Hi there, Johanna!
Welcome to planDisney. We’re delighted you’ve dropped by with a fantastic
Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning question! It sounds like you’ll be arriving at The Most Magical Place on Earth very soon, ready for a thrill-filled holiday. I’d be happy to help you maximize the magic during your time in the theme parks!
Johanna, at the time of writing, Guests may begin securing both
virtual queue positions and Lightning Lane entry selections beginning at 7:00 a.m. Therefore, I usually designate one person in my travel party to focus on the virtual queues while I quickly purchase Disney Genie+ service and book our first
Lightning Lane entry selection. However, beginning on July 24, 2024, Guests will have the option to purchase
Lightning Lane passes up to seven days in advance of their Disney Resort hotel stays at that same magical time – 7:00 a.m. Guests who pre-purchase either a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or a Lightning Lane Single Pass in advance of their vacations may select return windows before their visits to plan out their days before they even arrive.
Before you fire up those fast fingers to secure virtual queues and Lightning Lane selections, you’ll want to be sure your entire travel party is linked via
Family & Friends in My Disney Experience, Johanna. (This will ensure a seamless experience when time is of the essence!) I highly recommend only selecting experiences for Guests who intend to ride each attraction. For example, under the current system, if you reserve a Lightning Lane for a family member who doesn’t really want to ride, they won’t be able to redeem another Lightning Lane selection until they’ve redeemed their current selection (or until two hours has elapsed).
Johanna, I hope you’ve found this information helpful and I wish you a magical and memorable time at the Walt Disney World Resort! If you have any additional vacation planning questions, you may always revisit us right here at
planDisney. We’re all ears!
See ya real soon,
Lauren