Disney to limit Genie+ availability, end advance sales
Starting next month, Walt Disney World guests will no longer be able to buy skip-the-line Genie+ ahead of their visit to the theme parks and could face limited availability of the service when they arrive.
Beginning June 8, the service will only be available for purchase on the day of guests’ theme park visits via the My Disney Experience app. It was previously offered for pre-purchase as a park ticket add-on.
A post on the Disney Parks Blog announcing the change said Genie+ is subject to availability. The company previously said the add-on would not sell out, though access for individual attractions could.
A company email sent in response to a question seeking more information said Disney might limit Genie+ sales on certain days to manage guest demand for the service. Disney is working to make sure visitors can take advantage of the service during busy times, when more popular attractions quickly sell out, through actions such as temporarily adding additional attractions to Genie+, the email said.
Visitors who have already purchased the service for dates in 2022 and 2023 will still be able to use it on their visits. This change does not affect Genie+ at Disneyland, according to the company.
Genie+ debuted at Walt Disney World in October with a $15 price tag per person, per day. Visitors can also pay an “a la carte” fee to skip the line at the resort’s most popular attractions, which have individual pricing that varies daily.
The service lets Disney guests book express access to one attraction at a time throughout the day. On average, visitors are able to use it for two to three attractions per
day if they book their first attraction early, according to the company. Guests can select their first ride as early as 7 a.m.
Genie+ launched to mixed reception, with guests happy to avoid long lines but frustrated by pricing and technical issues in the app.
Over a third of guests to Disney’s U.S. parks purchased Genie+ in its first few months of operation, CEO Bob Chapek said in February, with that number rising to more than half of visitors during the busy holiday season.
The service has contributed to high visitor spending at Disney’s domestic theme parks in recent months, executives said earlier this month.