Hey there and welcome to planDisney, Sara. Anytime someone tells me that they have a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth booked, my eyes widen and
I get a burst of happiness. I'm so excited for you and all of the magical things that you'll experience.
While I don't know exactly which package you purchased from Costco, I put on my Rescue Ranger hat and my Spidey sense is telling me that you might be referring to the
complimentary Lightning Lane benefit that you receive when staying on property at a
Disneyland Resort hotel. Unfortunately, this benefit cannot be upgraded to the
Lightning Lane Premier Pass, but I do like the way you're thinking. The good news is that you can use both the Premier Pass and the complimentary Lightning Lane in tandem for your visit.
The Lightning Lane Premier Pass can be purchased up to 7 days before your park visit in the
Disneyland app. This pass gives you one-time access to every Lightning Lane attraction throughout your day. The best part is that you don't need to schedule and book your entry window. Whenever you're ready to redeem for an attraction, just scan your pass or MagicBand+ at the Lightning Lane entrance. Magic! Keep in mind that this does not include the Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions which include Radiator Springs Racers and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
The complimentary Lightning Lane benefit that you receive as a perk of staying on property is available to all guests aged 3 and over registered on the hotel reservation. This can be used at any time during your resort stay (including on check-in and check-out day) and also does not need to be scheduled ahead of time. So, if there's an attraction that you want to access the Lightning Lane entrance for twice, this is your ticket to do so. Or, you can save it for another day in the parks during your visit. It's really up to you!
I just returned from staying at the Disneyland Hotel and it was so nice to see the complimentary Lightning Lane pop up in the Disneyland at right around 7:00 AM on our check-in day. We used it the next day to see what Jack Skellington and his pals were up to at Haunted Mansion Holiday. The gingerbread creation in the ballroom this year was truly amazing.
Sara, while this might not be the answer you were expecting, I hope that the information I shared is helpful. Please come back to visit us with any other questions that you might have. Until then, here's wishing you a magical visit making core memories!
Michelle