Hi there, Tami, and welcome to planDisney!
There’s so much to explore at Walt Disney World Resort—so much so, that even as a local to the Disney Parks, my family hasn’t done it all. But with having access to attractions’ Lightning Lanes, you will get to experience so many more thrills in a day than if you didn’t have it. Essentially, Lightning Lanes are prioritized queues throughout the theme parks that help you “skip” the standby queues.
I love visuals, and if you do too, I highly recommend that you check out the Lightning Lane webpage on the Walt Disney World website. You’ll find an entire
Lightning Lane breakdown here. There are “How-To Videos” there as well.
In a nutshell, this is how Lightning Lanes work: On the day that you visit the theme park that you’ve reserved or that your dated ticket is for, open the
My Disney Experience App. As early as midnight, you can purchase Disney Genie+. You don’t have to purchase it as early as that, but I think that it’s a good idea to purchase it before Lightning Lane selection time. At 7 a.m., you can make your first attraction selection.
When I use Disney Genie+, I like to get to the theme park as early as possible to make the most out of my purchase. Sometimes that means riding a popular attraction before the standby queue gets really long and then checking into my first Lightning Lane for a ride that’s slightly less popular. And as soon as you’ve scanned into your first Lightning Lane queue, go into your app and book your next Lightning Lane. Keep doing this throughout the day to keep skipping those lines!
AN EXTRA GEM: You can also book your next Lightning Lane without having to check into another first. It’s what we like to call “stacking.” This means that two hours after you’ve booked a Lightning Lane, you can then add on another selection (even without riding your current reserved experience yet). This can definitely come in handy.
Also, another way to access Lightning Lanes is via an Individual Lightning Lane purchase in the app. Some attractions aren’t a part of the Disney Genie+ line-up like TRON Lightcycle / Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Just like Disney Genie+, the prices vary for these experiences. If you’d rather wait in the standby queue for these fan-favorite rides (or for Disney Genie+’s new
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure), you can try for a Virtual Queue boarding group. Virtual Queues are a complimentary service, but you’ll want to be ready to get one at 7 a.m. (from anywhere) or 1 p.m. (from inside of the theme park) in the My Disney Experience App.
Tami, the Lightning Lanes will have you speeding through attractions like Lightning McQueen zipping through Radiator Springs. If you have any other questions about your upcoming vacation, revisit us here at planDisney.
I’m all ears! Magic always,
LeAndra