Hello Kelly, and welcome to planDisney.
There is nothing
"Minnie" about my love for
Lightning Lane passes, and I'm tickled
polka-dotted pink that I can help you with this question.
Guests staying at a
Disney Resort hotel or other select hotels can purchase Lightning Lane passes 7 days before their check-in date. For Guests not staying at a Disney Resort hotel, Lightning Lane purchases can be made 3 days before visiting the theme park. If you are indeed staying at a Resort hotel and checking in on January 26th, your Lightning Lane selection day will be January 19th. Additionally, as a Guest at a Disney Resort hotel, you'll be eligible to make your Lightning Lane purchases for the duration of your stay, up to 14 days. These passes will be released at 7 AM Eastern Time, so be sure to log in and be ready to make your selections on time.
One thing I always remind my friends (that's you!) is that if you cannot secure a must-have Lightning Lane, don't worry. I've found that if I keep checking persistently, Lightning Lane arrival windows can open up, even for popular rides like
Slinky Dog Dash and
Frozen Ever After. I'm glad I could help you prepare for what I call "selection day!" Feel free to visit us again, Kelly, if you have more questions.
Happy planning,
Shonette