You’ll soon be able to coast through Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World and Disneyland whenever you want – but it’s not going to be cheap.
On Wednesday, the Florida and California resorts debuted a new Lightning Lane Premier Pass alongside its existing Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass. Similar to line-skipping passes at other theme parks, the new pass will allow you to enter Lightning Lane attractions without having to worry about booking them in advance. Just show up.
It’s something guests have been asking for since Genie+ debuted amid the pandemic. However, it’s not for everyone.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new pilot pass, which will work differently across Disney World and Disneyland.
What’s included with Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
Lightning Lane Premier Pass includes all the attractions currently offered with Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, formerly Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes.
Guests can use the pass to enter each applicable attraction once per day.
PhotoPass downloads are also included for the day.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Disney World
Disney World will begin piloting its Lightning Lane Premier Pass on Oct. 30 with very limited availability.
At launch, Disney World’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be available only to guests staying at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa (Disney Vacation Club) resorts. Guests of those resorts will be able to purchase Lightning Lane Premier Passes up to seven days in advance of their stay, except for the launch date, which will have no advance purchases.
Disney World’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be park specific, with different prices depending on the park and date. For now, there is no Park Hopper version of the pass.
Like park admission, the highest prices are for limited dates during the busiest time of year. Guests will be able to see pass prices 21 days in advance on a calendar in Disney World’s app.
Lightning Lane Premier Passes per person, per day:
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
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EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax
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Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax
For comparison, Universal Express passes range from $89.99 to $289.99 per person, per day at Universal Orlando Resort and start at $80 per day at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Disneyland
Disneyland will launch its Lightning Lane Premier Pass next Wednesday, Oct. 23. Typically, guests will be able to purchase the pass up to two days in advance of a park reservation, but there will be no advance booking for the start date.
Unlike at Disney World, Disneyland’s pass will be open to all guests on a first-come, first-served basis with very limited availability. Also, unlike its Florida counterpart, Disneyland’s pass will include Lightning Lane access across both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on the same day.
For the rest of 2024, Disneyland’s pass will cost $400 per person, per day. That price will be the same for both children (age 3 and up) and adults and be tax exempt.
Next year, Disneyland’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass will cost between $300 to $400 per person per day, depending on the date. This year’s price is on the high end because the pass is debuting during a peak visitation period, Halloween Time and the holidays.
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What about the other Lightning Lane passes?
Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, which rolled out this summer, aren’t going anywhere. Guests will still be able to purchase and use them like they have been.
However, you don’t need to pay anything to cut time in line at Disney parks. You can use Disneyland and Disney World’s apps to track attraction wait times and, if you’re willing to split up from your party, use single rider lines, where available, to reduce waits. You can also visit on off-peak dates, which are easy to spot on resort calendars because they have the least expensive ticket prices.
It’s also worth noting that a number of Disneyland attractions, particularly in Fantasyland, don’t have Lightning Lanes.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass audience
Lightning Lane Premier Pass won’t be for everyone, and it’s not meant to be. Rather it’s meant to add to the range of options available to guests planning Disney vacations.
As Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro told USA TODAY, “What type of hotel do I want to stay in? And we’ll have a range of hotels to choose from. What season might I choose to come and visit one of these parks? And we’ll have differentiated pricing for those seasons. How do I want to think about eating food? Do I want to go to Napa Rose, or might I want some quick service in the park so I can keep moving through the park and getting on as many attractions as I like?”
Asked about Disney’s commitment to continuing to make experiences attainable to fans, he added, “In terms of making these experiences attainable, it’s making sure that we’re addressing specifically what each consumer wants and giving them an opportunity to experience the parks or the (cruise) ships in a way that makes sense for them.”
Depending on how guests use the new Lightning Lane Premier Pass, Disney may make adjustments to it down the line.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney’s debuts new Lightning Lane Premier Pass: Details, cost
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