Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Disstevefan1]

When you used to enjoy WDW, did you find paying for tickets magical?

If you go way back to the A through E ticket thing, the entrance ticket was really inexpensive so it was no big deal.

Then they got rid of the A through E ticket thing and you paid one price and just got in queues for any attraction you wish at any time you wish. That seemed to work ok and there was a perceived value and back then many attractions HAD TWO QUEUES open all the time, it was fun to try to guess the shorter one and everyone said “go in the left one” because the thought was folks were used to always go to the right. It didn’t matter really, running two queues made the wait times low.

Then the changes started happening. We noticed the attractions that used to have two queues, just get in either queue at any time, one of the queues were changed to a FastPass queue.

At first only some if the attractions has a fastpass queue that slowed down what’s now known as the standby queue. Then eventually all attractions, even ones that had a single queue prior to FastPass, has FastPass added to them.

Being a Disneyparks fan we just put up with it and while we had the paper Fastpass it was fun to go to the end of the now very long standby lines Thanks to Fastpass, to give folks your paper Fastpasses and give out some magic, why not? Fastpasses were FREE then.

More changes. No more paper, well no more running to the machines to try to get a Fastpass before they ran out, yes that started to happen.

More changes tiered selections, 60 and 30 day windows, yup some missed out of the good attractions, no matter, it WAS FREE.

Fast forward to today. The gate prices continue to go up, and just getting in means nothing, you must now purchase LL, and work the system to get your money’s worth, you are not free to get into any LL line at any time, you must work the system and be sure to get to your attractions on your return time if you want to get what you paid for.

Yes FastPass also had return times, but if you missed your time, no big deal, it WAS FREE so you had the freedom to skip it AND you skipping helped both the Fastpass and the standby lines at that attraction.

Ah, the good old days….

 

[KDM31091]

It certainly has. Some things for the better and some not so much.

I actually got to enjoy WDW as it was pre-FP back in August 2021 just before Genie+ launched. No FP for anything so everyone just waited standby. I don‘t think we waited in line for anything more than 20 mins but it was a really, really low crowd time since the Southern schools were back, International visitors were still not fully back, Covid was still around including indoor masks and the 50th celebration was launching in a little over a month. We also utilized rope drop pretty much every day over 10 days and did the rides with big lines first. That is not my typical plan, but since it was still low crowd Covid times everything closed early so we did a lot less at night.

I don’t mind paying for a line skip product if it works and is easy to use. I don’t know of any park in the US that offers a free skip the line service. I was not a fan of the 7am wake up for genie+ and lack of planning ahead so this new product seems better for what I want. I need to use it first before passing full judgement.

As much as crowds were indeed lower, the COVID era standby only was so much smoother. Lines moved quickly as they were not constantly stopping for FP/Genie/Lightning etc. I understand exceptions for DAS, but I wish we could just have standby only.

Disney rides were generally designed to be extremely efficient and FP/Genie/whatever messes up a lot of the efficiency and makes the experience worse in the long run, IMO.

 

[Disstevefan1]

How cool would it be if they ran a test, called it “throw back Thursday” and on select Thursday’s, NO LL, everything stand by, just to see how it would work with post pandemic crowds.

Disney would have to play it honestly and run with normal staff and not purposely have attractions go down, but it would be an interesting experiment.

I know to would never be done because they would lose all that LL money for nothing.

 

[RSoxNo1]

This is absolutely the worst version of this system.

They reduced the inventory of available Multi Pass Lightning Lanes relative to Fastpass+ and added a price point. More than ever before, I think this may be my breaking point. The system in Disneyland is substantially better than Disney World.

 

[Chi84]

As much as crowds were indeed lower, the COVID era standby only was so much smoother. Lines moved quickly as they were not constantly stopping for FP/Genie/Lightning etc. I understand exceptions for DAS, but I wish we could just have standby only.

Disney rides were generally designed to be extremely efficient and FP/Genie/whatever messes up a lot of the efficiency and makes the experience worse in the long run, IMO.

Who gets DAS in your system?

 

[KDM31091]

Who gets DAS in your system?

