Hi. There are 6 of us going to Disney with 3 of the boys, 18, 17 and 13 occasionally going off on their own. I'm a bit of a control freak and would like to have their tickets on my MDE app but how would it work if they wanted to use a lightning lane?”

Hi Lynn, welcome to planDisney!

Your sensational 6 are going to have a magical time at Walt Disney World Resort in August. I most often visit as a multigenerational party of 6 and there are times we split up into groups to experience attractions. There are a couple of ways you can retain the control you seek while giving the boys the independence they desire on your park days. Let's dig a little deeper.

Each individual in your party must have a My Disney Experience account or account profile to experience the parks. This is the virtual space that houses a Guest's ticket(s), theme park reservations, dining reservations, Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations, etc. You can view and make plans for anyone that appears on your Family & Friends List in My Disney Experience. How you are connected to each individual determines how Disney Genie+ service, Genie+ Lightning Lanes, and/or Individual Lightning Lanes will work for your party.

Option 1 - You manage everyone's My Disney Experience account profiles
If an individual on your Family & Friends List appears with the words "Plans managed by me," they do not have their own My Disney Experience account. As such, your account houses all of their vacation entitlements. If desired, you must purchase Disney Genie+ service or Individual Lightning Lanes for those individuals each park day and book their Genie+ Lightning Lane attractions. You do not need to be present when these individuals redeem a Lightning Lane reservation, though. If the teenagers decide to go off on their own, for example, they can tap their method of entry (Disney band, Disney MagicMobile pass, or admission card) to redeem their Lightning Lane reservation. As soon as they do, or at the time listed on the Tip Board of your My Disney Experience mobile app, you can book their next Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation.

Option 2 - At least one of the teenagers has their own My Disney Experience account and the My Disney Experience mobile app on their mobile device
If one of the teenagers has their own My Disney Experience account and you are connected as Family & Friends, you can view and make plans for each other. You can still purchase Disney Genie+ service and make Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations for them, or they can use their My Disney Experience mobile app to book their own Genie+ Lighting Lanes. This option shares the responsibility load; I book most Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations for my family but there are times when I'm busy experiencing the magic with my kids and my husband takes over.  

If someone whose plans you manage in My Disney Experience decides to create their own My Disney Experience account, follow these steps to merge their newly created account with the profile managed by you:
1. Click "Update" next to that person's name as it appears on your "My Family & Friends List."
2. Click "Share Planning with [person's name,]" which is to the right of "Update [person's name]'s Information." 
3. Enter the email address associated with that person's My Disney Experience account and click "Continue." 
4. Ask that person to accept the email invitation to connect and all of the vacation entitlements housed in your account will transfer to their new account. You will remain connected as Family & Friends.

I'm Happy as the dwarf to answer any follow-up questions, Lynn.

Plan magic; planDisney.
Jennifer