Welcome to planDisney, Rebecca! Thanks for stopping by today with your question about resort amenities for your upcoming stay at
Holiday Inn Orlando - Disney Springs! As one of the Walt Disney World
Good Neighbor Hotels, this resort does offer some Disney benefits to its guests, so let's jump into your question!
Your hotel qualifies for
Early Theme Park Entry, allowing you to start your mornings ahead of the crowds! This is my absolute favorite perk for Disney guests because it allows us to get into the parks and experience a few attractions before many other guests arrive to start their day. We typically choose one of the most popular attractions to experience first and then choose a second and third attraction that doesn't pull the early entry crowds so we can usually walk right onto those and finish them before the park officially opens. On our most recent visit, we were at Magic Kingdom Park at 7:30 AM (early entry was for 8:30 AM) and we went straight to the rope drop line for
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, followed by
"it's a small world" and then
Dumbo the Flying Elephant. By just after park opening, we had checked off three attractions and were headed to find some breakfast before taking the train around to Frontierland to splash down
Tiana's Bayou Adventure!
Rebecca, while your hotel qualifies for Early Theme Park Entry, it does not qualify for the extended 7-day advance booking for
Lightning Lane Multi Pass or
Lightning Lane Single Pass. At this time, only
Disney Resort hotels and
other select hotels including Shades of Green Resort, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve are eligible for the 7-day bookings. However, you will be eligible to book those selections 3 days before your first park visit. If you have date-based tickets, you will be eligible 3 days in advance to book your selections for the total number of valid days on your theme park ticket.
As you make your plans for using Lightning Lane, check out the list of included
attractions and experiences so you'll be prepared to make your selections when your window opens. Keep in mind that Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT operate the Lightning Lane passes using a grouping system, so you will make one selection from group 1 and your additional selections from group 2. Once you have redeemed your first one for the day, you will be able to make an additional selection, one at a time, from any available group.
Rebecca, I hope this helps you in your planning! I'm sending you all the pixie dust for early mornings, magical Lightning Lanes, and all the best memories at the Most Magical Place on Earth!
See you real soon,
Alison