Just Press Go Travel

Buckle up everyone! Walt Disney World is changing the game again!

When I started on my travel advisor journey, I started drafting a blog post titled “Genie, Genie+, Lightning Lanes, Oh My!” with the intent to educate clients, potential clients, or just those on the interwebs about Walt Disney World and Disneyland’s “expedited queue” system. But writing is not my forte. I never perfected what I wanted to say in the blog post. Other blogs were posted. I put off writing the blog so long…that it no longer applies and will never get published and see the light of day. 

Sorry former self for the time I spent writing it and never actually sharing it.

On the bright side…. Disney is changing things up for what seems like the better as of July 24, 2024! Will this be seamless on day 1? To be determined. Will it be a better experience overall? We can dream! Does it add yet another date to set an alarm before your Disney vacation? YOU BETCHA. Is this another reason to hire your friendly travel advisor Melanie at Just Press Go Travel? ABSOLUTELY. (Of course this was going to lead to a shameless self-plug…you’re on my travel site).

Let’s dive into ALL THINGS TO AVOID STANDING IN THE STANDARD QUEUE AT DISNEY RESORTS!

Three Things to Start:

• Disney used to have something called FastPass. The new system is essentially FastPass 3.0, if that helps give you an idea of what we’re going to be reviewing.
• You will need to download the My Disney Experience App to your phone. Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California each have their own app.
• YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS TO HAVE A GREAT DISNEY VACATION!

Disney Genie

Disney Genie is a FREE tool in the My Disney Experience App with two components.

1. My Day: Allows guests to see all booked theme park plans for the day in one place, and to get personalized recommendations customized to your group’s preferences.
2. Tip Board: View estimated wait times, mobile order food, make dining reservations, and request to join an available virtual queue.

Disney Genie exists in the Disneyland App and the Walt Disney World App. Guests must use the official app of the resort to leverage Genie, Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and Lightning Lane Single Pass.

Lightning Lane Multi Pass

The idea of Lightning Lane Multi Pass is that you are paying for the opportunity to reserve a space in line for an attraction for a time later in the day allowing you to go on other rides, meet characters, watch a parade, grab a meal – do anything other than stand in a long line for one ride. When it is your reservation time, you enter the queue via the Lightning Lane for, in theory, a shorter line before boarding the ride or attraction. 

Overview:

• This is an INCREMENTAL, dynamic cost. Disney Lightning Lane Multi Pass must be purchased and is used to make Lightning Lane reservations. The cost for Lightning Lane Multi Pass varies by park and by day, at least historically. (This is new and subject to change)
• You can make Lightning Lane reservations for each eligible ride once a day.

Booking Lightning Lanes:

• Guests staying on property at Walt Disney World can make their first 3 Lightning Lane reservations for each park day for their entire trip beginning at 7 am Eastern, 7 days prior to their check-in date. For example, if you are checking into a Walt Disney World resort on the 10^th and have park days planned on the 11^th, 12^th, and 14^th, you can book three reservations for each day beginning at 7 am EST on the 3^rd. Park guests not staying on property can start making Lighting Lane reservations beginning at park opening the day of. (Note: For Disneyland, guests cannot start making Lightning Lane reservations until they are in the park, no advance reservations are allowed.)
• All rides eligible for Lightning Lane Multi Pass are split in to two tiers, Group 1 and Group 2. When making reservations prior to your park day, you can choose (1) Group 1 ride and (2) Group 2 rides.
• Guests can book their next Lightning Lane either 2 hours after park opening OR after they scan into the attraction for their first Lightning Lane, whichever comes first (for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort).
• Guests can only book one Lightning Lane at a time while at the park – but guests can “stack” Lightning Lanes, e.g. booking evening return times when making selections at 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, etc.

Additional Insights:

• Per Disney, “Guests can enter 2 to 3 attractions or experiences per day using Lightning Lane entrances if the first selection is made earlier in the day.”
• Includes digital downloads of select on ride photos from Disney Photopass.
• Disneyland Resort Lightning Lane Multi Pass includes Disney Photopass for any photos taken by Photopass Cast Members and all on ride photos.
• If you have young children that may not be able to stand in lines for an hour or more to ride an attraction, I highly recommend purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass to help make life easier.

Lightning Lane Single Pass

Lightning Lane Single Pass is paying to reserve your space in line for one ride. Each park has at least one Lightning Lane Single Pass for purchase. Pricing is dynamic and can change from day to day based on anticipated crowds.

• These rides are not available on Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
• Purchase up to 2 single passes per day, subject to availability.
• Guests of a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels may make their first purchase at 7:00 am EST 7 days prior to check-in for the duration of their trip. All other Guests may make their first purchase at 7 am EST 3 days prior to their park day at Walt Disney World.
• Guests at Disneyland Resort can purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass once they are in the parks for the day.
• Each experience’s Lightning Lane entrance is available once per day, per Guest—free standby queues are also available for most attractions. The exception to the free standby queue are those that offer Virtual Queues: Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT) and Tron (Magic Kingdom).

*Attractions with Lightning Lane entrances may vary by date, are subject to change or closure, are limited in availability and are not guaranteed and may not be available at all on the date of your visit or at the time you make a selection. Price, terms and entitlements are subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice.

Conclusion

Please remember bullet number three from way above – you do not have to do any of this to have a great vacation.

If you would like more information, would like a personal training session, and/or are ready to book your Disney vacation, reach out to melanie@simplyperfectvacations.com