This guide to Lightning Lane MultiPass and Single Pass at Walt Disney World offers answers to frequently asked questions, info & tips for using the paid FastPass+ and Genie replacement. It covers strategy for line-skipping, off-site vs. on-site ride reservation booking windows, tiers for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and much more! (Updated August 13, 2025.)
Lightning Lane Multi Pass (LLMP) and Single Pass (LLSP) launched over one year ago, and we’ve extensively tested out the new line-skipping services and shared results in our posts about Lightning Lanes. There are some good recent reports for those wanting to understand how the new pre-arrival system has changed versus the Genie+ system that it replaced.
The purpose of this guide is to act as a primer explaining how Lightning Lanes works in practice, problems we have using ride reservations, and all of the latest updates to LLMP and LLSP. Unsurprisingly, there have still been a lot of questions–even from seasoned Walt Disney World veterans.
The bad news is that the Lightning Lane system is convoluted and confusing, with a ton of differences from Genie. The good news is many of the changes have been positive, and Lightning Lane Multi Pass is very similar to the old FastPass+ system. In fact, so much so that this really is the realization of paid FastPass.
As a threshold matter, you might be wondering whether it’s necessary to pay extra for line-skipping in the first place. We address that in Is Lightning Lane Multi Pass Still “Worth It” at Walt Disney World?
The value proposition of LLMP has changed dramatically over the course of the last year, so if you last visited during the Genie+ era or are hearing advice based on experiences that are over 6 months old, they’re outdated. You might find that LLMP is still worth it for you, but we’d nevertheless recommend reading that post to make an informed decision based on current standby line vs. Lightning Lane dynamics.
Once you’ve decided that LLMP is right for you–or if you’re still on the fence–that’s where this guide comes into play.
If you’re already familiar with Lightning Lanes and don’t need a crash course, we have a new-for-2025 resource that focuses more on strategy and less on basics: Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World in 2025. That also covers a few changes and things we’ve learned over the last few months of field testing, most notably that Magic Kingdom is no longer the #1 park for buying Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Walt Disney World.
For those who are new to Walt Disney World vacation planning and need background before diving into more advanced strategy, here’s our Guide to Lightning Lane MultiPass and Single Pass at Walt Disney World. This answers the most common reader questions and concerns, making you a ‘power user’ of the new system in the process!
Beginning August 20, 2025, guests with valid admission can pre-book the Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure as a Lightning Lane Multi Pass option from the second group of attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that also includes Alien Swirling Saucers, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage and more. While the attraction will start appearing for selection on August 20, the Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure won’t open its Lightning Lane for use until September 11, 2025.
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure has proven incredibly popular even a few months after its opening, with subsequent shows routinely filling up over 30 minutes in advance. That makes this the rare worthwhile Lightning Lane for a stage show, at least as long as the ‘new attraction smell’ lasts. Nevertheless, it’s still recommended as a subsequent selection (4th or later) as opposed to something you’d pre-book. So for all intents and purposes, September 11, 2025 is the relevant date and not August 20.
Prior to this, Test Track 3.0 debuted at EPCOT and rejoined Multi-Pass as a top tier attraction. Along with that, Soarin’ Around the World was ‘demoted’ to the second group of attractions. As we explained in the EPCOT Lightning Lane Rankings, both of these are now the #1 priority in their respective groupings.
How does Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Day differ from Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes?
Lightning Lane Multi Pass has replaced Disney Genie+ service, and Lightning Lane Single Pass replaces individual “à la carte” Lightning Lane.
The key difference is that you can purchase Lightning Lane passes and make selections days in advance of your arrival—which gives you more time to plan your visit! The pre-arrival component is the biggest change, but as discussed deeper in this guide, there are numerous other changes. It’s not simply a rebranding at Walt Disney World–it’s a complete overhaul that arguably has more in common with FastPass+ than Genie+.
What are the booking windows for Lightning Lane Passes?
Guests staying at an on-site Walt Disney World Resort hotel and other select hotels are able to purchase Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance, for their entire stay (up to 14 days). Off-site guests can plan up to 3 days in advance.
Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 AM Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility. The end result of this on-site advantage is significant: a lot of the “best” Lightning Lanes will be gobbled up before off-site guests can even book.
This is a huge difference between Lightning Lane Multi Pass and the Genie+ service. That leveled the playing field completely, allowing everyone to make same-day ride reservations starting at 7 am. With Multi Pass and Single Pass, the most popular attractions often won’t even be available 3 days in advance. Meaning that off-site guests will have to bank on same-day ride reservation refills if they want a shot at those.
