If you were one of the lucky ones that was able to go to Disneyworld or Disneyland before Covid happened you will know what I’m talking about when I say the words, Fast Pass. The magical free service that is (was) included in your admission to Disney and gave you the amazing ability to skip the que and head almost to the front of the line where you could get on the rides right away. Notice how I said was? Well, in the last few days Disney has announced that they have retired this amazing feature and will be introducing two new paid services. Kelly Oliveros in a post on Disney Food blog went into depth about the two new programs being released, these two paid services are Genie + and individual ride selection.
Genie + means that individuals will be able to select the next time available to get into the fast line, which is very similar to the old fast pass system. Individual ride selection is just that, you pay per ride to get fast access into the ‘Lightning Lane’. I personally think that this is a very cool name that helps to see how Disney is able to innovate and move towards a better more streamlined line.
While I understand that Disney is always innovating and changing, I feel like they are slightly moving away from the dream that Walt once had: to make it a place for everyone to enjoy. However, there is a service being released with the two paid programs that promises to make planning of your holiday stress free and streamlined. Disney Genie, this service means that your wish is his command with the Genie you know and love from Aladdin as your personal assistant bring more movie magic to life.
There is a lot of back and forth within the Disney community about whether this is a move in the right or wrong direction for Disney and if they are just trying to exploit the ones who give them business. I think that when I go back, I will give it a go and try it out to see how it works, there is no harm in giving something a go because it is always better to keep moving forward rather than moving back. I can’t wait for the day where I will be able to have the Genie from Aladdin as my personal assistant and know all the ins and outs of the wait times and show times. While I do understand that Disney Maxpass was also able to provide this service it is nice to have a but of an update and change to a service that may be a little bit more interactive and easier to understand. I will forever miss putting my ticket into the machines where my fastpass will pop out and I will have the set time I have to return, but if it means that it will be easier I am all for it. And yes, I loved to collect the fastpass tickets and even have the fastpass pins that match that I have proudly displayed on my wall. Disneyland and World is forever changing and who knows where it will be one day. I think Walt Disney said it best himself when he said that Disneyland will never be completed, and it will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.
Chloe.
Disney Genie Pass video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9fP50klEPE&ab_channel=DisneyParks