Disney has announced some big changes coming to the Disney Genie+ service at Walt Disney World. Beginning June 8, 2022, the premium Genie+ service will no longer be available as a pre-trip purchase and will only be available for purchase on the day of your visit. In addition, Disney has now said that Genie+ is “subject to availability”, which means the service could sell out during peak times.
Below is the excerpt on Genie+ from the Disney Parks Blog.
This means that, moving forward, whether you have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, you may only purchase Disney Genie+ service on the day of your visit via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability. We’re focused on delivering the best possible guest experience, and this adjustment will help manage the incredibly strong demand our guests have shown for Disney Genie+.
Summarized, guests won’t be able to purchase Genie+ before their arrival and will have to do so on the day of their visit. This means the new morning at a Walt Disney World resort will involve buying Genie+ just after midnight (to make sure you get it) and then trying to buy Individual Lightning Lane reservations and book the first regular Genie+ Lightning Lane at 7am. It’s not the most relaxing way to start a Disney day.
The other significant change involves the “subject to availability” statement. This is a reversal from earlier Disney statements on Genie+ that mentioned the service would “not sell out” on a given day. Disney may be considering limiting how many guests can buy Genie+ on specific days in an effort to improve guest satisfaction.
While we’ll have to wait and see how these changes impact the guest experience, we do know that these constant changes aren’t making Walt Disney World vacations any easier. Planning a Disney vacation already includes hurdles not found at other tourist destinations, and Disney’s regular changes only complicates things. Guests need to constantly monitor Disney news or risk missing a change that could negatively impact their trip.
Clearly, something needs to change with the Disney Genie+ system. While it works fairly well at Disneyland Resort, the same can’t be said at Walt Disney World. Whether too many guests are buying Genie+ to make it worthwhile or if there’s simply too few attractions to spread out demand at select theme parks, Genie+ falls short in most areas. Will limiting how many guests can purchase Genie+ help solve the problem?
