Disney World dropped a lot of news on us this past week!
Lightning Lane changes are coming!
This past week we got lots of information about the holidays at Disney World during Halfway to the Holidays, and we also got information about new changes coming to Disney World’s paid skip-the-line service. It feels like we finally just got Genie+ down after saying goodbye to the FastPass+ system, but now that is all about to change again on July 24th.
Lightning Lane is still going to exist in Disney World, but it will no longer be called Genie+. Although the system will still work in a similar manner where you can pay to skip the line, you will now be able to make your selections in advance, kind of like how you used to with FastPass+. Although the system has not debuted yet, here is what we know so far.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass are coming soon.
Genie+ will now be Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Individual Lightning Lanes will now become Lightning Lane Single Pass. Beginning July 24th, 2024, you will be able to make Lightning Lane selections before you are in the parks. Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass are still both optional services that cost extra. Standby lines will still be available, but if you wish to experience attractions with a shorter wait time, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Lightning Lane Single Pass, or both.
Kali River Rapids Lightning Lane sign in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
With the introduction of this new service, Disney World is bringing back the tier system. When you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass in advance you will be able to pick three rides from the two tiers. One ride from tier one and two rides from tier two. Disney’s Animal Kingdom only has one tier, so you won’t have to worry about deciding between rides in the top tier. However, in the other theme parks, you will need to choose which rides are your biggest priority. Many of the most popular rides are in tier one, and you will only be able to select one of those in advance.
Lightning Lane sign for Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Lightning Lane Single Pass will be similar to Individual Lightning Lane as an a-la-carte service. However, you will now be able to make your selections in advance. You will be able to book up to two Lightning Lane Singles Passes per day, and this service is for the most in-demand rides in the parks. The rides that are a part of Lightning Lane Single Pass are Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Avatar Flight of Passage.
Frozen Ever After Lightning Lane sign in EPCOT
Booking in advance, the tier system, and being able to hold three Lightning Lane Multi Passes at a time are the biggest differences with the new system. Disney World hotel guests and guests of other select resorts will have the opportunity to choose their Lightning Lane Multi-Pass selections and Lightning Lane Single Pass selections up to seven days before their check-in day. You will be able to begin booking your selections at 7AM ET.
Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane Sign
This is where the bad comes into play for those who are not staying at one of the select hotels that allow you to make your selections seven days in advance. For others, like local Annual Passholders or those who are not staying at Disney World hotels (or other select hotels), they will only be able to make their selections three days in advance of their first park visit. That means that anyone staying at one of the select hotels will have already been able to make their selections, and it is likely that there will not be as many options available.
Lightning Lane
As well, Annual Passholders who don’t plan their trip very far in advance may find a limited selection of time slots available if they do choose to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Single Pass. However, Standby Lines will still be available so Annual Passholders or last minute planners can always utilize those instead of purchasing Lightning Lanes if they are planning a last minute trip. Those staying at a Disney World hotel or other select hotel will find that they have the most options available if they book right when their window opens seven days in advance.
Kilimanjaro Safaris
One of the perks of being an Annual Passholder is being able to go into the parks whenever you please. This got a little dicey with park pass reservations and park hopping rules, but these rules have started to be relaxed, giving Annual Passholders more freedom again. Local Annual Passholders who wish to use this new service will have to plan their park visit three days in advance. This can take away from the spontaneity of owning an Annual Pass and being able to make trips on a whim. There are so many things at Disney World that seem as if they need to be planned out ahead of time and now that is the case once again with the updated Lightning Lane system.
Expedition Everest Lightning Lane
We have not had an opportunity to test the system since it rolls out officially on July 24th, so we will have to wait and see if this new system makes planning a trip to Disney World easier. No pricing has been announced for the updated system but we will make sure to keep you updated as more details roll out! And don’t worry we already have updated information about this new system on our site to help you be prepared for these new changes!
Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World news and updates as this new service rolls out in July!
We answered your biggest questions about Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What are your biggest concerns in regards to the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass services? Let us know in the comments!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
You statment at the end of your post is spot on “There are so many things at Disney World that seem as if they need to be planned out ahead of time and now that is the case once again with the updated Lightning Lane system.” Back in the day , the only thing you had to plan for were dinner reservations and booking your room. My last disney trip was at the start of covid and I have not been back. Too much planning. It’s nice to go to Universal and be able to just enjoy the park and not plan it out.
This new LL system is also bad news for international guests, even for those staying at Disney hotels. That’s because the My Disney Experience app works based on GPS and only allows you to purchase Lightning Lane passes after the it detects that you’re on American soil. So, for guests who arrive in the US usually just one day prior to their planned Disney park visits, they will be behind everyone else in purchasing LL.
Do you know if WDW considers the Fort Wilderness Campground a “hotel” for the 7 day advance booking?
I am an annual passholder who gets to Disney 3 or 4 times a year. Finally I will be able to ride some of the rides I have skipped on recent trips because they were all sold our. Locals have ridden Tiana’s up to 5 times already but other people can’t get on once. Finally spending money on a Disney hotel will have some extra perks for me.
I am happy to see that hotel guests are getting this extra perk. We are annual passholders and travel to WDW 3 or 4 times a year. We have to skip some rides because we couldn’t get a lightning lane and the standby line was too long. When you only get a few days, you can’t spend hours in line. Locals go often, some have ridden Tiana’s 4 or 5 times while others can’t get on yet. Hooray for Disney rewarding people who choose to stay on property and spend so much money.
The thing with APs is they don’t HAVE to get LL three days out. You can still wait until day of and have just as much chance of getting rides as you did before, just maybe not the optimal times.
Bring back FASTPASS and let us enjoy Disneyworld again, relaxed and refreshed. Too much hassle the way you have it now.
So if I have tickets starting in July 13th, but have Disney hotel reservations for the 22nd, but the new system isn’t starting until the 24th, when can I bookLLMs?
Hi Margolian! You will be able to book the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections no earlier than July 24th.
Hi Gary! Yes, the campground is also considered part of Fort Wilderness and would make you eligible for the 7 day advance booking.
No perk for British guests paying a premium to stay at a Disney hotel as we can’t access the system until we arrive in the US!
Will I be able to modify an individual lightning lane and do I need to be scanned into a park to make a new multipass once my first one has expired?