Is Disney Genie Plus Worth it? - Pixie Packing Travel Co

There’s a new way to spend money but save time on your Disney trip- Is Disney Genie Plus Worth It?

When it comes to planning a Disney trip, there’s a new tool in town – Disney Genie Plus. This paid service promises to enhance your park experience by reducing wait times, providing personalized recommendations, and offering convenient features. But is Disney Genie Plus truly worth the extra cost? In this blog post, we’ll delve into the details and help you decide whether this service is a worthy addition to your Disney adventure.

This blog is all about if Disney Genie Plus is worth it for your Disney Trip.

Table of Contents

What is Disney Genie Plus?

Disney Genie Plus (+) is a premium service offered by Disney Parks—both Disneyland and Walt Disney World—that allows visitors to access shorter wait times for select attractions, shows, and more. By reserving ride times in advance through the Genie+ app, you can potentially bypass long lines and make the most of your park day.

How much does Genie Plus cost?

Disney World: $16 – $27 per ticket per day. You can add it the day of your visit and don’t need to add it for every day of your visit- i/e you can pick and choose what days you want to use it. Magic Kingdom is the most expensive (or multiple parks purchase) and Animal Kingdom is the cheapest.

Disneyland: $25 – $35 per ticket per day. The same rules apply as above, AND you get a Photo Pass (all the pictures that the photographers in the park take of you and ride photos) included in your Genie Plus day!

Pros of Disney Genie+:

Reduced Wait Times: One of the most significant advantages of Disney Genie+ is the potential to minimize wait times for popular attractions. If you’re visiting during peak seasons, this can be a game-changer, ensuring you spend less time in lines and more time enjoying the park.
Convenience: With Genie+, you can plan your park day in advance, making it easier to manage your time and fit in all your must-do attractions. The regular Genie app provides recommendations and suggests personalized itineraries, that’s it, but pairing that with the paid Disney Genie Plus version and setting your preferences can really help you optimize your time.
Access to Popular Attractions: Disney Genie+ includes access to a selection of highly sought-after attractions that can have notoriously long wait times, especially during peak times like spring break, or around any holidays. This means you’re more likely to experience these rides without the frustration of lengthy queues.
Enhanced Experience: The service also offers some bonus features like augmented reality (AR) lenses, audio experiences, and fun photo features that can uniquely enhance your park experience.

Cons of Disney Genie+:

Additional Cost: The extra cost is perhaps the most significant drawback of Disney Genie Plus. In addition to your park admission (which by itself is very pricey), you’ll need to budget for this service. A Disney trip is already very expensive and this added expense can just be too much for some who are on a budget.
Flexibility vs. Structure: While Genie+ can help you optimize your park day, it also introduces a level of structure to your visit. If you prefer a more spontaneous approach (which is hard to pull off on Disney trips these days) or enjoy exploring without a strict schedule, this might not be the way to go.
Attraction Availability: It’s important to note that not all attractions are included with Disney Genie+. At Walt Disney World, some newer attractions (for example, Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy in 2023) use virtual queues and won’t be included in Disney Genie Plus. In addition, some very popular attractions at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland are not included in Disney Genie Plus, so be sure to read the Disney Genie Plus attractions list before you make your decision.

Let’s look at some specific examples at two of the most popular parks, Magic Kingdom and Epcot, to demonstrate when you might be able to go without Disney Genie Plus:

When can you go without Genie +

Magic Kingdom

You can do ok without Disney Genie Plus IF

You’re not trying to hit up all of the major attractions. This applies if you have been to Magic Kingdom before and have a shorter list of must-do’s, or you will be able to visit Magic Kingdom multiple days.
You’re planning on “rope-dropping” in the morning (i/e arriving at least 30 minutes before the posted opening hours for the park) and staying late at night (and skipping the fireworks to hit some attractions) and this strategy works if you are taking a break too.
If you go during the holiday season on a special “party day”. That means the park is closing at 6 pm so the Magic Kingdom will have significantly shorter lines those days.
You have little ones and don’t plan on riding really popular thrill-type attractions
You are using Early Entry (when you get into the park 30 minutes early and reserved for Disney Resort and Good Neighbor Hotel guests).
You are staying at a Disney Deluxe resort and will be attending Extended Evening Hours one night at Magic Kingdom during your stay.

EPCOT

You can do ok without Disney Genie Plus IF

You’re using Early Entry (see above) and can hit all the major three attractions of Test Track, Frozen, and Remy’s in the morning. After you get those done the other less popular attractions will all have shorter lines before noon allowing you to hit all of the attractions early in the day (the exception being Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout- for this you either get lucky and snack a virtual queue OR you pay for an Individual Lightning Lane (this is an option for at least 1-2 popular attractions at any Walt Disney World or Disneyland park and these ILL attractions ARE NOT part of Disney Genie Plus)
You don’t mind skipping Remy’s or Frozen. These two can be particularly difficult to navigate for stand by so if you don’t want to do them anyway, that helps make your decision.

These are just two examples. But the decision-making can apply to any other park- if you rope drop, stay late, and/or take advantage of Early Entry and/or are eligible for Extended Evening hours then it’s very reasonable to go without Disney Genie Plus.

Extended Evening Hours

For extended evening hours, remember that this has only been at Epcot and Magic Kingdom so far. Hollywood Studios will be adding them, but Animal Kingdom will not.

Also, remember that as of this writing, Disneyland does not have extended evening hours, only early entry. For Walt Disney World you must be staying at a Deluxe Disney Resort to get extended evening hours.

Hollywood Studios

For Hollywood Studios, you do have some heavy-hitter attractions in Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, but you can hit those early and late, and Rise of the Resistance is an ILL attraction. This means you can purchase a skip-the-line pass to Rise of the Resistance and not purchase Genie Plus.

However, you may have to wait in long lines for Tower of Terror, Mickey and Minnie’s RunAaway Railway, and Rock N Roller Coaster. Rock N Roller Coaster does have a single rider entrance which can save you some time.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is definitely doable without Disney Genie Plus—the biggest waits will be Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro Safari. You can get those done if you get there early and/or stay late.

I recommend doing Kilimanjaro Safari and Everest in the morning and saving Flight of Passage for your last ride. The line will still be long, but Pandora is gorgeous at night. As long as you get in line before the park closes, you will be able to ride.

Disneyland

Disneyland is its own unique place- it’s small and you can definitely get everything done with three days and a go early, stay late strategy.

Many of the original attractions don’t have lightning lanes so they aren’t even available on Genie Plus. But if you are considering purchasing Disney Genie Plus at Disneyland, know that it is much easier to use there!

In addition, if you are staying longer than 4 days and/or have a Park Hopper pass, then you may be able to get more done and have more chances to do your top attractions. In this case, you may not find Disney Genie Plus worth it for your trip.

The Wrap Up

Ultimately, deciding whether Disney Genie+ is worth it depends on a variety of factors, including your budget, park preferences, and the overall experience you’re seeking. If you prioritize shorter wait times, structured planning, and access to popular attractions, Genie+ could be a valuable addition to your Disney trip. On the other hand, if you relish spontaneity, are budget-conscious, or prefer a more flexible approach to your park visit, you might find that Genie+ doesn’t align with your needs.

The value of Disney Genie+ is a personal decision that hinges on how you want to experience Disney’s magic. No one can tell you what is exactly right for your Disney vacation except you. Take some time to weigh the pros and cons, consider your priorities, and make an informed choice that ensures your Disney Park adventure is all the magic that you want it to be!

This post was all about Is Disney Genie Plus worth it?