Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[C33Mom]

Multiple reports and YouTube videos have pointed out that “sold out” is not necessarily a final state at any given time of the day.

Playing the slots/refresh game has so far worked to get LLs for some rides that were showing as no longer available.

Yep, I appreciate Purduevian’s spot checks (and understand that people don’t want to be on their phones all day refreshing!) but it doesn’t look quite as dire as I originally thought this AM, based on one random check (no refresh) at 4:15pm, in my case.

4ish pm check because work is slow right now

Ride	Normal return time	Best return time within the 5 refreshes
Big Thunder*	8:40pm	7:45pm
Buzz	6:55pm	5:50pm
HM	9:20pm	7:35
Jungle Cruise	Sold out
Pooh	Sold out
Pirates	7:30pm	5:55pm
SM	Sold out	7:20pm
Tiana	Sold out
Frozen	Sold out
MS	Sold out	4:40pm
Remy	Sold out
MMRR	Sold out	8:25pm
MFSR	6:20pm	5:45pm
RnRC	Sold out
SDD	Sold out
TSMM*	6:40pm	4:50pm
ToT*	4:35pm
EE	2:20pm
Kali	sold out
Navi	Sold out

*2 hours ago 5 refreshes showed 0 or almost 0 available... now they all are always available, must have been a big drop

This is basically what I saw but also ToT was also available this evening and Kali is also back at 4:25.

Honestly will be way more likely to buy if there is a significant drop of T1s at/after 3PM, which makes the product far more appealing for those of us who can’t make it to their first LL before noon (for various reasons).

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I was a 7:02 booker

The pro move was to be a 7:11 booker.

 

[JAB]

The pro move was to be a 7:11 booker.

Because then, even if you didn't get the LL you wanted, you could still get a Slurpee.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

The fact that Disney brought back pre-booking due to guest feedback suggests that more guests prefer pre-booking.

Then those guests didn't understand the system ther was in place b it was far superior

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

I've missed the last 5 pages of this blog but what I'll tell you is in practice, this is worse than I though the worst case scenario would be.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

4ish pm check because work is slow right now

Ride	Normal return time	Best return time within the 5 refreshes
Big Thunder*	8:40pm	7:45pm
Buzz	6:55pm	5:50pm
HM	9:20pm	7:35
Jungle Cruise	Sold out
Pooh	Sold out
Pirates	7:30pm	5:55pm
SM	Sold out	7:20pm
Tiana	Sold out
Frozen	Sold out
MS	Sold out	4:40pm
Remy	Sold out
MMRR	Sold out	8:25pm
MFSR	6:20pm	5:45pm
RnRC	Sold out
SDD	Sold out
TSMM*	6:40pm	4:50pm
ToT*	4:35pm
EE	2:20pm
Kali	sold out
Navi	Sold out

*2 hours ago 5 refreshes showed 0 or almost 0 available... now they all are always available, must have been a big drop

Almost none of these were sold out w genie. Why does everyone support something that is vastly inferior? I just don't get it.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Genie kinda did that for you tho when you think about it

Mostly we were okay with G+, but the early days of G+ were a mess. Before the modify feature was added, G+ was terrible, and a significant downgrade from FP+.

Having used it on both slow days and on busy days, G+ on a slow day was vastly different from how G+ worked on busy days.

but then, on slow days, we can do just as many rides if we don't buy G+ at all. It just takes a little park touring strategy.

I was there the FIRST day WDW charged $35 for G+. I hope EVERYONE agrees that was a sucky thing to spring on parkgoers at 6:45am in the morning, when the previous highest price had been $29, I think.

One thing I like about the new option is that at least you know in advance what it will cost. Too late for most people to cancel, but still a few days in advance.

 

[GoofGoof]

Yep, I appreciate Purduevian’s spot checks (and understand that people don’t want to be on their phones all day refreshing!) but it doesn’t look quite as dire as I originally thought this AM, based on one random check (no refresh) at 4:15pm, in my case.

This is basically what I saw but also ToT was also available this evening and Kali is also back at 4:25.

Honestly will be way more likely to buy if there is a significant drop of T1s at/after 3PM, which makes the product far more appealing for those of us who can’t make it to their first LL before noon (for various reasons).

Yeah, early indications are that it won’t be much different for power users who have a good feel for the drop times. Even if rides “sell out“ in pre-booking more reservations will drop just like Genie+. Still too soon to judge fully since they are still adjusting the system, but if they are holding back capacity for operational reasons as a cushion the availability should eventually get better. The only thing that could potentially hurt this system is its early positive reviews. The more people who buy the less capacity available so could be a victim of its own success.

