Hey there, hi there Shannon!
Thanks for stopping by planDisney with your question. Late October is a ghoulishly good time to visit Walt Disney World, especially Magic Kingdom, with the park dressed up in not-so-spooky decor, special treats, and
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
It sounds like you may already know that there are two types of
Disney Genie: the free version that helps you plan your Disney day with personalized itineraries, and
Genie+ that helps you schedule access to Lightning Lanes (shorter lines) for over 40 attractions throughout Walt Disney World. Genie+ can be added to your park admission beginning at midnight the day of your visit. Staying at a
Walt Disney World Resort Hotel doesn't give you any advantage over other guests when it comes to scheduling your Lightning Lanes through Genie+. All guests can make their first selection beginning at 7:00 AM the day of their visit.
Now, there are one or two really popular attractions in each park that aren't included with Genie+. In order to skip the standby lines for these rides, guests will need to purchase a separate Individual Lightning Lane. This is where Disney Resort Hotel guests have an advantage. They can purchase Individual Lightning Lanes beginning at 7:00 AM, and other guests will need to wait until the park officially opens to make those purchases. Often, popular attractions like
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disney's Hollywood Studios are sold out shortly after 7:00 AM. Of course, all guests can choose to wait in standby lines for any attraction.
The only exception to this would be the new
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT. Right now, to experience this attraction, guests either need to request to join a virtual queue or purchase an Individual Lightning Lane. The virtual queue system has been used recently for new attractions to help manage the wait times. It's possible that a standby queue may be available when you visit this fall, so keep your eye on the Tip Board in your
My Disney Experience app as your trip gets closer.
Hope this helps. Have a magical vacation!
Diane