10 Things You NEED to Know About Lightning Lanes: Disney World 101

If you’re planning a Disney World vacation, there are some things you need to know about Lightning Lanes.

This post is going to break down what Lightning Lanes are, tell you 10 things you need to know about them, and discuss if they’re worth it, so you can decide if you want to make them a part of your Disney trip.

What are Lightning Lanes??

Lightning Lanes allow you to skip the line at Disney World. They replaced the old (free) FastPass+ system when the Parks reopened after COVID.

They allow you to, essentially, reserve your place in line on some of Disney World’s most popular rides. There’s still a little bit of a wait time, but it’s significantly reduced.

Here’s how it works:

If you decide to purchase Lightning Lanes, you’ll have the option to reserve a one hour return window on your ride(s) of choice. When you get to your ride during your return window, you’re able to use a special entrance that takes you to the front of the line.

Most Lightning Lane wait times are between 5 and 15 minutes, though in my experience, they tend to run on the shorter side. This is a BIG difference than the hour+ waits you see on a lot of Disney World’s most popular attractions.

There are three options

One of the things you need to know about Lightning Lanes is that there are three different types you can choose from.

Lightning Lane Multipass

This is the most reminiscent of the old FastPass+. There’s a list in-demand rides in each park that have Lightning Lanes available. Purchasing Multipass gives you access to all the Lightning Lanes in this option.

You’re able to have three Multipass lanes booked at a time. Once you use one, you can book another as long as they’re available.

Lightning Lane Single-Pass

This option features the highest demand rides. These rides aren’t included in multipass. If you want to skip the line for these rides, you need to purchase a separate single pass to do it!

Lightning Lane Premiere

This is the most expensive option. It’s also extremely limited.

If you choose to purchase this option, you’ll be able to ride all of the rides that have Lightning Lanes–both single pass and multipass, and you won’t have to schedule your rides ahead of time.

The exact price will vary based on when you’re there (more on that later), but the going rate for this premiere service is hundreds of dollars a day per person.

You can book in advance

If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, you can purchase and book your Lightning starting at 7 AM Eastern, 7 days prior to your trip.

If your not staying at a Disney World Resort, you can purchase and book your Lightning starting at 7 AM Eastern, 3 days prior to your trip.

If you know Lightning Lanes are going to be something you want to add to your trip, I’d definitely recommend making that purchase as soon as you’re able, as they can sell out.

There are tiers in multipass

In multipass, the rides are broken up into tiers in Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. The more popular and in-demand rides are in the first tier, while the slightly less popular rides are in the second teir.

When you’re booking in advance, you can select one first tier ride, and two second tier rides, or three second tier rides. Animal Kingdom doesn’t have as many rides, so they don’t have the tiered system.

You can view the current tiers here!

You can make another selection once you use one pass

At any point in time, you can have 3 multipass lanes booked. This means, once you use your first pass, you’re able to book another one.

This can be done as soon as you scan in for your ride. So if you find yourself with a few minutes wait, you can book an additional selection while you’re waiting.

And if you can’t find a time or ride you like, check back in throughout the day. Disney sometimes releases additional availability. People may also have to change their previously booked times to accommodate their day.

This opens up a spot for you and your group. So definitely keep checking.

When you book additional selections, the tiers disappear

And here’s an extra fun fact. When you go to book those additional selections, there are no more tiers!

This means if you already have a pass for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you can book a Lightning Lane for Peter Pan’s Flight if you see one available.

Prices can vary

Disney implements surge pricing for Lightning Lanes. This means they can be more expensive at busier and more crowded times and less expensive at slower/less crowded times.

The cost also varies by park. Animal Kingdom has the fewest rides, so that’s typically the cheapest. While Magic Kingdom is usually the most expensive. Hollywood Studios and Epcot tend to fall in the middle.

Multipass prices have been reported at $15-$39 depending on the park and the day.

You can book in another park if you have a Park Hopper or Annual Pass

You can book your Lightning Lanes in multiple parks if you have a Park Hopper or Annual pass option on your account, however, there is a little bit of a catch.

When you’re booking in advance, you’re only able to book for the park you plan on starting your day at. However once you scan in for your first Lightning Lane of the day, you’ll get the option to book in other parks.

You’ll also be able to modify any previously booked Lightning Lanes if you’d rather rebook them for another park.

Where to purchase them

You can purchase your Lightning Lanes in the My Disney Experience app once your within your purchase window. Simply open the app and tap on “purchase” under your Lightning Lane option.

This should be the first thing you see when you open the app.

From there, you’ll be guided to pick your day, then pick your park, and the app will guide you through the selection process.

You can purchase multipass and any single pass lanes you may want at the same time. You’ll have five minutes to check out to secure your selections once you start the process.

How to modify

You can modify your plans up until you actually use your Lightning Lane–including before your trip.

To make changes, go to your My Disney Experience App, select the Lightning Lane Pass option, then you should be able to modify your selection.

But keep in mind, this is subject to availability and if you’re changing days or changing parks, there may also be a change in price.

You get free photos

One nice perk of the Lightning Lanes is you get free downloads of the PhotoPass ride photos if you’ve purchased multipass. This does not extend to the PhotoPass photographers you’ll see around the parks, though.

But still, free is free, so we take what we can get!

Are they worth it??

This is going to be a personal choice. If you’re on more of a budget, it may not be the right fit for you.

But speaking personally, I’ll probably never do a trip without buying Lightning Lanes Multipass. I was reluctant to pay when they were first introduced, but let me tell you, waiting in those lines was rough.

I don’t typically like many rides that are in single pass, so this is also a factor in my decision. I can’t ever see myself paying for Premier Pass.

Paying for multipass (with the occasional single pass) is the sweet spot for me. It’s the system that’s most reminiscent of the old FastPass+, which always brought a lot of ease and minimal wait times.

When it comes down to it, time, money, and energy are our primary resources in this world. And we can often pay for things with any combination of those three resources.

Do I like paying money for something that used to be free? No.

But when I didn’t pay money, I paid with my time and energy and I found that left a bigger negative mark on my vacation.

Now, I plan to budget an extra $30-$40 a day to pay for this feature.

So, that’s what you need to know about Lightning Lanes in Disney World.

If you want more Disney World tips and tricks, check out this post!

Do you plan to book Lightning Lanes on your next trip?