Friday, March 22, 2024

My Park Hopping Half-Day Utilizing Genie+ at Magic Kingdom in 2023


Magic Kingdom is the very best park for getting Genie+ at Walt Disney World on peak dates in 2023. For today with Lightning Lanes, I examined my technique for skipping standby strains to see how a lot time might be saved when Park Hopping to Magic Kingdom.

This Genie+ photograph report walks you thru my step-by-step day in MK, with my Lightning Lane choices & return occasions, experience reservation screenshots, what I achieved within the afternoon and night at Magic Kingdom, and ideas on the finish about whether or not Genie+ is definitely worth the cash at Magic Kingdom. It additionally contains technique and different helpful recommendation, plus loads of ineffective and random commentary.

As fast background for individuals who are unfamiliar with it, Genie+ is the paid line-skipping service at Walt Disney World and Lightning Lanes are the previous FastPass queues. All of that is booked within the My Disney Expertise app and could be fairly sophisticated and overwhelming. In the event you’re new to the Genie+ service, this put up is a poor place to start out. As a substitute, see our Information to Genie+ at Walt Disney World & Lightning Lane FAQ. That often-updated useful resource is a good leaping off level if you happen to’re confused, overwhelmed, or need technique to raised leverage Lightning Lanes.

As famous up prime, this run-through was executed when Park Hopping to Magic Kingdom, which meant that each one of my experience reservations had been for two pm or later. I did this not as a result of it’s the very best strategy to Genie+ at Magic Kingdom. Fairly the opposite, the truth is. That is the one park at Walt Disney World the place it’s potential and productive to make use of Genie+ for the total day.

Nonetheless, it’s additionally straightforward and environment friendly to make use of Genie+ for a full day at Magic Kingdom. That is true with crowd ranges from 5/10 to 10/10; Magic Kingdom is the one park the place Lightning Lanes by no means buckle beneath the burden of colossal crowds. That’s nice information for precise friends spending time within the park…much less so for repeated ‘stress assessments’ of the system. All of them basically yield the identical outcomes, and change into pointless with out including new ‘angles’ to the itinerary.

I’ve already executed run-throughs of a day earlier than MNSSHP or MVMCP and one other after I’ve slept-in and nonetheless used Genie+ at Magic Kingdom. For this, I believed I’d take that considering to an excellent better excessive, and begin in a totally different park, use Genie+ for a headliner or two there, after which bounce to Magic Kingdom at 2 pm to see simply how a lot I might nonetheless accomplish.

The “downside” is that this vivid concept dawned on me whereas on the bus to Animal Kingdom for Early Entry, at an time after I was sleep and caffeine-deprived. My considering was principally, “I’m already up, would possibly as nicely do that!” And so I did.

Had I given it any further thought past that, I’d’ve realized that I used to be going to perform actually all the pieces throughout Early Entry at Animal Kingdom. The top end result could be a second experience on Na’vi River Journey with no wait. Don’t get me mistaken, I take pleasure in Na’vi River Journey. But it surely’s not one thing I have to do twice in a single morning. (In an ideal world, it could be an early afternoon escape from the warmth and crowds.)

With even 2 minutes of level-headed considering past that, I’d’ve realized this similar technique would’ve been exponentially higher when paired with a morning at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Had I simply waited a day to do that, it could’ve been an incredible take a look at for an attraction-packed day at Walt Disney World. Children, that’s why it’s all the time essential have an enormous cup of Mountain Dew to start out your day. 

Whereas it’s not what I did on today, it’s very straightforward to piece collectively my Genie+ days and Early Entry at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios and provide you with a full-day run that works very well.

Mainly, the plan for EPCOT needs to be reserving your #3 attraction. You must be capable to knock out at the least 2 of the three headliners plus Soarin’ throughout Early Entry and the primary hour after park opening, so make a Lightning Lane choice for whichever you anticipate not having the ability to accomplish. After that one single choice, begin making Lightning Lane experience reservations for Magic Kingdom sights.

The strategy for Disney’s Hollywood Studios could be much more aggressive. Begin by following our tried and true Technique for Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (I’ll have an replace to that for 2023, nevertheless it’s nearly unchanged) to knock out three of the most well-liked sights within the park.

