Welcome to planDisney, Heather!
As Walt said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” The new Disney Genie service is one of those "new things" at Walt Disney World. When I explain the Disney Genie service to people, I tell them to imagine having 3 magical wishes:
Wish #1 — Disney Genie
Every Guest can access this complimentary service using the My Disney Experience Mobile App. This free feature can help you plan your itinerary for the day by considering what's important to you. It even updates and optimizes your plans based on ever-changing wait times. So if there are certain attractions, shows, or restaurants you want to experience, then you can tell Genie and he'll use his powers to create a flexible plan for you.
Wish #2 — Disney Genie+
This is similar to the old FastPass+ system. However, unlike the old system, you have to purchase this new service on a day-to-day basis. By purchasing Disney Genie+ you upgrade your park ticket to include "phenomenal cosmic powers." These powers enable you to select Lightning Lane entrances at over 40 attractions throughout the theme parks. These entrances allow you to skip the regular standby lines and enjoy more attractions in your Disney day. Starting at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit, you'll be able to make your first Lightning Lane selection. Once you enjoy that attraction, or two hours after making your selection (whatever comes sooner), you can then make another Lightning Lane selection. You can keep doing that throughout the day until there are no more Lightning Lane selections available.
To purchase Disney Genie+ on a day-to-day basis, simply open up the
My Disney Experience Mobile App, and on the home screen you should find something in purple that says, "Disney Genie+ - Add even more magic to your visit." Tap "Purchase for Today" and you'll be taken to a list of all the people in your party that you've added via My Friends & Family. You're going to want to select the members of your party that will use this service. Once you do that, you'll then make your purchase.
Wish #3 — Individual Lightning Lane Entrances
Individual Lightning Lane entrances are available for some of the more high-demand attractions in the theme parks. These attractions usually have longer wait times. However, you can purchase Individual Lightning Lane entrances to bypass the regular standby line. You can use this service with or without purchasing Disney Genie+. However, even if you have Disney Genie+, Individual Lightning Lanes do cost extra. The cost of each Individual Lightning Lane varies by attraction. You can book up to two Individual Lightning Lane entrances per day per Guest.
Whew! I hope you're not feeling too overwhelmed, Heather. That's a ton of information. To sum up: Disney Genie+ (wish #2) and Individual Lightning Lane Entrances (Wish #2) will cost you money, but save you time. They'll allow you to reserve a ride time and enjoy attractions without waiting in the standby line. So it's a matter of deciding what is most important to you.
I hope that's helpful!
Mike