UPDATED November 22, 2024
BIG CHANGES have come to Disney World’s Lightning Lanes!
The Disney Genie service made its debut within Disney World’s My Disney Experience app in October 2021. Disney Genie provided access to “Lightning Lanes” (which allow guests to bypass Standby lines for select attractions with an extra purchase) as well as other on-the-go planning tools to help guests maximize their time in the four Disney World theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
But BIG changes have come to the service! First, as of July 24th, 2024, there has been an official name changes for the Lightning Lane services that were previously part of Disney Genie.
Disney Genie+ is now Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Individual Lightning Lanes are now Lightning Lane Single Pass. And, on October 30th, 2024, a third, all-inclusive option was introduced: Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
In addition to these changes, as Disney shares, guests can now:
- Make Lightning Lane plans before you’re in the parks, “for added confidence:”
- Choose experiences and times prior to purchasing, so you know exactly what you’re getting with your purchase;
- Book Lightning Lane passes for multiple vacation days, all at once, if you wish!
On this page, we are discussing the Lightning Lane Premier Pass.
What is Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
A new third option, Lightning Lane Premier Pass made its debut on October 30th, 2024!
This inclusive option grants one-time entry into EVERY Lightning Lane entry in a given park for one price, eliminating the need to monitor Lightning Lane availability and make new Lighting Lane reservations throughout the day, and granting the ability to simply show up at an attraction and enter the Lightning Lane (as opposed to booking a specific time).
Who is Eligible to Purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
Disney shares that, as Lightning Lane Premier Pass has begun its rollout phase, it is available in “VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES for Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels and other select hotels.”
Guests staying at the following Disney World Resort hotels are eligible to purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass:
- All Disney World Resort hotels
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
- Shades of Green Resort
How Far in Advance Can I Purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
Eligible guests may purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass up to 7 days before the first day of their Resort stay for their entire length of stay (up to 14 days) starting at 7AM EST.
Which Rides Are Included with Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
ALL of the rides that are included with BOTH Lightning Lane Multi Pass AND Lightning Lane Single Pass (the pay-per-ride option).
These are as follows:
Magic Kingdom
- The Barnstormer
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Haunted Mansion
- “it’s a small world”
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
EPCOT
- Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
- Frozen Ever After
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Living with the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Spaceship Earth
- Turtle Talk with Crush
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
- Disney Junior Play & Dance!
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Toy Story Mania!
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- DINOSAUR
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
- Feathered Friends in Flight!
- Festival of the Lion King
- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
- Kali River Rapids
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- Naʻvi River Journey
How Much Does Lightning Lane Premier Pass Cost?
Premier Pass is park-specific and has different pricing depending on the park and date that are chosen.
Here’s a look at the price ranges for Lightning Lane Premier Passes per person, per day for Disney World:
- Magic Kingdom: $329-$449 plus tax
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129-$199 plus tax
- EPCOT: $169-$249 plus tax
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269-$349 plus tax
Interested guests will find the pricing for the day on the My Disney Experience App prior to purchasing.
Please be aware that there is no option for Park Hopping and using Lightning Lane Premier Pass in a second park. If you plan on Park Hopping, you’ll need to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass for your next park if you wish to use the Lightning Lanes.
Is Lightning Lane Premier Pass Worth It in Disney World? We share our thoughts here.
How Do I Purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass?
Guests must be staying at one of the eligible hotels listed above AND have valid theme park admission prior to purchasing. Additionally, you’ll want to have your whole party loaded into and linked together on the My Disney Experience App prior to purchasing. Since availability is limited, our recommendation is that interested guests will want to be logged into the My Disney Experience app at 7 AM ET seven days before you check into your Disney World Resort hotel, which is when the purchasing window opens.
To make you Premier Pass purchase, open your My Disney Experience app, and you’ll see “Lightning Lane Premier Pass” on the home screen. Next, tap “Purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass”.
You will then choose the date and which park you would like to purchase Premier Pass for.
You can only purchase a Premier Pass for one park at a time.
As a reminder, it is critical to have everyone at your party linked to your family and friends list so you can make the purchase for everyone in your party. (Again, the price for Premier Pass is per person in your group, per day,) You’ll see the prompt “Who’s included?” and you will select who you would like to purchase Premier Pass for.
You will then have five minutes to complete your purchase. Simply confirm the details and hit “Continue.” Then, you can check out.
Once purchased, Premier Pass will show up on the app’s home screen, or you can view it under “My Day.”
How Do I Use Lightning Lane Premier Pass in the Park?
On the day of your park visit, head to the entrance for the first ride you wish whenever you like! (Of course, the best way to get the full value of Premier Pass is to start your day early to make the most use.) You’ll see a Lightning Lane entrance sign at any attraction with a Lightning Lane. (Just ask a Cast Member if you don’t find it easily.)
Be forewarned that while Premier Pass is expensive, the actual process when you arrive at the attraction is the same. You’ll still redeem at the Lightning Lane entrance and join the same Lightning Lane queue that you would if you were using Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass.
You’ll find a list of all the available rides for your day in the My Disney Experience app, and as you ride each one, it is removed from your list of available experiences.
Shows that are included in Lightning Lane Premier Pass show up with all the available times and instruct you to arrive at least 10 minutes early. Under your available experiences, there is a list of redeemed experiences.
And there you have it! Your step-by-step guide to purchasing and using Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Disney World!
Additional Features Included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass
It’s not only easier access to rides that you receive with a purchase of Lightning Lane Multi Pass! Additional fun features that you will receive include the following:
Augmented Reality Photo Lenses
By purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass in Disney World, you’re also able to use special Augmented Reality photo lenses located within My Disney Experience.
When you want to use these PhotoPass Lenses, make sure you’ve allowed the My Disney Experience app to access your device’s camera and location, then open the app menu (≡) and select “PhotoPass Lenses”.
On-ride Attraction Photos and Videos
Additionally, guests who purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass also get FREE digital PhotoPass downloads for on-ride attraction photos and videos taken on the day of their purchase!
That means you can download photos from TRON Lightcycle / Run, Slinky Dog Dash, Test Track, Expedition Everest, and more for FREE if you have Lightning Lane Multi Pass that day!
MORE Disney World Lightning Lane Options
Remember, Disney World offers two more Lightning Lane options: Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass. Click either link to find out more.
Find out more about ALL of Disney World’s Lightning Lane options HERE!