Lightning Lane Multi Pass: FastPass Is This for You At Disney World?

Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Walt Disney World allows guests to pay to enter a shorter queue for theme park attractions. Is this paid service a good idea for your visit to Walt Disney World?

The four Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida provide incredible attractions, which draw many visitors. As a result, the wait in queues for attractions like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can be longer than most groups prefer.

The Lightning Lane Multi Pass option at the Walt Disney World theme parks serves as a paid way to lower attraction wait times. This newer system replaces the former Genie+ system. For people who have visited Walt Disney World before March 2020, this system functions similarly to the former system known as “FastPass+.”

Lightning Lane Multi Pass works a bit differently than Genie+ or FastPass+. However, this new system allows guests to pre-book three attraction reservations before their visit. It appears to merge the apparent best aspects of Genie+ and the older FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World.

The new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system at Walt Disney World started in July 2024. Walt Disney World guests must be informed about this new system, which differs from previous “skip the standby queue” options. The changes from the Genie+ system used in the last few years are not prominent. However, this resource will provide everything guests need to know about Lightning Lane Multi Pass. This should help guests maximize their Walt Disney World theme park days.

Disney Lightning Lane (New FastPass): What Is It?

The term “Lightning Lane” emerged when Walt Disney World started selling a new paid system to enter the shorter attraction queue lane formerly known as FastPass lanes. These are now known as Lightning Lanes. The Lightning Lane queue for most attractions looks the same as pre-COVID era FastPass lanes.

This terminology confused some people when combined with a new system called Genie+. When Genie+ was introduced, some attractions only allowed people to enter the Lightning Lane if they paid for these attractions individually, leading to confusion. Those attractions still follow that new pattern but are known as Lightning Lane Single Pass. In simple terms, the “Lightning Lane” is the term for the shorter queue to an attraction.

Almost all major attractions at Walt Disney World have two separate queues to enter: the regular or standard standby queue and the Lightning Lane. Everyone can access the regular standby queue at no additional cost, while guests utilizing the Lightning Lane need to pay for this access.

The Lightning Lanes do not grant front-of-the-line access; not even a VIP tour at Walt Disney World accomplishes that. Those paying to enter the Lightning Lane avoid waiting longer in the standby queues. Though wait times will vary, most Lightning Lanes guests wait less than 15 minutes. These waits can last as long as 20 minutes, which is unusual. However, the wait using the Lightning Lanes can sometimes be very short.

Lightning Lane Terminology to Know

Before moving on, we should remind ourselves of the terminology associated with the Lightning Lane system. Since the Genie+ system existed for a few years, we will mention briefly what “Genie” is in Walt Disney World’s “My Disney Experience.”

 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/take-with-a-grain-of-salt

The terms to attempt to keep straight are:

• Genie: According to Walt Disney World, this is a free planning tool to help with your theme park day. It is built into the My Experience App. Genie will make suggestions for theme park planning. However, we suggest taking the “Genie” suggestions with a grain of salt, as they say.
• Lightning Lane is the name of the shorter line you pay to access. Most attractions have two lines: a regular/standby queue and Lightning Lane.
• Lightning Lane Multi Pass: This paid service gives guests access to most of the Lightning Lane for Disney World attractions in the four theme parks. Using this system, guests book reservations for a one-hour window to enter a specific attraction’s Lightning Lane. These ride reservations can be booked in advance and during the theme park day. This used to be called Genie+.
• Lightning Lane Single Pass: This is the name of the paid access service that lets you access the most popular rides in Walt Disney World. Currently, five attractions use this system. Guests buying a Lighting Lane Single Pass DO NOT need to buy for these five current attractions. These rides are purchased separately, which means you can pay for access to these rides and Lightning Lane Multi Pass simultaneously if you desire. To enter the Lightning Lane, you cannot buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass to ride these most popular attractions, like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Attractions like that only allow people in the Lightning Lane if they purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass. This used to be called Individual Lightning Lane.

Lightning Lane Multi-Pass: How Much Does It Cost?

Lightning Lane Multi Pass prices vary depending on the year you visit. For example, busy days like Christmas week or spring break will cost far more than the “off-season” dates, like the middle of September or late January.

Since the Lightning Lane Multi Pass system started, the average daily price per person has been around $24. Based on the history of this system during the Genie+ era, this cost can be lower but can be as high as $39.

Purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass allows you to reserve access to the Lightning Lanes for most attractions. However, it also includes complimentary downloads of on-ride photos taken during your experience.

How Much Is Lightning Lane Single Pass?

The price for Lightning Lane Single Pass varies depending on the specific ride chosen. These rides are not included with the guests’ Lightning Lane Multi Pass purchase. Once again, you DO NOT need to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass to purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass. We mention this since this issue counts as the most common misconception of this system and the former Genie+ system.

The cost of a Lightning Lane Single Pass can average from $10 to $25 per person, depending on the ride and expected crowd level. The five rides that use this system are:

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom
• Tron Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot

These are subject to change, but based on their current popularity, we do not expect these to change anytime soon.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: How to Use it

This system lets guests purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass before their Walt Disney World visit. During the purchase process, they can book up to 3 Lightning Lane selections in advance for each theme park day.

Guests can choose from the available times for these advanced Lightning Lane selections. Thus, guests will start their theme park day with three Lightning Lane reservations. This should increase guest satisfaction since other attractions and dining reservations can be planned around these timeslots. All three initial pre-booked Lightning Lane must be in the same Walt Disney World theme park.

