You want to go on a Disney World attraction but don’t want to stand in line for it. Disney has created a way to pay money so you can go to the head of the line and ride the attraction. They call it Lightning Lane.
Now you may be thinking. Wait a minute, I already bought a park pass, now they want me to dish out more money for a ride? Well, it is totally your choice. You don’t have to purchase Lightning Lane passes and in some parks on some days, you absolutely shouldn’t do it (in our humble opinion). But, depending on crowd size, which park you are at, how many days you will be there, how often you go to Disney World and many other variables, you may want to pay the extra money for a Lightning Lane pass.
Ok, now we know what Lightning Lane passes do, so next we need to explain the two types of Lightning lane passes.
Lightning Lane Single Pass vs. Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Lightning Lane Single Pass
Lightning Lane Single Pass is a one-time cost that gives you access to one ride. Why only one ride? Because Disney takes the most popular, high-demand rides that produce very long wait times and gives you an opportunity to skip ahead of that line with a Lightning Lane Single Pass.
The Lightning Lane Single Pass is very straight forward. You pay to get on the top attractions in each park quickly. The attractions are:
- Epcot – Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Hollywood Studios – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Animal Kingdom – Avatar Flight of Passage
- Magic Kingdom – Tron Lightcycle Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Even though you are only paying for one attraction, you can purchase up to two different attractions a day. For example, you could purchase both, Tron and Seven Dwarfs if you are in Magic Kingdom or you could purchase two in different parks if you are park hopping.
The one thing you cannot do is purchase two passes for the same attraction. Sorry, you can only ride Tron one time using the Lightning Lane Single pass…although you can ride it again if you wait in line.
How much does it cost? The price fluctuates depending on the day and crowd level but be prepared to dish out $15 – $30 per person, per attraction.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Lightning Lane Multi Pass is a one-time cost that gives you access to multiple rides. Unfortunately it’s not as simple as pay an amount and skip ahead on every attraction. In a nutshell, it gives you access to three attractions in advance to your arrival with the option to secure more after you arrive.
You can use the Lightning Lane Multi pass on most of the attractions in each of the four parks. The attractions listed for the Lightning Lane Single pass are not available with the Multi pass. For a full list of what attractions are available, refer to the Cheat Sheets we have put together for you below.
Lightning Lane Tiers Explained
For the Lightning Lane Multi pass attractions, Disney has them grouped into tiers. The higher demand, more popular attractions are in tier 1 and the lesser rides are in tier 2.
You can see which attractions are in which tier with our cheat sheets below. As we said earlier, you are able to secure 3 attractions using the Lightning Lane Multi pass. With the exception of Animal Kingdom, you can only select one attraction from tier 1 and two attractions from tier 2.
You will notice that Animal Kingdom is the only park that doesn’t have two tiers. In Animal Kingdom, you are able to choose all three attractions any way you want.
How To Get Extra Tier 1 Lightning Lanes
OK, here’s where it gets a bit tricky. After you have scanned into your first Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction, you are able to make a new attraction selection using your My Disney App. And here is the best part! You are able to lock in another tier 1 attraction if so desired!
There are many strategies for trying to secure the best bang for the buck when it comes to getting more attractions using your Lightning Lane Multi pass. Our recommendation is to try and secure your first attraction as early in the day as you can. Why? Because everyone is adding more attractions using their Lightning Lane Multi pass and they can fill up quickly. In fact, if you wait too long, you may not be able to get anymore at all.
Disney Lightning Lane FAQ
When can we buy our Lightning Lane passes?
Guests of any Disney World Resort hotel can purchase and select their Lightning Lane passes up to SEVEN days before their trip. All other guests can purchase their passes up to THREE days before their visit to the park.
Along with this, when you are eligible to purchase your Lightning Lane passes, you can do it for your entire stay. So, if you are going to Magic Kingdom on day 1, Epcot on day 2, Hollywood Studio on day 3 and Animal Kingdom on day 4, you will be able to purchase all your Lightning lane passes for each park starting 7 days out of your Magic Kingdom day.
How will we buy Lightning Lanes?
In the My Disney Experience app.
Is there a timeline for when they will be used?
Yes, you will select a one-hour arrival window to ride.
How Many Lighting Lane Single Passes can we purchase?
You may purchase up to 2 Lightning Lane Single pass selections per day. One Lightning Lane Multi pass per day that can be used for a minimum of 3 attractions.
Why would I need to purchase the Lightning Lane Single Pass?
The most sought after attractions are in the Single Pass category so you won’t be able to use your Multi Passes on them. You can purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass in addition to the Multi Pass or on its own. The attractions included are: