Complete Guide to Lightning Lane Passes at Walt Disney World

More than a year after first announcing that changes were on the horizon, Disney has *finally* revealed details on the major changes that will be hitting the Genie+ service effective July 24, 2024.

If you’ve been around Walt Disney World planning for a while, you’ll definitely see why we are calling this new rollout “If Genie+ and FastPass+ Had a Baby” because there are elements from each in this upgrade.

Let’s get into what you’ll need to know:

Genie Plus and Individual Lightning Lanes Will be Renamed

Starting July 24, Walt Disney World will introduce new, simpler names for its services. Disney Genie+ will be renamed Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and Individual Lightning Lane will become Lightning Lane Single Pass.

These updated (and in our opinion, upgraded) Lightning Lane passes will combine features from current services and the previously offered FastPass+ service – like the ability to book experiences AHEAD of time (something you can’t do with the current system).

Yes, you read that correctly – no more being stressed at 7:00 a.m. while on vacation trying to snag all the things at once. You’ll be able to do some of your planning at home, making it so much easier to work around experiences or reservations you have scheduled during your trip.

What are the differences between the old system and the new?

The old Genie+ system required you to get up extra early every day, and it didn’t easily allow you to plan ahead around dining reservations. Even worse, it forced you to repeat the process each.day.of.your.vacation.

It just wasn’t a good system and was needlessly stressful for something that is supposed to be fun.

Here are the highlights from the new system:

• Advance Planning: With the new Lightning Lane system upgrade, guests can make Lightning Lane plans (for both the Multi Pass and Single Pass) ahead of arrival—7 days in advance for resort guests and 3 days in advance for non-resort guests. (This is a HUGE upgrade from the way things work now!).
• Flexible Choices: You’ll be able to choose experiences and times before purchasing. That means you’ll be able to work around existing plans and dining reservations.
• Multiple Days Booking: Eligible guests will be able to book Lightning Lane passes for multiple vacation days all in a single day.

What about stacking and churning?

In the old Genie+ system, you were able to both churn Genie+ reservations (which simply means snagging return times close to the current time, so you can quickly make another as soon as you tap into it) AND stack them (which is the technique where you intentionally group multiple Genie+ reservations, back to back, typically for later in the day).

Now, with the new system not allowing any more than 3 Multi Pass Lightning Lanes at a time, your ability to stack will be limited to a total of 3. But, that may be enough if you are looking for a late start day or evening in the parks – especially if you pair it with a Lightning Lane Single Pass.

BUT, the good news is that you’ll still be able to churn – even easier than you could with Genie+ and the old FastPass+ system.

Churning works best for guests who plan to arrive for Rope Drop because the longer you are in the parks, the more opportunity you’ll have to add additional Lightning Lane Multi Pass spots.

Tiers for Lightning Lane Multi Pass

The Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot features two tiers of attractions. Guests can choose one attraction from the first tier and two from the second tier when making pre-booked selections. Or, guests can choose all three pre-selections from Tier 2. There are no tiers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

It’s important to note that these tiers only apply to the attractions you pre-book. There are no tiers for same-day Lightning Lane bookings.

When Can You Purchase The New Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass?

How far in advance you’ll be able to book will depend on where you are staying and what type of ticket you have. Remember, this new system kicks off on July 24, so you will not be able to do anything until that date.

Important Note: You MUST have a valid theme park ticket before you can purchase either a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass.

Onsite Guests – 7 Days in Advance

Guests of eligible resorts can purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass and start pre-planning up to seven days before their check-in date, covering the length of their stay (up to 14 days).

Eligible resorts include:

• Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green Resort

Offsite Guests – 3 Days in Advance

Guests staying offsite at a non Disney Resort hotel with date-based Disney Theme Park tickets can purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass and start pre-planning up to three days before their ticket’s start date, for the duration of their ticket.

