Alesia,
Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!
The great news is that any Walt Disney World guest, whether they are staying at a Disney Resort Hotel or not, can make their first Genie +
Lightning Lane selection at 7 a.m. As to Individual Lightning Lane purchases, guests staying at
Disney Resort Hotels can also start to purchase those at 7 a.m., with all other guests able to make a purchase starting at the posted park opening time. The Doubletree at Disney Springs does not qualify as a Disney Resort hotel for the Individual Lightning Lane purchases at 7 a.m., so you will need to wait until the park opens. But with Genie+ you are picking at the same time as everyone else.
BONUS TIPAs your vacation nears, you may also hear about the
Virtual Queue program. What is that? The Virtual Queue program is typically in place for only one or maybe two attractions at Walt Disney World at a time. It is for the newest, and most popular attractions, like
TRON Lightcycle / Run, presented by Enterprise. It is not an extra charge program, and at select times throughout the day, you try to get a reserved ride time for later that day. The first queue opportunity is at 7:00 a.m., and there will usually be a follow-up opportunity at 1:00 p.m. There is no preferential selection time for someone staying at a Disney Resort hotel, so 7 a.m. is the time for everyone. With this program, you do not get to select a specific time, but it can also hold the key to that new and exciting experience you are searching for!
BONUS TIP #2Purchasing Genie+ is something you do on the day that you want the service. It is not something you can purchase days or even weeks in advance. You can buy for just select days of your trip or for each park day of your visit, it is totally up to you. You cannot purchase a "duration of trip" version. Genie+ can be purchased on the date of use, starting at 12:01 a.m. that day (Orlando time).
Please feel free to
write me back directly if you have any follow-up questions.
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug