Hi Michelle, welcome to planDisney!
Thanks for bringing your question to us, I can certainly help!
First and foremost, excellent choice on considering adding the
Disney Genie+ service! My family and I are huge fans of Genie+, as it allows you to skip the standby lines and instead access the
Lightning Lane entrances for certain attractions. I have two little ones, so I’ll take any time savings I can get from having to wait in line!
But back to your main question, you certainly do not need to purchase
theme park tickets with Genie+ included. You can choose to purchase Genie+ once you have entered either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park, through the
Disneyland Mobile App.
And you chose a great time to visit the Disneyland Resort!
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort will kick off on November 11, 2022, through January 8, 2023, so your timing is perfect! There is so much going on at the parks during this time. You'll get to experience multicultural and diverse music, cuisine, and traditions, and of course, you can't forget about the special Holiday overlays!
World of Color – Season of Light,
Mater's Jingle Jamboree, and
Luigi's Joy to the Whirl are all returning to Disney California Adventure Park. At Disneyland Park, you can expect to see
"it’s a small world" Holiday,
Haunted Mansion Holiday, and of course one of my favorites, the
"Believe…In Holiday Magic" Fireworks Spectacular!
See ya real soon!
Jin