Disney World is changing its premium Lightning Lane pass less than a month after its introduction.
Cinderella Castle
Lightning Lane Premier Pass allows you to use the Lightning Lanes to skip the lines at most attractions in any given Disney World park — without having to make reservations and schedule your Lightning Lanes throughout the day. With this pass, you just scan in at the Lightning Lane — no reservation needed. And starting November 22nd, Disney World has announced a big change.
When Lightning Lane Premier Pass was introduced on October 30th, 2024, you could only buy it if you were staying in a Disney World Deluxe Hotel, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels, or Shades of Green. But now, you can buy Premier Pass if you are staying in ANY Disney World hotel — including Moderate or Value Resorts.
Even value resort guests can now buy Disney World’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
Here’s the full list of hotels you can stay in that will now allow you to buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
- Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Old Key West Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort
- The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Walt Disney World Dolphin
- Walt Disney World Swan
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
- Shades of Green
Here’s a Full List of Rides Included with Lightning Lane Premier Pass!
Walt Disney World Swan
You can buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass up to 7 days before you plan to use it. You must have a hotel reservation and valid park admission before buying. And keep in mind this pass is pricey, and the prices will vary depending on the day and which park you want to use Premier Pass in. We have seen prices range from $129 to $449 per day, per person, with the highest prices so far ($449) coming up on Thanksgiving weekend in Magic Kingdom.
Is Lightning Lane Premier Pass Worth It in Disney World?
Winnie the Pooh Lightning Lane
Another important thing you need to know about Lightning Lane Premier Pass is that it can only be used in the park you buy it for. So, if you buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass for EPCOT and then decide to hop to Magic Kingdom, you will not be able to scan into the Lightning Lanes there with your Premier Pass.
The BAD NEWS About Disney World’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass
Now keep in mind that there are three ways to pay to skip the lines at Disney World, with Premier Pass being the most expensive. You can also buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which allows you to skip the lines at many rides in Disney World by making reservations throughout the day to return to ride during a specific hourlong window. And then there is Lightning Lane Single Pass, a way to reserve a time to ride Disney World’s most popular rides, which you pay for one ride at a time. Yes, we know this can be confusing if it is new to you! I highly recommend signing up for our newsletter to get our free Lightning Lane cheat sheet to learn all the details about these systems!
Grab our Lightning Lane Cheat Sheet Right Here!
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Are you more likely to use Lightning Lane Premier Pass with this change? Let us know in the comments below!
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I guess Disney was not selling the Premier Passes fast enough.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. We are in our 70’s, so a “day in the park” ends right after lunch. Therefore, this premium pass (at any cost) would not be good for us. We hit the early “rope drop” and hit our favorite attractions using LLM and/or LLS, have lunch and go back to the room for naps. That, for us, is a great day at WDW. It’s great that we can book LLM/LLS for the length of stay. I hope they don’t screw with that.
Do you purchase the premier pass in the same place as the multi & single lightning lanes?
Ooh! TV hank you, sir! More please!
I think having to pay for “ Lightning lanes“ is a crock after having to pay so much for park tickets in the first place. Disney World is about to lose a lot of business by charging more and more for everything.
Hi Rachel! Yes, you will purchase the Premier Pass in your My Disney Experience app.
No way … no how … will I ever spend 449 on top of an entrance ticket for one day of rides even if it’s Thanksgiving … Disney has lost their minds!
I totally agree with you, Carolyn! It blows my mind that premier pass sold out for Thanksgiving Day at $450 per person! Who ARE these people?! That comes to $1,800 for a family of four for one day in one park. Which doesn’t include high priced park tickets, deluxe resort high costs, and overpriced food. Yikes! For ONE day?
No! No! No! Lol!
Why did they have to make this available for all Disney resorts??
My first thought when I heard about Premier Pass was no way! I’m not paying that much!
2nd thought was, well it does sound pretty cool to just waltz right into ALL the LL’s without having to reserve a time….
Which immediately brought me to my 3rd thought of thank goodness we always stay at Pop, so it’s not even an option for me to consider!
All of that has now gone down the toilet lol! It’s definitely not something I would do all the time, but I think if I ever get to do the solo trip of my dreams during an off peak season, when prices are on the lower end, it *might* be something I’d consider…just for one day/one park…just for funsies (somebody please talk me out of this nonsense 😂)
I just sold my Disney stock today, on the off chance that people will “age out” of the need for Disney at these high prices…that continue to rise.
I guess the price hikes are working. If they have to open it up that mean people are being smart and not buying them. Now can we keep up the momentum. That they (the board member that got all the money under C) keep having to look for more and more markets to sell to till there are not any more. Keep raising the prices.
The prices at Disney have scared me away. I no longer jump to book a stay at Disney when I travel to Orlando. I’ve increased my visits to Universal and I tend to stay either at Universal Resorts or at a Villa or house rental off property. More space, better price, often a private pool in addition to a resort style pool, and recreation.