Credit: DisneyDisney theme park fans may finally have an answer to a question they likely have been wondering for years.
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Over the last decade, the Disney theme park experience has changed in numerous ways. Obviously, the price of admission has been one of the most significant changes, with the average cost of a Disney theme park vacation outpacing nearly every other economic metric.
Accompany the increased cost of park tickets with the cost of special add-ons like Disney Genie+, now called Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and guests can expect to spend thousands of dollars on a single trip to either Disneyland or Walt Disney World.
The Service Formerly Known as Genie+
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On October 19, 2021, The Walt Disney Company unleashed what may go down as the single biggest change its theme parks will ever see: Disney Genie+.
Genie+ replaced Disney’s FastPass+ system and once again allowed guests to book reservations for rides and attractions at Disney’s theme parks. However, Genie+ was not free—far from it. Guests had to pay a fee to use the service’s more crucial features, which fluctuated based on the time of year and park crowd levels.
This made Genie+ incredibly controversial, with many longing for the days of free paper FastPasses. Designed to give guests more power and authority when planning their Disney day, Genie+ could be accessed through the My Disney Experience app, a source for many other Disney park resources.
However, the backlash Genie+ faced did not seem to matter in the grand scheme of things, with the service reportedly generating an incredible amount of cash for The Walt Disney Company prior to its retirement.
How Much Did Disney Make with Genie+?
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Earlier this year, The Walt Disney Company was the victim of a massive data breach perpetrated by online hackers. The attack was reported to be connected to Russian hacking group Nullbulge, and thousands of documents, messages, and spreadsheets were released online.
Disney’s close-kept secrets were exposed, revealing internal strategies and private employee information. The data leak included financial results for many of Disney’s different industries, including its theme parks, with Genie+ revenue numbers being specifically surprising.
Between its launch in October 2021 and June 2024, Genie+ reportedly generated over $720 million in pretax revenue for The Walt Disney Company. It’s important to remember this is all extra revenue for the company, with guests still needing to purchase tickets, food, and other services during their vacation.
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Disney’s Genie+ service ended earlier this year, with the company announcing it would be retooling the system and giving it a complete makeover. Lightning Lane Multi Pass, the system’s new name, essentially allows guests to do the same things, albeit in a slightly less confusing process.
In the past, Disney has stated Genie+ was a consistent money-maker for the company. However, the new data leak reveals exact numbers when it comes to Genie+ revenue at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.
While Disney’s line-skipping tools continue to be a point of contention for fans, given the sheer amount of money these systems generate, it’s unlikely guests will see Disney revert back to free passes anytime soon.
Some guests have even suggested Disney take things one step further and emulate Universal’s Express Pass option, which could theoretically cut down on wait times while still generating millions in revenue each year.
Did you use Genie+? Have you used Lightning Lane?