Hi again Jyc,
Welcome back to planDisney and thanks again for another fantastic question!
I am a huge proponent of
Disney Genie+ Service - especially when visiting with large groups. The main perk of being able to book
Lightning Lane return times on select attractions allows your group to fit in more attractions during your trip, which is amazing in itself. However, don't forget that you'll also get
unlimited digital downloads to all of your Disney PhotoPass photos during your trip. Make sure to stop at as many Disney PhotoPass photographers as you can for some great group photos!
Currently, you're able to add Disney Genie+ Service on to a theme park ticket at the time of purchase or after you scan your ticket into a park for the first time. Therefore, for the group members who don't yet have it, you'll want to add it right after you enter your first park at the start of your trip.
The quickest way I've found to do this is through the
Disneyland Resort mobile app. After you all scan your tickets, you can go back to the home screen of the mobile app and tap on the purple banner near the top that says "Disney Genie+ Service" and has a "Purchase" button.
Additional fun tip for your group: make sure to link all your tickets so you can make Lightning Lane return time selections together as a group all at once! To link tickets, tap the main menu button in the mobile app (the three horizontal lines), then select "My Tickets & Passes" and then "Link Tickets & Passes." You can either scan the ticket barcodes with your phone's camera or manually type in the ticket IDs to finish the linking process.
When I visit with groups, we'll often all link our tickets together so any member of the group can make the Lightning Lane return time selections for the whole group. It's hugely helpful!
Thanks again for your question, Jyc. Have a great time on your upcoming trip!
Have a Magical Day,
Greg