Hey Howdy Hey Aileen and welcome to planDisney!
I bet you all are getting super excited about your Magical vacation coming up next month! Not only will you be visiting the Walt Disney World Resort during a Magical time of year but you will be staying at some top-notch Disney Resort hotels! I am always a huge fan of split stays so you get the best of both worlds at each resort from theme park access to resort amenities. One thing that is not super clear though, is your window for Lightning Lane purchasing! Not to worry Aileen, you've got a friend in me to give you the details on how this works.
When it comes to split stays at the Walt Disney World Resort and
Lightning Lane availability window, you will have access starting 7 days before your date of arrival to purchase and select your Lightning Lanes. The system should recognize your reservations as both being with Disney and you should be able to book your entire trip at once. This should make your planning so much easier to keep one date in mind to make selections for your whole trip!
Staying onsite with Disney Resort hotels gives you so many
benefits during your vacation. Not only can you make your Lightning Lane purchases and selections 7 days in advance, but you will also have extra time in the parks.
Early Theme Park Entry is a perk available to all Guests staying with Disney or other qualifying hotels. This allows Guests in the parks 30 minutes before the general public. The other option will be with
Extended Evening Hours. On select nights and parks, Guests staying at Deluxe Resorts or Deluxe Villas will have and extra 2 hours in the parks to enjoy many of the attractions and experiences. With reduced crowd levels, the theme park experience is totally different. Make sure to check on the
park calendar as it looks like Animal Kingdom will have these hours available during your stay. You won't want to miss this opportunity!
I hope this information is helpful so you can better plan for your Magical vacation. If you have any other questions please let us know, we are always happy to help!
To Infinity and Beyond,
Nick