Do You Have Existing Disney Tickets That You Have Already Purchased? Do you Want to Use Disney Genie+?
Note: on 24 July 2024 Disney Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass replace Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Land Purchases!!!
But Everything on this page is still true for Disneyland, just substitute the new names.
NOTE: In Mid 2022 Walt Disney World (NOT Disneyland) stopped selling any type of ticket including Disney Armed Forces Salute Tickets and Regular Military Discounted Magic Your Way Tickets with Genie+ added on. They also stopped the ability to add Genie Plus after purchase. The only way to buy Genie+ at Walt Disney World is via an in app purchase in the My Disney Experience app any time after 12 a.m. on the desired day. They did this due to the lack of value offered by Genie+ (so many people were using it that you could not get more than one good attraction per day).
Disneyland however continues to offer Genie+ as part of tickets, so the below still applies in California.
Well there is a way that you can add this service to your Military Ticket!
This applies to both Disney Armed Forces Salute and Regular Disney Military Ticket Discount for Walt Disney World.
Image Courtesy Disney
A Simple Process
In order to add Disney Genie+, the paid replacement for FastPass on most attractions (except the 2 most popular in each park), you will need to visit a Disneyland Ticket or Guest Services Location.
In order to add this service you will need to pay the cost of Genie+ (Starting at $25 per day per ticket based on date) plus tax.
It is possible to add Genie+ to an un-used or partially used ticket. It is not recommended that you add it to tickets that are partially used as Disney will charge you for all days that the ticket was initially sold for, whether those days have been used or not. For example if you’ve used 2 days of a 4-day ticket and then want to add Genie+, Disney will charge you to add 4 days of Genie+. I recommend that you add Genie+ during your activation process if desired.
- A 3-Day Disneyland Armed Forces Salute Ticket will cost at a minimum $75 plus tax for each ticket you want to add Genie+ to. That’s $300 plus tax for a family of 4!
- A 4-Day Disneyland Armed Forces Salute Ticket will cost at a minimum $100 plus tax for each ticket you want to add Genie+ to. That’s $400 plus tax for a family of 4!
But Do You Need Genie+ Every Day?
Public Service Announcement: You might not!
You should carefully analyze your desired attractions and spend some time watching return times in real time on the My Disney Experience app to see if you will want to purchase Genie+ for your whole ticket via the process above or purchase it only for the days you think you will need it via the app on the day in question.
On my most recent WDW trip (Nov 2021), the first one using Genie+, I did not add it to the 4 Disney Armed Forces Salute 4-Day Tickets for my party, rather we purchased Genie on 2 of our 4 park days at  Hollywood Studios and 1 of our 2 Magic Kingdom days. We felt no need for it at Epcot!
Also, on the days that we did purchase it we found the 3rd most popular attraction (the best you can reserve with Genie+ as the 2 most popular require an additional purchase) in our park for the day to be reserved Very lLate in the day or through the end of the park day by 7:30 a.m.
See our full Disney Genie Page for more info on Genie, Genie+, and Individual Attraction Purchases (the most popular of these sell out in the first minute or two).
What do You Think of Genie+?
Have comments or questions?
Let me know in the comment section below!
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This MDT Post By: Steve Bell Steve is the Military Disney Tips Founder. He is a retired U.S. Military Member who's been touring the Disney Parks since 1971! He has been writing about Disney for the US Military Community here for 18 years. Steve's mission is to help military families with their Disney vacations in every way possible. See Steve and His Family's Content |
Planning a Disney Trip? Want to get the best military discounts that are available? Feeling a little confused? See Our Great Disney Discount and Planning Info:
- Back to Basics Posts - A great place to start, offering basic topics!
- Disney Veteran & Military Discount Eligibility Guide
- The Military Family’s Walt Disney World Comprehensive Vacation Planning and Preparation GuideÂ
- Military Disney Tips Disney Packing ChecklistÂ
- Disney Military Tickets – Your Start-to-Finish Guide
- Resorts/Hotel Overview Page
- Dining Overview Page
- Transportation Overview Page
- Technology Overview Page
- Shades of Green, WDW’s Military-Only Resort
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Thanks for this! I’m confused about when you can add the Genie+ If I purchase the 4-day armed forces salute without Genie+. Can I add the genie+ when I get to Disney and only add one day at a time, or will they charge me for all 4 days?
Hi Nikki,
Yes, just a day at a time. We just got back and only used it 2 days of the 4 park days. You are just charged for that day when buying a la carte.
Hey! Just to confirm, when you purchase Genie+ a la carte, you can do so in the app? We won’t need to go to a service desk? Thank you!
Yes correct!
Any time after 12:01 a.m. on the day you want to use it.
So, set your alarm for 6:15 or 6:30, purchase Genie+ for your party and then be ready to make reservations at 7 (if staying on property).
What do you mean Ala carte?
Hi Sharye,
I mean purchasing it only or the days desired, in app, based on the parks you want to use it in, rather than purchasing it as part of your ticket for all days and paying for a day (park or two) you might no want to use it.
I am still so confused. If we buy the tickets that need to be activated does that mean we can’t purchase genie + until that happens or do we have access once the tickets are purchased and linked to our Disney app?
Hi there Ro Pete,
You seem to have a misunderstanding of how Genie+ is purchased. Also you did not specify WDW or DLR (they are different).
At WDW, you won’t buy Genie+ until the day of use. Genie+ is purchased the day you want to use it, each day, every day, via the My Disney Experience app. In app sales start at 12:01 a.m. each day. You can buy Genie+ for only the days you want it (parks it makes sense to use at). – So you’ll buy your tickets, make park reservations, Go on the trip and activate the tickets prior to entering, then on the days desired get up early if staying on property (prior to 7, you can use it starting at 7) and buy it for your party in the app, then make your Genie+ reservations at 7. If staying off property, you can’t buy it till you enter a park.
At the DLR, you purchase Genie+ when you buy your ticket Genie+ is sold as part of tickets (including both types of military tickets). You must buy it for every day of the ticket (it’s part of the price). – So you’ll buy your tickets with Genie+, make park reservations, Go on the trip get up early each day if staying on property (prior to 7, you can use it starting at 7) and make your Genie+ reservations. Then activate the tickets as you enter a park.
Hope this helps!