One kind of guest is seeing MASSIVE benefits from Disney’s new system.
On June 25th Disney shocked us all by announcing a massive overhaul to their Genie+ skip-the-line system. Beginning on July 24th, a new Lightning Lane system that blends features the “current services and the previously offered FastPass+ service, giving guests the choice to plan ahead and removing the hassle of planning during their vacation” will debut. This new service comes with new nomenclature, as Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane are changing to Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass respectively.
In the new system, Lightning Lane Multi Pass will allow you to make 3 Lightning Lane selections in a specific Disney World theme park in advance of your visit, while Lightning Lane Single Pass purchases will allow you to “secure a time to ride one of (Disney’s) most highly demanded attractions” for an additional charge in advance. However, just how far in advance will depend on what kind of guest you are.
According to Disney, “Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel and other select hotels will be able to plan Lightning Lane passes up to 7 days in advance, for their entire stay (up to 14 days). All other guests can plan up to 3 days in advance.”
In other words, if you’re saying at a Disney hotel, you have a FOUR DAY head start on making both Multi Pass and Single Lightning Lane reservations! While we assume that Disney will have separate “pools” of reservations for the 7 day and 3 day window, this is still a massive advantage for hotel guests in ensuring that they’l be able to score the Lightning Lanes they want for their trip.
Disney hotel guests have long had access to perks unavailable to others guests, including access to Disney Transportation and early and late park hours (though, some hotel perks have been dwindling in recent years). However, this is arguably the biggest hotel perk in Disney World history from a standpoint of actual effect on a full park day. To the point where it may sway those planning on staying off property to at least consider staying at a Disney hotel.
With the debut of Disney’s surprise new Lightning Lane system just a month away, we’re trying to learn all we can about it – – including these kind of massive perks available to Disney hotel guests – – as quickly as possible. Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage.
I Have Something Controversial To Say About Disney World Hotel Transportation, and You Might Be Surprised About It
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Would the perk of being able to book Lightning Lanes four days earlier help entice you to stay on property at Walt Disney World if you weren’t already planning on it? Let us know in the comments below.
My family have 14 nights booked at The Boardwalk Inn September 17th 2024.
However as we are coming over from the Uk, we are discriminated due to Disney’s statement we have to be in the USA before we can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass for 14 days.
This makes the system a mockery
& needs to be revised to include International guests asap
Do we know what the other select hotels are?
I agree with Steve above, am coming in August from the UK. Feel completely discriminated against. The fast pass system worked here so they cannot blame I.T issues. UK citizens spend thousands every week, Disney SORT IT OUT
Totally discriminating against UK guests, we pay a fortune to fly and stay on site and yet won’t be able to get book until we are in the US.
Yes uk and others from Europe need this perk it’s rediculuse as it’s usually us that stay for 14 nights
I too am from the U.K. so I will not be able to benefit from this perk until I arrive in the US later this year. I have written to Disney asking for an explanation. I’m also planning to write to Iger. But I’m not holding my breath. Maybe the 1m+ Brits who visit Florida every year should just boycott WDW??
Steve Woollam,
You can try to use a USA VPN a week in advance to make your lightening lane.
We have the same issues in Canada.
You still have to pay additional $$$ for this service, on top of admittance price. No thank you.
What I’m getting is it’s going to almost exactly like the FREE fast pass+ with the exception of the time frame and a price tag.
Big perk I get to spend hundreds of dollars on a perk that use to be frer
I am not from the UK, as I live in the US and reading the comments above does concern me. It really isn’t fair they do not get the same perks. Especially when you factor in flight cost, extra nights, etc. I hope they make this fair for everyone very soon.
No, this perk would not convince me to stay on property. What WOULD do the trick is bringing back the free Magical Express for transportation to/from airport AND the free airline check-in from the hotel. I’d pay a hotel premium if that perk were brought back!
Hi Ashley – it’s in the fine print above, but Swan, Dolphin and Shades of Green are the other hotels (yep, i checked too when it first came out!)
Brenda K- Canadians are now included, you can now book from home.
My guess is Uk visitors will head out to Universal first of all ( or even instead of).
Personally I’m glad I hadn’t booked YC as intended for 2025- would have been money wasted for that first week.
Disney won’t change it- they don’t care about overseas visitors . Or any visitors. Attitude has changed.
International guests are not included in this perk. We are DVC members & also cant even purchase discounted magic bands!
VPNs cannot be used to bypass this.
It is discrimination and is unacceptable.
I have emailed Disney and have yet to receive a response.