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The Magic Kingdom has long been a favorite Disney Park of Guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort as it is filled with beautifully themed areas, classic attractions, and so many wonderful experiences. Opening with the Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 1971, the Magic Kingdom has continued to expand and grow over the years to the point where it’s nearly impossible to see and enjoy everything found within the Disney Park in just one day.
One way to make the most of a day spent in the Magic Kingdom is to utilize the Disney Genie+ service, which essentially replaced traditional FastPasses. This new system can be a little complicated and begins with requiring Guests to have valid Disney Park reservations for the Magic Kingdom on the day that they wish to visit. Once that day arrives, Guests then log onto the My Disney Experience App any time after midnight to purchase Disney Genie+ for each member of their party for that day.
While Disney Genie+ used to cost a set amount per person per day, recent changes have been made where the cost now varies depending on several factors, including the day of the week, which Disney Park you are visiting, and the time of the year. Disney Genie+ can now end up costing anywhere between $15 and $22 per Guest, depending on the day. For example, it can cost $15 per person on a Wednesday in Disney’s but $22 on a Saturday in the .
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Once Guests have booked their Disney Park reservation for the Magic Kingdom and Disney Genie+ service for each member of their party, they are ready to begin making Lightning Lane bookings to help have a fantastic day in the Magic Kingdom, enjoying as much as possible. Disney Genie+ essentially works by allowing Guests to choose specific attractions throughout each Disney Park, and they are then given a time to return to that line to enjoy the experience with little to no wait time.
Guests can begin booking their Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selections for the Magic Kingdom at 7 a.m. and the key to getting a good start to the day is being logged onto the My Disney Experience App several minutes before the window opens and to begin refreshing at 6:59 a.m. Once selections can be made, speed is critical to scoring a good time for some of the most popular attractions.
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Depending on a Guest’s goals for the day in the Magic Kingdom, they can take several approaches to their initial Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection at 7 a.m., but they should always aim to book a popular attraction first. Guests who are looking to enjoy big thrills should focus first on attractions like Space Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which tend to book up very quickly and will not have open time slots later in the day. Alternatively, Guests who are traveling with small children or looking to enjoy more of the classic attractions in the Magic Kingdom should initially focus on booking Peter Pan’s Flight, as this attraction always has lengthy wait times.
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NOTE: Guests looking to enjoy Seven Dwarfs Mine Train cannot do so with a regular + selection. The only way to enjoy the without using the standby queue is by paying for an via the My App. The same can be said for attractions in other Disney Parks, including of Passage in Disney’s .
Once a Guest’s initial Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection is made at 7 a.m., they then have a mandatory waiting period before being able to make an additional selection. This period varies depending on several important factors, so it is important that Guests are aware of the details before proceeding with their days. Once an initial Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection is made at 7 a.m., Guests either have to wait two hours after the Magic Kingdom opens to make another selection or until they use their first selection.
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So for example. If a Guest books a Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection for Peter Pan’s Flight at 12 p.m. and the Magic Kingdom opens at 8 a.m., they can make their next selection beginning at 10 a.m. However, if their window to return for Peter Pan’s Flight is at 9:30 a.m., they can make their second selection immediately after tapping their MagicBands at the attraction at 9:30 a.m.
Regardless, once a Guest is able to make their second Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selection, they should prioritize other attractions that are important to them for the day. Thrill seekers can focus on options like Splash Mountain, whereas those looking at family-friendly attractions will want to hone in on options like Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, or Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
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After securing one or two important Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selections in the Magic Kingdom, the best strategy that Guests can use is to stack selections. This takes some effort and does require Guests to be on their phones looking at the My Disney Experience App quite a bit, but it can truly save some significant time, leading to enjoying more in the Disney Park.
An example of how to stack Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selections begins with focusing on a designated area like Fantasyland. Say Guests have a selection booked for “it’s a small world” at 2 p.m., once they tap their MagicBands, they should open up the app and look at other available options nearby in Fantasyland or Liberty Square. This can lead to booking options like the Haunted Mansion, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, Princess Fairytale Hall, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, or Mad Tea Party shortly after enjoying “it’s a small world.”
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By stacking options that are centrally located, Guests can flutter from one attraction to the next and use the Lightning Lane entrance with their Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane selections, ensuring that wait times are kept to a minimum, and they ride as much as possible in the Magic Kingdom.
All in all the Disney Genie+ system is not an easy thing to understand at first, but after getting the hang of it Guests can truly make the most of each day by being informed and prepared, picking crucial first choices, and strategically stacking options throughout the day. This ensures that Guests can have the most productive and enjoyable day possible in the Magic Kingdom by experiencing as many attractions as possible!
