Hi there, David!
Thanks for visiting planDisney!
I love using
Lightning Lanes to make the most of my time in the parks. If you did not purchase tickets that already included Lightning Lanes as an add-on then you'll need to make that purchase once you enter the parks. Don't worry, it's really quick and easy!
Just open the
Disneyland Mobile App and tap the house icon in the bottom left to get to the home screen. When you're logged in you should be able to see a banner asking if you'd like to purchase Disney Genie+ Service, which will give you access to Lightning Lanes for a set of attractions. You can also choose to purchase a separate Lightning Lane for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers.
To make purchases in the app even faster you can update your stored payment method before you go to the parks. Tap on the "☰" in the app to open the main menu and scroll down to tap "My Profile" from the list. One of the options on the next screen is "Payment Method" which you can tap to store your preferred credit card for quick purchases.
Guests can't start reserving Lightning Lanes until they're in the park, even if they purchased tickets that included access, so don't worry that you'll be starting from behind. Mornings in the parks are my favorite, so we usually try to arrive between 30 and 45 minutes before the official park opening time so that we can get through security and be ready to go.
Keep an eye on the
entertainment schedule during your visit, David! I can see several special events for Independence Day, including Disney’s Celebrate America! - A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky and the 1st Marine Division Band from Camp Pendleton, San Diego. Enjoy the celebrations!
Keep moving forward!
Amanda