Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Gran Fiesta]

In Holiday Season you say?...without G+ and LL+ you say?

Err.... genuinely.... Dont bother going!! If you refuse G+ or LL+ at a very busy time of year then prepare yourself to get on about 5 rides all day..and a full day at that..park open to park close.

You say about all the time it takes getting G+ and LL+..and while yes it can be annoying..LL+ you can book when the park opens...and seeing as you can only buy 2 a day, you won't need to look for anymore through the day. Yes G+ will be slightly worse, bit let's be honest, by the time you've scanned into your 2nd G+ you'll be looking at evening for the 3rd G+

If you desperately don't want to do both then I'd recommend definitely doing two LL+...at least that way you're guaranteed 2 headliners..

Maybe I should provide more details, we are going the last couple days of November and the first week of December when it generally has lower crowds since it is in between the Thanksgiving and Christmas crowds (of course I know that there are pretty much no slow seasons anymore). Also, we always rope drop every morning and always take the first bus from the resort so we will get the headliners we want from rope drop anyways. I was just wondering if the headache of Genie+ would even be worth it to someone like us who rope drop the big rides and then doesn't care to wait in line for some of the middle rides later on the day. Plus we have been to Disney during Holiday Season before and saying only getting on 5 rides all day is a pretty big exaggeration unless you only arrive at the parks at 11:00 am or something.

 

[jmp85]

We are going in December and not planning on purchasing Genie+, I'm assuming you guys didn't have to wait for a long time in lines without Genie+ if you plan it right? I'm thinking that when we go we won't miss having Genie+ and the time spent looking at my phone trying to get a Lightening Lane I could use to enjoy my surroundings and enjoy the queues. Much better use of my time in my opinion because I don't want to look at my phone all day.

Yeah, it's completely manageable by either rope dropping or staying until close. One trip we had the most success staying late (although we normally rope drop). The most recent trip we splurged for AKL and took advantage of the evening extra magic hours and were able to walk onto pretty much everything in the park.

 

[pdude81]

Maybe I should provide more details, we are going the last couple days of November and the first week of December when it generally has lower crowds since it is in between the Thanksgiving and Christmas crowds (of course I know that there are pretty much no slow seasons anymore). Also, we always rope drop every morning and always take the first bus from the resort so we will get the headliners we want from rope drop anyways. I was just wondering if the headache of Genie+ would even be worth it to someone like us who rope drop the big rides and then doesn't care to wait in line for some of the middle rides later on the day. Plus we have been to Disney during Holiday Season before and saying only getting on 5 rides all day is a pretty big exaggeration unless you only arrive at the parks at 11:00 am or something.

Last couple days of Nov is Thanksgiving. Underestimate at your own risk

 

[nickys]

LL+ would be OK with your plan...but if you turn up to the park at 3pm you'll find your second G+ will be late in the evening..and after that, you'll have no choices left....other than maybe Dumbo..lol

Except they would be able to book their first at 7am, then at 11am, 1pm, 3pm etc. So by the time they arrive in the park they would have 4 stacked up. And if they’re lucky and got them all around 3-4pm they could start booking again once they’ve ridden them all.

 

[Thepuma]

Maybe I should provide more details, we are going the last couple days of November and the first week of December when it generally has lower crowds since it is in between the Thanksgiving and Christmas crowds (of course I know that there are pretty much no slow seasons anymore). Also, we always rope drop every morning and always take the first bus from the resort so we will get the headliners we want from rope drop anyways. I was just wondering if the headache of Genie+ would even be worth it to someone like us who rope drop the big rides and then doesn't care to wait in line for some of the middle rides later on the day. Plus we have been to Disney during Holiday Season before and saying only getting on 5 rides all day is a pretty big exaggeration unless you only arrive at the parks at 11:00 am or something.

1) last year we went for 2 weeks...end of nivember/start of December - it was very VERY busy. The busiest I've seen DW in any of my other 10 visits throughout the year.

2) The 5 rides I quoted you'd get without Genie+ were obviously the decent attractions....not including the silly ones that are almost walk on....lets say you do Holywood studios without G+ or LL+

Let's say for argument sake you rope drop RotR, as a non resort guest you will wait at least an hour, maybe 90 mins...you come off that and go on SR...again..another 90 minute wait, possibly shorter. By this time you're thinking about lunch..another hour taken away (if you're lucky to get a reservation or a table)...youre in early afternoon and go for MnMRR...another 90 minutes..then ToT - 2 hours (maybe less if they have finished the refurb and all 4 lifts are in use...so by this time it's late afternoon and you go for SDD...another 90 minute to 2 hour wait at the time of year youre going.

So that's your 5...which you'll do by around 7 or 8pm

I normally visit orlando from the UK every year January, May and September....we changed last years to late November and we could bot believe how busy the parks were...and we thought the same, get in before the Xmas holidays but no, it was manic.

We asked a few Americans why it was so busy even though the holiday season hadn't really started and kids would be at school...the answers we got were..".in America we wind down early for Xmas and the schools do too so we just take out kids out of school as there's not kuchen going on anyway."

