Hey there, Kathryn! Welcome to planDisney. Are you headed to
Walt Disney World Resort for
runDisney Marathon Weekend? It's the most magical place to race!
I'm also excited to speed through the theme parks with the
new Lightning Lane program. My kids are so used to the FastPass days they always ask, "What rides do we have passes for today?" It won't be long before I can answer them with actual attractions and not "We'll find out!"
With the new program, you can purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, a Lightning Lane Single Pass, or both and make attraction selections before your trip. As a Guest staying at a
Walt Disney World resort or other qualified hotel, you can purchase your pass and make experience selections seven days before your check-in date for each day of your stay, up to 14 days.
I appreciate your question about coordinating planning with multiple families traveling together. Unfortunately, the 7-day eligibility applies separately to each reservation. The first time you could make experience selections together would be based on the check-in date of the last family to arrive at Walt Disney World.
You can wait until you are all eligible to make your selections, keeping the planning simple. Or if certain attractions are priorities for your family, you can make plans as each person is eligible. In the new system, you can modify your selections in the
My Disney Experience app to coordinate times when everyone is eligible, based on availability. With my FOMO, I would make reservations and modify them, especially for high-demand attractions. But depending on how many people and arrival dates you are trying to manage, simplicity may be the best option for you.
With it being a runDisney weekend, Walt Disney World will be busy with runners and their families. Here's a tip if you are not there for runDisney: athletes are up and putting in the miles super early. It also means they are eating dinner at 4 pm and heading back to their resort for an early evening, especially Saturday night after the half marathon that morning and before the full marathon on Sunday. You will likely find the theme parks busiest in the middle of the day but thinning out earlier than normal. If you
are running, I'll be there running, too and cheering for you!
If you have any other questions as you plan to begin 2025 in the Most Magical Place on Earth with your family, please race back by
planDisney. We're here for you!
Thinking of the Happiest Things!
Jana