TodayFebruary 10 2022
Hi Karah! Yes, that is correct. The Lightning Lane for those three rides are only available through Individual Lightning Lane selections at an additional cost. Thanks for clarifying!
KarahJanuary 19 2022
Can I confirm with you, after reading this very helpful article, that the Disney Genie + does NOT include the lighting lane for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Springs Racers, and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure? You can only utilize the lightning lane on those three rides if you purchase them individually?
Get Away TodayDecember 15 2021
Hi there! If your trip is further in advance when Park reservations are still available, you can give us a call at 855-GET-AWAY and we can help you upgrade your tickets over the phone. If your trip is coming up soon, or you don't want to receive new ticket numbers, we recommend adding on Genie+ each morning when you are at the Parks.
AnonymousDecember 14 2021
How do I add genie+ to an order I made before genie+ was released?
Get Away TodayDecember 13 2021
Hi! You are able to add on Genie+ at the ticket option portion of building your package. You can also give us a call at 855-GET-AWAY and an agent would love to help you over the phone.
AnonymousDecember 08 2021
Trying to book my trip right now but don't see genie + as an option to add to my ticket. How do I add it on?
Get Away TodayDecember 07 2021
Hi Anonymous! Magic Key Pass Holders will be able to add Genie+ on each day at the Parks once you are scanned in.
Get Away TodayDecember 07 2021
Hi Amber! You will need to add on Genie+ each morning once you are scanned into the Parks. There is no way to add it on early without changing your ticket numbers/ticket type. Hopefully that helps!
AnonymousDecember 07 2021
Do you know how it will work for magic keyholders?
AmberDecember 06 2021
Do i have to wait until im at the park to buy the Genie + or can i go to the app and add it to my tickets starting on Wednesday. I will be at the park the 26th,27th and the 28th?