Welcome to planDisney, Irma! Thanks so much for coming to us with your question today. With your trip coming up next month, it's a great idea to start thinking about how you're going to use
Lightning Lane, and I'm happy to walk you through some of the finer points of how it works.
The good news is, when it comes to adding people to your party for Lightning Lane purposes, there's no such thing as "too late." You can add someone to your party at any time, even partway through a day in the parks or anytime during your vacation. As long as everyone is linked in your Family & Friends list in
My Disney Experience, you'll be able to include them when booking Lightning Lane selections, modifying plans, or hopping on a ride together. It's super flexible and designed to work with however your plans may shift during your trip!
That said, there's a key difference to keep in mind when it comes to booking windows. Since you and your husband are staying at a
Disney Resorts Collection Hotel, you can start making Lightning Lane selections 7 days before your check-in date for the entire length of your ticket. Your cousin and his friend, since they're staying off-site, will be able to start booking 3 days before their first park day, even if they're already linked to your party in the app. That booking window is based on where you're staying, not whether you're linked as a group.
Since you'll be able to book 7 days in advance, I'd definitely recommend going ahead and grabbing your top picks right when your window opens. Then, once your cousin and his friend hit their 3-day booking window, they can try to grab return times that line up with yours. As long as the return windows overlap, you'll all be able to ride together!
Have a magical day, Irma!
Jessica