👉 Jump to: Video | Disney Pass History | Multi Pass Overview | Single Pass Overview | When to Purchase | How to Purchase | FAQs
In true Disney fashion, another major change is coming to the Disney World theme parks. Disney’s newest “skip the line” system – Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass – started on July 24, 2024.
As an Orlando native and former Disney cast member, I have seen every iteration of FastPasses and Lightning Lanes. While I wish the service was free like it used to be, I love how easy to use the Lightning Lane Multi Pass is.
Read on to learn all about the new pass and plan your Disney World itinerary in advance.
Watch My Video Guide
Lightning Lane Multi Pass Overview
To start, Lightning Lanes are “skip the line” reservations. Instead of waiting in a traditional standby queue for an attraction, guests with Lightning Lanes can return within their allotted one-hour window and use an expedited line. The wait time in a Lightning Lane is not guaranteed to be zero, but it is immensely shorter than the standard queue.
The Lightning Lane Multi Pass allows guests to make three Lightning Lane selections in advance. On the day of their park visit, they can make additional selections after using their first (and each subsequent) Lightning Lane. If using a Park Hopper ticket, guests can add Lightning Lanes at another park after using their first Lightning Lane.
With the new system, guests can see what attractions and return times are available before choosing if they want to purchase the Multi Pass.
Disney hotel guests (including Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shade of Green guests) can purchase the Multi Pass and make Lightning Lane selections 7 days before their first park visit. They will also be able to make selections for park visits for the length of their stay, up to 14 days.
All other park guests can purchase the Lightning Lane Multi Pass and make selections 3 days ahead of their park visit. Check out my guide to where to stay near Disney World if you haven’t yet selected a hotel.
Digital downloads of select attraction photos are included with the Multi Pass.
Prices for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass will vary by park, day of the week, and season. Since the Multi Pass debuted, prices have ranged from $15 to $30+ per day. Typically, Animal Kingdom is the cheapest and Magic Kingdom is the most expensive.
Available Attractions
Not all attractions offer Lightning Lanes. For example, character meet and greets that were included in Genie+ are not included in the Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Additionally, the attractions with Lightning Lane Single Passes (typically the most popular attraction at the park) are not included with the Multi Pass.
Like the old FastPass+ system, top attractions at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot are separated into an “elite tier” (my name for it, not Disney’s). Only one Lightning Lane from these attractions can be pre-selected per day.The remaining two selections (or all three) can be chosen from the rest of the attractions.
Animal Kingdom does not have an “elite tier” of attractions. Other than Avatar Flight of Passage, which is only available as a Lightning Lane Single Pass, the following attractions are available on the Multi Pass.
Lightning Lane Single Pass Overview
The Lightning Lane Single Passes are replacing the individual or a la carte Lightning Lanes. Guests can purchase up to two Single Passes per day. You can also purchase a Multi Pass and Single Pass on the same day.
Single Passes are offered for the most popular attractions at each park:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
- TRON Lightcycle / Run (Magic Kingdom)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Hollywood Studios)
- Avatar Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)
Lightning Lane Single Passes vary in cost based on the date and attraction. Typical prices range from $10-$25 per pass.
When You Can Purchase Lightning Lane Passes
Guests staying at a Disney resort hotel (including Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green guests) can purchase Lighting Lane Multi Passes and Lightning Lane Single Passes 7 days ahead of their park visit, beginning at 7 am. Additionally, they can purchase Lightning Lane passes for the duration of their trip, up to 14 days.
All other guests can purchase passes and make their Lightning Lane selections 3 days in advance.
This is a big perk for guests staying at Disney resort hotels. It is not uncommon for popular attractions to fill all their Lightning Lane reservations before the 3-day purchase window opens for non-Disney hotel guests.
Valid theme park admission and park reservations (when applicable) are required to purchase Lightning Lane passes.
How to Purchase Lightning Lane Passes
The pass purchasing experience is very easy to use on the My Disney Experience app.
Lightning Lane passes are available to purchase on the My Disney Experience app home page. Make sure that your group has valid admission on their accounts. Everyone should be connected as “Friends & Family” on the My Disney Experience app before selecting Lightning Lanes.
Select your date and which passes you would like to purchase. You can only choose one Multi Pass and up to two Single Passes per day. Then, select the members of your party that you are purchasing the passes for.
Before finalizing your purchase, you will be able to make your three advanced Lightning Lane selections (or Single Pass return times). You have 5 minutes to modify your return times and attractions prior to purchasing.
Hotel guests with multi-day tickets can then select additional days for their passes.
Up until you redeem your first Lightning Lane, you will be able to modify the park and attractions (as available).
