Disney theme park fans, prepare to dig a little deeper. Walt Disney World released more information about its new paid line-skipping system on Friday, and complete access will add roughly $40 to the price of daily park entry, which already costs $109 to $159 for adults, depending on the day. The system will debut on Oct. 19.
Waiting in long lines to board rides is Disney World’s top visitor complaint, and Disney for decades offered a free Fast Pass, which eased the burden. In August, Disney said it would permanently retire Fast Pass at its domestic parks and begin charging for the privilege of skipping the line.
All ticket buyers will now have free access to a sophisticated new app, Disney Genie. It works much like the GPS in your car, creating an itinerary based on preferences — rides, shows, restaurants — and updating as conditions change (rain, what’s busy and what’s not, impromptu detours for turkey legs). Disney World, a 40-square-mile Florida megaresort that has four separately ticketed theme parks, can be daunting to navigate, and Disney knows that people will spend more time and money at the complex if they find the experience less overwhelming.
For $15 a person, Disney Genie+ will provide Lightning Lane entry to most of the most-mobbed attractions. Those include classics like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain. Two of the busiest rides at each park, however, will be carved out of that offering; to skip the line at those, visitors will need to pay à la carte fees, which will vary. For instance, Lightning Lane access to the Expedition Everest roller coaster will cost $7 per person, while the same perk at the high-tech Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride will cost $15.
Disney dominates the theme park business, but most operators started to tap this revenue stream years ago. Universal Orlando charges $70 to $90 for its line-skipping passes, while Dollywood sells one for $49.