Don't know how true that it but I got that from 3 families I spoke to.

But back to your point...I stand by my prediction that you may only get on 5 rides without any G+ or LL+....but you may get lucky and get 6 or 7.

But from my experience last November/December, without G+ and LL1+ I would not have bothered going as I worked out the queue saving times with G+ and would have only got on 5 rides on our Hollywood studios days

 

[Thepuma]

Except they would be able to book their first at 7am, then at 11am, 1pm, 3pm etc. So by the time they arrive in the park they would have 4 stacked up. And if they’re lucky and got them all around 3-4pm they could start booking again once they’ve ridden them all.

Might be wrong here, but I don't think on the present system that you can stack 4 rides on G+ - the most I've ever stacked is 2......but have had 2 LL+ as well , but never 4.

 

[mikejs78]

Might be wrong here, but I don't think on the present system that you can stack 4 rides on G+ - the most I've ever stacked is 2......but have had 2 LL+ as well , but never 4.

You absolutely can stack more than 2 - I know of people who have stacked 4-5 at MK for the afternoon/evening.

You could theoretically stack at 7, 11, 1, 3, and 5 and have five evening rides at MK.

 

[dreday3]

You absolutely can stack more than 2 - I know of people who have stacked 4-5 at MK for the afternoon/evening.

You could theoretically stack at 7, 11, 1, 3, and 5 and have five evening rides at MK.

We will try it at MK and may try it for DHS too. Staying at Beach Club so I figure I'll wake up at 7 and try for Slinky which would probably get us a later time, then see what I can get 2 hours later for an afternoon time and so on.

Since we can walk over whenever, we can be pretty flexible about arrival time, but thought we'd spend morning lounging around pool, stack some rides for later!

 

[Jeff4272]

In Holiday Season you say?...without G+ and LL+ you say?

Err.... genuinely.... Dont bother going!! If you refuse G+ or LL+ at a very busy time of year then prepare yourself to get on about 5 rides all day..and a full day at that..park open to park close.

You say about all the time it takes getting G+ and LL+..and while yes it can be annoying..LL+ you can book when the park opens...and seeing as you can only buy 2 a day, you won't need to look for anymore through the day. Yes G+ will be slightly worse, bit let's be honest, by the time you've scanned into your 2nd G+ you'll be looking at evening for the 3rd G+

If you desperately don't want to do both then I'd recommend definitely doing two LL+...at least that way you're guaranteed 2 headliners..

Sounds like what you're saying is the system doesn't work when it's busy

The exact opposite thing its supposed to do

So you pay for something that is expensive, cumbersome, ineffective, stressful and makes you wake up early every morning

Sounds like Disney nailed it! (in revenues)

 

[Jeff4272]

Except they would be able to book their first at 7am, then at 11am, 1pm, 3pm etc. So by the time they arrive in the park they would have 4 stacked up. And if they’re lucky and got them all around 3-4pm they could start booking again once they’ve ridden them all.

During Thanksgiving week there will be no decent LL left at 11am, especially at HS abd AK and likely at Epcot (busier than normal w GoG opening).........

not worth purchasing

 

[dreday3]

During Thanksgiving week there will be no decent LL left at 11am, especially at HS abd AK and likely at Epcot (busier than normal w GoG opening).........

not worth purchasing

That was in reference to my question I think. We aren't going during any holiday, going late April.

 

[mmascari]

You absolutely can stack more than 2 - I know of people who have stacked 4-5 at MK for the afternoon/evening.

You could theoretically stack at 7, 11, 1, 3, and 5 and have five evening rides at MK.

As our trip get's closer, I've been thinking about this. Right now, I've planned our first park and reservations, assuming we would resort at lunch time and then hop in the evening to a random park based on how we feel.

However, I'm wondering if it would be better to plan a more strict second park and do all LL reservations at the second park instead of the reserved one. Hit the reserved park as early as possible standby only, and then be on a more strict evening park plan. I suppose we could still pick the evening park the day before or at 7:00 AM day of, which is less planning than the reservation now. This way, all the choices presented are always after 2:00 PM.

We dislike the weeks/months out planning are much more of a day before group.

 

[Thepuma]

You absolutely can stack more than 2 - I know of people who have stacked 4-5 at MK for the afternoon/evening.

You could theoretically stack at 7, 11, 1, 3, and 5 and have five evening rides at MK.

When I went a couple of weeks ago I sort of tried this but to book my next G+ I had to have scanned in on my first G+. to book another one.

I think it was Hollywood studios..where I knew I wouldn't be getting into the park till late morning so I grabbed a G+ for Slinky at 4pm....I then booked one once the park opened for Millenium Falcon at 1pm....I tried to book another but it said I had to use my 1pm G+ before I could book another.

 

[Thepuma]

As our trip get's closer, I've been thinking about this. Right now, I've planned our first park and reservations, assuming we would resort at lunch time and then hop in the evening to a random park based on how we feel.

