Lightning Lane and ADR Timing

[Frozen2014]

Wondering the safe times to book a Lightning Lane to work around an ADR.

We have an ADR at 11:30am (Sci Fi Diner if that makes a difference)
We want to book our first lightning lane for Millennium Falcon.

What is the latest time in the morning that is safe to book without being late for the ADR? e.g. Selecting a time of 10:45am or earlier is safe? 10:30am or earlier?

What is the earliest time after our ADR that is safe to book? e.g. Selecting 12:30pm or later is safe? 1pm or later?

i.e. just looking at what window to avoid so we are not stressing on missing it (without having to go to get it changed)

Prefer to book it first thing but if it's too close then we will book after.
Thanks.

 

[Pyxie]

CM's will generally let you enter your LL late if it conflicts with a dining reservation. (Dining always takes precedence). Just talk to them and you shouldn't have any issues. I wouldn't stress it, especially since you can't select any specific time for the LL. You are at the mercy of whatever is next available.

 

[Frozen2014]

CM's will generally let you enter your LL late if it conflicts with a dining reservation. (Dining always takes precedence). Just talk to them and you shouldn't have any issues. I wouldn't stress it, especially since you can't select any specific time for the LL. You are at the mercy of whatever is next available.

Thanks. I wasn't sure as for LL, although you don't get to pick the time (unlike LL$), you do see the time you are booking.

Not sure if we should pick another first booking other than Millennium Falcon and hope that it is available for booking at our second booking? I looked at thrill data for the past couple days and at 7am, MK seems to be booking 10:30am-10:45am.

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree - ADRs take precedence. Book the LL for a convenient time after the ADR (for 11:30 ADR at Sci-Fi I’d book LL around 12:30 or later), then if you’re too late for the LL (you have 15 minutes past the hour window, so for a 12:30 LL you could tap in as late as 1:45 and not be considered late), just tell the CM you had an ADR, and they’ll let you in. Sometimes they ask to see the ADR in your MDE account or to see the receipt.

 

[Frozen2014]

Right....so then are we better to pick another one that has an earlier return? Otherwise, our first LL may not be until 12:30pm or so. Seems like a waste of a booking. (But....my son wants to make sure he doesn't miss LL for Millennium Falcon, so that is the dilemma).

As a note, my kids also want to ride Rock n Roll rollercoaster and that seems to have earlier bookings if we grab it at 7am.

But of course, it then gets complicated. Another priority is Rise of the Resistance....but for that one, we can pick the time.

 

[CarolynFH]

Sorry, I haven’t had to do the DHS LL juggling act yet, so I don’t have enough experience to advise you. You might try reading the last few pages of the Genie+ thread and then asking there if need be.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Couple of questions: Are you staying at a resort for early entry? What time do you plan to get to the park? If you want to do Falcon close to your ADR, I would book something else in the am so you can start stacking LLs. I have found after a few visits with Genie+ that DHS tends to run out of LLs when it is busy. Getting them early and then making sure to get your next one AS SOON as you tap in OR right at 2 hours (depending on your times) makes all the difference. Another thought with Falcon, there IS a single rider line so you can always divert to that if you don't get an LL>

 

[Frozen2014]

Couple of questions: Are you staying at a resort for early entry? What time do you plan to get to the park? If you want to do Falcon close to your ADR, I would book something else in the am so you can start stacking LLs. I have found after a few visits with Genie+ that DHS tends to run out of LLs when it is busy. Getting them early and then making sure to get your next one AS SOON as you tap in OR right at 2 hours (depending on your times) makes all the difference. Another thought with Falcon, there IS a single rider line so you can always divert to that if you don't get an LL>

Yes we are staying onsite. Park opens at 9am. We will "try" for 8:30am but previous evening is extended hours at Epcot so may or may not make it for early entry.

So you recommend starting with something like Rock n Roll Rollercoaster for trying for 10am or earlier....and then book MF as soon as we check in?

