Are you planning on using Disney’s new Genie Plus? We have an important tip for you.
Genie+ Has Arrived
As you are probably aware by now, Disney’s new Genie+ is out of the lamp! Our very own Kenny the Pirate was traversing your favorite parks scouting it out for you, our dear readers.
Genie+ is Disney’s brand new paid skip-the-standby-line service that guests can add to their park experiences for $15 (plus tax) per person per day. The service had some ups and downs on debut day, but hopefully user experience will improve as the week presses on.
What you NEED to Know
There is one thing that you absolutely need to know if you plan to use Genie + during your next Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation. It will save you a lot of frustration.
As Kenny was using Genie+ to grab access to the Lightning Lane for Magic Kingdom attractions, he noticed something. Genie+ eats up phone battery power very quickly!
Apparently phenomenal cosmic power runs on phenomenal amounts of battery power. It is highly unlikely that your phone will last through an entire day of using Genie+.
If you are unprepared to a dying phone battery, not even three wishes will help you. After all, Aladdin fans can tell you that one of the rules of wishes is that Genie can’t bring anything back from the dead, including cell phones.
Apparently, however, one of Genie’s other rules does NOT apply because he CAN certainly kill a phone battery. If you do not want to find yourself having to hunt for a way to keep your Genie fed, you will need to make provisions.
Solutions
The easiest solution is to prepare yourself by packing a portable phone charger. I have a few pictured above for reference. My family and I (KatieP) also own some smaller ones.
You will also need a USB cable, unless you use a wireless charger. I speak from experience: reaching in your bag and retrieving your portable charger only to find you have forgotten your USB cable is its own special brand of disappointment. I would not wish it on you, dear readers.
You will also need to bring the cable you use for charging the portable charger itself and a block if you need one. That way, you can recharge your power source after your day the parks.
Make sure you select a portable charger your are comfortable hauling around the parks all day. If you typically take a park bag, this will be an easy task. However, if you rely on pockets during your time in the parks, you might want to search for something with a slim profile.
You can find portable chargers at most big box stores and at online retailers as well. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and in a variety of cell capacities.
I do not have any specific recommendations when it comes to brands. We own several, and they all do the trick. Most of them are several years old as well.
I do not recommend the $30 Fuelrods that are available in the parks. While they are easy to swap, with no additional fees, they are very under powered and they tend to become very hot when charging your newer phone. – Kenny
Packing List Recap
Add these things to your packing list to prevent Genie+ battery drainage frustration.
- portable charger
- USB cable
- Charger for the charger
- Cord that charges the charger (and a block if you need one)
For more great packing ideas, click here or here.
Are you using Genie+ on your next trip to your favorite theme parks? Let us know in the comments on the KtP Facebook page and in our friendly Facebook group!
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Sana
Monday 25th of October 2021
PS.It seems my comment wasn't posted yesterday, so trying again....
Hi, Can you help me understand how exactly this new Genie+ works and not get stressed out? Is Genie+ an app we must download? Is it the same app than contains Genie, the virtual assistant?
We are taking our two teens to DW in December. They will share 1 phone most likely. If we buy Genie+ for them, will they be able to take the same ride at the same time or could it happen that one of them might score a ride, but not the other because reservations run out? Can the same phone be used to checking to the same ride by both kids or will parents have to lend them their phone to do this?
Does DW have age limits for kids who go to the Lightening Lane by themselves if their parents want to stay outside and wait for them?
What's the efficient way to plan for using Genie+ in order to visit as many rides in the same park in one day? Would it be reserving the next ride closest in distance to the ride you've just taken?
Per my limited understanding, if we reserve the first ride at 7 am, we cannot reserve the next ride until we use the first one. Then after we take that 1st ride, we can reserve the next ride, but again, unless we use it first, we cannot make the next reservation. Is this correct?
Thank you
Sana
Sunday 24th of October 2021
Hi, Can you help me understand how exactly this new Genie+ works and not get stressed out? Is Genie+ an app we must download? Is it the same app than contains Genie, the virtual assistant?
We are taking our two teens to DW in December. They will share 1 phone most likely. If we buy Genie+ for them, will they be able to take the same ride at the same time or could it happen that one of them might score a ride, but not the other because reservations run out? Can the same phone be used to checking to the same ride by both kids or will parents have to lend them their phone to do this?
Does DW have age limits for kids who go to the Lightening Lane by themselves if their parents want to stay outside and wait for them?
What's the efficient way to plan for using Genie+ in order to visit as many rides in the same park in one day? Would it be reserving the next ride closest in distance to the ride you've just taken?
Per my limited understanding, if we reserve the first ride at 7 am, we cannot reserve the next ride until we use the first one. Then after we take that 1st ride, we can reserve the next ride, but again, unless we use it first, we cannot make the next reservation. Is this correct?
Thank you
Lois
Thursday 21st of October 2021
Tlaw: I hear you loud and clear. I agree with your comments. I do not want to be on my phone all stinkin day either. I am older and find Genie confusing to say the least and another Chapek money grab. I’ve been going to Disney since 1972 and joined DVC when it was affordable ( $90 a point in 2004) but right now I have no desire to visit. Your right the magic is gone for those of us who remember what Disney was. So sad. I also appreciate your comments and recommendations. They are helpful to me. So now I just visit Disneys Hilton Head. Closer to home with a bit of magic left for me. Disney World will have to wait. Thank you Tlaw. And all the Ktp crew. Lois
Nunn
Thursday 21st of October 2021
Tlaw: I hear you loud and clear and agree whole heartedly. The only reason I can still visit is I bought into DVC when it was $90 a point (2004) otherwise I would have to find somewhere else to visit. Right now with all this Genie stuff I have no desire to visit. I’m older and I find it confusing and a Chapek money grab. I’ve taken to visit Disneys Hilton Head for now. It just saddens me to see what is happening. For me they’ve changed the whole face of Disney and I don’t want to be on my phone all stinkin day! And I do appreciate your insights.Thank you, Lois
Tlaw
Thursday 21st of October 2021
Lois, no disrespect for KtP intended and I second the recommendation for bringing your own battery charger. FYI, cell phones today commonly have a 5000 maHr (rating of capacity) battery. The fuel rod above likely has 2500 maHr of capacity, so you need two of them (assuming 100% effeciency) to recharge your cell phone
Key takeaways -- make sure your phone is fully charged before leaving for the parks. Also make sure your phone is set to energy savings settings, such as only allowing apps to use services (i.e. location) when using the app. And, since you need to carry a spare power source, make sure it is charged and large enough for your phone(s). Also, please realize that it will take a hour or two to fully recharge the phone.
Another option (pre Genie) was time sharing on the phones in our party, we would only have one on at a time (unless our party spilt up).
Sadly, I was not sarcastic in the old days when my magic band worked for everything I wanted (including leaving my phone in the room in the safe).
If Disney adopts this phone only strategy for the cruises they will be losing this Platinum family.
My comment was meant for self reflection-- at what point do the cost and requirements for visiting Disney make it not worth the effort?
A visit for us next year adds the following -- taxi fare to replace magical express, Genie + and LL charges, a new cell phone plus battery pack for the app, more planning, and waking up early to book things for the day.
While I can accept some loss of magic (due to covid), I do not think recent changes improve the guest experience; instead they profit only a few at the top at the expense of millions of guests.
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