 

[C33Mom]

Yeah, early indications are that it won’t be much different for power users who have a good feel for the drop times. Even if rides “sell out“ in pre-booking more reservations will drop just like Genie+. Still too soon to judge fully since they are still adjusting the system, but if they are holding back capacity for operational reasons as a cushion the availability should eventually get better. The only thing that could potentially hurt this system is its early positive reviews. The more people who buy the less capacity available so could be a victim of its own success.

One thing that shocks me as I keep checking back is how short the waits are for most rides right now. FEA at 35, Remy at 30, Soarin at 5 right now… I’ve waited substantially longer than that IN lightening lanes for all of those rides (maybe not quite 30 for FEA). Over at DHS, Tower of Terror is 13(?) minutes, TSMM is 20 and most other rides are closed.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

One thing that shocks me as I keep checking back is how short the waits are for most rides right now. FEA at 35, Remy at 30, Soarin at 5 right now… I’ve waited substantially longer than that IN lightening lanes for all of those rides (maybe not quite 30 for FEA). Over at DHS, Tower of Terror is 13(?) minutes, TSMM is 20 and most other rides are closed.

I agree. I have to wonder if it’s really that much quieter than even a couple weeks ago, or if part of the reason for sparse availability throughout the day is even less capacity being dedicated to the LLs. Reports of the LLs themselves being very quiet seem to back that as well.

On the other hand, there’s tons of attractions down right now looks like it must be weather. Maybe rain is playing a role tonight.

 

[easyrowrdw]

I've missed the last 5 pages of this blog but what I'll tell you is in practice, this is worse than I though the worst case scenario would be.

You used it? What happened?

 

[C33Mom]

I agree. I have to wonder if it’s really that much quieter than even a couple weeks ago, or if part of the reason for sparse availability throughout the day is even less capacity being dedicated to the LLs. Reports of the LLs themselves being very quiet seem to back that as well.

On the other hand, there’s tons of attractions down right now looks like it must be weather. Maybe rain is playing a role tonight.

Agree that weather is a factor—but I would still expect the limited (entirely indoor line) rides remaining open would have much longer waits.

 

[Purduevian]

Almost none of these were sold out w genie. Why does everyone support something that is vastly inferior? I just don't get it.

Again you are not comparing apples to apples here. LLMP availability at 4pm is for people who already have 2 better LLs booked between 4pm and park close, this is picking up a 3rd one.

vs

G+ at 4pm people were either picking up their only LL between 4pm and park close, or had not used any LLs in the morning in order to stack

Stacking is dead btw and something tells me that's by design.

 

[Heelz2315]

What do the times look like at 7AM a week out for resort guests?

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

If anyone is booking 7 days out, please keep posting your experience! My 7 day window opens August 10th. Once hours are updated this Friday, I plan to start doing daily plans

 

[Heelz2315]

If anyone is booking 7 days out, please keep posting your experience! My 7 day window opens August 10th. Once hours are updated this Friday, I plan to start doing daily plans

That's exactly what I'd like to see. My trip is coming up in November. Please post updates if you would.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

That's exactly what I'd like to see. My trip is coming up in November. Please post updates if you would.

I definitely will post my experience. I *think* we are only going to purchase multi pass for MK and DHS. I’m still on the fence for the single pass options. We will only be a party of 2 for this trip so it will be a little easier to just the cost.

 

[raysum]

I definitely will post my experience. I *think* we are only going to purchase multi pass for MK and DHS. I’m still on the fence for the single pass options. We will only be a party of 2 for this trip so it will be a little easier to just the cost.

We were a party of 2 last week. I only got G+ for MK. G+ was not needed for Ep or AK. We didn't go to DHS

 

[Heelz2315]

From the video's I've seen on YT the further out you book the better the selections are. I hope that to be true.

 

[Saskdw]

Yeah, early indications are that it won’t be much different for power users who have a good feel for the drop times. Even if rides “sell out“ in pre-booking more reservations will drop just like Genie+. Still too soon to judge fully since they are still adjusting the system, but if they are holding back capacity for operational reasons as a cushion the availability should eventually get better. The only thing that could potentially hurt this system is its early positive reviews. The more people who buy the less capacity available so could be a victim of its own success.

They also need to be careful how much they hold back from pre-booking.

If resort guests booking 7 days out can't get what they want people will be calling screaming at them wanting to cancel their reservations.