I recently had the chance to visit Disney World and use Disney Genie and Lightning Lane. Our visit took place on days with relatively low to moderate crowd levels. Our experience may have been completely different on high crowd days.
Given that, I learned a few things from this experience and will share some ideas and tips.
1 – Genie+ Attraction List
Looking at the list of attractions that are eligible for the basic Genie+ option, we did not think there was much value to be found in purchasing this level. Most of these attractions do not get long waits during the day. For those that do, like Slinky Dog Dash, we heard people saying that the Genie Lightning Lane options disappeared early in the day. We saw people using the basic Genie+ options for rides like Figment, and ironically, we were boarding the vehicles and leaving the load area by the time they made it to the load area. I think a good touring plan, rope drop strategy, and single-rider options make this level really unnecessary. We did not buy it, and have no regrets.
Tip: Consider skipping Genie+ unless wait times are long and you will focus on attractions included with that offering.
2 – Good Neighbor Hotel Differences
We stayed at a Good Neighbor Hotel at Disney Springs. Though this gave us some of the same benefits of Disney resort guests (early park entry, for example), it did require us to wait until the official park opening time to book Lightning Lane for individual attractions. So, for example, we were inside the park at Studios at 8:15 AM or earlier (for 8:30 AM early entry, 9:00 AM opening), but we could not purchase Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane passes until 9:00 AM. At that point, we were able to get a 6:50 PM – 7:50 PM Lightning Lane, with the park closing at 9:00 PM. My hunch is that by 9:45 AM or so, all the Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane passes for the day were gone. I base that estimate on the fact that when I began the booking process, it was for a 6:30 PM ride time, and by the time I entered all my information, it had jumped to 6:50 PM.
Tip: When choosing where you will stay, consider whether the advantage of earlier access to Lightning Lane A La Carte attractions may make it worthwhile to stay in a Disney Resort. During peak attendance times, those precious hours of head-start could mean the difference in riding or not riding top-tier attractions.
3 – Lightning Lane When Rise Of The Resistance Is Down
When we arrived at Rise of the Resistance for our 6:50 PM Lightning Lane reservation, the attraction was down. There was a mob scene outside the attraction where it was roped off. We saw one mass of people who’d been waiting a long time on standby, and another mob who’d been waiting with Lightning Lane passes. I asked a lot of questions to Cast Members until one finally whispered to me, “We are about to re-open, and we’ll allow Lightning Lane guests to enter through the ropes on the far right side of the attraction.” So I made my way through the mob, got to the far right side, and moments later, a Cast Member came and dropped the rope and led us into the attraction.
Tip: If an attraction where you have a Lightning Lane reservation goes down, ask lots of questions and keep an eye out for what might happen when the attraction reopens.
4 – Was Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane Worth It?
Was the pass for Rise of the Resistance worth $15 per person? It is hard to say. The stand-by line was around 60 minutes at the time of our pass. Had I not been first in line when the attraction re-opened after being down temporarily, it is likely I would have had a 30 minute or more wait time to board. But I think I’m happy with having spent the money for two reasons. First, since the ride had gone down, I feel certain that the stand-by line would have been longer than 60 minutes, and I believe that they would have given priority to Lightning Lane guests. Also, if the ride had not re-opened at all, I believe I would have had some recourse for a refund or a “make-good” offer, whereas those who were in stand-by would not have.
Tip: If you really want to experience a Lightning Lane attraction like Rise of the Resistance, consider if the time you save is worth the price you need to pay. Nobody likes to pay more, but it may be worth it.
5 – Free Disney Genie App
What about the “free” features of Genie? I think the free features are nice under a couple of conditions. First, if you want to have a laid-back day with minimal planning or agenda, the free Genie features can point you to nearby and low-wait attractions as you go about your day. It can also give you tips on when you might have the lowest wait times for the attractions you want to ride. You should know, however, that in only using the free option, you will get a lot of ads popping up trying to upsell you. I heard from some who paid for Genie+ that they still got the upsell ads. Also, the attractions to which free Genie tries to direct you are likely those where you would have a lower wait time, or no wait, anyway. For example, several times during the day at Hollywood Studios, Genie tried to point me to the Disney Junior Stage Show, and in Epcot to Voices of Liberty. I had no interest in seeing these shows, and the options I selected when setting up my day preferences should have made that clear. So, you need to keep in mind that Genie is Disney’s way of directing traffic to where they want you to go in order to minimize crowds and bump up attendance at lower-end attractions.
Tip: The free Disney Genie app may help you wait less in line, but consider what you really want to do. You may decide to wait in lines so that you can have experiences you will enjoy more.
Have you actually tried Disney Genie, Genie+, or Lightning Lane? What was your experience? If not, do you plan to use them?