Walt Disney World Without Genie+

Recently, Disney introduced its new Genie+ system. Basically, Genie+ is the replacement for FastPass, except you have to pay to use it now. The FastPass system has been a staple in many Disney trips for 20 years. I myself was a huge advocate.

But doing Disney without Genie+ or Lighting Lane is totally possible. Many people have reported on forums that Genie+ is definitely a bonus and not at all a requirement. Here are some tips for a Walt Disney World vacation WITHOUT Genie+:

Check Wait Times

Walt Disney World's app is a must for every trip. On the app, you can check wait times for every attraction across the resort. You many want to download the app a few weeks before your trip and take note of the wait times throughout the days leading up to your visit to get an idea of when the parks are the most crowded. 

Some rides like The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will have a permanent hour-long wait no matter what.  Some rides like Splash Mountain (Tiana's Version) hit their peak during mid-day. And some attractions like The Carrousel of Progress are always a walk-on.  Being aware of the expected wait times will help prepare your expectations for the trip. If you know Splash Mountain's wait time will decrease to 20 minutes later at night, why would you get on it at 4:00pm with a 60 minute wait? You may be able to hit the People Mover, Dumbo and the Mad Tea Party during that hour, depending on the wait times. 

Prioritize

This is probably my top Walt Disney World trip tip. Prioritize! Even with Genie+, there is still a chance that you will not be able to ride every single ride in the park in one day, especially at Magic Kingdom. But that's okay. I recommend listing your top 3 or 5 must-dos and building your day around them. Do these first or whenever you notice they have a shorter than average wait time. Everything else can be a bonus to an already fantastic day. 

Did you know that Disney Darling has comprehensive guides on all of the attractions at each of the four theme parks to help you prioritize and plan your day? Read through these posts to get some suggestions and personalize your itinerary:

Magic Kingdom Attractions Guide

Animal Kingdom Attractions Guide

Epcot Attractions Guide

Hollywood Studios Attractions Guide

Take Advantage of Early Entry

If you are staying at an on-property Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you are granted early entry (which used to be called Extra Magic Hours). This means you can get into the park a half hour earlier than other guests. So if Epcot is slated to open at 8:30am, you can actually enter the park at 8:00am with early entry. This extra half-hour could allow you to get onto one or two rides before everybody else. Sometimes the parks will actually open a little earlier than the official time. 

For example, I once showed up at Hollywood Studios 15 minutes prior to Early Entry, only to find that the park was already admitting hotel guests. We were able to ride Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler's Run before the park officially opened for the day. Both rides were walk-ons. We didn't have to wait at all.  We hopped in line for Toy Story Midway Mania right as the park officially opened to all guests. Since we were already in the back of the park and everybody else was still working their way from the entrance, we didn't have much of a wait at all. After hitting three of the biggest rides in the park, we stopped to take a caffeine break while everyone else was scrambling to get in massive lines. 

Stay After The Show

It used to be that the parks would stay open late. In the summer, it was not uncommon for Magic Kingdom to stay open until midnight or 1am. But lately, the parks are stricter than Cinderella's Fairy Godmother.  Magic Kingdom's latest hour this summer is 11:00pm on weekend nights. Luckily, this still gives you some wiggle room. 

If you choose to watch the fireworks, they start officially at 9:20pm (at the time of publication. They will be pushed back in August this year to 9:00pm) and the show lasts for about 15 minutes. This means that you will have from 9:35-11:00pm to hop on some extra rides. And the best part is that these wait times will typically be lower than average, as most people have already left for the night. 

It should be noted that this method will really only work for Magic Kingdom park. Currently, all other parks close as their nighttime shows begin. 

Wait the Rain Out

Chances are, it's going to rain sometime during your visit. Often, Florida rain will pour for about an hour before the sun comes back out. During these downpours, many people run out of the parks back to their dry hotel rooms. But if you are able to, you should remain in the park and wait the rain out. Hop on an indoor ride or grab a bite to eat (everyone crowds to the gift shops - avoid those). After the rain lifts, you may notice shorter wait times before people come back to the parks. 

Have Patience

Let's assume you are staying at a park from 9am-9pm. That gives you 12 hours in the park. And for the purpose of this example, let's average the wait time for each ride to be about an hour. That still means you get to ride 10 attractions, plus have time left over for food and bathroom breaks. For Epcot, Studios, and Animal Kingdom, that means you will still hit almost every single ride and show in the park. For most people, that's more than plenty of time.

Okay, so even if you think of it like a math problem, you're still going to be waiting in line for a while. But that's okay. No matter what you do, you're going to be waiting in a line at some point during your Disney trip. And that's okay. See, the real reason why people shell out so much money for gimmicks like Genie+ is because they hate waiting in lines. We all do. Being on your feet all day in the Florida heat is a lot to handle. This is why I highly suggest sit-down breaks whenever possible.  

Try to fill the time waiting. I like to take the time waiting in line to regroup and plan for the next activity, to eat a snack, or to post the best pictures I've captured so far. But the best part of waiting in queues is talking to the people I came with. I have just as many treasured memories waiting for rides as I do on the actual rides.

Is Genie+ Necessary?

Short answer: No. Genie+ is absolutely not a requirement to make the most out of your Disney trip. Being prepared, having a relaxed attitude and going in with the people you love is what will make you have the best Disney trip ever.