Is Disney Genie truly as powerful as it claims? Here’s what I discovered after giving it a try.

Editor’s note: Starting July 24, Disney Genie+ will transition to Disney Lightning Lane Multi Pass. For more information about this new service, you can find details here.

When Disney introduced Disney Genie back in 2019, I was thrilled. A trip-planning tool that eliminates the uncertainty of where to go, what to do, and when to do it at Disney World and Disneyland? I was all in!

Disney Genie launched on October 19, and I managed to persuade my husband that it was crucial for us to rise at 4 a.m. the following weekend, fly to Orlando, and spend an entire day at the Magic Kingdom experimenting with this new set of services.

I appreciated certain aspects while finding others a bit perplexing, but overall, I believe Disney Genie is a valuable and comprehensive tool once you understand how to utilize it effectively. Here’s how my day unfolded and some key insights I gathered.

My Disney Genie experience kicked off even before we headed to Disney World.

A few days ahead of our trip, I paid $15 plus tax per person to add Genie+ to our existing tickets. I also configured my Disney Genie preferences in the My Disney Experience app and explored the new features. I added numerous favorite rides and interests (so many that Genie advised me to narrow it down), which I now think might have been a misstep. I'll explain why shortly.

I also made our first Genie+ selection. This can be done starting at 7 a.m. on the day of your visit, allowing you to make additional selections throughout the day after using each one or once two hours have passed since your last booking. I chose Haunted Mansion since it’s a must-do for us at Magic Kingdom, and the return time was sufficiently far off to give us time for breakfast and a couple of rides first.

I dedicated the morning to figuring out how to use the new system.

After arriving and heading to the Magic Kingdom, I reviewed Genie’s suggested itinerary for my day. I anticipated this complimentary feature would be my favorite among the new offerings and intended to follow whatever Genie recommended.

Initially, the suggestions made sense. Genie advised us to go to Peter Pan's Flight, which often has long wait times later in the day. However, there were also significant gaps with no recommendations at all. Additionally, some suggestions didn’t align with my interests, leading me to wish I had been a bit more restrained when setting my preferences. Next time, I plan to add fewer favorites to better refine Genie’s recommendations.

Conversely, the Tip Board became my favorite aspect of the free Genie service. It provided real-time and projected wait times, Genie+ and individual Lightning Lane options, dining choices, show times, and more.

Upon arriving at the park, I checked the Tip Board and discovered we had time to enjoy Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and mobile order breakfast before making our way to the Haunted Mansion.

While we were dining, I noticed the standby wait for Haunted Mansion was only 20 minutes, so I canceled my Genie+ reservation and booked a later one for Big Thunder. This was another moment where my unfamiliarity with Disney Genie led me to make a choice that didn’t quite add up. I could have kept my reservation and booked Big Thunder as soon as I tapped in at Haunted Mansion, but I was still learning the ropes.

After we exited Haunted Mansion, Genie recommended we ride...Haunted Mansion again. While I do enjoy it, I felt a bit disappointed that it didn’t suggest something different.

Deciding whether to buy an individual Lightning Lane selection required some thought.

Individual Lightning Lane selections operate a bit differently from Genie+ Lightning Lane selections. You can only make two per day, and once you select one, it cannot be changed or canceled (although they will assist you if the attraction experiences a shutdown). I typically avoid Seven Dwarfs Mine Train due to wait times ranging from one to two hours, which is longer than I’m willing to endure, so I opted for that ride.

It cost us $12 each plus tax to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, totaling $25.56. At our scheduled time, the standby line was 80 minutes long, but we waited less than five minutes. The Lightning Lane lines consistently moved faster than the old FastPass lines, and for me, the expense was justified.

It’s easy to justify this when it’s a one-time purchase for just two people. But if we had brought our kids? Would I spend $60 for all five of us to skip the line? Probably not. I would more likely rely on other strategies I trust for shorter wait times, such as arriving early, staying late, attending after-hours events, or taking advantage of early entry by staying on-site.

By the afternoon, I felt like I was starting to get the hang of it.

I found myself spending a lot of time on my phone in the morning, which was something I hoped Genie and Genie+ would help me avoid. The main distinction between Disney Genie and FastPass is the numerous ways to utilize Genie, whereas FastPass offered only a single method.

These new services are incredibly comprehensive and there's a lot to absorb, so it's only natural to encounter a learning curve. Initially, I was frustrated by how much time I spent on my phone (and draining my battery... don’t forget to bring an external charger!), but I realized that, like anything new, it just takes time to adapt.

At first, I felt aimless whenever Genie didn’t offer a recommendation. Without a plan, I was relying solely on Genie to guide my movements. Eventually, I began to view Genie’s suggestions as just that—optional guidance. I stopped obsessively checking my phone and ventured where I wanted, only consulting Genie when I needed ideas for activities.

