Lightning Lane is Disney's skip-the-line service, designed to help you make the most of your time at the parks. For an additional cost, this add-on to your standard park ticket allows you to reserve time slots for your favorite attractions, bypassing the regular standby lines. Here’s how to use Lightning Lane to ensure a smoother, more enjoyable Disney adventure.
What is Lightning Lane?
Lightning Lane is Disney’s answer to long waits. By reserving a time slot for an attraction, you can enter through the Lightning Lane entrance, which usually has a much shorter line than the standby queue. It’s the key to riding what you want, when you want, without spending hours waiting.
How It Works:
- Purchase Lightning Lane: You'll need a Lightning Lane Multi Pass and/or Single Pass for everyone who wants to skip the standard queue. There are different rules for when you can purchase -- for example, Disney resort guests can purchase and book sooner than others. More details on this are below!
- Reserve Your Timeslots: You'll pick which attractions you want to reserve first, and when. Your Lightning Lane reservation gives you a one-hour window to arrive at the ride.
- Enter the Lightning Lane: On the day of your park visit, scan your ticket at the Lightning Lane entrance within your reservation window. You’ll enjoy a much quicker wait compared to the regular line.
- Restrictions Apply: You can only use Lightning Lane once per attraction per day, and you must arrive within your reserved time slot.
Single Pass vs. Multi Pass:
These two options work a little differently. A "Single Pass" gets you one reservation to one of the hottest rides in the park. At time of writing, those are attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Tron: Lightcycle Run, and Flight of Passage. You can book up to two of these per person per day.
On the other hand, a "Multi Pass" gives you access to all of the other Lightning Lane experiences! Multi Pass options do not include any of the Single Pass rides -- so it's certainly possible to purchase both within one day.
Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland:
Single Pass works the same in both parks, but there are a few differences between how Walt Disney World and Disneyland Multi Pass rules work.
- Walt Disney World: Multi Pass users can reserve up to three attractions at a time. After using your first pass, you can start reserving new experiences throughout the day, even across different parks if you have a Park Hopper ticket, and you can keep going until you run out of rides, or run out of day!
- Disneyland: At Disneyland Resort, Multi Pass lets you select one attraction at a time throughout the day. As soon as you use one, you can reserve the next.
How to Purchase:
- Walt Disney World: Disney Resort hotel guests can start purchasing both Single Pass and Multi Pass Lightning Lane at 7am EST, seven days before their visit. Other guests can purchase three days before their visit. Purchase and reservation selection is done exclusively through the My Disney Experience app.
- Disneyland: Multi Pass can be purchased in advance as part of a ticket or vacation package, or on the day of your visit. Single Passes can only be purchased after entering the park.
Maximizing Your Day:
Part of purchasing your Lightning Lane passes is selecting what attractions or experiences to reserve. In general, you want to make sure your first reservation is close to the time when you plan to get to the park -- because as soon as you use your first Lightning Lane, you can book more, and availability for most rides will drop as the day goes on.
Start with the most popular attractions early, and keep an eye on the app to adjust your plans as the day goes on. You definitely do not have to be glued to your phone, but checking in now and then is a good idea. For example, if you have a Lightning Lane booked for an attraction later in the day, but you notice that the standard queue is only 10 minutes right now, you might want to get in that nice short line and change your Lightning Lane reservation to something else with a longer queue. Remember, flexibility is key!
By understanding how Lightning Lane works and planning accordingly, you can make your Disney day smoother and more magical. Whether you’re zipping through the galaxy on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind or taking a safari at Kilimanjaro Safaris, Lightning Lane helps you focus on the fun, not the lines. If you haven't already, sign up with our newsletter, and in thanks we'll send you a full Lightning Lane guide to help you make the most of your vacation!
