What’s the Point of a Disney Lightning Lane, and Who Is It For?

What’s the Point of a Disney Lightning Lane, and Who Is It For?

Magic Kingdom

Last year, the entire Disney World theme park experience was shooketh when the resort converted its Genie+ service into NEW Lightning Lane offerings. The dust has now settled and we’ve gotten comfortable with the new offerings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the comfortability is widespread. If you’re still wondering how Lightning Lanes work, how they don’t work, and if they’re worth it, allow us to share a little insight.

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Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s lay out the basics. Lightning Lanes are a paid skip-the-line service for select attractions at all four theme parks that can be added on to your park ticket for a wide range of prices. Disney World currently offers three different kinds of Lightning Lanes: Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Lightning Lane Single Pass, and Lightning Lane Premier Pass. Let’s jump into their differences.

*Of note, we’re delivering the abridged version with this one, but if you want an in-depth and up-to-date look at Lightning Lanes at Disney World, check out our guide!*

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Lightning Lane Multi Pass

Lightning Lane Multi Pass is an optional paid service available through the My Disney Experience app that allows you to bypass standby lines and enter the Lightning Lane (previously known as the FastPass line) at select attractions in the parks by paying a base price for multiple attractions.

©Disney

When purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can make up to 3 Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections in a park in advance of your visitAdditionally, you can choose available times as you make your attraction selections, and can continue to hold up to 3 Lighting Lane Multi Pass selections at a time. Selections are based on a tier system, so selections will be a bit limited when you make your picks 7 days out if you’re a Disney World Resort hotel (and select other hotels) for your entire stay or 3 days in advance if you are NOT a Disney World hotel guest.

These purchasing windows open at 7 AM on their effective date based on the eligibility stated above.

Lightning Lane for character meet and greets is no longer part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass

To purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, follow these steps:

  • REQUIRED STEP: In order to purchase a Lightning Lane pass, you are required to have valid theme park admission for everyone in your group for whom you wish to make Lightning Passes.
  • REQUIRED STEP: Have your whole party loaded into and linked together on the My Disney Experience App before 7 AM on the day you’re eligible to start booking Lightning Lanes, so you can move through the process quickly.
  • WE ADVISE: If you plan to purchase both Multi Pass and Single Pass for each day of your trip, do both for each day at the same time.
  • WE ADVISE: Have a plan of action. Read up on attractions and know which rides you want to shoot for as far as Lightning Lane Multi Passes go, and especially which Lightning Lane Single Pass options you wish to purchase.

©Disney

From there, you will be prompted to Select Your Date, and then Select Your Park. The list of parks will appear, and you can choose the first park you plan to start your day in. Each park has a dropdown menu with the prices of Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass and then you make your selections.

At Magic KingdomEPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, from your 3 advance selections, you may choose one experience from a higher-tiered group and two experiences (or all three) from a lower-tiered group. Disney’s Animal does not have any tiers.

You’ll then use the app, your ticket, or a MagicBand/MagicBand+ to scan into each ride in the Lightning Lane queue.

Scanning into a Lightning Lane at Disney World

Once you use a selection, you can make another one based on what is still available on the My Disney Experience app. Lightning Lane Multi Passstarts at $15 per day, per ticket at Disney World and price also varies BY PARK in Disney World.

Guests who purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass can Park Hop and use the Lightning Lane service at various parks on the same day. You can’t book Lightning Lanes at different parks when making selections in advance, but once you REDEEM one of your attraction selections on the day of your park visit, you can then choose another Multi Pass experience in the other parks if you have a valid Park Hopper ticket.

Lightning Lane Single Pass

Lightning Lane Single Passes via the My Disney Experience app is a pay-per-ride service where guests pay a fee to utilize the Lightning Lane for an individual, in-demand attraction. You can book Lightning Lane Single Passes for up to TWO attractions maximum per ticket, per day — but they can be located in different parks.

Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane

Lightning Lane Single Pass can also be purchased at the same time you buy a Multi pass. Eligible attractions include:

Here is a look at the price range we have seen for the rides that qualify for pay-per-ride in Disney World:

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – $10 – $19 per person
  • AVATAR Flight of Passage — $11 – $18 per person
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – $15 – $25 per person
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — $14 – 18 per person
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run — $19 – $22 per person

©DisneyPreparing to Book Lightning Lanes

Single Passes can be scanned in at the Lightning Lane Queue the same as Multi Pass.

Lightning Lane Premier Pass

A new third option, Lightning Lane Premier Pass made its debut on October 30th, 2024 and this pass grants one-time entry into EVERY Lightning Lane entry in a given park for one price, eliminating the need to monitor Lightning Lane availability and make new Lighting Lane reservations throughout the day. You simply show up at an attraction and enter the Lightning Lane without booking a specific time.

©Disney

The pass is available in limited quantities and guests staying at the Disney World hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts, and Shades of Green can purchase the Lightning Lane Premier Pass up to 7 days in advance of their hotel stay for their entire length of stay (up to 14 days) starting at 7 AM EST.

Those who are NOT staying at a Disney World hotel or the other eligible hotels can purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass up to 3 days in advance of their visit starting at 7 AM EST.

©Disney

Premier Pass is park-specific and has different pricing depending on the park and date that are chosen. As of now, no Park Hopper option is available. It’s also quite expensive, with the per person prices as follows:

Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
  • EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax

Guests must have valid theme park admission prior to purchasing. Additionally, you’ll want to have your whole party loaded into and linked together on the My Disney Experience App prior to purchasing. To purchase the Premier Pass, open your app and you’ll see “Lightning Lane Premier Pass” on the home screen. Next, tap “Purchase”. Follow the prompts to complete your purchase, and you will receive a confirmation when your purchase is complete.

Lightning Lane at Haunted Mansion

So who are these Lightning Lanes for? Let’s start with Multi Pass, which is the most popular option.

This pass if for families and individuals willing to spend a little extra on ticket add-ons. This option WON’T guarantee you get to ride everything, and is VERY limited to availability. With that said, it’s definitely save you some time while making sure you get on a few bucket-list rides.

Lightning Lane

Then there’s the Single Pass, which is ideal for folks who are willing to drop a pretty penny to guranatee access to one or two specific rides. If you’re trying to go with the flow or visiting on a light-crowd day, this pass won’t do much for you. However, if you want to get TWO rides on an attraction with a virtual queue, or bypass a major attraction with a very long wait, this pass could be worth the expense.

Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lane

Finally, the Premier Pass prices out the majority guests and is limited to ONE PARK only, despite Disneyland’s version including park hopping. Still, if you have a considerably large budget and want to guarantee getting on every open attraction at your own pace, this is a very solid option.

With that said, its usefullness won’t reach its peak until a park hopping option is included.

Lightning Lane at Expedition Everest

So that begs the question: are Lightning Lanes useful? The simple answer is YES, although they have their detractors. If a ride is broken down or closed you really wanted to ride and you purchased a Multi Pass or Premier Pass, you’re not getting a refund. Also, Lightning Lanes can accrue their own wait times if lines get backed up.

With that said, they’re undoubtly time-savers, and, at Disney World, time is money. If you have the budget, Lightning Lanes are worth looking into.

We are continually using the Disney World Lightning Lane system, and sharing EVERYTHING that we learn along the way with you, so stay tuned right here at DFB for all the latest updates!

I’ve Tried Every Lightning Lane Hack in Disney World and I’m Sharing the 2 That Work Every Time

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The post What’s the Point of a Disney Lightning Lane, and Who Is It For? first appeared on the disney food blog.