Lightning Lane guide and what’s different from Disney Genie+

Updated July 25, 2024; originally published June 25, 2024.

Effective July 24, 2024, Disney has changed its vacation-planning procedures for Lightning Lanes, the front-of-line upcharge service at its theme parks. Among the revisions: Disney Genie+ is officially retired lingo. Below is a guide to how to buy Lightning Lane access and what’s different about the Lightning Lane changes.

Name changes for Genie+ and Lightning Lane

Beginning July 24, 2024, both Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California implemented changes and a new name for Disney Genie+.

(What was Genie+? The service performed several functions, but its most notable was the ability to purchase front-of-line access to popular Disney theme park attractions by way of the Lightning Lane, formerly called FastPasses through 2021 — and also formerly free.)

The producer formerly known as an individual Lightning Lane selection is now called a Lightning Lane Single Pass.

The service formerly known as Disney Genie+ is now called Lightning Lane Multi Pass. This means the term “Disney Genie+” is no longer in use.

The free version of the Disney Genie tool — namely used for building an itinerary, but importantly not including any Lightning Lane passes — remains in place.

Advanced Lightning Lane reservations (in Florida Only)

At Walt Disney World in Florida — but not at Disneyland in California — you’re now able to reserve Lightning Lane Single Passes and Lightning Lane Multi Passes in advance (seven days ahead for Disney resort guests, three days ahead for all guests). You can also make these reservations on the day of your visit to the park, but availability may be limited. Advanced reservations are a new feature for the 2024 Lightning Lane procedure changes; Genie+ could only be purchased day-of.

At Disneyland, you can still only procure Lightning Lane Multi Passes (formerly under the banner of Disney Genie+) on the day of your visit.

Attraction tiers

Attractions eligible for Lightning Lane reservations are now placed into different tiers at most Walt Disney World parks. Certain rides fall into different categories at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and therefore determine which attractions you can reserve access to in advance. For example, you will not be able to reserve both Peter Pan’s Flight and Jungle Cruise in advance because they belong to the same tier. Disney’s Animal Kingdom does not have tiers.

Tiers had been a regular fixture from the FastPass days of yore, but were eliminated with the introduction of Genie+ in 2021. Now, tiers are back. These Lightning Lane tiers are listed (deep, very deep) within Disney World’s website.

Lightning Lane FAQ

How do I buy a Lightning Lane pass for my Disney trip?

Though the timing is different, the process of reserving a Lightning Lane pass is somewhat similar to the former Genie+ regime.

1. Open the My Disney Experience (Disney World) app or the Disneyland app, depending on where you’re vacationing.
2. On the home screen of the app will be a banner that says “Lightning Lane Multi Pass / Single Pass.” Within that banner, tap “Purchase.”
3. Select your date on the calendar.
4. Select a theme park and Lightning Lane option. (You can see the cost for each type of Lightning Lane pass at this step.)
5. Purchase.

How far in advance can I reserve a Lightning Lane pass for a Disney World attraction?

If you’re staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can reserve Lightning Lane Single Passes and Lightning Lane Multi Passes up to seven days in advance of your check-in date. You can reserve those passes for the entire length of your stay.

If you’re not staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can reserve Lightning Lane Single Passes and Lightning Lane Multi Passes up to three days in advance of your park visit. You can only reserve those Lightning Lanes for one day at a time.

As a reminder, these advanced booking windows only apply to Walt Disney World. At Disneyland, you can still only reserve Lightning Lane passes on the day of your visit.

How many Lightning Lanes can I reserve in advance for a Disney World attraction?

You can reserve up to three Lightning Lane Multi Passes in advance. If you choose to also purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass, that would make for a total of four advanced reservations.

Can I modify my Lightning Lanes after purchasing?

Yes.

How much money do Lightning Lanes cost now?

As was the case for Genie+, the cost of a Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass fluctuate based on the date, generally carrying a price of around $15-$30 per person, per day.

Digital ride photos, audio guides, and AR photo filters were previously included with the purchase of Disney Genie+. Are those features still around?

Yes. Following the transition from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi Pass, the purchase of Lightning Lane Multi Pass includes access to digital ride photos, audio guides, and augmented reality (AR) filters in addition to the Lightning Lane access itself.