Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

mikejs78

Well-Known Member
I've always had a chuckle about avoiding wait times by going an waiting an hour before park opening. But, it still has value, especially if you are an early riser. For one, those 60 minutes are not eating into park operating hours. Whereas if you went into the line even right at park opening you'd be waiting in line for 90-120 minutes and lose that time to do other things. Second, Our family also goes in the summer, so waiting in the early morning hours is a little more tolerable weather wise.
That's exactly it. Waiting at Rope Drop is still waiting, but it's not losing out on doing other things.
 

Jeff4272

Well-Known Member
Well it is. If you have to start waiting at 8;30 for the park to open at 930. That's already a 60 minute wait right there.
They open the park usually by 9am for 9:30 early entry (and some times before that)

So by getting in line at 8:30 and waiting between 15-30 minutes, it can save you up to 3 hours on a busy day
 
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gerarar

Premium Member
Hi, everyone, I signed up here because Genie+ is overwhelming me. I have many questions, but will start with this one.

I looked this morning on the APP. Lightening Lane is sold out for Star Wars already. Do they release more throughout the day? Or do you have to buy it at 7am?
I read that sometimes additional ILL's for ROTR are dropped at 7:10am, but not throughout the day usually

This graph from Thrill-Data shows the return windows. Most days before 7:10, completely sold out.
1645628976951.png
 

DisneyDreamer08

Well-Known Member
I read that sometimes additional ILL's for ROTR are dropped at 7:10am, but not throughout the day usually

This graph from Thrill-Data shows the return windows. Most days before 7:10, completely sold out.
View attachment 623572
I experienced something similar a few weeks ago. From 7-7:15 I could not secure an ILL for RotR. But at 7:15 on the dot, the system refreshed and a bunch of new times popped up. I was finally able to purchase then. I doubt they lasted much beyond that though.
 

Purduevian

Well-Known Member
Has this ruined rope drop? I used to be able to rope drop MK and get everything I wanted done before the crowds showed up.
I don't think it's just G+ that made rope drop worse. I rope dropped MK in October (right before G+). Got to the gates when they opened around 8, walked right to where we were held in fantasyland at 8:05. Finally at 8:30 we all ran in for 7D. I waited about 20 mins (of my 30 Early entry). Got off at "rope dropped" haunted mansion because that opens at 9am. After getting off mansion, everything was already busy.
 

DisneyDreamer08

Well-Known Member
I was at MK two days a few weeks ago. Both days I rope dropped Space Mountain at early entry. It took 20-25 minutes start to finish both days even though I was very close to front. I checked the wait time for Peter Pan both days, day one it was 45 minutes and day two it was 60. I didn’t wait either day. One day I walked on to Small World and the other day I went over to Jungle Cruise. I waited with the crowd prior to official park opening and my wait for that was 25. I did use Genie+ both days for everything else.
 

Touchdown

Well-Known Member
I was at MK two days a few weeks ago. Both days I rope dropped Space Mountain at early entry. It took 20-25 minutes start to finish both days even though I was very close to front. I checked the wait time for Peter Pan both days, day one it was 45 minutes and day two it was 60. I didn’t wait either day. One day I walked on to Small World and the other day I went over to Jungle Cruise. I waited with the crowd prior to official park opening and my wait for that was 25. I did use Genie+ both days for everything else.
Pan will say 60 min but it’s not, remember there is no LL during EE and most people do not burn their EE in the first hour. A full queue for pan with no LL is 30 min.
 

co10064

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Today in Epcot I counted a ratio of approximately 100 guests Lightning Lane for every group/party of stand-by (at least on Ratatouille and Soarin'). I had heard that the ratios weren't so skewed in LLs favor, but the ratios are either changing altogether or at least temporarily for the busy holiday season.
 

HoustonHorn

Premium Member
Has this ruined rope drop? I used to be able to rope drop MK and get everything I wanted done before the crowds showed up.
Not at all -

Thanksgiving last year (ridiculously busy). Staying on-site, so we got the 30-minute EMM.

AK - daughter and I rope dropped FoP and NRJ before 8:15 (park open 8:00).

MGM - dad and I rope dropped RotR and MF:SR (single rider); mom and dau did MMRR and TSM. All together by 10 with a 9 park open.

EPCOT - a little janky - we RD'd Soarin', then our boarding group for Rat got moved WAY up, so we had to go do that.

Gotta be honest - I am a big fan of the new EMM process. Spreading people out among all 4 parks is good. I know it's only 30 minutes instead of the hour, but you can do the most popular ride and usually be in line for another before the crowds get in.
 

wutisgood

Well-Known Member
Not at all -

Thanksgiving last year (ridiculously busy). Staying on-site, so we got the 30-minute EMM.

AK - daughter and I rope dropped FoP and NRJ before 8:15 (park open 8:00).

MGM - dad and I rope dropped RotR and MF:SR (single rider); mom and dau did MMRR and TSM. All together by 10 with a 9 park open.

EPCOT - a little janky - we RD'd Soarin', then our boarding group for Rat got moved WAY up, so we had to go do that.

Gotta be honest - I am a big fan of the new EMM process. Spreading people out among all 4 parks is good. I know it's only 30 minutes instead of the hour, but you can do the most popular ride and usually be in line for another before the crowds get in.
Ha no. The parks opened early before the "benefit" existed every day This is a paper perk. Smart people always used to go opposite emh or nope our after getting there early to hop to other parks. Also Disney world should have the money and demand to have all their parks open from 8 am to midnight pretty much every day. All this talk about capacity not being enough or labor shortage is bull untill they do. If cedar point could sniff a fraction of Disney money by staffing this way "oh yea they actually do" wow maybe they just aren't aholes.
 

grogu21

Member
An interesting change. Perhaps sales were not as good as they expected and now they're hoping adding these to G+ will convince more people to finally pay up for G+
I think it is the opposite actually. Was there last weekend and the system struggled with LL return times because of all the people there/buying it. With spring break and summer coming it seems like they are trying to add more LL to Genie+ to improve the service and be able to accommodate the larger crowds.
 

Lirael

Well-Known Member
I think it is the opposite actually. Was there last weekend and the system struggled with LL return times because of all the people there/buying it. With spring break and summer coming it seems like they are trying to add more LL to Genie+ to improve the service and be able to accommodate the larger crowds.
That's more embarrassing for both sides if true. Imagine being a company as big as Disney and implementing a system without decent expectation and measures should people adhere to it. And imagine being a guest buying an absurd upcharge offering so ridiculous even the money grubbing executives that created it didn't expect this much people to take the bait lol
 

mikejs78

Well-Known Member
@wdwmagic hinted a while ago about trouble brewing regarding G+. I wonder if this is a result of that.

Prediction: FEA will not return to ILL, in my view. Epoct will end up with Remy and Guardians as the two ILL attractions. MK will leave SM off and only have 7DMT and then Tron when it opens. DHS will stick to just Rise, as DHS has the biggest capacity issues with the system. AK will also only have FoP permanently and EE will join Genie+ when it returns in April/May.
 

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