The bombshell from Disney World has been dropped: Lightning Lanes will soon work more like the old FastPass+ system, allowing you to select up to 3 attractions in before you arrive for your visit—with a catch. (The attractions list is below.)
The change, which goes into effect on July 24, has been a long time coming. It’s good for Disney veterans, who know what attractions they want to ride and would rather set up their Lightning Lanes in advance. And it’s good for Disney newbies, who can lean on friends or travel agents to help set up their options ahead of time, saving them the stress of learning on the fly.
While the pain still remains that Disney is charging for this service, the changes should cut back on some frustration. Here is a look at how the new system will work, what attractions are included and when you can start using the system.
What Are the Different Types of Lightning Lane Passes?
There are 2 types of passes available. The first is a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, which replaces the Disney Genie+ service. This pass allows you to choose among a large number of attractions (listed below). The Lightning Lane Single Pass will replace individual “à la carte” Lightning Lane entry for select rides.
You will have the option to do the following:
- Choose not to purchase Lighting Lane Multi-Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass and just use StandBy Lines and Virtual Queues.
- Purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Pass without purchasing any Lightning Lane Single Passes.
- Purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass without purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi-Pass.
- Purchase both a Multi-Pass and a Single Passes.
How to Prepare to Purchase A Disney World Lightning Lane
The key to your visit to Disney World is to download the latest version of the My Disney Experience app. Make sure to connect everyone in your travel group on your Family & Friends list in the app so you’ll be able to purchase Lightning Lanes and make plans for everyone who is eligible.
Gather your group’s wish list for attractions and experiences. You can save your group’s top picks in the My Disney Experience app using the “My Day” feature, or just ask everyone their preferences.
Remember, everyone in your party must have valid theme park admission. Park reservations may also be required, depending on the type of admission and the date of your visit.
Price of Lightning Lane Passes
Pricing for Lightning Lane passes will vary by date and theme park or attraction, and purchase is subject to limited availability. Prices will be displayed in the My Disney Experience app.
Today, Genie+ prices vary from $16 to $35 per day for individual parks, per person. For those using the Multiple Parks option (those guests using park hopper) the price is normally highest price available for the park. For example on June 26, Animal Kingdom is $17, EPCOT is $19, Hollywood Studios is $24, and Magic Kingdom is $27, and Multi Parks is $27. Meanwhile individual Lightning Lanes prices also vary from $11 to $22 per ride, per person also depending upon the day. Disney has not announced whether prices are changing when the new system goes into effect.
When Can I Purchase Lightning Lane Passes?
Guests of Disney Resorts and other select hotels can purchase passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay—and other guests can purchase passes up to 3 days in advance of their park visit. Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7 a.m. Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility.
Here are some specifics:
Eligible Resort Hotel Guests Can Purchase Lightning Lane Passes 7 Days in Advance: Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels, The Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green Resort can purchase Lightning Lane passes—and choose experiences and arrival windows—starting 7 days before the first day of their Resort stay, for their length of stay (up to 14 days).
All Other Guests Can Purchase Lightning Lane Passes 3 Days in Advance: Not staying at a Disney Resort hotel or other select hotel? Then you can purchase Lightning Lane passes—and choose experiences and arrival windows—3 days in advance.
- Guests with date-based theme park tickets (which require the Guest to choose a start date at the time of purchase) can purchase 3 days before the first day of their ticket, for the total number of valid admission days on their ticket.
- Guests with other ticket types can purchase 3 days before their park visit.
- Annual Passholders can purchase 3 days before their park visit.
Valid Admission Required
Before you purchase a Lightning Lane pass, you must have valid theme park admission; you may also need a theme park reservation, depending on the type of admission and the date of your visit.
Can International Guests Use the Multi-Pass System?
Yes, but with a slight difference in timing compared to U.S. visitors. While guests staying at Disney World hotels within the U.S. can book their Lightning Lane selections 7 days in advance, international visitors will need to wait until they arrive in the United States. This means is you arrive into the U.S. the day before or the same day as your visit you will be able make selections for your visit. It also means while Lightning Lane selections will still be available the day it could be more limited due to guests with have a 7 day or 3-day advance window.
