Disney's Confusing 120-Minute Genie+ Rule Is Now OFFICIAL | the disney food blog (2024)

Disney Genie+ is the new way to skip the lines in Disney World. For $15 per person per day, you can skip the standby line and head straight onto certain attractions in the parks. To really get your money’s worth from the system, we recommend doing some research before your trip to learn the ins and outs of Genie+.

We’re in Disney World parks every day, so we’ve done all kinds of research and experiments with Genie+. From our experiences, we’ve learned a LOT about the program, including some rules that guests need to follow in order to really take advantage of Genie+. Now, Disney has made a few of those rules official!

One of the most important (and potentially confusing) rules with Genie+ is the 120-minute rule. This rule has to do with WHEN you can make Genie+ Lightning Lane selections. Once you’ve purchased Genie+, you can make these selections throughout the day. They’re like reservations to skip the line at the attractions you choose.

Remember that if you buy Genie+ for your day, you can start making Lightning Lane selections at 7AM. Each person in your group can only make these selections one at a time.

So, everyone in your group can choose one ride (where they’ll skip the line) at 7AM. Once you’ve made a selection, you can make your next Lightning Lane selection when:

1. You have used the first one you booked;
2. Your first return time window has ended (if you miss it); or
3. 120 minutes have passed since you booked your last one (or 120 minutes after park opening, depending on the situation).

That 3rd option is the 120-minute rule. Essentially, you can book another Lightning Lane 2 hours (120 minutes) after reserving a previous one if the return time for the first Lightning Lane is more than 2 hours away.

For example, let’s say that at 9AM you booked a Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane with a return time of 2PM. You don’t have to wait until 2PM to make another Lightning Lane reservation. Instead, 2 hours after you made that reservation, you can make another one! So at 11AM, you can choose another attraction (and you’ll still have the 2PM Haunted Mansion reservation).

If you booked your first Lightning Lane at 7AM, though, the 2 hours don’t start until park opening time. (So if you book one at 7AM but the park opens at 9AM, you can book the next one at 11AM — 2 hours after park opening time.)

Still confused? Learn all about the 120-minute rule here!

Previously, this rule was sort of unofficial — it was definitely true, but Disney didn’t officially state that it was the rule. But now, Disney has updated their Genie+ website to include several rules that guests need to follow with the new skip-the-line system, and one of the rules they included was this 120-minute one!

Specifically, Disney’s website now says the following about the 120-minute rule:

“Disney Genie+ service Lightning Lane selections can only be made one at a time. You must redeem an existing Disney Genie+ service Lightning Lane selection or wait 2 hours—whichever comes first—before making another Lightning Lane entrance selection through Disney Genie+ service. Please note: the 2-hour wait to make another selection begins when the park opens, even if you made your first booking at 7:00 AM.”

In addition to that rule, Disney also included the following:

• “Make sure you have valid admission and a theme park reservation to the same park on the same day.”
• “All attractions and experiences are subject to availability.”
• “Guests may be able to purchase Disney Genie+ service the day of their park visit and make their first Lightning Lane selections at 7:00 AM.” (Note that guests can purchase Genie+ for each day beginning at midnight, but they cannot make Lightning Lane selections until 7AM.)

While none of the rules that Disney added are new (these have always been true with Disney Genie+), now they are clearly written on Disney’s website.

If you want to learn more about Genie+, we’ve got plenty of guides and how-tos for you to use! Check out some of those here:

• Disney Genie and Genie+: EVERYTHING You Need to Know
• The Big Disney Genie+ Rule that Everyone Gets Wrong
• The Rides to Book FIRST With Genie+ and Pay-Per-Ride in Disney World
• Step-by-Step Guide to Using Disney Genie+
• How Many Rides Can You Get On Per Day With Genie+ in Disney World? We Dig In.

And stay tuned with DFB, because we’ll let you know about any future changes or new tips to help you make the most of Genie+ during your vacation!

Click here for our full guide to Disney Genie+.

What confuses you most about Disney Genie+? Send us your questions in the comments!