What are the booking windows for off-site Walt Disney World guests?
Then you can purchase Lightning Lane passes—and choose experiences and arrival windows—3 days in advance. This varies further based on admission type:
How many pre-arrival attraction selections can be made with Lightning Lane MultiPass?
When you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you may make up to 3 Lightning Lane selections in a theme park, in advance of your visit. You’ll also be able to choose available times as you make your selections.
This is per person and per day, not for the duration of your visit. Meaning that if you buy one day of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, you’ll make 3 selections. If you purchase the service for 4 days, you get 3 per day for 4 days (4×3=12). You get the idea, hopefully.
How many pre-arrival attraction selections can be made with Lightning Lane Single Pass?
You may purchase up to 2 Lightning Lane Single Pass selections per day. This makes for a total of up to 5 Lightning Lanes pre-booked each day (3 via MultiPass and 2 via Single Pass).
The most obvious way to buy 2 Single Passes is in Magic Kingdom, where there are two such attractions–TRON Lightcycle Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. But you could also purchase, for example, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in the same day.
Which attractions are in each tier for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Magic Kingdom?
Group A: Choose up to one experience from this tier:
Group B: Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this tier:
Which attractions are in each tier for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at EPCOT?
Group A: Choose up to one experience from this tier:
Group B: Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this tier:
Which attractions are in each tier for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Group A: Choose up to one experience from this tier:
Group B: Choose your other 2 experiences—or all 3—from this tier:
Which attractions are in each tier for Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Animal Kingdom?
Animal Kingdom doesn’t have the Group A/B dynamic, which is honestly sorta surprising given that not all attractions are of equal value in DAK, and there’s a clear good/bad use of Lightning Lanes dichotomy. Our assumption is that this is based on demand–or rather, a lack thereof–obviating the need for tiers. Regardless, here are the Lightning Lane MultiPass attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom:
Which attractions are part of Lightning Lane Single Pass?
Lightning Lane Single Pass is really just a rebranding of the a la carte or Individual Lightning Lanes. The new name provides better continuity and makes it easy to distinguish between the two products. In any case, here’s the list:
Magic Kingdom Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass):
EPCOT Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass):
Hollywood Studios Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass):
Animal Kingdom Single Pass Attractions (Not Available with the Multi Pass): 
Does Walt Disney World have a simple option like Universal’s Express Pass?
The latest update is that Walt Disney World does have an option similar to the lower tier of Universal Express Pass: Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
This muddies the waters even further, and makes an already convoluted system even more confusing. The biggest thing you need to know is that Lightning Lane Premier Pass costs $129 to $449 per person, plus tax, depending upon the park and demand. Additionally, Lightning Lane Premier Pass slots in above both of the options discussed here, and is more like an unguided VIP tour.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass is essentially the 1%er line-skipping option, with VIP tours being the top .1% option. By contrast, Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass are mass market, aimed at the middle class guests (anywhere from 20% to half of all guests buy LLMP or LLSP on any given day).
Given these demographics and the prohibitive pricing, we don’t see a point in fixating on Lightning Lane Premier Pass in this post. If you’re part of the upper echelon for whom LLPP is aimed, instead consult our Guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World.
How much do Lightning Lanes cost?
Prices for Lightning Lane Multi Passes vary by date and theme park, ranging from $16 to $39 per person.
Prices for Lightning Lane Single Passes vary by date and attraction, ranging from $11 to $25 per ride. You’ll be able to view prices in the My Disney Experience (MDX) app for all dates of your visit prior to purchasing.
When will prices be highest?
The short answer is whenever crowds are highest.
Historically, Walt Disney World charges the highest prices around the weeks of Presidents’ Day & Mid-Winter Break, Easter & Spring Break, Columbus Day & Fall Break, Veterans Day & Jersey Week, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
One thing to note is that prices did not increase during the final two weeks of last year, which is usually when new records are set. Instead, the price maxed out once again at $39. It’s possible that LLMP prices break the $50 barrier in late December 2025 and early January 2026, or perhaps before then–but we doubt it. Walt Disney World might’ve reached the ceiling on Lightning Lane prices.
What qualifies as an eligible hotel for the early on-site booking window at Walt Disney World?
This early-planning benefit is available to registered guests staying at the following resorts:
As well as the following third party hotels:
When can international guests purchase Lightning Lanes?
