Howdy Eden!
Thanks for stopping by planDisney with your question. I just love it when guests from California get to travel and visit
Walt Disney World. It’s a great opportunity to experience the similarities and differences between Disneyland. Although Walt never got to see his dream of how the Magic Kingdom and Epcot turned out, I know that he would be so happy he could just bust. Now on to your question!
I see that you are interested in staying at the
Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Although I have never personally stayed at this resort, the pictures on the Walt Disney World website make it look quite amazing. I know that being able to book Lightning Lanes 7 days in advance is important to you, so I did some research and here is what I found. According to the Walt Disney World page dedicated to information on
Lightning Lanes, only the Disney Resort Hotels, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Swan Reserve, and Shades of Green Resort are eligible to purchase Lightning Lanes 7 days in advance. The good news is that the Waldorf Astoria Orlando does qualify to purchase Lightning Lanes 3 days in advance.
I know you were hoping to purchase Lightning Lanes 7 days in advance, but as you mentioned, this resort offers early park entry. In my experience, this benefit can really make up for not being able to purchase Lightning Lanes earlier. You will be able to enter the park 30 minutes early, allowing you to ride some of the most popular rides before the park opens to the general public. I'm attaching a video all about it that you might find helpful as well. One more benefit I would like to mention is that you will also be able to book your advanced dining reservations 60 days prior to your arrival for up to 10 nights of your stay. Before your arrival, be sure to download the My Disney Experience app. This is very similar to the Disneyland app, so you should feel right at home with it.
Eden, I hope this helps with your Walt Disney World vacation planning. Have a magical day!
See ya real soon,
Robert