Annual Passholders and Guests with Main Entrance Passes – 3 Days in Advance

Guests with other forms of admission (such as non-dated tickets, Annual Passes, and Main Entrance Passes) can purchase and begin pre-planning up to three days in advance of each day of their visit. Theme Park reservations are required.

If Annual Passholders have an onsite Disney Resort stay, that booking takes priority and falls under the same rules as all onsite guests.

How much will the new Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass cost?

We expect the price to align with the current Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane prices. We don’t have confirmation of that, but we don’t think Disney can go much higher on these prices (and we have our fingers crossed they don’t prove us wrong).

Remember – the price will fluctuate depending on the time of year. Busier times of the year are more expensive, less busy times cost a little less. So, use our numbers below as an example from one point in time with the understanding that the price will vary depending on your trip dates.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass

Here is what it currently costs for Genie+. Look for something similar for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass:

Example date — June 24, 2024, prices:

• Magic Kingdom: $27 per person
• Hollywood Studios: $24 per person
• Epcot: $19 per person
• Animal Kingdom: $17 per person

Lightning Lane Single Pass

Here are the current costs for an Individual Lightning Lane pass. We expect the prices to be the same or very similar when they change over to Lightning Lane Single Passes:

Example date — June 24, 2024, prices:

• TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom – $11.00
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom – $11.00
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – $22.00
• AVATAR Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – $14.00
• Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot – $15.00

How do you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass in the My Disney Experience App?

Beginning on the first day of the rollout (July 24), you’ll be able to purchase both the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and the Lightning Lane Single Pass inside the My Disney Experience App. If you don’t see the option to buy, you may need to look for an update and update your app first.

Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility.

Before you begin:

• Download the Latest App: First, download the latest version of the My Disney Experience app.

• Connect Your Group: Connect everyone in your travel group on your Family & Friends list in the My Disney Experience app—so you’ll be able to purchase Lightning Lane passes and make plans for everyone that is eligible.

• Create a Wish List: Gather your group’s wish list for attractions and experiences. You can save your group’s top picks in the My Disney Experience app using the “My Day” feature, if you’d like.

How to purchase:

• Open the App: Open the My Disney Experience app, then tap the Lightning Lane Passes section on the home screen.

• Select Date and Park: Select a date and theme park.

• Choose Your Pass:
  • Select a Lightning Lane Single Pass, a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, or both.
  • If you select a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can choose up to 3 Lightning Lane Multi Pass experiences and arrival windows in advance.
  • If you select a Lightning Lane Single Pass, you can choose an arrival window in advance.

• Complete Your Purchase: Follow all prompts to complete your purchase and receive a confirmation.

• Next Steps: From the confirmation screen, you can tap “Plan Another Day” to purchase another pass—or tap “View My Day” for details about your Lightning Lane selections.

How to modify:

You can modify your Lightning Lane selections via the My Disney Experience app.

To get started, tap the Lightning Lane Passes section on the app’s home screen to find your plans. Then, you can:

1. Change Park or Date: Change your selected park and/or date in advance (subject to availability)—up until the moment you redeem your first Lightning Lane selection of the day.
2. Change Experience or Arrival Window: Change each selected experience and/or arrival window in advance (subject to availability)—up until the start of the arrival window.

Important notes about modifying:

1. If you need to modify your prebooked Lightning Lane Multi Pass from one park to another, you can do so. Just keep in mind that you will need to pay the difference if modifying from a less expensive park (like Animal Kingdom) to a more expensive park (like Magic Kingdom).
2. You would also need to pay the difference if modifying from a less expensive day to a MORE expensive day.

How to get additional Lightning Lane Multi Pass Selections

On the day of your visit, once you use a Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection or the arrival window expires, you can check the My Disney Experience app for availability and add another Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience to your plans.

You can continue to make one selection at a time until the park closes (subject to availability). If you have Park Hopper benefits, you can select a Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience at another theme park.

