Hey there Vanessa! Thank you for stopping by planDisney with your great planning question.
If you are interested in purchasing
Disney Genie+ Service where you will receive access to reserve
Lightning Lane selections, you are in the right place! You are not able to start reserving and booking Lightning Lane selections until after you've scanned your tickets to enter the park for the day. So do not worry, they are not available to start booking until the day of your visit!
If you have already purchased your
theme park tickets, then you can purchase Disney Genie+ Service as soon as you enter the gates to begin your day in the parks. I like to navigate to my
Disneyland app right after I tap into the parks, and purchase Disney Genie+ Service. As soon as I purchase the service for the day, I navigate to the "Tip Board" and browse the
attractions that I'm able to book my first Lightning Lane selection for. Usually, I'm booking
Indiana Jones Adventure in
Disneyland Park or
Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! in
Disney California Adventure Park. If you have not yet purchased your theme park tickets, then you are able to purchase Disney Genie+ Service when you purchase your tickets. If you pre-purchase the service, you will be able to start booking your Lightning Lane selections after you enter the theme parks for the day.
You also have the option to purchase an
Individual Lightning Lane selection for the more popular attractions such as
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disneyland Park or
Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure Park. You do not have to purchase Disney Genie+ Service to purchase Individual Lightning Lanes, you can purchase them à la carte, which is a great option if either of those are the biggest priority for you and your family. I'd definitely try to explore the Disneyland app and list of attractions so you're more familiar before your visit. I've definitely been guilty of browsing the attraction wait times and Lightning Lane return times for research for future trips!
I hope this information is helpful for your upcoming trip, Vanessa! If we can help with any other planning tips,
please come back and ask!
Have a magical day,
Melissa