The latest update is that international guests may now use the My Disney Experience app for pre-arrival purchasing and planning for Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, just as they do for Advance Dining Reservations and everything else. This used to require a workaround, but that’s no longer the case.
What about split stays?
Resort split stays that are continuous (back-to-back bookings with no gaps between hotels) may purchase and book Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass selections for the entire length of their visit up to a maximum of 14 days. That’s how it should work, and the system should automatically recognize a split stay.
In practice, this can be hit or miss and can require an override from Disney IT. That’s not completely surprising, as FastPass+ had similar issues from time to time. It’s something to be aware of if you’re doing a split stay.
What is the booking window for on-site guests who are Annual Passholders or are using ticket types that are not date-based?
The 7-day booking window still applies. Or at least, it should. There’s always the possibility of issues when it comes to Disney IT and systems determining which “status” to prioritize, but the official policy is that staying on-site supersedes ticket type.
This means that all guests with their MDX profiles linked to an on-site resort reservation should be able to purchase and make Lightning Lane reservations pursuant to the 7-day on-site advantage booking window.
Can Lightning Lane Single and Multi-Pass both be purchased together?
Yes.
Not only can you buy both, but you can purchase all Lightning Lane passes for your travel party for the same day in a single transaction.
Can multiple days be purchased at the same time?
Not in the same transaction, but at the same time.
After you purchase Lightning Lane passes for your first day, you can purchase a Lightning Lane pass or passes for another eligible park day. This can help you enjoy streamlined vacation planning, since you can make Lightning Lane plans for multiple days—all in the same day, before you arrive.
Are you able to see available times and attractions before buying?
Yes. You’ll select your first three attractions and return times with Lightning Lane Multi Pass and/or Single Pass selections before you pay. Once you make your selections, you’ll have a set amount of time during which your ‘cart’ is reserved in order to complete the transaction.
What about refunds and modifications?
Lightning Lane Multi Pass is nonrefundable according to Walt Disney World, but as with anything, that’s subject to the discretion of a Cast Member. If you have a good reason and don’t have a track record of making dubious refund requests, you might receive one.
With that said, you can make modifications after purchasing to your attractions or return times. You can even change the park or the day of your visit after you purchase. If your new park or date costs more, you’ll need to pay the difference in price. (If it costs less, you won’t receive a refund.)
When can subsequent selections be made on the day of a theme park visit?
On the day of your park visit, once you redeem a Lightning Lane, you can use the My Disney Experience app to check availability for another Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience—and add that to your plans.
Consider this the “rolling 3 rule,” which is to say that you can always have 3 Lightning Lane selections (subject to availability). With the rolling 3 rule of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, you can make your next ride reservation as soon as you’ve used one. It thus behooves you to reserve Lightning Lanes earlier in the day to unlock subsequent selections sooner.
This is unlike FastPass+, which required you to redeem all 3 prebooked ride reservations before making additional selections.
Can Lightning Lanes still be modified?
Yes. To view and/or modify your ride reservations, open MDX and tap on the Lightning Lane Passes section of the home screen. Then, you’ll be able to:
This works very similarly to Genie+ or FastPass+ and is advantageous for those who don’t get their ideal ride reservation times to start, or find themselves with a scheduling conflict.
Is refreshing and rebooking ride reservations possible with Lightning Lane Multi-Pass?
Yes, and it’s easy thanks to the modify button. As before, you can play the ‘refresh game’ and get better or more convenient return times, and also search for availability at other attractions without losing your existing Lightning lane ride reservation.
Which Lightning Lane selections are the “best” ones from each tier?
We rank the best Lightning Lane Multi-Pass picks for each park based upon time saved and how quickly return times fill up and run out. This is incredibly helpful for choosing the order to book your ride reservations:
Note: those are “aggressive” with how many Lightning Lanes you’ll be able to book per day. In order to score that many LLMPs, you’ll probably need an aggressive refresh game and success with ride reservation refills (see below).
What are the “best” Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World?
Obviously, that’s subjective and comes down to your preferences and priorities.
Beyond the park-by-park list, here’s the Top 10 Toughest Lightning Lanes at Disney World. Those are the most difficult to book Lightning Lane Multi-Passes, which not-so-coincidentally will save you the most time. In other words, the objective best-of list.
Is more availability added to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass throughout the day?
Yes. This is no surprise whatsoever, as both FastPass+ and Genie+ had ride reservation refills, drops, or whatever you want to call them that occurred at consistent times. (See Ride Reservation Refill Rules at Walt Disney World.)
