Lightning Lane vs. Genie+

Are you planning to visit Disney anytime soon? Genie+, Disney’s latest offering, may be something you have heard about. Genie+, along with Individual Lightning Lanes and Genie, promises to maximize your time at the parks, either Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

What do these services offer? How do they compare to each other? Let’s first look at Genie+ and Lightning Lane, as well as the benefits that come with it.

It’s not that Lightning Lane and Genie+ have different features, but rather that each is a subset of the others.

Genie+ can be purchased for each member in your family. You get access to audio guides, photo filters, and Lightning Lanes for most rides.

Lightning Lanes are now available to you when purchasing Genie+. Except for Individual Lightning Lanes rides, this applies to all rides. This is true for all rides except those featuring Individual Lightning Lanes.

Disney has made a lot of efforts to encourage guests to use its app. You can see this in the parks where there are many mobile ordering signs and Wi-Fi is available for everyone. This is more apparent than in the parks with Genie, which offers a free service that will help you pick the attractions you want to visit throughout the day.

You will need to have a valid ticket from a theme park and a reservation linked to your account in order for Disney Genie to work. Next, log in to your Disney App. You’ll then be able select the service and will be asked questions about your plans for the day.

The Disney’s Genie will then provide you with a customized tip board that recommends where and when to go each day. It’s important to squeeze in as many activities as possible while keeping your wait time to a minimum. You don’t have to follow all of the suggestions, but they can help you get a better idea of how you should spend your time.

Genie+ is an entirely different beast from Genie. Genie+ is a paid service, and the cost will vary depending on where you go and when you go. Prices and availability can also vary depending on the date. Tickets start at $25 per day.

Genie+ will likely look familiar to anyone who used the FastPass or FastPass+ systems. After you have paid for your day, you will be able select attractions and rides that you would like to skip.

Important to know that Genie+ and selected rides cannot be purchased in advance, unlike the FastPass+ system. It can only be bought at 7 a.m. the day before you plan to visit.

Lightning Lanes are replacing FastPass lines at Disney parks. These are fast queues that allow guests to skip the standard line and take advantage of the lightning lane.

Lightning Lane access is not free. This is a perk that comes with Genie+. And if you’re wondering about Genie versus Lightning Lane, Disney Genie only provides tips to help you avoid lines. Lightning Lane allows you to access separate queues.

Genie+ does not provide unlimited, instant access to Lightning Lanes. Instead, you will be able to choose return times once you have made your purchase.

After you have made your first selection, it is necessary to redeem it before you can make another. Only exception to this rule is when your ride returns are more than two hours away. If that is the case, then you can make another selection after two hours.

Lightning Lane is a perk in Genie+ that allows you to skip the line on most rides at Disney parks. Lightning Lane access is not available for a few rides, however. These rides are often the most popular and sought-after in the park. Instead, you can purchase Individual Lightning Lane passes. The cost of individual Lightning Lane passes is similar to Genie+ and will vary depending on the attraction that you are interested in visiting.

Individual Lightning Lane passes are very limited and may run out, especially if the ride is extremely popular. No matter how many parks you visit, Individual Lightning Lane passes can only be purchased once per day. You can also purchase only two Individual Lightning Lane passes per day, just like the standard Genie+ rides.

Individual Lightning Lane purchases are available to Disney resort guests and a few other hotels. They can make reservations as early as 7 a.m. the day before they visit. All other guests will need to wait until the park opens.

You don’t have to purchase Genie+ in order to buy Individual Lightning Lane passes. These services are completely separate.

It can be confusing to understand Disney Genie+ or Lightning Lane. This is why Genie+, which you purchase will give you access to Lightning Lane. Lightning Lane is an expedited line service that’s available on most rides in Disney parks. You will need to purchase Individual Lightning Lane access for some rides, but there are exceptions.

Genie+ is a great option for people who don’t like to wait in lines. While prices can vary and can reach up to $30 per person per hour, the time you will save by not waiting in line is significant. Don’t worry if this option is not right for you. There’s always the standby number.

(Featured Photo courtesy Walt Disney World)