Important Information: Limit one Lightning Lane entry per attraction, per day.

What about international guests?

Unfortunately, guests visiting from outside the United States will not be able to purchase either of the Lightning Lane Passes until you are on American soil.

This is because the My Disney Experience App is set up using geolocation that only works here in the states.

This is a definite disadvantage for our international friends, and something we hope Disney figures out a way to work around in the future.

Until then, International Guests will have to wait until your arrival. At that time, you’ll be able to complete your purchase and make your selections as described above.

FAQs

What time can you start booking Lightning Lanes?

Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility.

If I use my tier 1 ride, can I book another tier 1 ride?

Yes, you can! The tiers only apply to pre-booking. There are no tiers for same day Lightning Lane Multi Passes.

Is there still a 2-hour rule?

Nope! With these changes, there is no more 2-hour rule. As soon as you use a Lightning Lane Multi Pass you’ll be able to grab another, but you can only have a max of 3 at any one time.

Are there still virtual queues?

Yes! The virtual queues are not going away for the attractions that currently use them (TRON, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind).

Will the characters still have Lightning Lanes?

Yes. We think that by the time these changes roll out on July 24th that the current list of eligible attractions will include the characters who currently use Lightning Lanes (like Princess Fairytale Hall and the new Mickey & Friends in Epcot). We hope that the reason they aren’t included now is just an oversight.

Can I make my Lightning Lane Multi Pass pre-selections in different parks?

No – your pre-selections must be in the same park. You can make another selection at a different park after you have used your first Multi Pass.

Can I make Lightning Lane Single Pass selections in different parks.

Yes – the Single Passes are different, and you CAN make them in different parks, just keep in mind that you will need to have a ticket with Park Hopping to enter multiple parks on one day.

What time can I purchase my Lightning Lane passes (both Multi Pass and Single Pass)?

Guests can purchase Lightning Lane passes for days they have valid theme park admission starting at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time on their first day of eligibility, which is 7 days in advance for onsite guests, and 3 days in advance for all others.

Do I have to buy the Lightning lane Multi Pass to get a Single Pass?

No! You do not have to buy a Multi Pass to purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass.

Can I use the Multi Pass on the same attraction more than once?

You can only use the Lightning Lane once per attraction per day (for both the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and the Lightning Lane Single Pass). For example: If you want to make a Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection for Pirates of the Caribbean, you can only use the Lightning Lane once to ride Pirates of the Caribbean on that particular day. If you want to ride it again, you’ll need to use the Standby Lane.

Can I get additional Lightning Lane Multi Passes?

Yes, you can. On the day of your visit, after you use a Lightning Lane Multi Pass OR once its arrival window has passed, you can use the My Disney Experience app to check for availability and add another Lightning Lane Multi Pass experience to your plans.

Can Lightning Lane selections run out for the day?

Both Multi Pass and Single Pass options can (and likely will) run out for the day – especially the Tier 1 options for the Multi Pass. We recommend you make your selections as SOON as your window opens.

How long are Lightning Lane return times?

The return time window for Lightning Lane selections is 1 hour. This means you can redeem your Lightning Lane selection (both Multi and Single Use Lightning Lanes) any time within this 1-hour window.

What happens if I miss my return time window?

If you miss either your Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass reservation for an attraction, that’s it for the day. You won’t be able to make another one for that particular ride.

Sometimes you’ll be given a small grace period, but that’s up to the discretion of the Cast Member.

What if you don’t have a smartphone? Can you still use Lightning Lanes?

Now more than ever guests visiting Disney parks need a smartphone, especially when it comes to accessing virtual queues, placing mobile orders, and making Lightning Lane selections.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you won’t be able to utilize the Lightning Lanes Multi or Single Pass. You cannot use it via a web browser.

But, there are still Standby and Single Rider lines that don’t require the use of a smartphone or your credit card. Unfortunately, without a smartphone, this will be your only option.