DAS is a seperate issue from paid LL or even free Fastpass+. The "skip the line" feature for non-DAS just clogs up the lines and slows down waits and efficiency.

Does DAS do the same thing, yes, to some extent but at least it's for a real reason and not just a money grab.

 

[bwr827]

Who gets DAS in your system?

There’s already a million-page thread for that topic.

 

[Chi84]

There’s already a million-page thread for that topic.

This thread isn’t about all-standby either but it pops up every once in awhile as the illusionary best system. I used all-standby. It favored a particular demographic of healthy teens and young adults.

If you read those million pages you’ll see that many who no longer qualify for DAS are planning to rely on the paid LLs.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Who gets DAS in your system?

All standby combined with today’s stricter DAS and todays return to line stuff.

It would be an interesting experiment.

But then again, it could never happen because money.

 

[Chi84]

All standby combined with today’s stricter DAS and todays return to line stuff.

It would be an interesting experiment.

But then again, it could never happen because money.

It would also eliminate my 10 person multigenerational family. Maybe they’ll make more money from the teens but I doubt it.

 

[bwr827]

This thread isn’t about all-standby either but it pops up every once in awhile as the illusionary best system. I used all-standby. It favored a particular demographic of healthy teens and young adults.

If you read those million pages you’ll see that many who no longer qualify for DAS are planning to rely on the paid LLs.

Fair. I just cringed at the idea of this thread becoming another debate about who should get DAS.

 

[Heelz2315]

So here's my question and I haven't seen the answer to this anywhere. We're headed back to stay on property on 11/23 till 11/30. From what I understand we can go in on 11/16 and buy LL multi pass for the entire time we're there that week.

Here's my question. Our first day in the parks will be 11/24. On 11/16 we can start making plans. Do we buy LL and make our plans daily or purchase 7 days out and make all the plans then? If's it's the latter, I can't imagine making plans for the next week and the attractions/times not being picked over the later in the week we go to pick, especially in the morning. (due to everyone's trips overlapping)

Am I missing something or will there be times in the mornings if we buy LL multi pass on 11/16 and pick for the next week? I can't imagine there would be. Or is this not how it works? Please PM me if need be.

 

[doctornick]

This is absolutely the worst version of this system.

They reduced the inventory of available Multi Pass Lightning Lanes relative to Fastpass+ and added a price point. More than ever before, I think this may be my breaking point. The system in Disneyland is substantially better than Disney World.

I still think it is a better system than G+ (other than reducing inventory by removing M&Gs).

I think everyone would be in agreement that LLMP would be better if they didn't separate the LLSP rides and make you pay additionally for them if you want them.

 

[nickys]

So here's my question and I haven't seen the answer to this anywhere. We're headed back to stay on property on 11/23 till 11/30. From what I understand we can go in on 11/16 and buy LL multi pass for the entire time we're there that week.

Here's my question. Our first day in the parks will be 11/24. On 11/16 we can start making plans. Do we buy LL and make our plans daily or purchase 7 days out and make all the plans then? If's it's the latter, I can't imagine making plans for the next week and the attractions/times not being picked over the later in the week we go to pick, especially in the morning. (due to everyone's trips overlapping)

Am I missing something or will there be times in the mornings if we buy LL multi pass on 11/16 and pick for the next week? I can't imagine there would be. Or is this not how it works? Please PM me if need be.

I’m not quite sure what you’re asking.

You can go onto the app on the 16th and book for your whole stay. Up to 14 days. You can select all your days or just some. For each day you can pre-book the single LLs &/or the multi pass LLs.

The fact that your first day in the parks isn’t until the 24th doesn’t matter.

Does that answer your question?

 

[GoofGoof]

As much as crowds were indeed lower, the COVID era standby only was so much smoother. Lines moved quickly as they were not constantly stopping for FP/Genie/Lightning etc. I understand exceptions for DAS, but I wish we could just have standby only.

Disney rides were generally designed to be extremely efficient and FP/Genie/whatever messes up a lot of the efficiency and makes the experience worse in the long run, IMO.

