Disney Ditches The Genie

Disney vacations are one of the best but waiting in long lines is the worst! First there was the Disney Fast Pass then Genie + arrived on the scene. But beginning July 24, Disney is ditching the Genie! Genie+ is out and Lightning Lane is in!

With Genie+,  guests could purchase a ticket on the day they plan to visit a Walt Disney World park. It would allow guests to return to an attraction at a scheduled time instead of waiting in a long line.  However, you must wait until 7 a.m. on the day they plan to visit to sign up for your scheduled time. Disney listened to Disney fans feedback and came up with a new plan. Enter, Lightning Lane. 

With the new Lightning Lane, you can plan ahead and book the attractions and the time you plan to visit early.  You can even secure your Lightning Passes for multiple days at once. "It's like the passing lane on a highway...you'll zip on by the stand-by queue, typically with a shorter wait time," Disney said. When you get to the attraction you’ll just scan into checkpoint before entering. Unfortunately not all attractions will offer Lightning Lane.

The video below really breaks down the best way to use Disney’s new Lightning Lane:

How much are the new Lightning Lane passes? Good question! According to Fox35, the price will depend on what day you’re going and park you’re going to. For more info on Disney’s Lightning Lane go HERE

We're only a few weeks away from the grand opening of the newest ride at Walt Disney World - Tiana's Bayou Adventure. We got a sneak peek of the ride earlier this week and it did not disappoint. Here are some of our favorite moments and hidden gems from Princess and the Frog in the ride!

Tiana's Bayou Adventure replaced the outdated Splash Mountain. The story for the ride takes place after the end of the movie. Tiana has one of the most successful restaurants in New Orleans and has been put in charge of throwing a party for the whole town. Now Tiana and her friends need help to "dig a little deeper" and find the most important "ingredient" they need for the most magical party ever - a band.

Why did Disney choose Tiana for this new ride? Disney Imagineer Charita Carter explained that it's because Tiana is "everybody's princess. She comes from a real place in America, she wasn't born into royalty, she has a working mom, her dad was in the military during WWI. So many people can find inspiration and relatable aspects in her story."

You can ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom starting June 28! Don't forget to grab your memorable photo of the big splash. Your photo also includes recipe cards to make her famous Gumbo and beignets.

Music is the most important part for this ride. Throughout the queue and ride you'll hear some of the classics from the movie like "Almost There" and "Dig A Little Deeper". At the end of the ride you'll hear the new song "Special Spice".

On the new ride, you'll see some familiar faces like Mama Odie, Prince Naveen, Louis the alligator, Ray the lightning bug, and Tiana’s best friend Charlotte La Bouff. There are 19 new critters that you'll soon recognize in Disney's animated series Tiana, set to be released on Disney+ later this year.

A very common theme throughout the Princess and the Frog movie is fireflies all around the bayou, and who could forget Ray the lightning bug. As you embark on your journey with Tiana, you'll come across hundred's of fireflies during the ride. They are also incorporated in the murals and art all around the queue.  

You'll see something new about Tiana on this ride that you may catch in the animated series coming soon. Disney costume designers ensured that her new look for the party was historically accurate and authentic to her character and is truly fit for a princess.

Like we mentioned earlier, one of the things that makes Tiana so relatable is that she comes from a military family. Her dad was a WWI veteran and there are little treasures and tokens of their relationship all throughout the queue of the ride.

It wouldn't be a true Princess and the Frog attraction without some of Tiana's famous beignets. You may have to pay close attention towards the end of the ride to catch them. Also in the queue you can find the recipe for her family's famous gumbo.