That’s when everything started to click for me. Instead of having my eyes glued to my phone, we strolled around, caught a few cavalcades, and I even explored the Frontierland Shootin' Arcade for the first time. For me, this is the true magic of Disney World—those spontaneous little moments that create lasting memories, rather than rushing from ride to ride without taking the time to appreciate the details.

Later in the afternoon, during a brief break before lunch, I checked the app and Genie suggested the PeopleMover, which had just a 15-minute wait. This became my favorite way to utilize Genie's recommendations. If you’re uncertain about your next move, Genie can provide suggestions that are close by, align with your interests, and feature shorter wait times.

Speaking of saving time…

When we arrived at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad around noon for our first Genie+ reservation, the posted wait time was 40 minutes. After tapping in with the Magic Mobile pass on our phones, I was able to make another Genie+ selection. You need to tap in twice at each attraction—once at the entrance and again before boarding—before you can book your next selection.

Immediately after that second tap, I made a reservation for Pirates of the Caribbean. When we got to that attraction, the posted wait was 30 minutes. Between those two rides, we saved over an hour in line. By the end of the day, with a few more Genie+ reservations, we had saved more than three hours that would have otherwise been spent waiting.

There’s been some discussion about Disney possibly inflating wait times to encourage Genie+ purchases, but that wasn’t my experience on the day we visited. I timed each standby line we waited in, and they were accurate within five minutes every time.

The day concluded on a much higher note than it began.

By the end of the day, I felt like a true Disney Genie expert. Before returning to the hotel for an afternoon rest, I secured an evening Genie+ reservation for Peter Pan's Flight. I knew I could make another Genie+ selection after two hours and stack them for later use. Once the time was up, I booked a spot for Space Mountain right after the fireworks. Genie even suggested arriving 30 minutes early for the show.

While waiting for the fireworks to start, we had fun with the augmented reality filters included with the Disney Genie+ purchase. I can't speak for my husband, but I had a blast using them, and the behind-the-scenes audio stories were a great way to pass the time.

One thing Genie didn't account for was how tired I felt after waking up at 4 a.m. After the fireworks, we decided to skip our Space Mountain return time and headed out for a quick dinner before calling it a night.

The pros and cons of the experience

As I mentioned before, I found the Tip Board incredibly useful. It was great having wait times, dining options, and everything else consolidated in one spot. I relied on it more than any other feature, except perhaps the AR filters.

Although it took me some time to adjust, I really valued Genie's flexibility. I no longer felt the need to meticulously plan my entire day before arriving at the park. If a recommendation didn’t interest me, I could easily swap it out (affectionately referred to as a 'swaperoo' in the app) or ask Genie to remove it from my itinerary.

I appreciated that Genie encourages you to explore attractions you might otherwise overlook. While the Country Bear Jamboree and the Carousel of Progress may not be the main attractions, they offer a lot of enjoyment and are significant parts of Disney's legacy. I always feel happy when I take the time to experience them.

However, I did encounter several issues with the app during the day. At times, it displayed a blank screen, preventing me from viewing my selections or making new ones. There's also a lot of new information to process. The first time you use it, you might find yourself spending quite a bit of time on your phone. Don’t let that discourage you.

Once you explore the features that align with your Disney style, you won’t need to depend on your phone as much. You can use the three services separately or together in a way that suits your day.

Is paying extra to skip the lines worth it?

There's no straightforward answer to this since many factors come into play. Consider the size of your group, how long you’ll be at Disney, which parks you'll visit, the rides you want to experience, how much time you're willing to wait, and, of course, your vacation budget.

For instance, at Epcot, where there are fewer attractions utilizing Genie+ (and I usually spend most of my time enjoying food and drinks), I might only use the complimentary Genie planning service and possibly buy Lightning Lane for Remy's Ratatouille Adventure if I can’t secure a boarding group. However, I know others who opt to pay for anything that simplifies their Disney experience and would likely add Disney Genie+ to their whole vacation package, purchasing individual Lightning Lane selections daily.

If you're on a tight budget but still want to skip the lines, consider saving money by choosing quick-service meals or opting for a Value resort instead of a Moderate one. Ultimately, it comes down to what matters most to you and how much you’re willing to exchange financially for your time.

The bottom line

Is Disney Genie flawless? No. But neither am I, and fortunately, my friends and family still value my company. There are many positive aspects of Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and individual Lightning Lane access, and I believe they will only improve with time.

I felt I received good value for the money I spent on Genie+, but I likely wouldn't pay extra for individual Lightning Lane selections unless it was for an attraction I hadn’t experienced before or if my kids were on the verge of a meltdown, knowing that waiting 60 minutes could spell disaster.

From my experience, it seems Disney aims to move people away from the rigid, minute-by-minute planning that often dominates visits to Disney World. I've been there myself, and I always have a better time when I adopt a more flexible plan with just a few essential activities each day. Now, Disney Genie can help you seamlessly fill in the gaps between those must-do experiences, allowing for more fun, surprises, and a sprinkle of Disney magic.