Disney newb, hoping to get on my big 3!

[kronz123]

Hey Everyone, trying to read through all the posts and discussions, but geeze I didn't know going to an amusement park would be so confusing.

I'm going to Disney with my wife 1/15 and 1/16, for two full days. We have park hopper tickets. We plan to hit all 4 parks, switching around 2pm when park hopper allows. I'm really hoping to get onto Star Wars, Avatar, and Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm happy to pay $15, or whatever it may be for lightning passes, but just getting a bit overwhelmed with how the heck to ride these rides. It seems like Genie+ does not help us get on any of the 3, is that right? Do I need to try to join a virtual queue at 7am or 1pm? Are there other ways to get on these rides? Is there just a normal queue we can wait in for an hour or two, if these virtual or lightning or genie things don't work?

Thanks everyone!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

You are correct, Genie+ does not help you with the "ILL" attractions. You can get 2 ILLs per day, so you could certainly do it by simply buying ILL for the time frame you want. If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can purchase them at 7AM and have really good selection times. If you are not, you need to wait until park opening to purchase, and it'll be a little thinner by then. GOTG is a one-off right now with the VQ for what is essentially a controlled standby line. You can try to get on the boarding group at 7AM, which is free. But if you are park hopping, it could be an issue depending when your group is scheduled to return. For the 1:00 drop of VQ, you must be in EP (so that would have to be your first park of the day), but you'd likely get a BG later that day. And yes, you can wait a couple hours in line, but since that's MLK weekend and people have long weekends to spend time at WDW, it's likely to be pretty busy.

You'll only need to purchase G+ if you want to do Lightning Lane (formerly fast pass) entry to other attractions that are not on your list above. Good luck and hope you get to enjoy them all! You could actually try for a VQ of Guardians and also do ILL, maybe ride it twice - Highly recommend getting on it, though!

 

[subtchr]

Are you staying at a Disney resort? That affects your timing for booking Individual Lightning Lanes, and the advice we can give you depending on whether you are eligible for early entry.

 

[Ta.Ham1989]

Are you staying at a Disney resort? That affects your timing for booking Individual Lightning Lanes, and the advice we can give you depending on whether you are eligible for early entry.

If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can book ILL soner?

 

[kronz123]

Are you staying at a Disney resort? That affects your timing for booking Individual Lightning Lanes, and the advice we can give you depending on whether you are eligible for early entry.

We are staying at the Swan Hotel. Thank you!

 

[kronz123]

On our first day, we actually wont be arriving until 11am or so. I guess I shouldn't purchase lightning passes, because they could assign me a time before 11am, or do I get to choose the time? On the same token, can I purchase a lightning pass once we show up to the park at 11am, or you can only do it right at 7am?

 

[kronz123]

Sorry, so many questions... Will I be able to purchase lightning passes at 1pm for Star Wars (Hollywood Studios), if I'm registered to be in Animal Kingdom that day, but with a park hopper pass?

 

[subtchr]

I highly recommend you read the first few posts on this thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/e...lightning-lane-please-read-posts-1-7.3856734/

 

[Tom_E_D]

If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can book ILL soner?

Yep. Those staying at Disney-owned resorts, as well as DVC resorts, the Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green can purchase ILLs at 7:00. Others must wait until official park opening time.

 

[Tom_E_D]

On our first day, we actually wont be arriving until 11am or so. I guess I shouldn't purchase lightning passes, because they could assign me a time before 11am, or do I get to choose the time? On the same token, can I purchase a lightning pass once we show up to the park at 11am, or you can only do it right at 7am?

Sorry, so many questions... Will I be able to purchase lightning passes at 1pm for Star Wars (Hollywood Studios), if I'm registered to be in Animal Kingdom that day, but with a park hopper pass?

For Individual Lightning Lane selections, which is the category for Star Wars Rise of the Resistance, Avatar Flight of Passage, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, you get to choose your time, subject to availability. So, you can choose a time between 11:00 and when you'll be leaving the park. You cannot choose a 1:00 return time for Rise of the Resistance on a day your park reservation is at Animal Kingdom because you cannot park hop until 2:00 or later. You can, at 7:00, 11:00, or any other time of the day after 7:00, buy an ILL for Rise that has a return time of 2:00 or later, subject to availability. Sometimes, the time will change while you are going through the booking process at a busy time (like right at 7:00), so be careful to note the time on the final screen before making your purchase. Many people recommend making a screenshot of the time on that screen. However, many people have also reported that they were allowed to ride when arriving after the expiration time of their ILL.

The same is not true for Genie+. For Genie+, you are assigned the next available time. You do not get to choose the time. And reports are that they are stricter about enforcing return times. There is a 15 minutes after expiration time allowance, but later than that and you may need a good excuse to be allowed to ride..

 

[kronz123]

Thank you all for your help!