Get ready for a wild ride around Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park! With my top priority suggestions for using Lightning Lanes and Genie Plus at Animal Kingdom, you’ll be able to make the most of your visit. I’ve got the tips and tricks to help you determine which are the best rides to use Genie+ at Animal Kingdom, as well as how to get ahead of queues so you can have a smooth experience.
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What is Genie+ (Quick Version)
Disney Genie Plus is a revolutionary way to experience the Disney theme parks. It’s an all-in-one digital companion that helps you make the most of your trip, providing personalized advice and recommendations on park attractions, entertainment, dining, shopping, and more.
With Genie+ you can reserve Lightning Lanes for select attractions allowing avoid long lines and save time at Disney on busy days for an additional charge.
How to Purchase Genie+ for Animal Kingdom
Genie+ will be available for purchase after 12:00 AM (midnight) on the day you plan to use the service.
You can purchase this service through the My Disney Experience app, but you must have a valid ticket and theme park reservation in order to use Genie+.
When to Purchase Genie+ for Animal Kingdom
The best time to purchase Genie+ for Animal Kingdom is after midnight and before 7 AM the day of your visit.
This will give you enough time to plan and decide which attractions you want to reserve Lightning Lanes for.
How much does Genie+ Cost?
The cost of Genie+ varies depending on the day and can range from $13 per person per day up to $30 per person per day.
What Animal Kingdom Attractions are Included with Genie+
- Festival of the Lion King
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
- Naʻvi River Journey
- The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
What Rides Are individual Lightning Lane Attractions at Animal Kingdom
- Avatar Flight of Passage (Price ranges from $11 – $17)
What Genie+ Attractions to book first at Animal Kingdom
This will depend on your individual family as well as other factors. If you are staying at a Disney hotel, I highly recommend booking your first Lightning Lane through Genie+ for Na’vi River Journey or Kiliminjaro Safaris. Then use early entry and head straight to Avatar Flight of Passage at rope drop.
This will give you the shortest wait time for this popular ride, without having to purchase and Individual Lightning Lane.
Avatar Flight of Passage and Kilimanjaro Safaris tend to have the longest wait times throughout the day and will save you the most time if you reserve them in advance. Also, the animals on the safari seem to be more active in the morning.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to book Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, DINOSAUR, and Festival of the Lion King as these attractions tend to fill up quickly.
What My Day Looked Like (Example Day at Animal Kingdom)
- 7:00 am Arrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and get in line
- 7:30 am Early Entry for Disney Resort Hotel Guests (I stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge) Headed toward Pandora: World of Avatar
- 7:40 am In line for Avatar Flight of Passage: standby line (the ride broke down so we waited an additional 20 minutes before we could ride)
- 8:30 Kiliminjaro Safaris (First Selection)
- 9:30 DINOSAUR (15-minute wait)
- 10:00 Expedition Everest (Single Rider Line)
- 10:45 Lunch at Satu’li Canteen
- 11:30 It’s Tough to Be a Bug
- 12:00 Festival of the Lion King
- 1:00 Na’vi River Journey (Second Lightning Lane Attraction)
Is Genie+ at Animal Kingdom Worth It?
Honestly, I don’t think that Genie+ was worth the additional cost at Animal Kingdom Park. If I had not rope-dropped Flight of Passage, I would probably have purchased an Individual Lightning Lane for that ride instead of Genie+ with the extra money for that day.
The exception to this would have been if you are planning on park hopping to another park after 2:00 pm.
But, with the combination of early theme park entry and the single rider line for Expedition Everest, I was would have easily been able to ride what I wanted to without utilizing Genie+ and making Animal Kingdom a half-day park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lightning Lanes are the name for the line you enter when you use a Genie+ reservation (return time). This line was formerly called Fastpass+.
Disney Genie+ is a paid service that allows you to book a return time to ride certain attractions while skipping the lines.
Individual Lightning Lanes are available to purchase for the most popular rides that are not included with Genie+. For Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park this includes Avatar Flight of Passage.
The cost for Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes will vary by park, ride, and by day. Genie+ can range from $13-$30 and Individual Lightning Lanes can vary from $10-$20 per ride.
Guests can purchase Genie+ after 12:00 AM the day of their visit.
Disney hotel guests can make Genie+ reservations beginning at 7:00 AM. All others can make a ride reservation at park opening.
Disney hotel guests can purchase Individual Lightning Lanes and make Individual Lightning Lane reservations beginning at 7:00 AM. All others can make Individual Lightning Lane selections during regular park hours.
No, Flight of Passage is not included with Genie+. In order to skip this line, you must purchase and Individual Lightning Lane.
I recommend booking Na’vi River Journey, DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, of Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Final Thoughts
If you plan on rope-dropping some of the popular attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, I would suggest purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for Avatar Flight of Passage instead of Genie+.
That being said, if you are planning on park hopping after 2:00 pm or if time is a major factor in your visit, then it may be worth considering Genie+ for the other attractions. Genie+ can provide a great way to save time and enjoy more of what Disney’s Animal Kingdom has to offer.
Just be sure to do your research before committing to an add-on that might not be necessary. Good luck!
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