In your first Lightning Lane choice, select Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. Return to this as early as potential (with out sacrificing low standby waits) after which instantly guide a Lightning Lane for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway upon tapping into Smugglers Run. Return to that as early as potential, and guide Toy Story Mania upon tapping into Runaway Railway. Then proceed with reserving Magic Kingdom Lightning Lanes. (I can do full posts fleshing out these Park Hopping methods in some unspecified time in the future if there’s curiosity, however that ought to cowl the fundamentals you have to know to execute.)

Had I chosen a type of different two parks for this take a look at, not solely would my Lightning Lanes have been extra helpful, however the day would’ve been extra seamless. I’d’ve gone straight from reserving DHS or EPCOT Lightning Lanes to my prime priorities in Magic Kingdom.

As a substitute, I needed to wait round for over an hour after I used to be eligible to make one other choice following Na’vi River Journey. This was as a result of a change made final late summer season or early fall; the Genie+ system now not robotically advances experience reservation occasions to start out after 2 pm. As a substitute, it’s a must to watch for the return occasions to naturally attain that.

My “downside” was that each time Peter Pan’s Flight or Jungle Cruise obtained near 2 pm return occasions, a experience reservation refill would drop and begin the entire course of once more. These are air quotes round downside as a result of that is nice for many precise park friends, and additional underscores why the “Genie+ makes you get up at 7 am!” claims are suspect.

To make certain, being up at 7 am is the very best plan of action–particularly if you need Slinky Canine Sprint, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, or Frozen Ever After. Nonetheless, it’s not strictly obligatory even for any of these, and positively not something at Magic Kingdom. As long as you make your first Lightning Lane choice 1 minute earlier than park opening, you’re in excellent form at Magic Kingdom.

I used to be lastly in a position to make my Peter Pan’s Flight Lightning Lane choice at 9:35 am.

That’s 36 minutes later than I’d’ve favored on this situation, however not the top of the world. Had I executed this take a look at at EPCOT or DHS, I’d’ve made this choice even later. The distinction is that I’d’ve been pulling and utilizing glorious Lightning Lanes within the meantime, quite than simply ready round for the clock to advance at Animal Kingdom. Lesson realized.

Not directly, this must also reply the frequent query of whether or not to make Genie+ choices or TRON Lightcycle Run first. It’s not even a remotely shut name: prioritize TRON Lightcycle Run. Even with increasing hours, it’s nonetheless reserving up inside milliseconds by way of digital queue and promoting out rapidly as an Particular person Lightning Lane attraction.

See our Experience Information for TRON Lightcycle Run for velocity technique and ideas & tips for achievement in experiencing Magic Kingdom’s latest experience!

Since I used to be Park Hopping to Magic Kingdom, I used the “stacking” strategy to Genie+ Lightning Lanes thereafter.

Above is my stockpile I gathered by reserving according to the 120-minute rule. Even if you happen to began at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios and didn’t guide your first Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane till 10 am or later, you ought to be capable to guide all of those on most dates. Jungle Cruise and Peter Pan’s Flight usually have Lightning Lane availability till round 3-4 pm.

After arriving at Magic Kingdom and knocking out Peter Pan’s Flight and Area Mountain, I continued reserving extra Lightning Lanes as proven within the screenshots above. (I used to be in PhilharMagic when my subsequent reserving window opened, therefore the delay in reserving “it’s a small world.”)

You would possibly discover that I didn’t comply with our Magic Kingdom Genie+ Priorities & Lightning Lane Experience Ranks in making these. That’s as a result of time was my largest enemy, and persevering with to make choices that had been 120+ minutes into the long run would’ve restricted my whole variety of (helpful) Lightning Lanes.

As a substitute, I opted for earlier return occasions. In the event you take a look at the timestamps within the screenshots above, you’ll see simply how shut collectively many of those had been booked. My purpose was to knock out as a lot as potential, as rapidly as potential. As quickly as I tapped into one Lightning Lane, I’d reserve the subsequent–ideally one thing larger precedence and considerably close by, however not all the time.

I opted for this strategy as a result of wait occasions are longest through the center of the day, and fall off a cliff throughout dinner, fireworks, and thereafter. After I did “it’s a small world,” for instance, its posted wait time was 55 minutes. Later that very same night, it could be a walk-on.

