5 Best Genie Plus Rides at Epcot That Are Awesome
Disney has successfully made the transition from free FastPass reservations to a paid ride reservation system called Genie+. So in this article, I’m going to share my picks for the best Genie Plus rides at Epcot that are worth your time and money.
Best Genie Plus Rides at Epcot You Will Love
Let’s begin with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure!
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
As one of Epcot’s newest attractions and the most recent addition to Genie+, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is sure to make the paid service worth it.
Averaging a wait time of around 60 plus minutes, the Genie+ service will certainly save you time and allow you to explore other areas of the park. Think of all the yummy foods you could try at the World Showcase in a 60 minute time period.
Before this attraction was added to Genie+, individual lighting lane passes were sold for $9 a piece. With Genie+ only costing $15, one additional lighting lane reservation already saves you money.
It’s important to note that because Remy’s Adventure is still so new, it often runs out of Lighting Lane reservations. Therefore, it would be wise to try and make this your first pass of the day.
Is the ride worth it?
Yes! With no height requirements or physical restrictions, this ride is perfect for the whole family. Remy’s Adventure is a 4D experience that captivates all 5 senses as you zip around Gusteau’s kitchen through the lens of a mouse.
Also, Epcot has done a great job incorporating the Ratatouille theme throughout the France pavilion, so it’s nice to experience the ride then look for all the Ratatouille connections throughout the pavilion.
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Frozen Ever After
Although no longer that new to Epcot, Frozen Ever After, located in the Norway pavilion, remains one of the longest queue lines at Epcot. Obviously, this has to do with the extreme popularity that the world of Frozen still has with Disney lovers of all ages.
However, even though this Epcot favorite is not new to the park, it is a new addition to Genie+. This is both good and bad news. Prior to being added to Genie+, park goers could buy individual Lighting Lanes reservations for Frozen. Now you have to be very strategic and hope you get a Genie+ reservation.
At the time of this publication, the current Genie+ Lighting Lane reservations for this ride were only added on a temporary basis. Hopefully, Disney will push this date back and keep it on the Genie+ list indefinitely.
And It’s no surprise that between the long wait times and the popularity of this ride, Frozen Ever After is usually one of the first Genie+ reservations to fill up for the day.
Is it worth it?
Obviously! On this family friendly boat ride, you will journey through Arendelle and meet all your favorite Frozen characters, as well as get to sing along to some of your favorite Frozen songs. You will even experience a few small thrills as the boat takes a few fast dips.
Even though the ride time is less than five minutes, this ride is super cute and encompasses all the things we love about Disney storybook rides.
Also, since the Anna and Elsa meet and greet at Royal Sommerhuas is not a Genie+ attraction, you will at least be able to save time on one Frozen event.
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Soarin’ Around the World
One of my personal favorite rides at Epcot, this ride is very unique compared to any other ride on Disney property, and was once the longest queue ride in all of Epcot.
However, even though newer attractions have helped to alleviate some of the wait time at Soarin’, you’re still looking at around an hour wait no matter what time of day. Being that Soarin’ is located in the front of the park, it does open before many of the rides located in The World Showcase, so this line tends to get long quickly.
Also, it’s also the ride everyone tries to jump on quickly during park closing.
Even though Soarin’ is still a popular ride, when it comes to Genie+ snagging a Lighting Lane reservation should be easy.
With rides like Frozen and Ratatouille being so popular, chances of Soarin’ running out of lighting lane passes for the day are slim, which means you can save this one for later in the day.
Is it worth it?
Again, this is one of my favorite rides at Walt Disney World so the answer is definitely YES.
This unique ride simulates a hang-gliding experience as you journey around the world and are immersed in the wonders of the world. What makes this ride so unique is the 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX digital projection screen that displays spectacular aerial footage of some of the most breathtaking places in the world.
You truly feel like you are in these places.
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Test Track
Although much older than the previously mentioned rides, Test Track is still a crowd pleaser and always racks up a lengthy wait time. And remember the whole goal of having Genie+ is to save time.
Before the addition of Frozen Ever After and Remy’ Ratatouille Adventure it was safe to say that Test Track was the hottest Genie+ item at Epcot. Thankfully the new additions have alleviated some of the availability, making this a bit easier to get.
However, with its popularity and the unique style of this ride, Test Track does still typically run out of Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations around noon every day.
Is it worth it?
Prior to the opening of the new Guardians ride, Test Track was easily one the most thrilling rides at Epcot.
The ride simulates the testing procedures that motor companies use to evaluate its cars safety and performance features. On this ride you will zoom through rough terrain and zip through obstacles as well as reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour.
With all this action it’s no surprise that Test Track does have a height requirement of 40 inches.
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Mission Space
Probably the oldest ride on the list. Mission Space has been an Epcot staple for years. But just because it’s been around for a while doesn’t mean you won’t wait between 30-60 minutes on any given day.
On the bright side, changes of Lighting Lane reservations running out for Mission Space are slim. This means you can save it for later in the day once you have scored access to those other more sought-after rides.
Is it worth it?
Any ride that comes with a safety warning is my kind of ride.
This ride is a space lover’s dream. Journey on an incredible mission through space as you dodge meteorites and slingshot around the moon on this spaceship simulation ride.
This ride also has two “missions” or versions if you will. The Orange Mission, which has a height requirement of 44 inches, is the more intense version. This is the version that comes with the warning that you should be in good health and have no heart, neck, or back problems.
With a height requirement of only 40 inches, the Green Mission is suited for younger astronauts or those prone to motion sickness.
What Is Genie Plus?
Finally, I thought it would be a great idea to just go over a few basics of Genie Plus and how it all works.
So, in a nutshell, Genie+ is the “new paid FastPass” system that allows you to make reservations for rides and attractions in order to avoid the long lines. Instead of having to go through the standby line, Genie+ reservations allow you to go through the “Lighting Lane.” The service costs $15.98 per person and everyone in your party must have it in order to benefit.
Where once you could hold up to three FastPass reservations at a time, Genie+ only allows you to book and hold one ride reservations at a time. Reservations for skipping the lines can only be made the day of, starting at 7am.
There is no denying that the differences between FastPass and Genie+ are vast. And these differences have led to much debate of whether paying for the new Genie+ service is actually worth it or not. This has especially been debated when it comes to Epcot.
While Epcot offers its guests a variety of unique and magical experiences, it has often been looked at as the park with the least desirable attractions. However, over the past several years there have been many new additions to help change this, including everyone’s favorite Frozen Ever After and the new Ratatouille ride.
And with the enormous popularity of Epcot’s newest attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Epcot is seeing more and more visitors. This ultimately means longer lines.
And with its new Marvel ride not being a part of the Genie+ service, you are going to want to save as much time in other areas of the park so that you can be sure to ride the new Guardians ride.
Conclusion
There is no denying that many of the changes made to Disney World’s new FastPass service are not ideal. The one reservation at a time feature obviously makes it more difficult to gain and use this paid service to the fullest.
However, there is also no denying that even though we are not thrilled with the changes, the Genie+ service is still very much worth it and needed no matter which park you are visiting.
And with the growing popularity of Epcot and the new attractions added over the recent years, the value of Genie+ is also growing. Snagging two or three of the best Genie+ rides at Epcot will save you so much time and allow you to see so and do infinitely more throughout your day.
And sure, the biggest bummer of the new Genie+ service compared to the old FastPass is definitely the cost. However, when you think of how much more it allows you to do in a day you will find it is definitely worth every penny.
Saving time on these attractions will allow you to enjoy all the other rides, shows, and delicious eats that Epcot has to offer.
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