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.”

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 Premier Pass: This system is only available to guests staying at Walt Disney World Deluxe-level hotel and allows guests to avoid scheduling their Lightning Lane attraction reservations. However, this costs far more than the other options. We will cover the details of this system at the end of the article.

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, unlike resort hotel guests, they cannot pre-book multiple days of Lightning Lane Multi Pass beyond three days. 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 a.m. 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 (Updated)

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).

However, very near this writing, we received reports that international guests have been able to buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass in advance. In addition, no mention of the international restriction can be found on the Walt Disney World website currently.

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 LLightyear’sSpace 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
• MMickey’sPhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

You can read more about specific suggestions for pre-booking your Lighting Lane in our article about Magic Kingdom.

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
• Navi 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’ queues were not being used well. Still, we have nothing official from Walt Disney World about this.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass Example

For example, imagine you booked Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as your Tier One selection. This will save you time and effort. However, your return time is after 6:00 p.m. Based on that Tier One selection, you have limited options if you select Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean as your Tier Two attraction, with only available times later in the day.

In this case, your chance of getting a “Tier One” Lightning Lane choice for your fourth one is slim. However, if you had selected less popular Tier Two attractions with early morning times, you would have a better chance of your fourth (and fifth) Lightning Lanes being “Tier One” choices.

As you can see, this requires some thought when booking your attractions via Lightning Lane Multi Pass. If your group only has a few “must-do” attractions like Tiana’sBayouAdventure, you can prioritize those. If your group desires to experience as much of the Magic Kingdom theme park as possible (or it is your first visit), booking an earlier time for less popular rides might be the better plan.

Either way, research shows that a small percentage of people who purchase and book Lightning Lane Multi Pass do their research to maximize the product. This leads to many errors and a waste of money. Simply by reading this resource and following some of the advice, you will be way ahead of most guests during your Magic Kingdom experience.

What is the Lightning Lane Premier Pass?

In October 2024, Walt Disney World Resort added a new variable to the Lightning Lane game. Walt Disney World has announced a brand-new way to enter the shorter Lightning Lane queues for theme park attractions. This new system shares some characteristics with the Universal Express Passes at Universal Orlando Resort. However, Lightning Lane Premier Pass will demand a commitment in terms of vacation budget. Still, for some guests, this may well be worth the money.

The Lightning Lane Premier Pass will cost from $129 to $449 per person per day. This price varies based on the season and the Walt Disney World theme park chosen to visit that day. The Lightning Lane Premier Pass enables each guest one-time access to the Lightning Lane queue for every attraction that offers it, including the Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions.

This new service, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, starts being available on October 30, 2024. However, guests should know several critical things about this system before considering it.

Limited Quantities

Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be offered in limited quantities. They will give guests a one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane entrance in the theme park they visit that day. This includes attractions included in both Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass. Unlike those systems, guests who purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass do not need to pre-book a reserved time to experience each attraction. Lightning Lane Premier Pass qualifies as a premium offering. Prices will vary based on the date and theme park guests visit.

At Walt Disney World, Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be only available to guests staying at Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts. Like Lightning Lane Multi Pass, it can be purchased up to seven days before the guest’s stay. Remember, unlike Lightning Lane Multi Pass, it is ONLY valid in one theme park per day, so no park hopping with it.

How Much Does the Lightning Lane Premier Pass Cost?

As mentioned earlier, the Lightning Lane Premier Pass, available for eligible guests, will vary in price. However, we can give you a general idea of the pricing you should expect with this new system. Based on information provided by Walt Disney World, the prices for this premium system per day will look like this:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom $129-$199 per person plus tax
• Epcot $169-$249 per person plus tax
• Disney’sHollywoodStudios $269-$349 per person plus tax
• Magic Kingdom $329-$449 per person plus tax

Magic Kingdom offers the most attractions and is the most attended theme park, so the higher price for this premium upgrade makes sense. Like at the other three Walt Disney World theme parks, the price for Lightning Lane Premier Pass varies based on historical crowd levels. In other words, days during Christmas week, the busiest time of year at Walt Disney World, will cost the most. However, slower times of year will cost less per theme park. When you get closer to your Walt Disney World vacation, your Pixie at Pixie Vacation can help you confirm the price for this premium upgrade, if desired.

How to Purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass

To purchase a Lightning Lane Premier Pass, guests must have a valid reservation at one of the Deluxe-level accommodations at Walt Disney World. In addition, they must have already purchased valid theme park admission for the desired day they want to utilize the Lightning Lane Premier Pass system. The admission needs to be linked to their My Disney Experience account. Some theme park admission types, like annual passes, will demand the guests also have a reservation for the desired Walt Disney World theme park. Guests must have everyone in their travel group connected via their Family & Friends list if buying for a group. Without this step, you cannot purchase Lightning Lane Premier Passes for everyone in your party.

After purchasing, guests will use the My Disney Experience mobile application to track the experiences they have visited using this system. Once again, everyone in your party must be connected for success.

How Does Lightning Lane Premier Pass Work With “Multi Pass and “Single Pass?”

Lightning Lane Premier Pass enables guests to experience attractions with the shortest wait possible. What if you want to buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Single Pass to add even more to your Disney vacation? However, we doubt this will be needed by most groups that buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass. Still, purchasing a Lightning Lane Premier Pass does not prevent guests from also purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass and/or Lightning Lane Single Passes. 

You can only buy the Lightning Lane Premier Pass for one park each day. So, you cannot buy the “Premier Pass” for Magic Kingdom and Epcot, for example, on the same day. However, guests can buy the “Premier Pass” and the other two types of Lightning Lane passes if they desire. You can continue using the Virtual Queue system for the few attractions that offer it, regardless of whether you have bought Lightning Lanes.

Is Lightning Lane Premier Pass Worth It?

Deciding whether Lightning Lane Premier Pass is worth it is easier than diving off a board into a scary small pool. For that, we are thankful! Still, the added expense for many guests does not make sense for this premium service. However, some guests staying at Walt Disney World Deluxe-level accommodations could feel like VIPs for a day or two. For those looking for the best possible experience when visiting one Walt Disney World theme park in a day, Lightning Lane Premier Pass may be the perfect answer. Of course, the Disney VIP tour would be better if you wanted to see more than one theme park in a day. The Walt Disney World VIP Tour experience costs more, but with larger groups like 8-10, the value is there. Of course, there are other ways to feel like a Disney VIP on a budget.

At the time of writing, this system has not started at Walt Disney World. Thus, we lack concrete data on how efficiently it works. Also, this premium upgrade will not be available to everyone. Still, groups staying at Walt Disney World Deluxe-level accommodations should examine how they plan to visit the theme parks. If a day or two of “skipping the lines” sounds perfect to you, then the high price tag might be worth it. If paying over $400 per person at Magic Kingdom during the busy weeks of the year sounds out of your budget, it is not worth it.

We understand that this feels very overwhelming. A Walt Disney World vacation involves plenty of planning. Most would not define it as a relaxing vacation. However, most would describe the experience as worth it! Still, the magical memories made during a Walt Disney World Resort vacation can last a lifetime. Your travel advisor at Pixie Vacations can help you determine the value of your next Walt Disney World vacation.

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