Disney overhauls Genie+ system to let you sleep in and still skip long lines
Do you like sleeping in past 6:55 a.m. and not living on your phone while on vacation? If so, Disney has some good news for you.
One of the biggest complaints about Disney World's Genie+ system, which replaced the prior FastPass+ reduce-your-time-in-line program in 2022 (and added a cost; the old system was free), was that to really maximize the service, the planner for the family ended up being on their phone quite a bit selecting and modifying attraction reservations beginning each day at 7 a.m. while on "vacation."
Disney heard that feedback and announced last year that changes were coming — and now we know what those changes will be.
Beginning July 24, Disney Genie+ is getting a major makeover.
Guests who want to use the lines with shorter wait times will be able to plan some of their day's attractions before their visit. Genie+ as we know it, which lets you access shorter wait times for multiple attractions throughout the day, will be rebranded to Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Individual Lightning Lane attractions, which are often the newest attractions not included in the multi-attraction pass, like Tron Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, will be called Lightning Lane Single Pass.
Here's everything you need to know about how Disney's Lightning Lane passes will work for visits beginning July 24 and onward.
How to book for multiple days ahead of your visit
Beginning July 24, guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel can purchase Lightning Lane passes up to seven days in advance at 7 a.m. ET for the entire length of their stay (up to 14 days). This includes the Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve hotels and Shades of Green, in addition to Disney's official hotels. Previously, this happened starting at midnight on each day of your trip. All other guests with date-based tickets can plan up to three days in advance for the length of their ticket, beginning at 7 a.m. ET. Guests with annual passes who don't have a Disney hotel stay can plan one day at a time, up to three days before their visit.
You can purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, a Lightning Lane Single Pass or both. The My Disney Experience app will have a streamlined process for bundling these purchases into one transaction instead of having to make them separately. It's not necessary to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass to buy Lightning Lane Single Pass selections and vice versa.
In some ways, this is highly reminiscent of FastPass+, the predecessor to Disney Genie+. With FastPass+, you could make three prearrival attraction selections either 60 days out (for on-site hotel guests) or 30 days out (for all other guests). This tighter booking window feels like a step up from FastPass+ because you will likely have a better idea of your other vacation plans, such as dining reservations and other activities, when your booking window opens.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass
With the introduction of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, guests can purchase and make up to three Lightning Lane selections for one park per day in advance of their visit. Not only can you choose which attractions you want to ride, but you can also choose the time you'd like to do so.
On the day of your visit, you can make additional Lightning Lane selections throughout the day after you use one. If you have Park Hopper tickets, you can make subsequent selections for any of Disney World's four theme parks. All of this is done using the My Disney Experience app.
This is a huge departure from Disney Genie+, which only allowed you to choose the next available window, though many people used this as a strategy for "stacking" Lightning Lanes to use later in the day. Now that you can choose three ride times before your visit, you can opt for times later in the day if you are a late riser or for early in the morning if you prefer to arrive when the parks open. If your plans change after you make your selections, you will still have the option to modify your arrival window.
The process for preselecting rides also resembles FastPass+ for those who remember how that worked prior to the pandemic.
Lightning Lane selections will fall into two groups. You can make one from the first group, which includes premier attractions like Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Peter Pan's Flight at Magic Kingdom and Remy's Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After at Epcot. Your other two selections will include all other available attractions in your chosen park
The pricing structure will not change and will still vary by date and park. The service currently starts at $15 per person per day, and occasionally reaches $39 per person per day during the busiest seasons, like the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons and spring break.
Lightning Lane Single Pass
Lightning Lane Single Pass (formerly Individual Lightning Lane) will work much like it did prior to the change, allowing you to choose a time to ride Disney's newest and most in-demand attractions, but now you can make that purchase and choose your arrival window ahead of time.
Currently, the only rides that will require a Lightning Lane Single Pass purchase are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Avatar Flight of Passage, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Tron Lightcycle / Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
The attractions included in Lightning Lane Single Pass are not included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass and require a separate purchase if you want to skip the normal queue (which, for some of these rides, is a virtual queue). You can purchase up to two of these selections per day, the same limit as right now.
Pricing varies by day and attraction and typically ranges between $7 and $25 per person per attraction.
Bottom line
This is the latest in a string of changes to make Disney World visits less stressful.
Early last year, Disney brought back free self-parking for on-site hotel guests and added complimentary on-ride digital photo downloads with the purchase of Genie+ (which will stick around with the new system). Late last year, Disney reintroduced all-day park-hopping and nixed the theme park reservation requirement for most guests.
The free planning portion of Disney Genie will remain, which is a handy tool when you want to check wait times, get itinerary suggestions or play with fun photo filters.
It's worth noting that these changes only apply to Walt Disney World. Disneyland will adopt the new naming conventions for Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass beginning July 24, but the way you purchase and make selections at Disneyland will remain the same.
While this update does require a little more planning before you arrive, it should make your in-the-park time (and sleep schedule) more enjoyable while you are on your vacation. We are glad to see Disney eliminating some of the barriers that made it harder to enjoy the magic of a Disney World vacation and making the planning process simpler and more fun.
Related reading:
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.