Disneyland introduces new, controversial Genie+ service

Disneyland eliminates their old ride reservation system to make way for a more expensive, yet very similar service. MADDIE MANTOOTH, Staff Photographer

The name of one interviewee has been changed to “Robin,” as she has asked to remain anonymous due to the fact that she is an employee and fears retribution for speaking against the Walt Disney Company. The name of another interviewee has been changed to “Courtney,” as she has asked to remain anonymous to protect herself from others knowing she has disabilities.

For over 66 years, Disneyland has brought joy to people around the world with fried delicacies, beloved characters, abundant merchandise, and of course, rides. Ranging from classics such as It’s a Small World to new, technologically advanced experiences like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Disneyland’s attractions are what bring in the masses.

In 1999, Disneyland introduced a ride reservation system known as “Fastpass.” This system allowed guests to reserve a time slot for an attraction, allowing them to skip a typically long line. The best part? It was completely free; all you had to do was wait your turn.

However, during the pandemic, the Walt Disney Company announced that Fastpasses will no longer be available. When the park was able to reopen again after over a year of being closed, their new $20 line reservation program titled Genie+ was publicized alongside it. 

“You have to pay $20 to get Genie+ which a lot of people don't like. If you have a party of four, that's 80 dollars. That's a lot of money,” says cast member Robin, a sophomore communication studies major who is employed at Disneyland.

Genie differs from the old Fastpass system in a few ways. First, the Genie program is a free itinerary that guests are able to customize to their liking by entering which attractions and character sightings they are most interested in seeing. 

After entering this information in the Disneyland app, Genie will present a schedule, listing where to go at the least busy times. This free system was created for visitors who may not be familiar with Disneyland’s attractions. 

“The whole point of it is to make sure people who don't visit the park as often get the same experience as (annual pass) holders. They can maximize their day the most,” states Robin.

Genie+ is a pay-to-use service — unlike the regular Genie program — and features Lightning Lane, the aspect most similar to Disney’s old Fastpass system. Using Lightning Lane, which costs $20 a day per ticket, lets a guest join a different, much shorter line for each available ride. 

Not all rides are included with the $20 purchase, however. Three of the more popular rides — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Radiator Springs Racers and Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure — have an additional fee to use the Lightning Lane.

According to Robin, Genie+ has brought in more complaints than praise — the biggest complaint being the mandatory cost of $20. Robin told The Panther her responsibilities at work involve being in a position called “Merge," which connects her to Lightning Lane users every day.

“This is a position where you merge the standby line and the Lightning Lane together," Robin said. "That's where I get the most complaints, because we have a set ratio to follow compared to how many people are in the Lightning Lane. When the Lightning Lane is fairly full, we send a ratio of one standby party to 10 Lightning Lane parties.”

Another problem with this program is how it affects the Disability Access Service (DAS). Guests with this service are given a similar reservation system for each ride on their phones which tells them allotted windows to return. Unfortunately, their line is combined with Lightning Lane, which can cause some issues with long wait times. 

Courtney, a sophomore integrated educational studies major who uses DAS at the parks, said the Lightning Lane has negatively affected her experience and accessibility when in line for rides. 

“I was hoping (when Genie+ was released), there would be a seperate line (for DAS users), but nothing changed,” Courtney said. “I went during the first week that (Genie+) came out … There were multiple rides that I had reservations for through the DAS system that I couldn't go on, because the line was literally an hour long, and the whole point of DAS is so that you don't have to physically stand in line and wait that long.”

Amid the backlash, there are still guests who have had positive experiences with the new Genie+ and Lightning Lane features. Summer Lake, a sophomore political science major, expressed her appreciation for the new features of Genie+ like the inclusion of Photopass, a service that allows you to receive attraction pictures and pictures taken by professional photographers around the parks.

“One thing that was super fun was that you get a free Photopass (when you purchase Genie+). We got a lot of cute pictures,” Lake said. “(Photopass) is also nice cause I’ve never felt the need to buy a Disneyland photo.””

Although the new Genie+ system has had its fair share of complaints, there is no question Disneyland will continue to pull in the masses.

“We didn't have to wait over five minutes for any of the rides we had Genie+ for,” Lake said. “Overall, it was super fun.”