Want to skip the lines? Here’s everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Disney Genie+ at Disneyland.
Disney Genie and Genie+ first went live at Disneyland on December 8, 2021. That brought some pretty big changes to how guests navigated a typical park day. Designed as a replacement for FastPass, which previously had been available for Disneyland Resort guests since 1999, Genie+ is meant to make navigating the theme parks, planning your day, and beating the crowds a breeze. Best of all, everything that Genie can do is right on your smartphone!
What can Genie+ actually do for you? Not sure which attractions have Lightning Lane entrances? Here’s what you need to know about the four wishes that this service will grant you (including one photo perk exclusive to Disney Genie+ at Disneyland).
Click the links below to jump to different sections and find answers to your questions quickly:
- What Does the Free Disney Genie Do?
- How Much Does Disney Genie+ Cost at Disneyland?
- What Does Disney Genie+ at Disneyland Include?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Genie+ at Disneyland
What Does the Free Disney Genie Do?
Photo courtesy of Disney
Disney Genie is built right into the Disneyland Mobile App. (Have your notifications and location services turned on for the best results.) If you haven’t already, give it a download and have a look around. There are some pretty nifty things that Genie can do for FREE (as opposed to the paid Genie+ service).
- 📅 Itinerary and Recommendations Inspired By YOU
- Tell Genie about your interests, must-ride attractions, favorite restaurants, and more. In return, you’ll receive a personalized daily itinerary built just for you. It’ll contain dining reservations, experience bookings, and more. Don’t like what you see? Your itinerary can be adjusted as you go about your park day.
- ⏲️ Custom Tip Board For Experiences and Dining
- Wondering what the wait times are for your must-do attractions, entertainment, and dining experiences? This custom tip board will show you current and future estimated standby times. You can also take a look at the next available reservation.
- 🧞 Virtual Assistant (You ain’t never had a friend like this.)
- Something on your mind? Ask Genie. You can get answers to questions about attractions, wait times, and more.
How Much Does Disney Genie+ Cost at Disneyland?
Courtesy of Disney
Unlike the complimentary Genie service (as outlined above), Genie+ is a paid service. Disney Genie+ at Disneyland costs $25 per ticket per day. And starting on October 11, 2022, Genie+ pricing will fluctuate. More popular days, like Christmas and Thanksgiving, will likely cost more per day.
So what does the extra cost get you? FOUR more wishes *ahem* features that you won’t find when using Genie for free.
What Does Disney Genie+ at Disneyland Include?
The free Genie service can’t grant you these four additional wishes (or features). Only Genie+ can.
✨ Wish #1: Genie+ Lightning Lanes Replace FastPass
Lightning Lane entrance at Grizzly River Run. Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
So long FastPass+, FastPass, and MaxPass. Say hello to the paid Disney Genie+ service and the Individual Attraction Selections option.
With Genie+, you can reserve an arrival time at some of Disneyland’s most in-demand attractions. These are the attractions with a time-saving Lightning Lane entrance (formerly known as FastPass+ Lanes). Remember, you can only save a spot for one attraction at a time for the whole day.
So what are those Lightning Lane entrances anyway? Let’s take a look:
Disney Genie+ At Disneyland Lightning Lane Entrances
Disneyland Park Genie+ Lightning Lane attractions
- Autopia
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
- Haunted Mansion
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- “it’s a small world”
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Disney Genie+ At Disney California Adventure Lightning Lane Entrances
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Grizzly River Run
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoaster
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
✨ Wish #2: Reserve More Than One Spot in Line with Individual Lightning Lane Attractions
Lightning Lane entrance at WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
If you want to save your spot in line for more than one ride at a time, you’ll pick from a list of Individual Lightning Lane Attractions. With this feature, you can select an arrival time at up to two Lightning Lane attractions.
These are attractions that aren’t included with Disney Genie+. Therefore, they are not included in the price of Genie+ and must be purchased separately. On the flip side, that also means that you don’t need to have Genie+ to ride a Disneyland Individual Lightning Lane Attraction.
As for the cost … it depends. Pricing for Individual Lightning Lanes fluctuates depending on the day and time you need one. You’re also limited to two per day.
What are the Individual Lightning Lane Attractions at Disneyland Resort? Keep reading.
Individual Purchase for Lightning Lane Entrance at Disneyland
Individual Purchase for Lightning Lane Entrance at Disney California Adventure
- Radiator Springs Racers
- WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
✨ Wish #3: PhotoPass AR Lenses and Unlimited Downloads
Photo courtesy of Disney
Your priceless moments, made more magical with Genie+. Enhance the photos you take in the park with cool AR lenses. With unlimited Disney PhotoPass digital downloads, it’s super easy to share your snaps. That’s a perk that’s only available at Disneyland!
✨ Wish #4: Audio Tales
Photo courtesy of Disney
Inspired by the Imagineering Field Guides, listen in as you learn more about the parks and get behind-the-scenes insights that you wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for Genie+.
✨ BONUS Wish: Park Hoppers Welcome
Soarin’ Around the World at Disney California Adventure. Photo courtesy Disney Parks Blog
Let’s throw this one in as a bonus wish. Want to know how to use Disney Genie for park hopping at Disneyland? Easy. Hop away.
You see, Genie lets you make Lightning Lane selections at more than one park. Why not take a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and then use Genie to get your Lightning Lane for Soarin’ Around the World while en route to California Adventure? If you’re a park hopper, the possibilities (and combinations) are endless!
Frequently Asked Questions About Genie+ at Disneyland
Have questions about what it’s like to use Genie+ at Disneyland, or what you’ll be getting into if you choose to use – or skip – this perk? Here are some of the most common questions about the smart in-app service.
Is Genie+ Necessary at Disneyland?
Absolutely not! You can have a perfectly fun-filled day at Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park without Genie or Genie+ (or Individual Lightning Lane Entry, for that matter). The only reason you’d want to utilize Genie+ is to fit in more attractions. The service can shorten your wait time for a number of popular attractions – but if you don’t purchase it, standby queues are pretty much always available.
How Many Rides Do You Get with Genie+ at Disneyland?
For its daily per person, per day price, Genie+ provides you with access to 18 different rides. Remember, though, that you can only reserve a timeframe for one attraction a time!
Does Genie+ Sell Out?
Typically, Genie+ does not sell out. That’s part of the reason that the service’s price fluctuates depending on demand. However, during the busiest seasons of the year – like the week between Christmas and New Year’s – the increasing demand and high crowd levels at Disneyland and California Adventure may lead to Genie+ selling out or becoming unavailable.
Is Disney Genie+ Worth It at Disneyland?
It really depends on what you’re hoping to get out of your Disneyland visit and experience. If you’d like to get on as many rides as possible and minimize your time spent waiting in line, then it’s absolutely worth the price! With the loss of FastPass, Genie+ is the only way to shorten your wait for many attractions.
However, the price of Genie+ does vary from day to day at Disneyland. The cost for this service is based on demand and park capacity, which means that some days it’s a great value – and on others, it can be quite expensive. You’ll want to factor the cost for each member of your party into your budget before you decide if it’s worth investing in for your visit.
More Disney Genie Coverage
Want a deep dive into the finer details of Genie and Genie+? Wondering how this all works at Walt Disney World? Take a look at these posts:
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