How Much Does Disney FastPass Cost? – NerdWallet

Visiting a Disney theme park can be an exciting experience, especially if it’s your first time. However, your vacation may be a little less magical once you spend two hours in line for a two-minute roller coaster ride.

If you’re looking to spend less time in the queue and more time experiencing Disney’s many attractions, you may be wondering what options you have to skip the line.

Let’s take a look at the cost of Disney FastPass, which is now known as Genie+, and what you can expect to pay for Individual Lightning Lane tickets.

If you visited Disney any time in the last few decades, you likely saw hordes of little paper tickets scattered about the park.

These tickets, dubbed FastPasses, allowed guests to pick a later return time for an attraction and skip the general queue. FastPasses were free and available to everyone without limits.

FastPasses eventually went digital, then in 2020 were retired entirely. Instead, Disney debuted Genie+ in 2021, which is a paid service offering similar benefits to the old FastPass system.

Like FastPass, Genie+ allows guests to pick a return time for a later period, though you’ll face some restrictions.

You can only use Genie+ to skip the line once per attraction, and if your return time is much later in the day, you’ll need to wait a couple of hours before selecting another line-skip option.

Finally, Genie+ doesn’t include all rides at Disney’s parks. The most popular rides at each park are instead relegated to Individual Lightning Lanes, which are a separate, additional cost.

The price for Genie+ will vary based on which theme park you’re visiting and when. Prices will also fluctuate according to demand, which means you can expect to pay more during especially busy periods.

Genie+ is a per-day purchase, though at Walt Disney World this means you’ll have access to line-skipping options at each of its four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Disney doesn’t publicly publish its Genie+ prices, though there are a number of websites that track daily pricing. As it stands, Genie+ at Walt Disney World starts at $15 per person. At its most expensive, you can expect to pay $35 per day.

It’s not possible to purchase Genie+ at Walt Disney World in advance. The earliest you can purchase the service is midnight prior to your visit. Be aware that Genie+ passes are limited, and it’s possible for them to sell out.

Pricing for Genie+ at Disneyland is a little more transparent than at Walt Disney World. Disney’s website states that the cost for Genie+ begins at $25 per day, though other sites note that it can rise up to $30 per day.

Unlike Walt Disney World, you can purchase Genie+ to use at Disneyland when you buy your theme park tickets. If you choose not to do so, you can also opt to purchase day-of Genie+ access through the Disneyland app after you enter the park.

Individual Lightning Lane is a separately priced product from Genie+ that applies to each theme park’s most popular rides. These rides are not included in Genie+ purchases; instead, you’ll need to buy a la carte access for each ride.

Individual Lightning Lane access is still limited, however. Guests can only buy Individual Lightning Lane access for two attractions per day and only once per attraction. Should they wish to ride again, they’ll need to wait in the standard line.

You’ll also want to set your alarm for 7 a.m., which is when you can book your first Lightning Lane reservation.

You’ll find rides such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance among those offered via Individual Lightning Lane. Again, costs will vary based on demand, but expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $25 per ride.

Unlike Genie+, those wishing to purchase Individual Lightning Lane access will first need to enter the park. This means that if you’re especially set on a specific attraction, you’ll want to arrive as early as possible for your best chance of snagging a spot.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance can also be found at Disneyland. Like its East Coast version, this popular ride is also subject to Individual Lightning Lane access. So is the ever-busy Radiator Springs Racers, which can be found in Disney’s California Adventure Park.

Pricing for Disneyland is similar to Walt Disney World. Expect to pay between $12 and $25 per ride.

Although Disney has stopped offering its complimentary FastPass service, it’s still possible to get ahead of the crowds with skip-the-line passes. Instead of FastPass, guests can now take advantage of Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane access to bypass the standard queues.

However, unlike FastPass, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane passes aren’t free. The price you’ll pay will depend on which park you’re visiting and the time of year, but they can cost as much as $35 per person per day. Still, if you hate waiting in line, it may be worth it to shell out for the chance to maximize your vacation.

(Top photo courtesy of Disneyland Resort)