Disney World has been very crowded the last couple of weeks, which means longer wait times in the parks and high prices for Disney Genie+!

Crowds
There are a few specific reasons why the parks are so crowded right now, which we’ll get into in a minute, but we just got solid proof that Disney World is busier than normal at the moment: The Multi-Park option for Disney Genie+ SOLD OUT today!
Genie+ is the way to skip the standby line at some of the rides in Disney World. To use it, you purchase Genie+ in the morning (you can buy it starting at midnight) and then reserve Lightning Lanes throughout the day on the My Disney Experience app. You can start making those Lightning Lane reservations at 7AM EST.
Since Genie+ was introduced a few years ago, several changes have affected the system. Initially, it was a set price of $15 per person, per day. Then, surge pricing was introduced, meaning the price started to change based on the time of year. During busier times (like summer break or the holiday season), it is more expensive.
Later, Disney also introduced tiered pricing based on the theme park you’re visiting. The price to buy Genie+ in Magic Kingdom is higher than buying it for, say, Animal Kingdom. There is also a Multi-Park option, and if you buy it, you can use Genie+ in any of the Disney World theme parks. Today, we noticed around 1PM EST that this option has SOLD OUT!

©Disney
Genie+ tends to sell out only when it’s particularly crowded in Disney World. Right now is definitely one of those times! The UCA Cheer Competition ends today (February 12th), so cheer teams and their families have been in the parks all weekend and might stay for a longer vacation after the event ends.

Pirates of the Caribbean Crowds
In addition, this coming weekend is President’s Day weekend, so more families might be headed to the parks since many jobs and schools get the day off.
We checked out the ride wait times, which confirmed that the parks are crowded. When we checked the wait times around 2PM EST, we saw that Slinky Dog Dash in Hollywood Studios had a wait time of 130 minutes, Tower of Terror had a wait time of 150 minutes, Avatar Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom had a wait time of 145 minutes, Expedition Everest had a wait time of 90 minutes, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT had a wait time of 115 minutes.

LONG line
So if you’re going to Disney World soon, be prepared for some pretty big crowds.
Buying Genie+ is just one way to beat the crowds in Disney World, but it’s certainly not the only way. We highly recommend “rope dropping” the theme parks, which means getting to the parks well before they open (at least a half hour early) and then heading straight to the most popular rides first thing. The crowds will still look big, but you’ll likely get on those popular rides with lower wait times than you’ll see later in the day!

Park Entrance
If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel or one of the good neighbor hotels, don’t forget about Early Theme Park Entry. Guests at these hotels get to go inside the parks a full half hour before all the other visitors!
See a list of hotels that qualify for Early Entry here.
You may also have some luck if you stay in the parks late, as we typically see crowds die down the closer you get to the parks’ closing times.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
To avoid long lines when it’s time to eat, make sure to utilize Mobile Order. You can even order your lunch or dinner early in the morning, set the time you want to eat, and then go pick up your food at that time! In the gift shops, use Mobile Checkout on the My Disney Experience app to skip the long lines at the cash registers.

Mobile Order sign in EPCOT
Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on the latest Disney news!
Click here to learn more about Genie+.
Are you heading to Disney World this upcoming holiday weekend? Let us know in the comments!
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