Rise of the Resistance used Boarding Groups instead of FastPass+… so can you use Disney Genie+ to ride Rise?
Update (10/8/21): As we learned late in the summer, Disney World has officially done away with Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance. (Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure now uses a virtual queue in EPCOT.) Today, we can also announce that Rise of the Resistance will officially be included as an Individual Lightning Lane attraction selection.
At D23 on August 18th, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products chairman Josh D’Amaro spoke to fans about Disney Genie+ Service.
While he related the convenience of Genie+ and reasoning behind moving toward the new system, D’Amaro let few details slip about which rides would be included in the new Lightning Lanes that are replacing current FastPass lanes.
This left quite a few questions among fans… which rides would have Lightning Lanes? And since Rise of the Resistance has used Boarding Passes instead of FastPass… how does Genie+ work with Rise of the Resistance?
The exact mechanics have not been confirmed, but D’Amaro did drop a few galactic clues:
Disney Genie+ and Rise of the Resistance
Here is Josh D’Amaro’s statement on Rise of the Resistance and Disney Genie+:
“… there are some attractions that use the Lightning Lane queue—which you can purchase individually—which is the ultimate in flexibility. Think about Rise of the Resistance. It’s a highly demanded attraction. Guests show up in the morning and they try to get into the virtual queue.
The crowd holds their breath…
“We get as many people on there as we can, but inevitably someone is disappointed. Now there’s another option on top of the virtual queue so if Rise of the Resistance is the reason you’re at Disneyland or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there will be an option for you to purchase Rise of the Resistance.”
OK, without much more to go on from official Disney announcements, let’s take it straight from the man himself and break down your Rise of the Resistance/Genie+ questions.
🧞 A Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane?
Photo by Rich Ramos
D’Amaro started off referencing Lightning Lanes. He said, “purchase Rise of the Resistance,” and referenced, “purchase individually,” so we can deduce that Disney is currently planning to include Rise of the Resistance in its Individual Lightning Lane selection service.
What Are Individual Lightning Lane Attraction Purchases?
Individual Attractions harkens back to the old days at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom when tickets were sold throughout the parks for various attractions. Want to ride Haunted Mansion? Purchase a ticket and hop on.
Lightning Lanes and Individual Attraction Selections will no longer be free (the amount for Individual Lightning Lane varies by ride and day), but can add flexibility to your day.
Currently, you can’t be walking by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and on a whim, hop into the FastPass Lane. If you have the vacation dollars budgeted, the line is yours to grab a Lightning Lane reservation.
Since it is a paid service, Lightning Lane reservations will likely fill up more slowly than FastPasses. This could open up possibilities for attractions that were notoriously hard to FastPass+.
Again, per D’Amaro, Rise of the Resistance will have a Lightning Lane. We will update our readers on the price as soon as our Disney contacts give us word!
✨ Further Reading: What is a Lightning Lane – A Disney Genie Primer
Is Rise of the Resistance Included in Genie+?
Photo by Rich Ramos
But will Rise of the Resistance be included in Disney Genie+ daily Lightning Lane selections? On Oct. 8, we learned that yes, Rise of the Resistance will officially be an Individual Lightning Lane ride.
Genie+ Service lets guests select one Lightning Lane attraction at a time, similar to the old paper FastPass system.
This means that other guests can’t take up all the FastPasses months in advance anymore, as happened with FastPass+. That was great for the uber-planners, but not so great for those who like to plan on-the-fly.
✨ Further Reading: What’s the Difference Between the Genie and Genie+ Services?
What About Rise of the Resistance Boarding Groups?
Photo by Rich Ramos
Update (10/8/21): As we learned late in the summer, Disney World has officially done away with Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance. (Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure now uses a virtual queue in EPCOT.)
Yes, Per D’Amaro’s comments and the D23 website, Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance will continue.
The virtual queue can be a thrill to secure your spot on, but it will remain a free option, so brush up on your Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group skills.
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