Hey there Rachel, and welcome back to planDisney!
It's been
a few years since your last question to the Panel, and since then a lot has certainly changed at Walt Disney World Resort! The recent introduction of the revamped
Lightning Lane Passes definitely raised a lot of questions internationally and despite some misinformation ahead of the official release date about whether Canadians would be able to purchase these before entering the United States, there seemed to be a collective feeling of relief after we were able to test this out ourselves and
confirm that folks in Canada were eligible to do so in advance.
From one Canadian to another, I can definitely understand how tricky it can be - especially when this information currently does not exist on the version of the Walt Disney World Resort website available to Canadians - so I'm happy to help clear things up a little more for you:
- You're absolutely correct in that guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel (as well as select other accommodations) currently have the ability to purchase Lightning Lane Passes and book attraction return times up to 7 days prior to the first night of their stay; this however does not necessarily require tickets to have been booked at the same time as part of a package. Consider for example, the number of fellow guests who may be staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel property but may either have Annual Passes, been gifted theme park tickets or like in your case - purchased them separately. In this case, I confirmed with a Cast Member who said that as long as your stay is linked to your account you ought to qualify to be eligible to purchase Lightning Lane Passes within that earlier 7-day window.
- The most important thing to do at this point is to confirm that your ticket not only shows up in your My Disney Experience app, but also that it is valid for use on the day you'd like to head to the theme parks during your stay. (For example, for certain specific ticket types you'll need to make sure that you have a Theme Park Reservation for the day you're visiting.)
- At the current time a great way to check how soon you can purchase Lightning Lane Passes is by testing out the process yourself in the My Disney Experience app; after you select the particular date of your visit, scroll down to the section titled "Who's included?" where you should see your name listed. If you're listed as Not Eligible, the app currently indicates the date and time when you'll be eligible to purchase a Lightning Lane Pass for that day, or whether you still require valid park admission linked to your account.
I hope this helped, Rachel! At the time of writing, these new Lightning Lane Passes haven't even been out for a month yet so we'll definitely be keeping a close eye on any further updates or clarification as it occurs over the rest of the year! In the meantime, don't hesitate to come back once again for more answers or advice here at planDisney!
Wishing you all the best in securing a Lightning Lane Pass ahead of your stay!
Prince