Guests can make additional Lightning Lane selections after using one of their pre-booked selections. This can be done via the My Disney Experience App. Each time guests utilize a Lightning Lane selection, they can then book their next one. These new attractions selected can be in the same theme park or another theme park. Also, they can be from any “Tier,” but more about that aspect will be discussed later in this resource.

Unlike the old FastPass+ system, one Lightning Lane entry per attraction per day is allowed. This means you must use the standby/regular queue to experience an attraction again on the same day.

Set Up a Disney Account

Before purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you must set up your Disney account and link with everyone in your group. This requires downloading the My Experience mobile app. After that, you must connect everyone in your travel group on your “Family & Friends” list in the My Disney Experience app. This aspect should not be delayed to the last minute. You do not want to be stressed when booking your Lightning Lanes with a member of your group who is not connected.

Before purchasing Lightning Lanes, everyone must have valid theme park admission. Once you have secured Walt Disney World tickets for everyone in your group and linked everything to your My Disney Experience app, you can purchase your Lightning Lane passes when your time window starts three or seven days in advance.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: What Size is the Return Time Window?

Each Lightning Lane reservation covers an hour-long timeslot. For example, your selected time might be 10:05 a.m. until 11:05 a.m. However, the Disney system allows guests to scan into Lightning Lane attractions five minutes early and up to 15 minutes late. We do not recommend pushing this if at all possible.

Can You Park Hop With This Service?

Guests who purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Pass can start their day in one theme park and move to another while still booking Lightning Lane timeslots. This newer system allows guests to make attraction reservations at any of the four Walt Disney World theme parks after using at least one of the three pre-booked reservations. However, the advanced Lightning Lane reservation must be in the same theme park.

When Can You Book Lightning Lane Multi Pass?

The window within which you can book a Lightning Lane reservation will depend on whether you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel or not. Walt Disney World Resort guests receive a head start when booking Lightning Lane timeslots. However, this advantage will only be a matter of days.

Guests staying at a Walt Disney World hotel can book their Lightning Lane attractions up to seven days in advance for their entire stay of up to 14 days. This advantage is extended to guests at all Disney Resort-owned hotels: Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green Resort.

All other guests can book their Lightning Lane attractions up to three days in advance. Guests with date-based theme park tickets, which require a chosen start date when initially purchased, can buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass and select their initial attractions three days before the first day of their ticket for all valid admission days associated with that ticket.

Guests with other ticket types and annual passholders can purchase this service three days before their park visit. However, they will not be able to have multiple days of Lightning Lane Multi Pass beyond the three days, unlike hotel guests and dated ticket visitors. Your PixieVacations travel specialist can help walk you through this distinction if needed.

Guests can purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 AM Eastern Time (Florida time) on their first day of eligibility. This is true for both on-site hotel guests and off-site hotel guests. Those in different time zones should confirm when to start booking to maximize their options.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Bad News for International Guests

This system comes with a gigantic issue for those who live outside the United States of America. Apparently, based on this being a mobile device purchase only, international guests wishing to book Lightning Lane Multi Pass cannot until they arrive in the United States of America.

This issue caused great turmoil when it was first discovered. We know that guests from Canada have been able to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass and book their initial attractions. Still, guests from other countries cannot book this from their country, even using a VPN (or similar masking technology).

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: What Attractions Can This Be Used For?

Earlier, we listed the five current attractions using the Lightning Lane Single Pass system. Most other popular attractions are part of Multi Pass Lightning Lane.

These attractions will have a regular standby line and a Lightning Lane entrance. All guests can use the standby entrance, and those who have paid for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and have a ride reservation timeslot can enter the “Lightning Lane” queue.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Tier System

Like the old FastPass+ system, the latest system comes with tiers. Tiers were ways to spread out the more popular attractions among more people. In other words, the most in-demand attractions were considered Tier One. All other attractions were classified as Tier Two.  Guests can only book one attraction from Tier One in the initial three when booking Lightning Lane attractions in advance. Guests may choose to pick all three attractions from the Tier Two list.

After guests use one of their initial three Lightning Lane slots, the tier system no longer matters since guests can book any available attraction to replace the one used.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Magic Kingdom

Since Magic Kingdom has the most attractions compared to the other three Walt Disney World theme parks, some consider it the best Disney World theme park. These are the Magic Kingdom attractions that can be booked via Lightning Lane Multi Pass:

Tier One:

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Jungle Cruise
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Space Mountain
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Tier Two

• 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 Mermaid

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Epcot

At the time of writing, Test Track is currently being refurbished. It is scheduled to open in 2025. At that time, we expect it to be a Tier One attraction. You will notice that the commonly considered best rides at Epcot fill Tier One.

Tier One:

• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Soarin’ Around the World

Tier Two:

• 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

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Like Epcot, the best Hollywood Studios rides are included in the list of Tier One attractions, with a few exceptions. We mention those exceptions in a previous blog about the best rides.

Tier One:

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Slinky Dog Dash

Tier Two

• 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 Mania!

Lightning Lane Multi Pass: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom does not have tiers. We have compiled a list of suggestions for the best rides at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

The top attraction here, Flight of Passage, is the Lightning Lane Single Pass attraction. As a result, guests can pre-book any of the following attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with Lightning Lane Multi Pass:

• 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
• Na?vi River Journey

Attractions That No Longer Have Lightning Lanes

When the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system began earlier this summer, many former Genie+ attractions were removed from having a Lightning Lane entrance. When comparing the new list to the former one, parade viewing and character interactions have been removed from the Lightning Lane attraction list.

Informed sources suspect that Walt Disney World made this change because many of the characters’ Lightning Lane queues were not being used well. Still, we have nothing official from Walt Disney World about this.

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