The Complete Guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World

Disney announced a new pilot program for Walt Disney World resort guests to access its Lightning Lanes.  It is set to begin October 30, 2024, and you’re wondering: What is it? How is it different from the Lightning Lane plans in place? How much does it cost? Am I eligible to purchase it? Is it worth it?  Should I just opt for a VIP tour instead? Kingdom and Cruise Travel is here to answer all your questions with this “Complete Guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass” at Walt Disney World!

Set to begin in just a week, the Premier Pass is the next level in for-a-fee Lightning Lane services offered in Walt Disney World.

The Complete Guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World…

What is it?

The Lightning Lane Premier Pass is a new option for select Disney resort guests who wish to enjoy expedited access to Lightning Lane attractions at the Disney World theme parks.    The new pass allows guests to enter ALL Lightning Lane attractions ONCE per day without needing to choose a specific arrival time.  However, Disney has stated that only limited quantities of the Premier Pass plan will be available on a given day and it is ONLY available to guests staying at Disney’s Deluxe Resort Hotels.  It is priced PER PERSON, PER DAY, and park hopping is not available through the plan. You may park hop with park hopper tickets, but the Lightning Lane Premier Pass will not follow you.

How Does Lightning Lane Work at Disney World? | Magic Guides
The Lightning Lanes in Disney World have much shorter wait times than the standby lines.

How is Premier Pass different from the other services?

The current services you can purchase are Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (LLMP) and Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP).  These will remain in place and available to all Disney World guests.  You can read our article explaining LLMP and LLSP HERE.  LLMP allows guests to choose 3 rides (subject to availability) in advance of their Disney World vacation and requires selection of specific return/arrival windows. This service costs about $20-$40 per day per person. LLMP breaks rides into tiers, and guests are only allowed to choose 1 of their 3 advanced ride reservations from tier one, which comprises the most popular rides (like the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure).  Once inside the park, guests are allowed to continue holding 3 lightning lane passes at once.  After scanning into their first ride, guests may consult the app and choose another lightning lane attraction to add based on availability, even if that selection is in a different park (you must have park hopper tickets to park hop).

LLMP and LLSP are separate purchases and have a dynamic pricing structure.

LLSP provides access for a fee per rider to individual popular attractions in each park that are not part of Multi-Pass and also requires a specific return window.

LLMP is subject to selection of rides broken into tiers, with the most popular rides in tier one. Guests must choose a specific return time/arrival window.

By contrast, Premier Pass allows guests to access all LLMP and LLSP rides for one blanket price without specific return time windows.  This allows guests to have a stress free experience without worrying about tiers, ride availability, return times and without the need to consult the My Disney Experience app throughout the day!  Sounds dreamy!  BUT, there are a few buts…

How Can I Purchase Lightning Lane Premier Pass?

“Sounds dreamy” comes with a catch.  Aside from having valid park admission, the catch is:  1) you must be staying at a Disney World Deluxe Resort Hotel or select other resorts 2) you cannot park hop because the pass is for one day at one park only, and 3) the number of Premier Passes issued per day will be limited.  If that all falls in the plus column for you, you can purchase the service 7 days prior to check-in on your My Disney Experience.  Here is the full list of eligible resorts:

Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
  • Disney’s Beach Club Resort
  • Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

  • Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (DVC Cabins only)
  • Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
  • Disney’s Beach Club Villas
  • Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
  • Disney’s Old Key West Resort
  • Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
  • Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
  • Disney’s Riviera Resort
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Eligible Third Party Hotels

  • Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
  • Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
  • Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
  • Shades of Green Resort
Only guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts can purchase the Lightning Lane Premier Pass.

How much does Lightning Lane Premier Pass cost?

Prices for Lightning Lane Premier Passes vary by date and theme park.  As with LLMP and LLSP, you will see the higher prices at peak holiday times.  You can preview prices prior to purchasing in your app.

Here are each park’s price ranges for the remainder of 2024:

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $129 to $199 per person, plus tax
  • EPCOT: $169 to $249 per person, plus tax
  • Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $269 to $349 per person, plus tax
  • Magic Kingdom: $329 to $449 per person, plus tax
Lightning Lane Premier Pass comes at a high price point on top of tickets and deluxe resort prices. When is it worth it?

What Rides will I be able to Use the Lightning Lane For?

Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Premier Pass Attractions

  • The Barnstormer
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mad Tea Party
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Space Mountain
  • Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • TRON Lightcycle / Run
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

EPCOT Lightning Lane Premier Pass Attractions

  • Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Living with the Land
  • Mission: SPACE
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Turtle Talk with Crush

Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Premier Pass Attractions

  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
  • Disney Junior Play & Dance!
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
  • Toy Story Mania!
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Premier Pass Attractions

  • Avatar Flight of Passage
  • DINOSAUR
  • Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
  • Feathered Friends in Flight!
  • Festival of the Lion King
  • Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
  • Kali River Rapids
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • Naʻvi River Journey
Premier Pass will grant you access to all rides with Lightning Lanes, but for some attractions, parks and days, the pass may not be worth the money.

Is Lightning Lane Premier Pass Worth It?

This will be a subjective opinion as the pilot rolls out.  My suggestion is to contact me or your other experienced Kingdom and Cruise Travel Advisor to determine whether it is necessary to purchase this plan for any of your Disney vacation days.  Depending on the time of year, day of the week and even the park you are visiting, you may not benefit from the pass.  Purchasing Lightning Lane Premier Pass for a slow day at Animal Kingdom is not worth even the lowest price of $129 per person, whereas purchasing the service for the most expensive day at Magic Kingdom at $449 per person may be worth it on New Years Eve.  It will be a balancing act and one that should be looked at from many angles including your goals, budget and number of people in your group.

Do not underestimate the usefulness of your Disney Travel Advisor! They are here to take your needs and goals into consideration.

Should I Just Opt for the VIP Tour Instead?

VIP tours are a completely different product, and Lightning Lane Premier Pass is meant to be a middle of the road option between LLMP/LLSP and the VIP Tours.  VIP tours offer a customizable, bespoke experience for Disney guests.  They are priced at between $450-$900 per hour for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 10 hours.  They allow for a group of no more than 10 to build an itinerary with their personal Disney tour guide.  Your VIP guide escorts you through the park to all the attractions, shows, characters and more that you want to see.  They share stories and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the parks and attractions.  These guides anticipate needs and may hand you a Starbucks coffee when you come off your first ride in the morning, or they may make Disney magic happen for those celebrating a special occasion.

A young boy sitting on his father’s shoulders, giving a high five to a VIP Tour Guide in EPCOT
VIP tours in Disney World offer the highest level of service and customization and can’t really be compared to Lightning Lane Premier Pass.

Our suggestion once again is to get in touch with your Disney Travel Advisor to make this call!  Your investment in your Disney vacation demands an expert to guide you through the scenarios and options.  After running the numbers with your Disney planner, it’s quite possible that you should just opt for a day or two of the VIP tour instead.

What other questions do you have after reading through our complete guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World?  We are here to answer them!  Drop us a comment below.  As new information about this plan rolls out, we will keep you updated of any changes.

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