To that you just would possibly say, “so simply do it later within the night.” Honest sufficient. The issue with that’s there’s solely a lot you are able to do throughout these night hours. Driving “it’s a small world” then comes with a possibility value of another extra well-liked attraction with minimal wait.

Ultimately, that is as a lot an artwork as it’s a science. After you get previous the highest 3 or 4 Lightning Lanes which can be objectively the very best, all the pieces else is extra of a judgment name. I virtually didn’t guide Haunted Mansion as a result of I assumed it’d be a walk-on after the fireworks; if truth be told, it was nonetheless (in some way) a forty five minute posted wait time with an prolonged queue suggesting that was fairly near correct.

In the event you’re merely studying about Genie+ and haven’t but used it, this flexibility could be overwhelming and result in the faulty conclusion that Genie+ is simply too sophisticated or complicated at Magic Kingdom. That couldn’t be farther from the reality. The salient level right here needs to be that numerous totally different approaches are workable, and you’ll nonetheless obtain glorious outcomes following an “imperfect” plan and never zealously following inventory technique.

Finally, I ended up utilizing Genie+ to safe 10 Lightning Lane choices throughout this half-day Park Hopping to Magic Kingdom. I might have scored at the least one other 3 for the night hours, however they might’ve been largely ineffective. I additionally might’ve prioritized meet & greets through the afternoon and moved a few of these Fantasyland darkish rides to the night, however I had little interest in that. (Had I began the day in Magic Kingdom, it’s secure to say I might’ve executed all the meet & greets by way of Lightning Lanes along with all the pieces right here.)

Primarily based on posted wait occasions at my return occasions, I saved over 8 hours ready in standby strains with these 10 experience reservations. Even when 2-3 hours had been knocked off that as a result of disparity between posted v. precise wait occasions at Walt Disney World, I nonetheless would’ve saved at the least 5 hours of ready in line.

Nonetheless, it’s additionally value acknowledging that I waited in longer Lightning Lanes (all through my days doing these assessments, not simply at Magic Kingdom) than ever earlier than. For individuals who missed it, this was mentioned at nice size in What Went Unsuitable Throughout Spring Break at Walt Disney World.

Above is a take a look at the “it’s a small world” return line, which was over 10 minutes lengthy. Under is Peter Pan’s Flight, which was 17 minutes. These had been two of the largest offenders, however others had 5-10 minute waits. So adjusting for that, my time saved was in all probability nearer to 4 hours.

From my perspective, Genie+ remains to be simply “value it” at Magic Kingdom when it comes to the time v. cash value calculus. And that’s with out even taking into consideration what I might’ve achieved within the morning by way of Lightning Lanes at EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Genie+ is just not nice every single day in each park at Walt Disney World. It might prevent plenty of time in EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but in addition be very annoying and require exacting technique or a powerful refresh sport to attain Lightning Lanes for many headliners. The one park the place Genie+ is constantly worthwhile is Magic Kingdom. Not solely will it prevent plenty of time ready (until the group degree is 4/10 or decrease), nevertheless it’s not annoying and requires much less display time.

With the opposite three parks, the argument might be made {that a} sturdy itinerary, arriving for Early Entry, and staying till park closing would yield related or superior outcomes to utilizing Lightning Lanes. The truth is, that’s an argument I’d make after my experiences testing all the pieces throughout Spring Break 2023 at Walt Disney World. Savvy technique beats Genie+ within the different 3 parks.

That’s not true with Magic Kingdom. Not solely is Genie+ the best choice, nevertheless it’s the simplest and best. The sheer variety of sights and straightforward availability of mid-tier and above Lightning Lanes makes it the clear-cut winner. It could sound sophisticated on paper, however the takeaway right here needs to be that almost any strategy–and even none in any respect–will yield nice outcomes at Magic Kingdom.

I didn’t begin reserving Lightning Lanes till after park opening and didn’t begin utilizing them till after 2 pm, and nonetheless saved a number of hours ready in line and had a extremely productive day on the park. That is frequent when utilizing Lightning Lanes at Magic Kingdom, however far more tough when utilizing different approaches for this specific park.

Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you have to know!

Your Ideas

Ideas on my partial day in Magic Kingdom utilizing the Genie+ service throughout Spring Break 2023? Have you ever had related success utilizing Lightning Lanes whereas Park Hopping? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation that Genie+ works finest at Magic Kingdom? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!



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