Welcome to planDisney, Ashlie!
I'm so glad you stopped by to see us as you get ready for your visit to Walt Disney World Resort later this month! My family almost always purchases
Lightning Lane passes to help minimize our wait times and enjoy more of our favorite attractions. As Mama Odie would suggest, let's
dig a little deeper into the details of Lightning Lanes.
Ashlie, as you may already be aware, you only need to purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass for a single park - even when you're planning to
park hop! It doesn't have to be the first park you plan to visit, but there are a few things to keep in mind if you're purchasing a pass to use at a park you'll be visiting later in the day.
First, your three pre-arrival selections must all be from the same theme park. Tapping into your first attraction unlocks the ability to make additional selections and/or modify your original choices to other parks as well, subject to availability. Additionally, you'll want to make sure the return times you select for your
EPCOT Lightning Lane Multi Pass are after you plan to arrive at that park. Lightning Lane Single Passes are also available and can be purchased for the same park or different parks from your Multi Pass.
As a reminder, you can start purchasing your Lightning Lane passes seven days before your check-in date if you're staying at a
hotel in the Disney Resorts Collection or other eligible hotels. Guests staying elsewhere can begin purchasing passes three days before their visit.
Since you're planning what sounds like an early park hop between
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and EPCOT, I also wanted to point out that direct
bus transportation between theme parks doesn't begin running until around 10:00 AM. If you wanted to hop a bit earlier, you should be able to catch a bus from Animal Kingdom to
Disney's Beach Club Resort. From here, you can walk to the International Gateway entrance of EPCOT, located in World Showcase between England and France. If you have time before your first Lightning Lane, I'd recommend a stop at
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie for a tasty treat from this French bakery!
I hope this information has been helpful, Ashlie, and that you enjoy making many magical memories at Walt Disney World Resort! If you have any other questions, please stop by to see us again here at planDisney!
See ya real soon!
Kristi