Lightning Lane Single and MultiPass Explainer

One of our most popular pieces of content is our infographic that explains Lightning Lanes. However, if one thing is true about Walt Disney World, it is that things can change fast. One might say... at the speed of lightning.

With the changes last week to the Lightning Lane system, we have updated our explainer with the updated information about Lightning Lane MultiPass and SinglePass. Please note: This information applies to guests of Walt Disney World.

In summary, while lightning lane remains the phrase Disney uses for the faster line option compared to the regular standby line, they are using new terminology for how these are obtained. Gone is the reference to Genie+. Everything is now just accessible from the MyDisneyExperience (MDE) app, the same app you would use to book advance dining reservations, mobile order food, or see current wait times using the tip board.

If wishing to use Lightning Lanes for MOST rides that have a lightning lane queue, guests may purchase Lightning Lane MultiPass access. This access allows guests to hold 3 lightning lane return times at a time. Depending on a guest's ticket type, guests can book these return times 3-7 days in advance. Some parks use a tier system which this explainer doesn't go into, but check out last week's blog for information. You are purchasing ACCESS to book lightning lanes for these rides, not the lightning lane itself. Once you have ACCESS, there is no additional cost for each of these type of lightning lane. Access to book multipass rides has been ranging in cost from $15-$30 per person per day. Costs range depending on the park and the crowd levels. Once you use a multipass lightning lane, you can book another, subject to availability. There is no limit to how many of these you can book in the course of a day, beyond the limit of availability.

The other option is Lightning Lane SinglePass. You do not need MultiPass access to book these. The most popular 1-2 rides per park charge separately for access to their lightning lanes. For example, right now, TRON at the Magic Kingdom uses SinglePass. You can NOT access the TRON lightning lane through your MultiPass access. You must purchase a specific SINGLEPASS for TRON. The cost of a SinglePass ranges from $12-$25 per person per ride. You can only have one SinglePass per ride per day, and can have a maximum of two SinglePasses for two different rides in one day. Some rides that offer SinglePass access also have either a standby line or use a virtual queue. When available, these are free options to ride the ride, however they do result in longer wait times than a Lightning Lane.

Here's an example of a plan at the beginning of a touring day using both of these systems:

Park: EPCOT

• Rope drop Remy (meaning, as soon as the park opens, head to Remy before a substantial line can form)

• Purchase Lightning Lane SinglePass for Guardians of the Galaxy (the other option is to join the virtual queue for this ride, but I like that lightning lane moves faster, and I can choose what time I will ride)

• Purchase Lightning Lane MultiPass and use my 3 pre-bookings to schedule:

  • Soarin' (tier 1)

  • Spaceship Earth (tier 2)

  • Living with the Land (tier 2)

• After using Soarin' (or whichever of those rides is first) look for availability for other rides and take them as available and as they work into my plans

Using the system to it's fullest capability, this guarantees I will ride the 4-5 most desired rides I want without waiting in a huge line. However, it will also cost me about $40-$50 a person given I'd be buying both SinglePass for Guardians of the Galaxy, and MultiPass access.

Another option is to spend nothing additional beyond my park ticket, though it risks more lines. Here's what that might look like:

Park: EPCOT

• Attempt to join virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy at 7am. If I don't get it, I have another chance to try at 1pm.

• Rope drop Remy

• Head immediately to Spaceship Earth (10 min wait)

• Head immediately to Livin' with the Land (30-45 min wait.... all the people who rope dropped Soarin' may be in line for this)

• Wait to ride Soarin' until about an hour before park closing, otherwise chance a 45-70 minute line. Lines tend to go down about an hour before closing and the wait time for Soarin' will look something like 20-40 min.

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We hope our updated infographic, context, and examples help to understand this new system. The real test of the system will be in the coming week, as people experience the up to 7 day lead time of prebooking their MultiPass return times and we see what impact that has on availability.

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