Lightning Lane Passes at Disney World (what it is and how much it costs)

In addition to Standby and Single Rider lines, you need to know about Lightning Lane passes at Disney World.

Here we briefly breakdown the importance of Lightning Lane, what it is, how much it costs, who can use it, and more.

Take a look!

What is Lightning Lane?

Depending on which attraction you’re riding at Disney World, you’ll notice that some rides have different lines for guests to use.

These are:

• Standby Line (available to all guests)
• Lightning Lane (available to select guests, typically for an additional cost)
• Single Rider (available to all guests)

As for the “Lightning Lane,” this is the new term for the old FastPass+ lines.

Usually, this line allows you to board select attractions quicker than if you waited in Standby or used Single Rider.

Why? Simply put, since fewer people use Lightning Lane than Standby, it moves much quicker.

Here’s why:

For every attraction, at some point in the queue, the Standby and Lightning Lanes merge into 1.

When that happens, the Lightning Lane acts as a priority line; the Cast Member working the merge point will allow a higher ratio of people from the Lightning Lane to move forward compared to the Standby Line. For example, it could be for every 5 people in Standby, 20 people from the Lightning Lane go.

That means the wait time for the Lightning Lanes is significantly less than those in the Standby Line.

Who can use the Lightning Lane?

There are several ways to access the Lightning Lane:

• Guests who have purchased an Individual Lightning Lane Selection (only available at a couple of attractions at each park)^*
• Guests who have purchased Genie+^*
• Guests who qualify for the Disability Access Service (DAS)
• Guests who are utilizing a VIP Tour Guide

^*Since most people access the Lightning Lane by paying for either Genie+ or an Individual Lightning Lane Selection, we will primarily be covering those 2 options below. Check out the links above for more information on how the Lightning Lane works with the DAS and VIP Tours.

How much does Lightning Lane cost?

The price for Lightning Lane depends on whether it is a part of Genie+ OR if you have to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane selection for it:

• Genie+: Genie+ uses a date-based pricing system, with busier times of the year being more expensive. Currently, Genie+ starts at $15 per ticket, per day (plus tax).
• Individual Lightning Lane: A pay-per-ride system with price varying based on date, attraction, and theme park. Each person can only book 2 Individual Lightning Lane Selections per day (can be in different theme parks if you have park hopper eligibility).

More on both of these options below.

How does Lightning Lane work?

The steps for using a Lightning Lane with Genie+ or an Individual Lightning Lane Selection is fairly simple:

1. Use the My Disney Experience app to make either a Genie+ reservation or, on attractions where available, an Individual Lightning Lane reservation.
2. Head to the attraction during your reservation window.
3. Enter the Lightning Lane where you will need to scan your MagicBand, ticket, or use MagicMobile on your phone to redeem your reservation. Remember: you’ll likely still have a bit of a wait in the Lightning Lane line, but it will be significantly less than the Standby Line.
4. Enjoy the ride!

There are certain times when Genie+ and pay-per-ride options can be booked. Be sure to study the infographic above and check out our timeline guide as well.

Which attractions have Lightning Lanes?

There are a total of 61 Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World, but not every attraction has one.

Here is what you’ll find in each park:

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom has a total of 22 attractions with Lightning Lanes.

Magic Kingdom attractions with Individual Lightning Lane selections (these attractions are not included with Genie+):

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (around $10-$12 per person)
• Space Mountain (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year) (around $7-$9 per person)

All Magic Kingdom attractions with Lightning Lanes:

Epcot

Epcot has a total of 13 attractions with Lightning Lanes:

Epcot attractions with Individual Lightning Lane selections (these attractions are not included with Genie+:

• Frozen Ever After (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year) (around $9-$11 per person)
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (starting at $14 per person)
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year) (around $8-$11 per person)

All Epcot attractions with Lightning Lanes:

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios has 15 attractions with Lightning Lanes.

Hollywood Studios attractions with Individual Lightning Lane selections (these attractions are not included with Genie+:

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year) (around $8-$10)
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (starting at $15)

All Hollywood Studios attractions with Lightning Lanes:

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom has 12 attractions with Lightning Lanes:

Animal Kingdom attractions with Individual Lightning Lane selections (these attractions are not included with Genie+:

• Avatar Flight of Passage (around $11-$14)
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year) (around $7)

All Animal Kingdom attractions with Lightning Lanes:

How much are Individual Lightning Lane passes?

Pricing for the pay-per-ride option varies by date, attraction, and park. The cost per person typically ranges between $7 to $15.

Below are the average prices for each attraction we’ve seen so far.

Important note: These prices will be updated after we get the full picture on the October 2022 price increase.

Magic Kingdom

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: $10 (lowest); $12 (highest)
• Space Mountain (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year): $7 (lowest); $9 (highest)

Epcot

• Frozen Ever After (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year): $9 (lowest); $11 (highest)
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: TBD
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year): $8 (lowest); $11 (highest)

Hollywood Studios

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year): $8 (lowest); $10 (highest)
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: $15

Animal Kingdom

• Avatar Flight of Passage: $11 (lowest); $14 (highest)
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (frequently moves to Genie+ during busy times of the year): $7

You can check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for current prices and attraction availability.

How many times can I use the Lightning Lane each day?

For both pay-to-ride Individual Lightning Lane Selections and Genie+, you can only use the Lightning Lane at each attraction one time per day.

Individual Lightning Lane Selections

You can purchase a maximum of 2 Individual Lightning Lane selections each day.

Your selections can be in the same park, or split between 2 different parks.

Genie+

When accessing the Lighting Lane using Genie+, the only rule is that you can’t use Genie+ more than once on each attraction.

Other than that, as long as there are Genie+ spots available, you can make as many as you can.

When it comes to maximizing your selections, the 2 most popular strategies are churning (which is when you make your Genie+ selections for early in the day, tap in, and then make another) and stacking (which is essentially stacking a bunch of Genie+ selections for later in the day).

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Allyson Koerner

Allyson was able to take her lifelong love of Disney and her education (Bachelor’s Degree in English/minor in writing and a Master’s Degree in Print & Multimedia Journalism) and turn it into a career writing about all things Disney parks. Her writing can be seen in a few places, including her site, Magically Main Street. Email Allyson

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