Disney Genie fee lets park guests get in the fast lane
Disney has unveiled details on its soon-to-launch Disney Genie digital planning platform, including specifics on a FastPass replacement called Disney Genie+, which will enable guests to pay a fee to skip long lines at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort parks.
The Disney Genie+ service will be available for $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket at Disneyland Resort. The service grants guests the ability to choose a time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences and access a “Lightning Lane” entrance.
Guests will be permitted to make one Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection at a time for a variety of rides, including favorites like the Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, among others.
Attractions with especially high demand, however, will not be included in the Genie+ program. Lightning Lane access to high-demand attractions will be available on an individual basis for a separate fee. Guests will be permitted to schedule a Lightning Lane arrival for up to two high-demand attractions each day.
Pricing for individual Lightning Lane selections for high-demand attractions will vary by date, attraction and park, with Disney to announce more details on the closer to launch.
Guests will be able to make Lightning Lane selections on the day they visit the park.
By contrast, Disney’s FastPass system, which was put on pause during the pandemic, was free. The FastPass program included complimentary FastPass+ service at Walt Disney World, while at Disneyland, guests could previously opt to upgrade to Disney MaxPass, which enabled guests to pay a fee to digitally reserve a ride time for an attraction.
In a statement, Disney called its Disney Genie+ service “the next evolution” of Disney MaxPass.
While utilization of Disney Genie+ will cost extra, access to the general Disney Genie app-based platform (expected to debut this fall) will be free. Disney Genie promises to offer guests a “personalized itinerary” feature, which Disney claims will make it easier for guests to plan their park visits.
The platform will work to update a guest’s itinerary throughout the day, display current and forecasted future wait times and provide access to a virtual assistant, as well as allow guests to join virtual queues when available, make dining and experience reservations, and input mobile food orders.
In an earnings call last week, Disney CEO Bob Chapek described Disney Genie as Disney’s MyMagic+ planning program “on steroids.”
“MyMagic+ was us basically sticking our toe in the pond of this type of transformational work,” said Chapek. “The goal of Disney Genie, which will appear in a user-friendly app, is to create a better, more personalized and customized experience for guests, putting them in control and providing even greater flexibility and choice.”
Disney first unveiled plans to develop Disney Genie back in 2019.
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