Rather than waiting for a ride reservation refill (that may not happen) before booking a Lightning Lane, we recommend choosing the best available option and then modifying to something better. It’s a good way to hedge your bets. Just be warned: it becomes addictive–just like a video game. Also like a game, it can mean losing a ton of ‘real world’ time as your face is glued to a screen.
Should I book the default return times that Lightning Lane Multi-Pass spits back after selecting my rides?
Yes, most of the time. The Lightning Lane Multi-Pass system is “smart” and will book the first available return time for each attraction, with a sufficient buffer between them so that you’re not double-booked. This is the ‘best practice’ because you typically should be making as early of arrival times as possible (for at least one attraction) in order to “unlock” that 4th ride faster.
In fact, you should consider changing your Group B selections in order to prioritize for a mixture of return time and ride priority. Don’t book Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, for example, if both have return times in the afternoon. Opt for the next highest priority with an early return to unlock that 4th pick.
What’s the best order of parks for making advance Lightning Lane Multi-Pass reservations?
From what we’re seeing in terms of availability (or lack thereof), you should book parks in the following priority:
For the best attraction and return time options, you’ll want to backload your bookings with Magic Kingdom furthest out, then DHS, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom. This matters less if you have a longer trip and more for a shorter one.
For example, if visiting the parks December 22-25, book in the following order:
This should change once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure becomes more reliable. Its capacity will improve and thus so too will its Lightning Lane availability. In the long term, it’s unlikely that Slinky Dog Dash will dethroned from its #1 spot.
Is it possible to see available attractions and return times before buying?
Yes. In fact, this is the only way to do it.
You select your first three attractions and return times with Lightning Lane Multi Pass before you pay–that’s the last step of the process. Once you make your selections, you’ll have a set amount of time during which your ‘cart’ is reserved in order to complete the transaction.
How much time do you have to check out with your Lightning Lane selections?
You have 5 minutes from the time you place Lightning Lanes in your cart to complete checkout.
This can mean there’s still a shifting of times right at the 7:00:00 am mad dash, but once you make the selections, they’re locked into place. This is a massive improvement from Genie+ when times were ‘blind’ for the first 30 minutes due to the massive shifting possible.
This also means you probably want to keep playing the ‘refresh game’ until around 7:30 am when booking your Lightning Lanes via Multi-Pass, as carts will expire and other guests will keep swapping around Lightning Lanes and “trading up” times as availability allows.
Do tiers apply same-day?
If you’re just booking ‘cold’ or for the first time, the Grouping A and B distinctions do apply with your first same-day Lightning Lane Multi-Pass selections.
Once you’ve entered a park and tapped into your first Lightning Lane, tiers no longer apply for subsequent selections.
What about tiers to modifications?
Tiers do not apply to modifications so long as you’ve already redeemed a Lightning Lane. Meaning that you could redeem a Lightning Lane for Pirates of the Caribbean at 9:05 am, and then modify pre-booked Lightning Lane from Haunted Mansion to Peter Pan’s Flight while still also holding a Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Lightning Lane.
This is another reason why it’s advantageous to book a return time for (at least) your first Lightning Lane selection that’s as early as possible–because it unlocks your 4th pick (and so on).
Can Lightning Lane ride reservations overlap with one another?
Not completely. In the screenshot above, you can see that we have a Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Lightning Lane for 11:45 am to 12:45 pm and Haunted Mansion from 12:35 to 1:35 pm–an overlap of 10 minutes.
By default, it seems like there isn’t overlapping. It also appears that if you modify to create an overlap, the system will attempt to shift your other existing selections to reduce or eliminate the overlap. But you can still modify to create greater overlaps–at least, in some scenarios, and at certain attractions.
This is unlike the Genie+ system, which was “dumb” and thus didn’t check for conflicts with existing reservations. It is similar to the FastPass+ system, which prevented overlap.
Can Lightning Lane ride reservations overlap with Advance Dining Reservations?
Again, not completely. Meaning that if you have an Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) at Cinderella’s Royal Table starting at 2:05 pm, you cannot have a Lightning Lane also starting at 2:05 pm. This is also unlike Genie+.
Weirdly, it does seem that you can have a Lightning Lane starting at 1:55 pm even if you have an ADR at 2:05 pm. It’s unclear how much buffer is necessary or if this is a glitch and will change–but it’s what we’re seeing so far.
What does this do for stacking?
