Hiya, Mark!
Thanks for stopping by planDisney. You've timed your holiday to
Walt Disney World Resort perfectly since the
50th Anniversary Celebration will still be going on in June. I bet you cannot wait to join in on the celebration and experience all the magic for yourself. I'm excited to hear you've chosen to stay at one of the grooviest
Disney Resorts Collection hotels,
Disney's Pop Century Resort! The nostalgic theming celebrates trends, fashions, toys and more from the 1950s through the 1990s. Plus, you can't beat the convenience of having the
Disney Skyliner on site!
Disney Genie service, Disney Genie+ service and Individual Lightning Lanes are some of the newest offerings to arise over the course of the last few months at Walt Disney World Resort. I've used Disney Genie+ service and Lightning Lanes several times since their launch and felt they allowed me to maximize my time when I utilized them. Since you're coming all the way from Ireland, I'm glad you are considering these add-ons. I think they will prove to be invaluable tools and allow you to make the most of your visit.
Disney Genie+ service is available as an add-on to your
holiday package for the entirety of your visit if you prefer to purchase it ahead of time. Alternatively, you may purchase Disney Genie+ service in your
My Disney Experience App anytime after 12 a.m. midnight on the day of your visit that you wish to use it.
Unlike Disney Genie+ service, Individual Lightning Lane purchases can only be made the morning of the day of your visit starting at 7:00 a.m. in the app. You can purchase up to two of selections a day across any of Walt Disney World Resort's four theme parks, which is great if you enjoy park hopping like me! I highly recommend you have a credit card stored on file in your profile ahead of your visit for ease and rapidness of purchasing, as some Individual Lightning Lane Selections sell out quickly.
Unfortunately, there are two different screens and processes for selecting your first Disney Genie+ service Lightning Lane and purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane Selection, and both are accessible starting at 7:00 a.m. for resort Guests in the "My Plans: Tip Board" section of the app. This means you physically cannot do both at the same time.
Thus, divide and conquer! Have another individual in your party book the first Disney Genie+ service Lightning Lane of the day in their app while you simultaneously purchase the Individual Lightning Lane Selections in yours. However, if you are on holiday alone, you may have to prioritize which is of more importance to you for that particular day and make that selection first.
The nice thing about Individual Lightning Lane Selections is that you can choose your preferred window of time. With Disney Genie+ service Lightning Lanes, it assigns you the next available time window. Be sure to keep checking the Tip Board throughout the day in your app for the respective theme park you're visiting. Sometimes Lightning Lane availability opens up throughout the day, so you might still be able to grab ones you may have missed out on at 7:00 a.m.
Your holiday will be here before you know it!
Take care,
Alyssa