Do I have to pay to get the genie app”

Welcome to planDisney, Patricia!

I'm so glad you stopped by with your question. 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+
Available for purchase, Disney Genie+ upgrades 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 make another Lightning Lane selection. You can keep doing that throughout the day until there are no more Lightning Lane selections available.

You have to purchase Disney Genie+ on a day-to-day basis. Here's how you do it:

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 will 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.

That's a lot of information, Patricia. I bet your head is spinning like a Mad Tea Party tea cup! Let me sum up everything: 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. When it comes to deciding whether or not to purchase these things, it's really a matter of deciding what is most important to you.

I hope that's helpful, Patricia. Please reach out again if you have any extra questions. Have a brilliant trip!

Mike