It’s gone. You can still make 3 selections for the afternoon–or literally whenever–but the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass system incentives planners to schedule selections earlier in the day in order to start making subsequent ride reservations. The stacking and late arrival approach is now–without a doubt–suboptimal.
What about the 120 minute rule?
It’s gone, too.
For all intents and purposes, the rolling 3 rule replaces the “stacking system” of Genie+.
Are re-rides be possible?
Just as with Genie+, you cannot book the same Lightning Lane Multi Pass more than once per day.
Can you make Lightning Lane Multi-Pass selections when planning to Park Hop?
Yes. 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.
Is there an upgrade cost for Park Hopping with Lightning Lane Multi-Pass?
No. There is no additional charge for Park Hopping, and you do not need to pay for the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass a second time.
Upfront prices do differ, meaning that guests purchasing for Magic Kingdom will, for all intents and purposes, still be paying the multi-park or Park Hopping price. But those starting in Animal Kingdom, for whatever reason, will receive “free” Park Hopping.
However, you must use your first Lightning Lane before making subsequent selections in different parks. If you try to modify Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections from one park to another before using any of them, you will have to pay the difference.
What happens to Lightning Lane selections if you cancel a resort reservation?
If you cancel or modify your Resort hotel reservation after you’ve already purchased a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, then your selected attractions and arrival windows are subject to cancellation based on eligibility rules. Lightning Lane Multi Pass is nonrefundable.
Do all rides at Walt Disney World have Lightning Lanes.
No.
However, all major attractions offer Lightning Lanes. Basically, if it’s an attraction with a lengthy line that you might want to skip, it has a Lightning Lane. Even some attractions that are usually walk-ons have (unnecessary) Lightning Lanes. We call these the “consolation prize rides” because 3 of the 4 parks don’t have enough Lightning Lane capacity without the filler.
Were Lightning Lanes removed from any attractions?
Yes.
Character meet & greets no longer offer Lightning Lanes, nor do parades and other entertainment.
Could the tiers change?
As always, all of the attractions on the above lists are subject to change as dictated by demand and whatever other parameters Walt Disney World uses. As noted above, Soarin’ was just relegated to Group B when Test Track returned and reclaimed its rightful spot in Group A.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if select character meet & greets are re-added at some point if Walt Disney World realizes there’s insufficient capacity at present. Alternatively, if demand drops and Disney wants to incentivize more LLMP purchases, offering more eligible experiences is one way to accomplish that.
What has changed with standby lines?
Nothing.
Regular ole walk-up standby lines are still available on all attractions. (Virtual queues have been retired at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and TRON Lightcycle Run, meaning all rides now have standby lines for the first time in years.)
Why did Walt Disney World reintroduce pre-arrival ride reservations?
This is another in Walt Disney World’s line of “we’re listening” changes. According to the company, guests have told Disney that they would prefer to have the option to do more of their planning before their theme park day. Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass accomplish this, while also providing more certainty and allowing guests to coordinate ride reservations with ADRs and other plans.
The two biggest complaints Walt Disney World has received about Genie+ are the 7 a.m. wake-up call on vacation and too much screen time during the day. This moves that early wake-up call, along with some of the stress and headaches associated with planning to before the vacation. If there is an issue, confusion, or frustration–now it’s happening at home instead of setting a sour note to start the day while at Walt Disney World.
Shifting the purchase of Lightning Lanes prior to the trip also benefits Walt Disney World. Guests are more likely to purchase line-skipping before their trips due to FOMO or FUD. Guests haven’t started experiencing the parks, so they don’t know what wait times will be like, and might be more inclined to worry about ride reservations selling out.
Fears of colossal crowds might also be front of mind. As a result, Walt Disney World is able to capture more advance sales and still benefit from same-day Lightning Lane purchases. On top of that, advance Lightning Lanes function as a substitute for the loss of park reservations, so Disney has a better forecast of attendance and can staff or allocate resources accordingly.
How can we provide feedback to Walt Disney World about Lightning Lanes?
We recommend respectfully expressing your opinions as to how Lightning Lane will impact your vacations or business with Walt Disney World by email [email protected].
This is far superior to complaining in comments, social media, forums, etc. (Although Disney sees all of that, too.) Rather than starting petitions, which are largely ineffectual, share feedback in guest satisfaction surveys, bring it up if you speak with managers or others in park leadership, or even contact Guest Relations.
Just as FastPass and Genie evolved over time based on guest use and demand dynamics, so too can you expect Lightning Lane MultiPass and Single Pass to change throughout the rest of this year and into 2026–meaning that everything above is subject to change. In other words, the “rules” and how Lightning Lanes work will continue to evolve and we will update our recommendations accordingly.
