(A version of this article was shared with Pirates and Princesses and published on June 25, 2024.)
Disney Destinations dropped some giant news today. Walt Disney World’s Genie+ program, which has been met with mixed (mostly unfavorable) reviews since its release in October 2021, will be overhauled to better serve guests.
Beginning July 24th, Walt Disney World’s Genie+ program will be getting a new name: Lightning Lane Multi Pass. For consistency, the Individual Lightning Lane name will change to Lightning Lane Single Pass. But changes to the program will go much further than simply a new name. It will blend features from the current Genie+ services with the previously offered (and much preferred) FastPass+ service, giving guests the ability to plan ahead, removing the hassle of planning during their vacation.
Here’s the lowdown.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Starting July 24th, when guests purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, they may make up to 3 Lightning Lane selections in a theme park, in advance of their visit. They’ll also be able to choose from available times while making selections. On the day of their visit, once guests use a selection, they may check the My Disney Experience app for availability to make an additional selection. If this program works the way Disney describes, then guests will have the ability to keep up to three Lightning Lane selections in their queue at all times (pending attraction availability). Guests with Park Hopper tickets will be able to select attractions from multiple parks ahead of time.
Note: Tier systems will be in use for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service at all parks except for Animal Kingdom, allowing guests to pick one attraction from the top tier group and then two attractions from a lower tier.
Lightning Lane Single Pass
Lightning Lane Single Pass will work much like the Individual Lightning Lane system. Guests can secure a time to ride one of the select highly demanded attractions included in the program. The difference here will be that they will be able to make their purchase ahead of the day of their visit, to help with planning their day.
Currently, the list of attractions reserved for Individual Lightning Lane / Lightning Lane Single Pass includes the following:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
- TRON Lightcycle / Run (Magic Kingdom)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Avatar Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Planning Ahead…
Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels (Shades of Green Resort, and Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels) will be able to plan Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance, for their entire stay (up to 14 days). All other guests can plan up to 3 days in advance. This represents a big addition to the perks of staying at a Disney Resort hotel.
…Or Not Planning Ahead
For guests who haven’t sorted out their park day visit ahead of time, “Day-of” Lightning Lane Multi Pass will continue to be available. Similar to the advance selection process, guests purchasing Multi Pass on the day of their visit will start by selecting up to 3 attractions and can select others once their first Lightning Lane reservation is used.
Streamlined Purchasing
Disney will be updating the functionality within My Disney Experience to make it quicker and easier for guests to purchase and plan for their park days, with fewer steps and a new option to purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass or Lightning Lane Multi Pass (or both) in one single transaction.
Disneyland Changes
At the Disneyland Resort, the names will also be updated, similar to Walt Disney World. However, the services will remain the same operationally as they are currently in Genie+, with Disney noting that guests visit Disneyland in a different way than they visit Walt Disney World. Time will tell if Disneyland’s system eventually changes to match the new process coming to Walt Disney World.
Welcome Changes
Disney does indeed listen to their guests, and the constant complaints and dissatisfaction with the Genie+ service has not been lost on the ears of Disney Parks management. This is a smart shift, and should greatly improve the guest experience in the Walt Disney World theme parks.
Disney released this short video demonstrating the Lightning Lane system:
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