BREAKING NEWS: NEW Disney Genie App and Lightning Lane Fastpass Service Unveiled
Boy do we have some exciting news to share with you. Disney has just revealed the details for its new Disney Genie service along with, drum roll please…..a brand new way of doing front-of-the-line passes known as “Lightning Lane.” Disney has just revealed that both of these services will be available starting this Fall.
Let’s take a closer look at both exciting offerings which we’re confident will revolutionize your future visits to the theme parks!
Introducing Disney Genie
Disney Genie will be your new best friend when visiting the Disney theme parks. Described as a complimentary digital service, Disney Genie was built based on visitor feedback and is designed to make all aspects of your theme park visit a breeze. This will include more flexibility, better tools and cool new technology.
Soon you’ll be guided through the them parks and will have a whole new set of tools that will help you reduce your time in lines, discover the magic that’s around every corner and will take the guest work out of what’s next.
The service will be built into the existing My Disney Experience and Disneyland Apps!
That means no new downloads! Now let’s dive in and take a look at some the Disney Genie features that have us the most excited.
- Personalized Itineraries – Quickly and seamlessly map out an entire day at the theme parks. This includes specific attractions, foodie experiences, entertainment and more.
- Create and Itinerary by Interest – Specialize your itineraries based on the interests of your group. You’ll get to choose from options like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars and more!
- Get Itinerary Updates Throughout Your Visit – Disney Genie will continue to update your itinerary as you go throughout your day at the theme parks.
- Find Your Favorites at a Glance: Create your very own personal tip board to instantly see your favorites. It will display current AND forecasted future wait times, helping you predict when you might experience quicker entry to attractions.
- Enjoy More Flexibility and Fun: Disney Genie brings existing planning features together in one place. Join a virtual queue at certain attractions, make dining and experience reservations, mobile order food at many locations, get help from a virtual assistant and more.
Introducing Disney Genie +
In addition to the FREE functionality of Disney Genie (see above) there will be components of Disney Genie (known as Disney Genie+) that will provide additional perks for an extra fee. This includes Lightning Lane, Disney’s new version of the FASTPASS system which we’ll talk more about in a minute!
Here’s a look at the features of Genie+:
- Front of the Line Access (Lightning Pass): You’ll be able to choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of experiences and attractions using the Lightning Lane Entrance.
- Ability to Purchase More Ride Passes: Want more rides? You can schedule a time to arrive at up to two “high demand” attractions using the Lightning Lane entrance for an additional fee. This will include Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom) as well as Radiator Springs Racers (Disney California Adventure.) Pricing to be announced and will vary by date and park capacity.
- Audio Experiences: The service will include Disney theme parks audio experiences.
- Disney PhotoPass Downloads (Disneyland)
- Augmented Reality Lenses (Walt Disney World Resort
How much will Disney Genie+ cost? The cost is $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort.
Introducing Lightning Lane
Okay, so let’s take a deep dive into the component of this that you are the most interested in, the Fastpass replacement – Lightning Lane.
Guests paying for Disney Genie+ will have front-of-the line access to some of your favorite rides and attractions including Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and so much more.
Here’s how the system will work:
- Once you’ve purchased the Genie+ add on, guests can make Lightning Lane selects on the same day of your visit. Park Hoppers are sure to love the fact that you can book Lightning Lane rides across multiple parks.
- Lightning Lane users can make one selection at a time, throughout your day.
- Once you’ve checked in for your first Lightning Lane attraction you are then able to book another and so on and so forth.
Will There Still Be FASTPASS and MaxPass?
No. Disney is retiring both of these options and moving toward Lightning Lane.
Can I Ride Attractions Without a Lightning Lane Pass?
Yes. As Disney outlined in a recently released video that we shared with you below, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World will continue to run traditional stand-by queues.
What About Rides With Virtual Queues Like Rise of the Resistance?
This will be on a case per case basis In some instances, Disney will default to virtual queues for rides like “Rise of the Resistance” to maximize flexibility.
Update to DAS Services
As part of these exciting and sweeping changes, Disney will also be making enhancements to the current Disability Access Services. This includes the option to enroll in the program pre-arrival. DAS participants will also be able to select their attractions daily using the app. The in-person DAS program will still be available giving guests more ways to take advantage of the DAS program.
What’s Next?
It’s early days for Disney Genie which means that you may have more questions than answers. Two great resources you’ll want to check out are:
We’ll also share a video below designed to answer some of your initial questions:
This is exciting times Disney friends and as we learn more about both of these incredible tools designed to enhance your Disney experience we will share all of the facts with you. So, keep following along with MickeyBlog!
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Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to assist you with everything from finding your perfect package to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your visit truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook
wow thats huge!