Rides You WON’T Regret Paying for in Disney World

Disney World recently introduced a new planning tool called Disney Genie that can help you map out your day in the parks. Along with Genie came Genie+, which has replaced the FastPass+ system in Disney World and costs $15 per day, per person.

There are 46 rides available through Genie+ that you can make reservations for to use the Lightning Lane (old FastPass+ lane) to skip the standby line. You can only make one ride reservation at a time, with the exception of the 120 minute rule.

There are also some high demand rides that aren’t included with Genie+ but are part of Individual Attraction Selections. These are rides you can pay for individually to use the Lightning Lane. Some rides in Disney World regularly have long waits, and paying for them could save you a lot of time and maximize your park day.

Let’s talk about the rides you won’t regret paying for in Disney World!

Magic Kingdom

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise is one of the more popular rides in Magic Kingdom, usually having one of the highest average wait times for the week. People love the classics!

As this ride can tend to have a longer wait than many others in the park, using Genie+ could really help save you some time! Also the queue is completely outside (it is covered but open air), so if it’s really hot out, you could avoid standing in the heat for a long time.

Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain is especially popular when it’s hot outside, as everyone is looking for a way to cool down. This is another one where the entire queue is technically outside. Even though you do go “inside” a building, it’s open air and isn’t air conditioned.

If Splash has a long wait and it’s hot outside, use Genie+ to your benefit, and grab a Lightning Lane reservation to skip the line!

Peter Pan’s Flight

You know how we said people love the classics? People LOVE Peter Pan’s Flight! Unless you’re rope dropping or getting in line right before park close, this ride can tend to have a longer wait than most others in Magic Kingdom.

The ride is pretty short, so waiting for over an hour might not be worth it to you or the best use of your time. Using a Genie+ reservation on Peter Pan’s Flight is definitely a wise decision if the wait time is long!

Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion can also have wait times that are longer than others in the parks, especially if it’s a busy time of year. For many Disney fans, this is a must do on their trips, so it’s pretty popular!

The queue for Haunted Mansion is also all outside, so by using Genie+, you can get into that stretching room faster to beat the heat and the crowds.

EPCOT

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Remy’s is the newest ride at Disney World, opening on October 1st of this year, so it’s extremely popular! But this ride uses a virtual queue system, meaning you have to snag a boarding pass when they’re released in order to go on it.

If you’re unable to get a boarding pass because your fingers weren’t fast enough or you wanted to sleep in (the first drop is at 7AM), paying for an individual Lightning Lane is the only way you can get on Remy’s.

Test Track

Test Track usually has one of the highest wait times in EPCOT, so if it’s on your must do list, using a Genie+ reservation is a good idea. You can use that time you would’ve spent waiting in line to eat and drink around the World Showcase!

But also remember that Test Track does have a single rider line, so if it’s open and you’re okay with being split up from your party, this is a good option for a lower wait time without having to use Genie+.

Hollywood Studios

Rise of the Resistance

Rise of the Resistance recently switched from a virtual queue to a traditional standby queue, so you can ride it by either waiting in line or paying for an individual Lightning Lane.

Being one of — if not the — most popular rides in Disney World, many people will try and rope drop Rise with hopes of a shorter wait time. But this can also cause the wait time to shoot up into triple digits shortly after the park opens. Paying for an individual Lightning Lane will let you avoid trying to beat the crowds and potentially save you a lot of time.

Slinky Dog Dash

Slinky Dog Dash has remained popular since Toy Story Land opened in 2018. This is a good ride to rope drop because it can have long waits and the queue is all outside, so going first thing in the morning can help you avoid the crowds and hot temperatures.

But if that doesn’t work for your plan because you’re rope dropping Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway or another ride, a Genie+ reservation is a great option to quickly get on the ride!

Tower of Terror OR Rock n Roller Coaster

We say “or” because you can rope drop one of these rides but usually not both, especially during crowded times of the year.

Whichever one you decide not to rope drop, you could get a Lightning Lane reservation for to avoid the long lines!

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Of course a lot of people want to take a ride in the Millennium Falcon! Wait times can get pretty high for Smugglers Run, so Genie+ can definitely be used to your benefit in these instances.

However, Smugglers Run also has a single rider line, so if your priority is to get on that ship and avoid the standby line without paying for Genie+, this is how you should do it if it’s open. Just know that you will be split up from your party and you most likely will be in the engineer position instead of a pilot.

If you want to have more control over your position and stay with your group, using a Genie+ reservation here would allow you to do that, just for a price!

Animal Kingdom

Flight of Passage

Another super popular ride that consistently has the highest wait time in Animal Kingdom. Like Rise of the Resistance, a lot of people will head here at park open in hopes of a shorter than normal wait time, which can cause the wait time to shoot up high.

If you don’t want to be at Animal Kingdom before 8AM to rope drop Flight of Passage, buying an individual Lightning Lane is how you can skip the long line.

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Obviously when you’re in Animal Kingdom you’re going to want to see some animals, which is why Kilimanjaro Safaris can have high wait times (and we’d wait a long time to see some of those baby animals!).

A Genie+ reservation will let you skip the line and avoid waiting outside in the heat, because this queue is also all open air.

Those are all of the rides you won’t regret paying for in Disney World! Stay tuned to All Ears for more Disney tips, tricks, and info.

Click here to see us test out if Genie+ really saves you time in Disney World

Do you have any other rides to add to the list? Let us know in the comments!

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