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Let's start with the basics of Lightning Lanes. We'll give you an overview of what they are and how they work, including a brief introduction to Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes. Then, we'll explain the rules and strategy for using Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes. By the end of it, you'll better understand how to make the most out of your visit to the park. Let's first cover the fundamentals of Lightning Lanes, including an introduction to Lightning Lanes, Genie+, and individual Lightning Lanes. After that, we'll delve into the rules and strategy of both Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes.

One thing you need to know about going to Disney World is that there are special lines for some popular rides that are shorter and faster. These used to be called "FastPass" lines, but now they're called "Lightning Lanes." If you want to use these lines, you have to pay extra. It's a way to skip the regular long lines, but it comes at a cost.

Most people go to Disney parks to enjoy the rides and attractions, but waiting in long queues can be a real buzzkill. Thankfully, Disney has introduced Lightning Lane to help you skip the long lines and enjoy more rides.

Not every ride has the Lightning Lane option, but almost every ride does. A few notable exceptions are Astro Orbiter, PeopleMover, and the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at Magic Kingdom. Most character greetings also don't have Lightning Lanes, though a few do.

To use the Lightning Lane, you have two options. You can either purchase the Genie+ service or buy individual Lightning Lane passes. With both options, you will book a return time for a ride, typically an hour-long window.

When it's time for your ride, you can approach the Lightning Lane at the ride you booked and tap your Magic Band or park ticket (or phone if you're using Magic Mobile) on the touchpoint. If everything is good, you'll be let through the touchpoint and enjoy a much shorter wait than the regular line.

You should note that the Lightning Lane generally merges with the regular line a few minutes before you board the ride. So, even with Lightning Lane, you may have to wait around 5 to 10 minutes before you can get on the ride.

What is Genie?

If you're planning a trip to Disney World, you might have heard about two services called Genie and Genie+. Genie is a My Disney Experience app feature that helps you plan your day at the parks. It contains information on attractions and dining options and lets you buy Genie+, a service that gives you access to shorter wait times for popular rides.

To use Genie, you only need the My Disney Experience app, which you can download for free. Once you open the app, you'll find Genie under the "Tip Board" section. From there, you can buy Genie+ and book Lightning Lane reservations for the rides you want to go on. 

The "Tip Board" section of Genie gives you a quick overview of the attractions and dining options available in the park you're visiting, while "My Day" is a schedule of the things you've booked or that Genie recommends you visit. You can also buy individual Lightning Lane reservations if you don't want to purchase Genie+.

It's important to note that you don't need to purchase Genie+ or anything extra to access Genie, and you can explore most of its features before your trip. So, check out Genie in advance and plan your day accordingly.

What is Genie+?

Genie+ allows guests to access the faster-moving lines at Disney's parks, called Lightning Lanes. Depending on what version you buy, it can include rides at all four parks or just one park. However, there are some Lightning Lanes that are not part of Genie+.

If you're confused about Genie+, it's not an upgrade to Genie; it's a different service within the Genie part of the Disney World app. Other benefits come with Genie+, such as special Photopass lenses, select Photopass attraction photos, and "audio tales" throughout the park. 

If you buy Genie+ for a specific park, you can only use it to book Lightning Lanes in that park. But you can book in different parks if you buy it for all four parks. However, you'll need park hopping privileges to make bookings at multiple parks.

The cost of Genie+ varies by the day and begins at around $16 per person per day. You can buy it any time after midnight for use that same day and that day only. If you plan to use Genie+ at multiple parks in a single day, you'll need to buy it for multiple parks. But if you're trying to save money, buying Genie+ for just one park per day is perfectly fine. 

Remember that Genie+ can sell out for the day and the rides within Genie+ can run out of times to book. It's best to purchase Genie+ in the morning, ideally before 10 AM.

If you're planning a trip to Disney World, you might have heard about the Genie+ system, but it can be confusing. Here's what you need to know in simpler terms:

• Genie+ is a feature you can buy at the start of each day to help you skip the lines on specific rides.
• Everyone in your group who wants to use Genie+ needs to buy it, but if someone doesn't want to use it, they don't need to buy it.
• You can book your first Genie+ ride starting at 7 AM, and you can do it through the Disney World app.
• You can only use Genie+ for each ride once daily, but you can still wait in line to ride it again.
• You'll see one available time for each ride when you book it through Genie+, but you can try to modify your booking to get a better time or a different ride.
• The available times for each ride change throughout the day, and you can get a better time if you refresh the app, but the times can go away quickly.
• If you're unsure what ride to book, you can ask a cast member for help. 

Once you book a ride, you can only book another one once you go on the ride you booked or wait for two hours. But there's a catch - the two-hour wait time starts once the park where you made the booking opens for the day.

What is Lightning Lane?

Some of the most popular rides have their special lines that are not included in Genie+. To use these special lines, you have to pay extra money. You don't need to buy Genie+ to use these special lines. 

So, which rides have these special lines? At Magic Kingdom, it's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and TRON Lightcycle Run. At Hollywood Studios, it's Rise of the Resistance. At Animal Kingdom, it's Avatar Flight of Passage. And at Epcot, it's Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. 

The cost of using these special lines varies depending on the ride and the day you visit. But typically, it ranges between $10 and $25 plus tax. Remember that these rides and prices might change over time, so checking before you go is good.

To buy individual Lightning Lanes, you need to use the Disney Genie Tip Board in the Disney World app. You can only purchase them for yourself, and you need to have a booking for each person in your group who wants to ride.

When you buy an individual Lightning Lane, you get to pick the time you want to ride. Disney hotel guests can buy them starting at 7AM, while other guests can buy them when the park opens.

Individual Lightning Lanes are usually non-modifiable and non-refundable, but if a ride breaks down during your return time, you can return later in the day. If a ride doesn't come back up, Disney will give you a refund. You can try asking a cast member to modify your booking, but they can only do so if there's availability.