I think our kids would be ok doing single rider for MF as a second ride but they might want to go together for the first ride. They're not young (13 and 17) but better together for that first time.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Yes we are staying onsite. Park opens at 9am. We will "try" for 8:30am but previous evening is extended hours at Epcot so may or may not make it for early entry.

So you recommend starting with something like Rock n Roll Rollercoaster for trying for 10am or earlier....and then book MF as soon as we check in?

I think our kids would be ok doing single rider for MF as a second ride but they might want to go together for the first ride. They're not young (13 and 17) but better together for that first time.

IF you can make the early hours, hit MF right away. Almost everyone heads to Slinky Dog and Rise. On Thanksgiving Day last year, I hit Rise AND MF during early entry and got both done before 9am. That also either saves you an LL OR lets you do Falcon twice. I should have also mentioned, if you do single rider for Falcon, you probably won't get to pilot. If that is a deal breaker, you either need the LL or to stand in the regular line.

And yes, if you want MF close to your ADR, I would definitely get something else right away in the morning and then get your Falcon LL as soon as you tap in to the first one (or 11am if you need to do the two hour thing.) Slinky and Tower seem to run out the fastest and also usually have the latest return times at 7am.

 

[Frozen2014]

IF you can make the early hours, hit MF right away. Almost everyone heads to Slinky Dog and Rise. On Thanksgiving Day last year, I hit Rise AND MF during early entry and got both done before 9am. That also either saves you an LL OR lets you do Falcon twice. I should have also mentioned, if you do single rider for Falcon, you probably won't get to pilot. If that is a deal breaker, you either need the LL or to stand in the regular line.

And yes, if you want MF close to your ADR, I would definitely get something else right away in the morning and then get your Falcon LL as soon as you tap in to the first one (or 11am if you need to do the two hour thing.) Slinky and Tower seem to run out the fastest and also usually have the latest return times at 7am.

Thank you. Rope drop is another idea...if we can get there early enough (prior night is extended hours for us so will have to see). Or unless we are really lucky with an early LL drop for Millennium Falcon, seems like we are best to book it as our second LL, right when we tap in to the first.

I sat down with my kids on the weekend and they decided to skip SDD as it's not a super exciting roller coaster for them (teenagers). For Tower of Terror, one loves the horror theme, the other doesn't...and then the one that loves the theme doesn't like the drop and vice versa for the other kid. So as of now, they are skipping it. But if they change their minds, that will be the first LL (otherwise, planning on Rock n Roll Rollercoaster if not MF)

One question no one has responded to yet....what is the latest time that is safe to book a Lightning Lane without being late for our 11:30am ADR?

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Thank you. Rope drop is another idea...if we can get there early enough (prior night is extended hours for us so will have to see). Or unless we are really lucky with an early LL drop for Millennium Falcon, seems like we are best to book it as our second LL, right when we tap in to the first.

I sat down with my kids on the weekend and they decided to skip SDD as it's not a super exciting roller coaster for them (teenagers). For Tower of Terror, one loves the horror theme, the other doesn't...and then the one that loves the theme doesn't like the drop and vice versa for the other kid. So as of now, they are skipping it. But if they change their minds, that will be the first LL (otherwise, planning on Rock n Roll Rollercoaster if not MF)

One question no one has responded to yet....what is the latest time that is safe to book a Lightning Lane without being late for our 11:30am ADR?

Hmm...the latest time to book is going to depend on the ride and how far it is from the restaurant. I would say you could book a 10:30-11:30 LL and hit it on the early side of that (you can usually get 5 minutes before your time so 10:25-10:30). That gives you time for a small LL line and the ride and walk time to the ressie.

 

[Frozen2014]

Hmm...the latest time to book is going to depend on the ride and how far it is from the restaurant. I would say you could book a 10:30-11:30 LL and hit it on the early side of that (you can usually get 5 minutes before your time so 10:25-10:30). That gives you time for a small LL line and the ride and walk time to the ressie.

Thank you! That gives some guidance of which one to book at 7am...also leaving some buffer time to walk from the previous ride to our lunch reservation.