8 Disney World Tips For Those Who AREN’T Buying Genie+

Disney’s brand-new Genie+ system has changed the way we plan (and budget for) our Disney World vacations. At $15 per day per guest, Genie+ is the new way to experience expedited wait times for many rides and attractions.

Gone are the days of complimentary Fastpasses, and many guests may choose to use their vacation dollars towards another expense! If you’re considering skipping Genie+ on your upcoming vacation, we have a few tips to continue to keep you wait times as low as possible!

Even during the days of FastPass+, a reliable way of experiencing lower wait times in the parks was to arrive early and stay late. Rope drop will likely continue to be your best friend if you choose not to purchase Genie+. Show up to the park early and head straight towards your favorite popular ride for a chance at a lower wait time!

On the flip side, stay until park close for shorter wait times, too! Plan your evening so you get in line for a mega-popular ride RIGHT before park close so you aren’t spending park hours standing in a longer line! Even if the park closes while you are standing in line, you will still get to ride!

There are additional ways to maximize your time in the theme parks by staying on Disney World property. All on-property guests are eligible to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, which gets you into the parks 30 minutes prior to other guests. This can be invaluable when trying to knock those popular rides out of the way first thing in the morning.

If you choose to stay at a Deluxe Resort or a Deluxe Villa Resort on Disney World property, you will also be eligible for extended evening park hours! 

Disney World will continue to use their complimentary Boarding Group system for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. While access to the ride’s Lightning Lanes will be available for and additional fee, you can also try your luck at grabbing a Boarding Group at no extra cost.

If you are already considering attending an after-hours event, you may find that the short wait times justifies the cost of your ticket. If your ultimate goal is to save as much money as possible, then this tip may not be for you — but if you were already weighing the pros and cons of purchasing tickets for, say, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, then it may be a fun way to get a lot of rides in without having to sign up for Genie+.

Of course, you can always plan to visit Disney World during a slower time of year. We frequently publish reports on up-to-date average wait times throughout the parks, so you can follow trends on when a good time to visit may be. Not only will crowds be lower, but you may wind up paying less for visits during an off-peak season, too!

Finally, don’t forget that you can always use the forecasted wait times feature on the FREE version of Disney Genie! Genie+ is not the only new software coming to town — Disney Genie is a free planning tool that will allow all guests to navigate their days in the parks, with forecasted future wait times and a virtual assistant to make the most of your time in Disney World. There are some key differences between the free version of Genie and the paid system known as Genie+, so be sure to read up on those prior to your trip!

We hope these tips come in handy if you’re looking to save a few bucks while still increasing your odds of experiencing lower wait times on your favorite rides and attractions in Disney World! Genie+ promises to make sure you are spending less time in line, but we have years of practice in navigating long queues on some of Disney’s most popular rides. Be sure to follow along as we continue to learn more ways to save at Disney World!

Click here to learn more about Disney Genie. 

Will you purchase Genie+ on your next Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments!

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