However, I'm wondering if it would be better to plan a more strict second park and do all LL reservations at the second park instead of the reserved one. Hit the reserved park as early as possible standby only, and then be on a more strict evening park plan. I suppose we could still pick the evening park the day before or at 7:00 AM day of, which is less planning than the reservation now. This way, all the choices presented are always after 2:00 PM.

We dislike the weeks/months out planning are much more of a day before group.

I did this a number of times...we would be in MK for instance and would specifically book FoP for 8pm when it was dark as we like the feel of the Pandora area when it's dark...it also guaranteed a headliner late on to look forward to and plan towards.

 

[Jeff4272]

As our trip get's closer, I've been thinking about this. Right now, I've planned our first park and reservations, assuming we would resort at lunch time and then hop in the evening to a random park based on how we feel.

However, I'm wondering if it would be better to plan a more strict second park and do all LL reservations at the second park instead of the reserved one. Hit the reserved park as early as possible standby only, and then be on a more strict evening park plan. I suppose we could still pick the evening park the day before or at 7:00 AM day of, which is less planning than the reservation now. This way, all the choices presented are always after 2:00 PM.

We dislike the weeks/months out planning are much more of a day before group.

I think this is an excellent strategy, especially if you are hopping to Epcot........Stack Epcot rides, mix in a reservation at Le Cellier, catch harmonious and rope drop HS and do ROTR/ToT/RnR

 

[nickys]

When I went a couple of weeks ago I sort of tried this but to book my next G+ I had to have scanned in on my first G+. to book another one.

I think it was Hollywood studios..where I knew I wouldn't be getting into the park till late morning so I grabbed a G+ for Slinky at 4pm....I then booked one once the park opened for Millenium Falcon at 1pm....I tried to book another but it said I had to use my 1pm G+ before I could book another.

So you booked one pre park opening for Slinky.

The next time you could have booked one was 2 hrs after DHS opened. That must have been when you booked Millenium Falcon for 1pm. Assuming DHS opened at 9am, that would have been at around 11am.

So the time of your booking would be around 1pm, which happened to be the time of your LL so you had to use it first.

But it is possible to book later return times if they come up, so with a 9am opening, you can book at:

pre-opening for an LL at 4pm
11am (2 hrs after park opening) for an LL at 3:30pm
1pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 4:45pm
3pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 5:10pm

Then you’d start riding them, and at 5:10pm you could book the 5th LL.

 

[Jeff4272]

So you booked one pre park opening for Slinky.

The next time you could have booked one was 2 hrs after DHS opened. That must have been when you booked Millenium Falcon for 1pm. Assuming DHS opened at 9am, that would have been at around 11am.

So the time of your booking would be around 1pm, which happened to be the time of your LL so you had to use it first.

But it is possible to book later return times if they come up, so with a 9am opening, you can book at:

pre-opening for an LL at 4pm
11am (2 hrs after park opening) for an LL at 3:30pm
1pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 4:45pm
3pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 5:10pm

Then you’d start riding them, and at 5:10pm you could book the 5th LL.

That's if there are that many rides available........

On a somewhat busy day, my guess is 11am your best bet would be a TSMM or A$$ LL availability and thats it..........forget about 1pm, there will def be nothing then

SDD, MFSR, MMRR, ToT, RnR will all be gone before 11am


for eg, today is one of the slowest days of the year and ToT, SDD have been gone for a while and ROTR ILL' were gone before park opening

 

[Thepuma]

So you booked one pre park opening for Slinky.

The next time you could have booked one was 2 hrs after DHS opened. That must have been when you booked Millenium Falcon for 1pm. Assuming DHS opened at 9am, that would have been at around 11am.

So the time of your booking would be around 1pm, which happened to be the time of your LL so you had to use it first.

But it is possible to book later return times if they come up, so with a 9am opening, you can book at:

pre-opening for an LL at 4pm
11am (2 hrs after park opening) for an LL at 3:30pm
1pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 4:45pm
3pm (2 hrs after booking the last one) for an LL at 5:10pm

Then you’d start riding them, and at 5:10pm you could book the 5th LL.

I guess the problem is going to be...at 1pm, what decent rides are going to available for 4.45pm? (Not much till early evening) Same with your 3pm..what will be available at 5.10pm? (Nothing of worth till real late, if at all)

When I went last Nov/Dec, by 3pm there was nothing of worth left for the rest of the day.

Depends how busy the park is I guess. But from my experience of early December last year, after 2 or 3pm Genie was pretty useless unless you enjoy the Barnstormer or similar.

 

[nickys]

I guess the problem is going to be...at 1pm, what decent rides are going to available for 4.45pm? (Not much till early evening) Same with your 3pm..what will be available at 5.10pm? (Nothing of worth till real late, if at all)

When I went last Nov/Dec, by 3pm there was nothing of worth left for the rest of the day.

Depends how busy the park is I guess. But from my experience of early December last year, after 2 or 3pm Genie was pretty useless unless you enjoy the Barnstormer or similar.

If you’re park hopping the times automatically adjust to after 2pm. So booking at 8am, 11am and 1pm will automatically give you times after 2pm.
And by refreshing a few times different return times pop up. It does seem that they try to spread people out.

 

[Smooth]