From its inception fans of Disney World and Disneyland have had significant issues with Genie+. The system was implemented after the pandemic as a replacement for FastPass, the free line skipping option that Disney Parks previously used. The big issue was that the new option cost money, but it also did less than the previous version. It was missing some key features, but starting very soon Genie+ will gain some much needed functionality. That Disneyland’s former app based system had years ago.
Genie+ allows guests to use the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app to select the next available return time for a Lightning Lane attraction, allowing guests to skip most of the line. However, if you change your mind, and want to cancel your existing Lightning Lane and replace it with another, you currently need to cancel your existing Lightning Lane before booking a new one, leaving open the possibility that, if that spot you want disappears before you can book it, you might lose both.
According to Ashley Carter of Spectrum News, when the apps get updated next, which is expected to happen next week, guests will no longer be required to cancel their initial Lightning Lane. Instead, they can simply choose the new LL they want, and the app will swap them itself.
It’s honestly pretty shocking that Genie+ is only now gaining this ability. MaxPass, the app-based system used at Disneyland Resort prior to the pandemic shutdown, already had this ability, so when Genie+ was introduced it was actually a step backward. It’s great that Genie+ is finally catching up, but it is perhaps evidence that Genie+ just wasn’t ready for prime time when it was launched over a year ago.
It’s especially necessary that Genie+’s functionality be improved because the service isn’t nearly as optional as it is presented, and it’s only becoming more expensive. Genie+ launched at a $15 per ticket per day price at Walt Disney World and a $20 per ticket per day price at Disneyland Resort. However, back in October when Disney raised prices on nearly everything in the parks at once, it changed Genie+ to a variable price point. Now, when guests buy Genie+ on the day of their visit, the price will fluctuate. It’s never cheaper than it was, but it’s now frequently more expensive.
This is just the latest update to the Disney apps that has, regardless of how long it took, is improving the quality of life for guests that use the apps. Recently we saw Disney change their cancellation policy for restaurant reservations so guests can now cancel up to two hours before their reservation without penalty, instead of the previous 24 hours. It seems there is a concerted effort to allow guests to be more flexible with their plans, and that’s certainly not a bad thing.
