What you need to know about Disney Genie

With a release date of "this fall" there's a lot to learn about the new Disney Genie program so lets break it down ;)

First; let's look at the free version that will be within the Disneyland and My Disney Experience (WDW)apps. The new digital tool will help make the most of your day with Disneyland, California Adventure and WDW.

The genie will make planning easier and help reduce time spent waiting in lines. It includes a personalized itinerary feature that will quickly map out your entire day. Just tell Genie what you want to do and it will do the planning for you! He will continue to update your itinerary throughout your day.

He will give you current and forecasted wait times and help you predict when you may have the quickest entry to attractions. All the rides will still have standby lines-except Web and Rise, we still have to try our luck with snagging a boarding pass or with the next method....

Now we can talk about the 2 paid versions.

1-Purchase Disney Genie+ ($15 at WDW, $20 at DL/DCA) This lets you choose from a variety of attractions to use their "Lightning Lane" entrance (the old Fastpass lines). You can make 1 selection at a time throughout the day. I think the usual haunts will be on the list, Big Thunder Mtn, Smugglers Run, Haunted Mansion and Its a Small World. A full list has not been released yet.

Genie+ will also include Disney parks themed audio experiences and unlimited downloads from the Photopass at Disneyland.

In WDW the photos must still be added through the Memory Makers option but you will have access to new AR photo spots around the parks.

2- Access to some "E ticket" Lightning Lane attractions will be available to purchase a la carte, meaning they are not included in the Genie+ collection. You will be able to schedule a time to arrive at up to 2 attractions each day for an additional fee. Rides that have been mentioned are Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance in Cali and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at WDW. The pricing will vary by date and attraction.

Disney resort guests will have access earlier in the day and those staying near by can start choosing their Lightning lanes once they have been scanned into the parks.

I am excited to have some version of the Fastpass back. As capacity rises, so do the wait times and though I am not a fan of lines, I don't mind them as much when they have been Disneyfied! What do you think of the new options? Will you purchase off the a la carte menu and skip the line for Radiator Springs or maybe Web Slingers if you missed out on the boarding passes??