👉 Read More: These are my favorite things to do at Disney World
History of FastPass / Lightning Lanes
For 28 years, guests visiting Walt Disney World could only wait in traditional standby lines for the attractions. That all changed when Disney introduced the original FastPass system in 1999.This added a “skip the line” option for many rides.
Many Disney fans fondly remember the old paper FastPasses. Kiosks were placed outside the attractions and guests would insert their park tickets to receive printed FastPasses with return times. After two hours, you were able to procure another FastPass. The FastPasses were free with park admission, but it wasn’t uncommon for popular attractions to run out of passes early in the day.
In late 2013 – early 2014, Disney World phased out the paper FastPass system while rolling out their new My Disney Experience app and Magic Band system. With the new app came FastPass+, a free, digital replacement for the paper FastPass system.
FastPass+ allowed guests to make advanced reservations (60 days ahead for Disney hotel guests and 30 days ahead for everyone else) from their phone or computer. Instead of being assigned the next available return time, the app allowed guests to choose their preferred times, when available.
Like the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass, FastPass+ utilized a tier system. Guests were not able to select multiple “top attractions” each day. They were able to make additional FastPass selections after their original selections were used.
When Disney World shut down operations in March 2020 due to the pandemic, we did not know that it would also be the end of FastPass+. When the parks reopened in July, FastPass+ was suspended due to the decreased park capacities.
In October 2021, Disney officially replaced the suspended FastPass+ system with Genie+. The most notable change was that it was no longer free to make selections. Additionally, the FastPass lines were renamed Lightning Lanes.
Genie+ could only be purchased the day of and only one Lightning Lane selection could be made at a time, starting at 7 am. The cost started at $7 per person per day in 2021. By its final days in July 2024, Genie+ could be over $30 per person on the busiest days.
Several top attractions were excluded from Genie+ and only made available as individual Lightning Lanes. These cost between $7 and $25 per person (for a single ride!!).
On July 24, 2024, Disney World retired Genie+ and introduced the Lightning Lane Multi Pass. It is a mix between the FastPass+ and Genie+ systems.
Tips for Using the Lightning Lane Multi Pass
#1 – Get (At Least) 1 Early Return Time
When using the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can make another Lightning Lane selection after using each return time. If you only have afternoon return times, you’ll have to wait until then to make additional selections. I recommend getting at least one early return time, even if it is not one of your top attractions.
#2 – Skip Less Popular Attractions
When making your advanced selections, knowing which attractions rarely sell out until the day of and generally have shorter wait times is helpful. For example, most shows are almost always available for day-of Lightning Lane selections, so skip these when making your advanced selections. This chart can help you see the average times that Lightning Lanes are selling out.
Some attractions that usually have a short wait time and don’t sell out of Lightning Lanes include: It’s Tough to Be a Bug! at Animal Kingdom; Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Living with the Land, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot; Star Tours at Hollywood Studios; and Mad Tea Party, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, and Magic Carpets of Aladdin at Magic Kingdom.
#3 – Refresh on the App
If you have been unsuccessful in getting a Lightning Lane for your desired attraction, keep refreshing on the My Disney Experience app. The app will periodically drop additional return times for some attractions throughout the day. Additionally, people will give up or change their return times as their plans change.
FAQs about Lightning Lane Passes
Are attractions available for both the Multi Pass and Single Passes?
No, if an attraction has a Single Pass option, it will not be available on the Multi Pass. The most popular attractions have Lightning Lane Single Passes and most others are available for the Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
Can I get multiple Lightning Lanes for the same attraction?
No, Lightning Lanes (Multi Pass or Single Pass) can only be used once per attraction per day.
Can the Lightning Lane Multi Pass be used at multiple parks on the same day?
Yes, with valid Park Hopper tickets, the Lightning Lane Multi Pass can be used at multiple parks per day. However, you must make your advanced selections for a single park. After redeeming your first Lightning Lane of the day, you can then make another selection at another park or your current park.
Does my group all have to do the same attractions on the Multi Pass?
No, when you create your travel party and make advanced Lightning Lane selections on the My Disney Experience, everyone will be selected for the same attractions. Once you’ve completed purchasing the passes and making your selections, you can then modify the attractions and which members of your party are riding each.
Do I need to purchase Lightning Lane passes for my trip?
Purchasing a Lightning Lane pass is subjective. I don’t use Lightning Lane Single Passes because I believe a short wait on a single attraction is not worth the cost of the pass (but it might be for you). Depending on the time of year and park you are visiting, the Multi Pass may be a good option to optimize your time and ride as many attractions as possible.
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I am a huge fan of the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system! Are you planning on using it during your next trip to Walt Disney World?
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