We’ll continue to keep you posted, as more changes are likely on the horizon. We’ll also continue updating this FAQ as we learn more and we receive more reader questions. For now, this should answer most of the questions that readers have been asking about Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World. There have been a lot of questions, so if we didn’t address yours, we apologize. Please post in the comments below and we’ll answer more as they’re asked!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Have any questions we didn’t answer with the above FAQ? Still confused by how Lightning Lane MultiPass or Single Pass work? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
If, after entering a park, you cancel one of your two “B” tier LLs, does that function the same as actually tapping in and using it? Would that be a way to more rapidly get a second “A” tier LL on the day of?
If I have park hopper and my lightning lane reservations for a park in the morning, after using the first reservation, I understand that I can get another reservation. The question is: ¿If I’m in the first park and I’ve already used a reservation, can I get another reservation by physically being in the first park, or do I have to be in the second park to get the new reservation?
Regards
Fabio
Hi Tom! All Ears just ran a piece on exploiting a LL loophole- that you actually can ride a LL for 2 hours after your scheduled window (that you actually have 3 hours to ride), but that you can refill the LL after the official window expires, therefore gaining the ability to hold more than 3 LLMP reservations at once. This seems like a bad strategy to me because you wait for your official reservation window to expire to refill, and I think it makes more sense to refill as early as you are able by using the LL. However, it maybe makes sense if park hopping because this lets you get to the second park later (after your official ride reservation window). Do you have this same experience that the LL checkpoint lets you through for 2 hours after your LL oficially expired? What do you think about this strategy?
What they’re describing works, and I’ve experienced something similar.
However, I’ve never taken it that far to use as a Park Hopping strategy. I guess there’s potential value in that, albeit with a very narrow use case. But it generally sounds to me like one of those “hacks” that makes for interesting content on a theoretical basis as opposed to anything I’d recommend to real people. YMMV.
Thanks Tom! Its good to know about this loophole but I agree I don’t think it makes sense to do most of the time. Maybe during midday breaks or park hopping etc.
Hi Tom, my wife and I are going to WDW in November staying onsite. I’m going to purchase MMLL and SLL 7 days out for the entire 6 days for both of us. My wife doesn’t ride certain rides (such as Test Track) but I want to purchase it for both of us anyway since she will ride Froze, Soaring, etc… using LL. My question is: can I tap in on Test Track, ride it and then immediately tap in on her magic band and ride Test Track a second time right after my first ride? Then we will continue together on rides (LL or standby).
I think I remember doing that back in 2019 with the old Fast Pass system. Thanks.
Hello, if I am going to AK in the AM, and Epcot in the PM, and I am staying on property, when my day arrives to choose rides, may I buy the Epcot Lightening Lane and just book rides in Epcot for the PM? We have no need for LL at AK. Thank you.
Yes, we have used this strategy and will be using it again when we go later this month. It just means you’ll be locked out of LL selections for AK, although you could still purchase the Single Pass for Flight of Passage if you wanted.
I know this is an older post, and I apologize if this has been answered in the comments. We were last there in 2024 with Genie + and I just want to be prepared. When purchasing LLMP in advance of our stay, do we purchase each day / park independently? Or are they separate transactions? 5 minutes doesn’t seem like enough time to purchase more than one day.
More importantly, can you modify after purchasing and BEFORE your visit, or not until you enter the park (or after tapping into your first LL)? I’d rather spend my time modifying before we get there if possible.
TIA!
Sheri
Hi! I just got back from our trip. Each day is its own transaction. When I booked, it took me around 10 minutes to book our LLs for our 6 days. They give you 5 minutes to hold your spots but if you aren’t trying to modify your selections during that time, its super fast, and you can complete each transaction very quickly. I them modified a few times during the days before our trip, adjusting some of our plans based on the weather forecast (and which days we were trying to fit in pool time). You don’t have to use a LL to start modifying. Hope this helps!
Hi, is there a post in regards to tips for booking lightning lanes for larger groups? We have a group of 9 traveling during April Spring break. I am trying to decipher the best course of action when booking the rides 7 days out (we our on site DVC). I’ve been looking at Thrill data, to know what to book first during peak. I’ve also read about large groups not having the same availbility as small groups. I am trying hard to make my mom’s 80th birthday Disney vacation request magical 🙂 Should I book all 9 at once? Or do I need to split into two groups, 4 and 5, in hopes that we’ll be able to get overlapping return times? Any help/trips would be greatly apprecaited! Thank you!
