Disney marketing has never spoken the truth more than when they said, “You’ll never have a friend like this!” The new Genie system acts like no friend I have ever kept very long. As a part of the “Genie” system, Walt Disney World guests face the conundrum of purchasing Genie+ and/or individual paid access lightning lanes. If the planning process for a Walt Disney World vacation did not already present enough challenges, this new system increases those exponentially.

Also, the parameters of the system continue to change. For example, on February 25^th, 2022, three highly popular attractions moved from being individual paid access attractions to Genie+ attractions. Those adjustments are scheduled to revert on August 7^th, 2022. Since about one month of use of Genie+ by guests since that change has occurred, we have sufficient data to make suggestions about best way to use Genie+ currently.

As always, I need to make a few disclaimers. I will not be covering every specific detail of genie+ usage. The focus of this resource revolves around most efficient use of Genie+ with more attractions included now in your $15 plus tax per person purchase. Also, please bear in mind that some Walt Disney World theme parks work better with Genie+ than others. For example, Magic Kingdom provides most value and ease of use of Genie+. In contrast, Epcot provides little value with Genie+ unless visiting on a high crowd level day.

Back in the Fall of 2021, I wrote some suggestions about use of Genie+ based on system then (DHS, MK, & AK/EPCOT). Today, I will present new suggestions based on new attractions being part of Genie+. As always, Genie+ policies could change at any moment.

MAGIC KINGDOM

Magic Kingdom offers far more Genie+ attractions than any other WDW theme park. Even if you use Genie+ inefficiently, you should still find value at Magic Kingdom. However, if your goal is to maximize Genie+, then a few suggestions become obvious If goal is to save time compared to waiting in standby queues. The priority order to pick your Genie+ attractions will save most queue wait time in Genie+ lightning lanes compared to standby queues. An ideal suggested order to pick your Genie+ attractions work best based on queue wait time data over last 30 days.

Starting at 7am, guests should pick Jungle Cruise first. This attraction runs out of Genie+ lightning lane slots first. The next priority should be Peter Pan’s Flight since that attraction runs out of Genie+ lightning lane slots soon after Jungle Cruise. Make sure you are ready exactly 2 hours after Magic Kingdom opens for the next selection if your Jungle Cruise timeslots is not in first two hours of park opening.

The next priority of Genie+ lightning lane slots to attempt to get are all basically the same amount of wait time savings. They are:

Space Mountain

Splash Mountain

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Haunted Mansion

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Beyond that, Magic Kingdom offers many other attractions providing some wait time savings. Still, the time saved will be less than previously mentioned attractions.

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Genie+ provides great value here. However, guests basically need to get lucky to get most popular Genie+ attractions. For example, Slinky Dog Dash continues to the most difficult Genie+ attraction to get throughout Walt Disney World.  You need to be ready at 7am exactly to book that attraction. Your next strategies follow this pattern:

The next attractions to attempt to get Genie+ lightning lane slots for are Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Mickey’s & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

After that, guests should try to get Rock n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Tower of Terror.

Next priority in terms of selections saving queue waits are Toy Story Mania and Alien Swirling Saucers. Based on the nature of Hollywood Studios, if things went well, you have conquered most of attractions with any real wait time easily. If not, may the force be with you!

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Animal Kingdom along with Epcot provides far lower value with Genie+ on most crowd level days. Your two Genie+ lightning lane priorities at Animal Kingdom are Kilimanjaro Safari and Navi River Journey. For all the other Genie+ attractions, the queue waits saved are nice but probably not worth the Genie+ purchase on their own. The one possible exception will be Expedition Everest went it returns from refurbishment. However, we lack data for that assessment at the moment.

You might find more value in rope-dropping Animal Kingdom (maybe purchase individual paid access lightning lane for Flight of Passage also). If you rope-drop Animal Kingdom, you can start accumulating Genie+ attractions for another park if you are planning to park hop later also

One disclaimer about current data to mention. Based on wait times from February 25^th, 2022, until March 25^th, 2022, Kilimanjaro Safari closed before park closing. This issue with sunset happening before park closing may be artificially inflating priority of the ride. With Navi River Journey staying open later, it provides more Genie+ lightning lane slots. Kilimanjaro Safari has been running out of slots before Navi River Adventure, but it has been offering fewer slots overall.  More data needs to be accumulated in upcoming months to see if pattern holds. Still, those are the two attractions to focus on!

EPCOT

Unless a very busy day, Epcot offers lowest overall Genie+ value. You might find “rope-dropping” Epcot more efficient. You can “stack” Genie+ attractions at another park a better plan if park hopping later in day. If you have purchased Genie+ on a day you start at Epcot, your top priority should be Test Track. Test Track runs out of slots earliest but is almost most unreliable due to its technology and weather. The only other two Genie+ attraction to prioritize are Soarin’ Around the World and Frozen Ever After.

As always, things change at Walt Disney World. Please consult your travel experts and this website for updates to the Genie+ system. Good luck with your planning for a Walt Disney World vacation.