Planning a Disney vacation just got a little easier. If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, you can now secure your Lightning Lane reservations 7 days before your park visit—giving you more time to relax and enjoy the magic with less time stressing over ride wait times.
Here’s everything you need to know about the updated Lightning Lane system, including pass types, booking tips, top-priority attractions, and current pricing to help you make the most of your park days.
What’s New with Lightning Lanes
Disney has introduced some exciting changes to the Lightning Lane system:
- Advance Booking: Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels can now book Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay. All other guests can book 3 days in advance.
- Preview Before You Purchase: You can now see available attractions and return windows before buying, helping you plan more confidently.
- Multi-Day Planning: Book Lightning Lane access for multiple park days at once, making it easier to plan your full vacation in advance.
Lightning Lane Pass Options
There are now three main types of Lightning Lane access:
- Premier Pass: Get one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane experience in one park for one day—including the most in-demand attractions.
- Single Pass: Purchase up to two per day for Disney’s most popular attractions that are not included with the Multi Pass.
- Multi Pass: Includes pre-selection of three experiences with the opportunity to add more as you go. Also includes Disney PhotoPass digital downloads.
- Both Single & Multi: Guests can mix and match passes for a more customized park day.
Note: Premier Passes are sometimes offered through select channels but are not part of standard guest purchases.
Booking Tips
- Use the My Disney Experience App: Lightning Lane selections must be made through the app. The app also provides real-time updates, attraction availability, and wait times.
- Enable Notifications: Stay informed with updates or changes to your Lightning Lane reservations while on property.
- Park Hopper Tickets: Guests with Park Hopper tickets can make Lightning Lane selections at a second park after redeeming their first pass of the day.
Top Booking Priorities by Park
Here are the attractions that tend to book the fastest. If these are important to you, be ready to select them as soon as your reservation window opens.
Group One (Select 1):
- Magic Kingdom: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- EPCOT: Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash
- Animal Kingdom: No Group One attractions
Group Two (Select 2):
- Magic Kingdom: Haunted Mansion, Tomorrowland Speedway, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- EPCOT: Mission: SPACE
- Hollywood Studios: Toy Story Mania!, Tower of Terror
- Animal Kingdom: Navi River Journey, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest
Standby lines are still available for all attractions in case you aren’t able to secure your preferred selections.
Current Pricing Overview
Lightning Lane pricing varies by park and date. Here’s a general guide:
Single Pass Pricing (per person, per attraction):
- Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ($11–$14), TRON Lightcycle/Run ($19–$22)
- EPCOT: Guardians of the Galaxy ($14–$19)
- Hollywood Studios: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ($20–$25)
- Animal Kingdom: Avatar Flight of Passage ($13–$18)
Multi Pass Pricing (based on your starting park, per person):
- Magic Kingdom: $20–$39
- EPCOT: $15–$32
- Hollywood Studios: $20–$35
- Animal Kingdom: $15–$29
Magic Kingdom typically offers the most value with a Multi Pass due to the number of included attractions.
Ride Refurbishment Notices
Before your visit, be sure to check Disney’s calendar for any ride closures or scheduled refurbishments. On the calendar, select your park day and look for “Closed for Refurbishment” to see any impacted experiences.
We’ve attached a helpful PDF guide to walk you through all available Lightning Lane options. Stay tuned—our next post will explore Magic Bands + Magic Mobile…what’s the right fit for you?
As always, if you need help with your reservation plan or have any questions, your Kingdom Elite Travel advisor is here to help make your Disney vacation smooth, fun, and stress-free.
*Lightning Lane passes are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Lightning Lane passes, attractions experiences may vary by date, are subject to change or closure, are limited in availability and are not guaranteed, and may not be available at all on the date of visit or at the time you make a selection.
Leave a Reply