Jessica, you can book for up to 20 guests at a time. You just have to make sure to add them to your party prior to booking, so they all have to be either managed by you or linked to you. My family happily let me mange them, which was easier than trying to link everybody, buy ymmv.
Hi Tom! Can you explain how the arrival windows work for lightning lanes for shows? For example, if I made a lightning lane reservation for 10:30 am for Festival of the Lion King for the 11:00 show, until what time can you check into the LL? Do you have to be there by 10:30? 10:40? Even later? Does the 1 hour window plus grace period still apply? E.g., theoretically (and I understand this would not be the smartest strategy), could you even arrive at 11:40 for the 12:00 show? PS, I am mostly getting LLMP to bypass the lines on Na’vi River and Kilimanjaro Safaris, my kids are afraid to ride Everest, don’t want to ride Dinosaur, and Kali River Rapids is closed on our AK day. It’ll be Presidents’ Week. Thanks!
Refill question:
If I’m not going an extremely busy day/week/holiday weekend etc, can I expect (with good game) to be able to get the other tier A lightning lanes on my park day?
Example, my advance tier A is Slinky Dog, a good tier B, and a more throwaway early tier B for an early day-of LL.
With good game, will I probably be able to get Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, Rock N Roller and Smuggler’s Run?
Hi! You should look at the lightning lanes sell out times on Thrill Data – here is a link for the day before Thanksgiving 2024, which was a high crowds day: https://www.thrill-data.com/lightning-lane/wdw/11/27/2024. From this, it looks like Tower of Terror sold out before you’d be able to refill for the ride, but the other rides had sell out times between 10:55 am to 12:45 pm. You can look at crowd calendars to try to match your day with another day that had the same crowd levels and look at the data for that day. That should give you good information for if it is possible. This is my novice advice, but chiming in just in case.
Also, if you look at today, which was less crowded, Tower of Terror sold out today at 2 pm (which was the first of the rides from your list to sell out) and Smuggler’s Run is still available at 7 pm, so I would keep Smuggler’s Run for last – see https://www.thrill-data.com/lightning-lane/wdw.
I feel like I am littering this site with my non-expert comments and should leave the response to the expert- but a caveat to my prior comment, if you can score an immediate return time for smugglers run, you could knock that one off quick and then refill right away …just a thought and now I will stop. Download the My Disney Experience app to get a feel for it.
Miri – This is a great resource, but I’d caution against overreliance on it since it doesn’t account for reservation refills/drops, and those are going to be the big difference-maker when it comes to a lot of same-day LLMPs–and they vary by attraction and day. You’ve definitely got the right idea, though!
And no need to stop with the comments, any and all feedback/assistance is appreciated! 🙂
Thanks for saying I’m not littering your comments! Thanks again for your insight! Good to know that thrill data doesn’t account for everything. And, you can only do so much planning and data is only predictive to a point. You can plan, but then you have to let go, go with the flow, and enjoy whatever you can do!
I know this doesn’t really matter, since past day of refills can’t be used to predict the time of future ones, but maybe others can see patterns in the number of drops for a particular attraction. At any rate, some the refill drops that exist long enough are captured in the Thrill-Data data, but you need to look at the Availability Map on an attraction page, like this one for Flight o’ Passage: https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/attraction/animal-kingdom/avatarflightofpassage/
I was hoping there would be a weekend vs weekday pattern to “many refills” versus “few refills” days, but of course that would be predictable.
Miri, Tom, Aaron thank you all so much! Grateful for your insight, it’s super helpful!
Hi! We’re planning on doing Animal Kingdom in the morning of one day and then park hopping over to Hollywood studios later in the day. I can’t decide if I should book my LLMPs for AK or skip LLs in AK and just book them in the afternoon at HS… any thoughts?
Hi Tom! What’s the earliest you can tap into a 9:00 am lightning lane? Thanks!
Is there a ‘Sweet Spot’ for LLMP prices like there was for Genie+? Like It seems to work best when it’s around $X but more than that and there’s not enough availability and less there’s not really a need?
Can I reserve using Lightning Lanes on the app for my kids and then can they just use their cards or bands to enter the ride or do I need to be with them with the app?
HELP… We are an older couple that have not been to Disney World since 1989. We were very familiar with it since at that time we lived in Fla, and I actually tested the rides before WDW open, Yes, I’m that old, almost 80. This maybe our last chance and TOTALLY LOST..
