Hello, Heather! Welcome to planDisney. You've stopped by with some great questions and I'd be happy to try to get you some answers!
I'm happy to share that you definitely can bring backpacks into the parks! In fact, I suggest it. That way you will have everything you need and hopefully a little extra room for any souvenirs you end up with during the day. Pro Tip: When you approach the security area try to have all zippers and compartments open and ready for your turn to have your bag inspected. This will help you get through quickly.
I'm so excited to hear you are going to be using the
Disney Military Promotional Tickets! Our family uses these as well and they are just a fantastic offer for military families to enjoy the parks. You are correct that with these tickets you had the option to add Disney Genie+ service. If you did purchase the tickets that included Disney Genie+, you are all set. Once you scan your tickets at the parks for the first time that day, you will be able to activate the Genie to start granting you your Lightning Lane wishes through the Disneyland app. If you did not purchase Disney Genie+ with your tickets, that's okay! Once you arrive and scan your tickets, you can purchase Disney Genie+ in the Disneyland app for the day.
I suggest that you download the
Disneyland app and create a Disney account if you haven't already. There you can link your tickets to your account so that you have the digital tickets already there and ready to scan into the parks. This will also help speed up the process of purchasing and/or using Disney Genie+ once you are in the park.
I also wanted to make sure you knew that you will also need to make
theme park ticket reservations! Currently, you need both tickets and theme park ticket reservations to be able to enter the parks. So be sure to do that as soon as possible if you have not already so that you can make sure you get the date and parks you want to visit.
Heather, I definitely recommend Disney Genie+, so I hope this helps answer your questions! If there's anything else we can help you with as you plan your trip, be sure to stop by and ask away! See you real soon!
Carrie