In my younger days I would totally agree. Just standby worked fine for us. if you arrived early and stayed late you could knock out most of the longer wait rides and fill the time in the middle with lower wait or no wait rides and attractions. As I’ve gotten older I can’t (or I should really say don’t want to) stay at the parks all day from rope drop to close. Some form of skip the line helps to get in what I want in the time I choose to stay. Something like Express Pass is obviously the best option but that could never work at WDW.

 

[Doberge]

Strongly disliking this system. I have a trip from August 3 to 11 and I'm looking at MK August 10, almost two weeks out, and this is the best we can do:

By the time we can start using these in the early afternoon we'd be looking at scraps to fill in the rest of the day. Now we play a modifying game.

 

[lightningtap347]

Trip Report (I have some observations & tinfoil hat time):

I just got back from a GREAT morning with this new system. I think if you are flexible, this can be a great resource.

To test this, I purchased DAK 3 days ago with the following FP's:

Navi 9:40 - 10:40
Safari 10:25 - 11:25
Everest 11:25 - 12:25

My original plan was to go to DHS after (this did not occur).

Overall trip - 10AM - 2:30PM

Navi - Redeemed at 10AM (Selected RnR for 6:50PM - did not use)
Safari - Redeemed at 10:25 (Selected Tower for 5:30PM - did not use)
Everest - Redeemed at 11:25 (At this point there were NO selections available for DHS - selected Space Mountain for 2PM)

At this point, I switched to MK and got the following:

Switched Rnr for Pooh at 12:30PM
Switched Tower for Tiana at 12:15PM

Arrived at MK and did the following:

Train to Tiana
Tiana - Redeemed at 12:18PM (Selected Ariel for 12:35 - T-Pose Mama Odie, this ride sucks lmao)
Train to Fantasyland
Ariel - Redeemed at 12:42PM (Selected Buzz for 1PM)
Pooh - Redeemed at 1PM (Selected Speedway for 1:05PM - did not use)
Peoplemover
Buzz - Redeemed at 1:50PM (Selected Nothing)
Space - Redeemed at 2:06PM (Selected Nothing)

Observations:

1. That was a lot of selections in a small amount of time. Having five minute overlaps was insane for touring.
2. MK wasn't very busy, and I noticed multiple rides where we were the only people scanning in for our return time. This was extremely strange, as...
3. There were multiple rides with no availability for the duration of our time. They also had extremely low wait times the entire time - this is not the behavior I expected of the system.
   
   Pirates - No availability, 5 minute posted wait (entire duration of MK time)
   HM - No availability, 13-20 minute posted wait (entire duration of MK time)
   Jungle Cruise - No availability, 20 minute posted wait (entire duration of MK time)
   
   Additionally, multiple rides had return times hours out after multiple, yet complete walk on standby times and visual waits.

My tinfoil hat: I think they're withholding inventory based on foreseen purchases from the 7 and 3 day windows. In (the now fourth) line skip system implementation, I have never seen so many rides with no inventory post such short waits. They've either lowered inventory so low that they operationally can handle the lines, or they simply do not release the inventory of the previous system's capacities if they do not forecast a need to do so.

Regardless, we had a great day, and felt that there was good value there. Especially starting at DAK. DHS clearly needs ride capacity, as that was an operational black hole today.

 

[Chi84]

In my younger days I would totally agree. Just standby worked fine for us. if you arrived early and stayed late you could knock out most of the longer wait rides and fill the time in the middle with lower wait or no wait rides and attractions. As I’ve gotten older I can’t (or I should really say don’t want to) stay at the parks all day from rope drop to close. Some form of skip the line helps to get in what I want in the time I choose to stay. Something like Express Pass is obviously the best option but that could never work at WDW.

If they went all standby they would lose the older people who are taking the grandkids to character breakfasts in favor of the demographic pounding rides from open to close. I suspect they’re aware.

 

[Heelz2315]

How many morning/good selections will be there later in your stay if you’re picking them a week out?

I guess that’s my big question

 

[EricsBiscuit]

What’s going on rn with so many outdoor but indoor rides too being closed?