We Used Disney World’s NEW $329 Skip-the-Line Pass. Here’s the Thing That Truly Shocked Us…

Disney is in a new era. The theme parks are about to look VERY different. A new Villains Land is coming to Magic Kingdom. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting a long-awaited roller coaster. Animal Kingdom is transforming the existing DinoLand U.S.A. Oh, and the days of free FastPasses are long gone. That’s right — if you want to skip the standby  line, you’ve got to pay extra. 

Now, this concept of paying to skip the line is a few years old at this point, but the system is still evolving. In fact, Disney just debuted a NEW skip-the-line option for people willing to pay a premium. We tested out this new Lightning Lane Premier Pass on the first day it was available. How’d it go? Well, we have some thoughts…

So, what is this new Lightning Lane Premier Pass? To really understand this new service, we first have to discuss all the ways to skip the lines at Disney World. Currently, there are three services available:

• Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (LLMP):  A paid system that gives you access to the “express line,” a.k.a. the Lightning Lane, at multiple rides around Disney World. With Multi Pass, you can book three ride reservations in advance, then continue to book additional rides throughout the day.
  • If you have a Park Hopper ticket, you can use your Multi Pass at multiple parks on the same day.
• Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP): A pay-per-ride system that is reserved for the most popular attractions in each park. This is essentially an a la carte version of Lightning Lane Multi Pass that allows you to pay for those in-demand Lightning Lanes once per ride, per day.
  • If you have a Park Hopper ticket, you can buy two Lightning Lane Single Passes per day.
• NEW Lightning Lane Premier Pass (LLPP): A premium service that gives you one-time access to skip the lines at ALL attractions in a park. (Yes, that includes both Multi Pass AND Single Pass attractions.) The big difference here is that you do not need to book any reservations ahead of time; you simply walk up to an attraction whenever you want, scan your pass, and enter the Lightning Lane.
  • There is no Park Hopper option for Premier Pass at Disney World; you can only use the pass at ONE park per day.

People Keep Comparing Universal’s Express Pass to Disney’s NEW Lightning Lane Premier Pass. Here’s How They Actually Stack Up.

At this time, Lightning Lane Premier Passes are available “in very limited quantities.” In fact, you can only purchase a Premier Pass if you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort or Deluxe Villa Resort (Disney Vacation Club Resorts). Passes can be purchased up to seven days before your stay.

Pricing for Lightning Lane Premier Passes will vary by date and park, with initial rates ranging from $129 to $449 per person, plus tax. The highest prices will apply during peak travel periods on select days. Here’s the pricing range for each park:

• Magic Kingdom: $329 to $449 per person, plus tax
• EPCOT: $169 to $249 per person, plus tax
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269 to $349 per person, plus tax
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129 to $199 per person, plus tax

FULL GUIDE To Booking the NEW Lightning Lane Premier Pass for Disney World

We’ll say it: that’s a LOT of money. Before you splurge on this premium service, you might want to do some research to see if the Lightning Lane Premier Pass is necessary for you and your family. We tested it at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

LIVE UPDATES: We’re Testing the BRAND NEW Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Disney World!

Now, here’s what we didn’t expect.

Lightning Lane Premier Pass debuts TODAY in Disney World! Stay tuned to our socials today as we take on this new system! pic.twitter.com/4EIbSethE3

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) October 30, 2024

Based on our experience, there are a few important things to note about Lightning Lane Premier Pass. First, even though you’re paying a LOT more money, you are still using the same Lightning Lane as those who buy Lightning Lane Multi and Single Pass. Is the Lightning Lane line much shorter than the standby line? In many cases, yes! Do you have any time-saving advantage in line as a Premier Pass holder compared to those using Multi Pass? No.

Really, like we said, the big convenience here is that you don’t have to plan a single ride ahead of time. The Premier Pass gives you complete freedom to ride what you want, when you want, and, most importantly, WHERE you want.

We felt a LOT more efficient using the Premier Pass (especially in a park like Magic Kingdom, which is dense with rides), as we could stroll from ride to ride without having to wait for a reservation to open up. That means no more racing from one side of the park to another based on Lightning Lane availability!

Imagine how much easier it is to hit every ride in Tomorrowland, then Fantasyland, then Liberty Square, then Frontierland, then Adventureland without backtracking all over the place. It’s a SERIOUS game-changer. Our step count while using Lightning Lane Premier Pass was much lower than a recent day when we used Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. Why? We decided when (and where) we wanted to go!

Is this a simplified, relaxing way to skip the lines in Disney World? YES! Is it worth the price tag? Probably not. Unless you REALLY don’t want to deal with the hassle of booking Lightning Lanes throughout the day, there’s no reason to splurge on the Premier Pass — it uses the same line as the (much cheaper) Multi Pass.

We’ll admit it. We were pretty surprised by how easy it was to use Lightning Lane Premier Pass today. But think long and hard about your budget before you buy those passes!

Contact our friends at Mouse Fan Travel to book your next Disneyland vacation! They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of navigating these Lightning Lane changes for you!

In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

CONFIRMED: Disney World Announces Lightning Lane Premier Pass Prices

What do you think about this new service? Let us know in the comments!

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