QUESTION: If we want on Dec 10 in Epcot to do Guardian of Galaxy ride, do we do a reservation or VQ or LLMP , LLSP or Genie+.
We are staying at the Grand Floridian Dec 9 and 10th. Just received some wrist bands.
I figure if I can get one adventure ride done, use it as an example if we want any others, or just stroll along and see what happens? Then figure out how to do restaurant reservation. I hope I am doing this right.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind uses a virtual queue (free) or Lightning Lane Single Pass (paid). Purchasing the latter in advance is definitely the easier option, although the day you’re there shouldn’t be particularly busy, so you might not have a hard time joining the virtual queue (it’ll be easier in the afternoon than at 7 am). Here’s our guide to that if you want to know more: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/guardians-galaxy-cosmic-rewind-ride-guide-virtual-queue/
One thing to note since you mention being older: Cosmic Rewind is a roller coaster that’s mildly thrilling. A lot of guests, even younger ones, have issues with motion sickness while riding. Obviously, I do not know you, but that’s something to consider.
Aside from that ride, you’ll probably be fairly happy wandering around the parks, taking strolls down memory lane, and enjoying what you can, when you can. Walt Disney World has changed a lot and planning can be stressful–but only if you let it.
(Genie+ no longer exists, for what it’s worth.)
Hello! We are not staying in a Disney Resort, so we do not have access to early entry. We have two kids who just turned 4 and 6 years old. And the youngest is not very patient. Going to Magic Kingdom Day 1 and Epcot Day 2. I read all your articles and appreciate all your info as I am a Disney novice. I have a few questions. My first question is we are going during “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.” Do we do LLMP or not? I have not decided to purchase special event tickets as they are literally as much as my day ticket. That leads to my second question. Is it actually worth paying for regular tickets AND special event tickets for the “Very Merry Christmas Party.” I am so sad we will miss the beloved fireworks show at the castle without buying those special event tickets. I’m just trying to figure out if an extra $800 is worth watching fireworks and have the extra “treats” as I seriously doubt my young kids will stay until midnight. Did I also understand correctly you do not recommend LLMP for Epcot…even for impatient toddlers?
With an impatient 4 year old, LLMP might be a good idea for Magic Kingdom. The nice thing about going on a party day is that the park will be less busy pre-4pm (when party goers start to arrive). But you’ll also want to get the most out of your day up to 6pm (when park closes to day guests). Thus LLMP worth it if cost isn’t daunting. I wouldn’t buy party tickets with kids that young unless they’re home sleeping all day or super troopers. Epcot is not worth it for LLMP. There are only two kid-friendly rides with longish lines (Frozen and Remy), and you can still get those done. Remy often has a lull around 10-10:30am. The rest is easy.
Thank you so much for your recommendations and replying back!! It really helped us decide what to do. I appreciate the guidance!!
I’m sooooo confused and don’t know where to start. We are a family of 5 and will be at Disney one day in November. Staying off site. I am so overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. I see your other post about optimizing one day in MK…So we will need lightning lane passes and I can book times 3 days in advance?
I will be traveling with a group of six. Four will be on site at a Disney Resort.
Two will be off site. Can a person in the onsite group purchase and book all six people for the same attractions on the Same days/same parks?
No–you’ll only be able to book the guests on the reservation (so consider adding the off-site guests if you have space on the reservations).
If the first part of your stay is onsite, but the second is offsite, can you book lightning lanes for the offsite part 7 days in advance of the start of the onsite stay? We have booked to stay onsite for a week and were then planning on heading to the west coast of Florida, but thanks to Helene it now looks like we will stay in Orlando for the second week. Since our park tickets are still valid we may choose to follow a more relaxed itinerary and visit one or more parks in the second week. I note that if you are onsite you can book 7 days in advance for the length of your stay up to 14 days….but does the 14 days carry over into the offsite portion or would we only be able to book lightning lanes 3 days in advance of a visit in the offsite portion? I suspect it is the latter but wondered if anyone had tried this.
It’s up to 14 days based on length of stay, not 14 days no matter what. Meaning that you won’t have the extended window for the off-site portion of your stay. Sorry!
Had a question. Do you have to select 3 choices for that day? Lets say I book for Epcot 7 days in advance, and choose Remy ride for group A and then choose Figment ride for group B. Can I hold selecting 3rd choice and wait until 7am of that day I am going to Epcot to select Frozen ride or Soaring as my 3rd choice?
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