How to Purchase Disney World Lightning Lane Passes
When you’re ready to purchase Lightning Lane passes, here’s what to do:
- Open the My Disney Experience app, then tap the Lightning Lane Passes section on the home screen.
- Select a date and theme park.
- Select a Lightning Lane Single Pass, a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or both.
- If you select a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can choose up to 3 Lightning Lane Multi Pass experiences and arrival windows in advance.
- If you select a Lightning Lane Single Pass, you can choose an arrival window in advance.
- Follow all prompts to complete your purchase—and receive a confirmation.
- From the confirmation screen, you can tap “Plan Another Day” to purchase another pass—or tap “View My Day” for details about your Lightning Lane selections.
How to Make Different Selections For Members of My Travel Party
Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections can be modified (subject to availability) so that some members of your travel party can enjoy different multi pass experiences and/or arrival windows, depending on what they like to experience. Here’s how:
- When purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Passes for your travel party, you’ll be prompted to select up to 3 Multi Pass attractions or experiences—which must be the same for each member of your travel party at that time.
- After completing your purchase, you can modify the selected experiences and arrival windows for some members of your travel party, subject to availability.
How to Modify Your Plans
You can modify your Lightning Lane selections via the My Disney Experience app.
To get started, tap the Lightning Lane Passes section on the app’s home screen to find your plans. Then, you can:
- Change your selected park and/or date in advance (subject to availability)—up until the moment you redeem your first Lightning Lane selection of the day.
- Change each selected experience and/or arrival window in advance (subject to availability)—up until the start of the arrival window
How to Get More Lightning Lane Passes
On the day of your park visit, once you redeem a Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection (or once the arrival window has passed), you can use the My Disney Experience app to check availability for another Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience—and add to your plans.
You can make one at a time until regular park closing (subject to availability). If your park admission includes Park Hopper benefits, you can even choose a Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience in a different theme park.
How a Park Hopper Ticket works with Lightning Lane Passes
When you purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for a theme park, you’ll be prompted to choose up to 3 multi pass experiences and arrival windows in the same theme park. Once you redeem a selection on the day of your park visit, you can use the My Disney Experience app to choose another multi pass experience in any Walt Disney World theme park (subject to availability), as long as you have a valid ticket with the Park Hopper option or an Annual Pass. The ability to visit another park is subject to the park’s capacity limitations.
How Many Times Can I Get a Lightning Lane Pass For a Ride?
There is a limit of one Lightning Lane entry per attraction, per day. If there is a standby line or virtual queue, you will be able to ride using that method.
Lightning Lane Rides Available at Each Theme Park
So, we mentioned at the top of this post that this new system will allow you to make selections before you arrive to Disney and choose up to 3 attractions in advance. The catch is that, like the former FastPass+ system, the rides and attractions are tiered and you will have the option to choose one ride from the top tier and two rides from the second tier.
Here are the specifics:
Magic Kingdom
When purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Magic Kingdom park, you’ll be prompted to choose up to 3 Multi-Pass experiences and arrival windows.
Multi Pass Attractions
Choose up to one experience from this group:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Jungle Cruise
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this group:
- The Barnstormer
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermai
Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass)
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
EPCOT
When purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for EPCOT, you’ll be prompted to choose up to 3 multi pass experiences and arrival windows.
Multi Pass Attractions
Choose up to one experience from this group:
- Frozen Ever After
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’ Around the World
Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this group:
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Spaceship Earth
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Hollywood Studios
When purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll be prompted to choose up to 3 multi pass experiences and arrival windows.
Multi Pass Attractions
Choose up to one experience from this group:
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this group:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Play & Dance!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
- Toy Story Midway Mania!
Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Animal Kingdom
When purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, you’ll be prompted to choose up to 3 of the following multi pass experiences as well as arrival windows.
Multi Pass Attractions
Choose up to 3 experiences from this group:
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Naʻvi River Journey
Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass)
- Avatar Flight of Passage
