The Difference Between the FREE Disney Genie and PAID Disney Genie+

When you’re planning a Disney World vacation, there are a lot of things to learn, and it can be pretty overwhelming!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Now that Disney Genie and Disney Genie+ are about to enter the picture (or will be this fall), there’s going to be even more to navigate. And if you’re wondering what the difference is between the two services, we’re going to break it down for you!

Disney Genie

Starting with the more basic service, let’s discuss Disney Genie. Disney Genie is a FREE planning service that will be part of the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps. According to Disney, the Disney Genie feature will “analyze thousands of different options” to help you plan the vacation that’s right for you. 

©Disney

With Disney Genie, you’ll be able to select your interests (things like Star Wars, Pixar, Disney Princesses, etc.) and the app will customize a plan to fit your needs. You’ll also be able to use Disney Genie to check wait times (both current and projected), Mobile Order, find dining reservations, join virtual queues, and chat with a virtual assistant.

©Disney

It’s important to note that all of these planning options on Disney Genie will be available at no additional cost — you’ll simply need to download the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app.

Disney Genie+

Now, let’s discuss the PAID option. Disney Genie+ is $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort. With this add-on, you can go into the app and select the next available time to visit an attraction, and when you arrive at that attraction you can use the Lightning Lane to skip the line.

©Disney

All guests will be able to make their first Genie+ selection for the day at 7AM EST on the morning of their park visit (given that you have purchased Genie+ for that day). After you have entered the park and used your first selection, then you can choose another attraction to go on next. You can continue to make one Genie+ selection at a time throughout the day.

Disney Genie+ will help you avoid long waits!

A variety of rides and attractions will be available to book through Genie+, including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. It will work very similarly to the MaxPass option at Disneyland Resort. Even though many attractions will be available on Disney Genie+, you’ll still be able to experience them without paying extra by waiting in the standby lines.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Your Disney Genie+ purchase will also include parks-themed audio experiences and photo features at Walt Disney World and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads for Disneyland Resort. 

©Disney | Current PhotoPass options

The other big thing you need to know is that for a few of the most popular rides, you’ll need to pay an additional fee to use the Lightning Lane. For these rides (including options like Rise of the Resistance, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Radiator Springs Racers), you’ll be able to purchase two “individual attraction selections” each day. Pricing for these rides will “vary by date, attraction, and park and will be announced closer to launch” (Note that these rides will still offer standby queues or the boarding pass system). You are not required to purchase Genie+ in order to pay an additional fee for these rides.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

So there are the basic differences between Disney Genie and Disney Genie+. In summary, Disney Genie is free, Disney Genie+ costs an additional fee and offers a MaxPass-like service, and you’ll only be able to skip the line on the most popular attractions if you pay another individual fee.

©Disney

Stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney Genie coverage and news in the next few weeks! The service launches in the fall and we’re expecting more information soon.

Click Here to Learn More About These Options!

Will you pay for Disney Genie+? Let us know in the comments!

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9 Replies to “The Difference Between the FREE Disney Genie and PAID Disney Genie+”

  1. I do not want Genie + and am afraid to use regular Genie because I do not want them to charge me.
    Very confusing😟

  2. Nope. I just can’t understand the theory of changing how you get into attractions every 5 years. And annual pass holders should get that as a perk for the price of their pass.

  3. Fast Passed we’re never “Free”. They were part of the cost of a park pass. Now Disney has decided park ticket prices have maxed out ads cash grab but they’re still increasing admission prices by adding this cash grab fee.

    Sort of like baggage fees on airlines.

  4. Sadly… I have to agree with you Beach. It seems like the future of Disney (and even now) will be a luxury only rich families will be able to enjoy. Disney was built on family values for all… I guess that’s all changed now. Shame on you Disney. 🙁

  5. In its most brazen and greediest move ever, Disney execs once again reveal how little respect they have for the millions of Disney fans over the decades who have made them their fortunes. This latest robbing of guests of yet another once free perk shows that COVID was only an excuse to strip guests and the parks of live entertainment, fired thousands of cast members, eliminated free magic bands, free air transport, free hotel parking and now pay to play to experience rides they already paid top $$ for.

  6. We will be 6 people going to Disney with 3 days in the parks so Genie+ will add about $300 to our trip. I’m not happy about this but I’m willing to pay it. But the final upgrade seems like a rip-off. We pay to get into the park–why should we have to pay more for 2 specific rides? While the price hasn’t been announced, I’m thinking I won’t pay for this. I’d like to know which rides are covered under which plan.

  7. This is the worst decision Disney has ever made. As one poster said they now hold title to the “Greediest place on Earth”