One Big Thing Disney Adults Get WRONG About the Parks

Like everything else, Disney World has changed in many ways over the years.

New attractions have arrived, nighttime spectaculars have come and gone, and so much merchandise has cycled in and out of the parks’ shops that we can hardly keep up! One big change that many Disney fans have BIG opinions on is the addition of Genie+ — Disney’s skip-the-line service. The service replaced FastPass+ in 2021 and it allowed guests the opportunity to pay for the option to use the Lightning Lane at certain attractions — all day long. One downside to this addition was the fact that you could only book the Lightning Lanes the day-of, and you have to continually book them throughout the day. Therefore, Genie+ requires you to be on your phone a LOT during your Disney day.

Genie+ has been a frustrating change for many Disney World visitors. A common concern that we hear is that needing a phone all day takes away some of the spontaneity and relaxation that guests were allowed when they were able to book their FastPasses in advance. We asked our readers to share with us all the ways that having their phone at Disney World has ruined their Disney vacation — and the answers surprised us in a good way.

The majority of our readers feel that having to be on their phones all day at Disney World hasn’t ruined their vacation at all! Several comments included thoughts about how technology hasn’t ruined everything — and that it can actually be beneficial while in the parks. If you’re worried about needing your phone all day in the parks, here are a few MAJOR upsides to having your device — coming from both AE readers and the AE team.

Disney World isn’t as much of a guessing game.

Maybe some of you miss the days of guessing at what crowds would be like and trying to constantly strategize your Disney day to figure out the best times to ride each ride. Some of us, however, like having it all laid out for us! The Disney World app does just that. At any given moment, you can see the wait times at each attraction in the park as well as a wait time forecast that predicts wait times for the whole day. As long as you have the app downloaded, you have access to this information for FREE.

Plus, the free version of Genie will actually recommend some things for you to do at certain times — even when and where to get a snack. This could be a great way to add some spontaneity back in while still staying in the know and navigating wait times accurately.

FREE Photos

Did you know that you can get as many photos from PhotoPass photographers as you want — FOR FREE — without purchasing MemoryMaker or a similar photo package? Yep, you can just ask the photographer to take your photo using your phone.

This is a great way to get all the photos you could ever dream of without having to download or purchase anything. Plus, the photographers usually get pretty creative with selfie ideas! Oh, and if you purchase Genie+, you can get attraction photos for free as well!

Ability to Ride New Attractions

Nowadays, Disney World utilizes a virtual queue system to allow guests to experience new attractions without a horrendously long wait. Having your phone with you in the parks allows you the opportunity to join the virtual queue and experience other things in the parks while you wait for your turn to ride!

Plus, you’ll get a notification when it’s time to ride, so you don’t have to check your phone all that frequently, which is a plus.

You don’t always have to wait for your food at a restaurant

Having a mobile device allows you the opportunity to mobile order! Yep, you can order your food to be picked up later on in the day, so that you can experience all you want while you’re waiting for your meal. All you have to do is let the app know that you’re close-by and ready for your food from the quick service location.

Not all quick service locations are available for mobile order, though, so make sure you check the app beforehand to make sure you can order what you’re cravin’ ahead of time.

See? There are many perks of having a mobile device in the parks with you. However, that doesn’t mean that Genie+ isn’t frustrating, not to mention expensive. However, contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily HAVE to use Genie+ to navigate long waits and massive crowds at Disney World. Here are just a few tips that we use when we don’t want to make the purchase:

1. Utilize the free version of Genie in the Disney World app to monitor wait times and predicted wait times for the rest of the day to get an idea of your preferred time to ride.
2. Look at past wait times for the days prior to your visit! We post hourly wait times each day here at AllEars, so checking out those posts could help you get an idea of what wait times could be like throughout the day.
3. Start your days early or end your days late! Wait times are lowest in the mornings at park-open and at night right before park-close. If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you have early access to the parks, and if you’re staying at a deluxe Disney World hotel, you could have the opportunity to stay for extended evening hours.
4. Ride the most popular attractions during parades or nighttime spectaculars. Many folks will flock to viewing areas to check out the shows, which sometimes results in shorter waits.

You can also do Disney World WITHOUT your phone if you desire! Breedlove made several videos on how to do the parks without a phone — check it out for some tips on how to decrease your screen time.

Well, there you have it! If you’re worried about spending your Disney day on your phone, don’t be. Seriously. And, if you’re one who misses the days where Disney World could be totally spontaneous, just think of all the added benefits of having your device with you all day. While yes, it’s fun to live in the moment, you can enhance your Disney day and create memories in totally new ways with your phone in-hand. Just don’t forget a charger!

We’ll continue to keep you updated with any and all tips and tricks we have when it comes to navigating theme parks, so make sure to follow along for more!

Looking for more on Genie+? Click here to check out recent updates made to the service. 

What do you love about having your phone with you at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

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