Hey there Cyrus,
Welcome to planDisney! I appreciate you stopping by with your question, and sorry to hear you're having trouble sorting out the differences between
Disney Genie Service.
Everyone who uses the
Disneyland mobile app gets complimentary access to the Disney Genie Service. This service was created as a fun way to curate guided plans for your visits to the Disneyland Resort based on your interests.
When you click the option in the mobile app for Disney Genie Service, it will ask you some questions about the things you like to do with visiting the parks and then will create a personalized park itinerary based on those interests. Again, this service is free to all Guests and is completely optional. If you like to plan out your own days - then no need to use it!
One of my absolute
favorite parts of the Disney Genie Service is the tip board, which lets you see estimated wait times for attractions around the parks.
The Disney Genie+ Service is a paid add-on that offers additional convenience (and quite a bit of additional value, in my opinion!) to your trip. When you purchase this feature, you get a few additional benefits including the ability to book
Lightning Lane return windows for select attractions, and
unlimited digital downloads of your Disney PhotoPass photos from the day, which are typically the reasons my family and I decide to upgrade to this service when we visit.
So to sum it up, the Disney Genie Service is complimentary for all Guests and helps suggest what to visit and when during your visit through personalized itineraries and the tip board. The Disney Genie+ Service is a paid feature that gives you access to convenience features like Lightning Lanes and unlimited downloads to photos taken by PhotoPass photographers around the parks during your visit.
I hope that helps to clear up any confusion you might have had, Cyrus! Thank you again for your question and I hope you have a fantastic time visiting the Happiest Place on Earth.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg