Genie+ Is Basically Becoming FastPass Again in Disney World and We Have PROOF

The times they are a-changin’ at Disney World!

Cinderella Castle

Disney World has been experiencing plenty of changes from the opening of new rides to planned land expansion. However, one change that took us completely by surprise was the sudden change of the Genie+ system. While examining this new change, we came across an interesting idea — is Disney World reverting to the FastPass system?

Right off the bat, it’s important to note that the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass systems going into effect on July 24th, 2024. The new line-skipping systems also aren’t total deviations from Genie+, still utilizing the My Disney Experience app and being paid services that allow guests to access Lightning Lanes.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass

Still, the new line-skipping system’s layout feels awfully similar to an old relic of Disney World — FastPass+. While FastPass+ was officially discontinued at Disney World in 2021, there are some noticeable comparisons between the new Lightning Lane Service and this free service that have us wondering if The Most Magical Place On Earth is returning to its roots.

Expedition Everest Lightning Lane

For starters, the main draw of FastPass+ was its ability to make FastPass reservations in advance. Both the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass offer advanced reservations as well.

This change differs from what Genie+ had been offering since its inception until recently. Instead of forcing guests to play roulette with the Lightning Lane reservation system on the day of a visit, guests can finally move away from that and get some breathing room when it comes to planning their ride schedule once again.

Space Mountain

Another remnant of FastPass+ that has reappeared is its added perks for Disney World hotel guests. The new system allows users to purchase passes and make reservations up to 3 days in advance of their park visit.

However, hotel guests get special treatment and can book their passes 7 days before their first day of a Disney hotel stay for their length of stay (up to 14 days).

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

FastPass+ also incentivized staying on property with its perks. Guests staying at a Disney World resort could make reservations up to 60 days in advance while everyone else got a 30-day reservation window. While the windows were MUCH wider for FastPass+, this perk has seemingly carried over into 2024 and the foreseeable future.

Grand Floridian

Another major similarity is the tier system and one-park restriction. The Lightning Lane Multi Pass allows users to select one higher-tier attraction for one park and two lower-tier attractions (or three lower tier if one is not selected from the higher tier) for the same park per day.

The single pass lets you pick two in-demand attractions that aren’t included in the multi-pass tier system.

You can see the specifics in the image below.

©Disney

FastPass+ also offered a tier system that restricted advanced reservations to one park. Guests could make three reservations in advance for each day — just like the new Lightning Lane system. These reservations had two tiers each for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass only replaces Animal Kingdom with Magic Kingdom and also utilizes the My Disney Experience app, and, like FastPass+, allows users to reserve new Lightning Lane experiences after redeeming an existing one and can be used at different parks than the one you initially selected.

Lightning Lane

All in all, the upcoming Lightning Lane system still borrows a ton from Genie+, but all the returning FastPass+ elements are impossible to ignore. Advanced reservation, hotel guest perks, the limitation to one park (for advanced reservations), and the 2-tier system scream FastPass+.