Plan Ahead with Lightning Lane Entry at Walt Disney World Starting July 24

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I think it’s a mystery if you can use Geni + on the 22nd and 23rd. The wording seems to be “may” be able to use. Unfortunately, you and everybody that goes around that time are going to be the guinea pigs. I would keep reading here and just get as educated as possible before you go. We’re going in August and I am very happy that my daughter is coming with me.

There's no way Disney is walking away from G+ money on those days. It probably says "may" be able because the service can sell out, not because they won't offer it at all.

 

[Tom_E_D]

That's how the old FP was, though, and only the very top rides booked way far out like that. In the above scenario, I think you'd likely be able to get pirates and/or HM early and, unlike old FP, you can start booking addition LLs as soon as you tap into the first one, so having a later Big Thunder doesn't hinder you picking up more once you use morning bookings.

Also, MK never used to be tiered, so it'll be interesting to see how that impacts availability there. With only being able to prebook one mountain, I would expect all of the mountains to still have good availability day of, at least until people start tapping and grabbing.

Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain are both Tier 1.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It was for CL guests or those staying in DVC grand villas, the CCV cabins, or the PVB bungalows. Totally worth it and I would love to have that back. I would also add Tables in Wonderland to my wish list.

Except you could only book 1 per hour, so you were often stuck in the park for 6 hours.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain are both Tier 1.

Exactly. FP+ you could book 7DMT, Space, and BTMRR if you wanted to and had quick fingers. With this new system implementing tiers at MK, the mountains in general are going to have better day of availability since people can't prebook all of them simultaneously.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I'm very excited to see how this all plays out. I'm sure there will be some initial bumps in the road, along with some permanent pros and cons. But I do think that it will increase guest satisfaction overall, even if it's just for the simple fact that people won't have to wake up for the 7am scramble and the uncertainty that comes along with it. We shall see!!

There will still be the 7am VQ though, so still a reason to be up early for many, unless they aren't interested or wish to pay for Single Pass.

 

[wilkydelts]

Is this booking at 7+ days or are your booking on a rolling 7 day window for the length of your trip?

 

[Figment Mom]

Is this booking at 7+ days or are your booking on a rolling 7 day window for the length of your trip?

No, up to 14 days.

 

[123SA]

It says only Advance Bookings are subject to tiers
What if you only book 1 LL -- say Big Thunder at 9am. As soon as you tap in, does this mean you can try to grab Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan and Space Mountain?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Not quite. You had to use all 3 before you could start booking day of FP, so you needed to factor in actually using your tier 1 before you could start booking again. You couldn't overlap times, so the best you could start with was bookings for park opening, 1 hour after opening, and 2 hours after opening.

I think you could burn a tier 2 8am, then modify your other tier 2 up to burn it, but you still needed to actually use your first tier 1, which presumably you wouldn't be able to modify up, before the day of game could begin.

That isn't quite 100% correct. You could also do just 1 pre-book, or cancel your prebooks. It was a gamble, but it was an option in the FP+ days.

 

[vinotinto]

I feel for you. July 24 could be a bit rough with so many people booking all at once: everyone booking for July24, and many booking for July 28, 29, etc.

Everyone arriving by July 27 and onsite guests arriving through July 31 are all going to be waiting in the queue “in orbit” together on July 24.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Exactly. FP+ you could book 7DMT, Space, and BTMRR if you wanted to and had quick fingers. With this new system implementing tiers at MK, the mountains in general are going to have better day of availability since people can't prebook all of them simultaneously.

Good point, although you can still get SDMT and one of the others pre-booked. I think the fact there are five rides in Tier 1 at MK (plus two LL single passes) help. Under Fastpass+, the top tier was only two or three attractions. Having four at HS may also mean a better chance to get one of the four.

 

[CaroM8]

I hope the info I read about Canadians (or anyone not based in the US) not being able to prebook selections until arrival day is wrong.. Disney would lose so much money not allowing that group of travellers to purchase this service.. seems odd…

 

[gharter]

Very happy with these changes. Wish they would have just rolled it out this way. Essentially, you have FP+ and now paying for it. Ilike having 3 guaranteed every day. I haven't seen if you can get multiple LL for one ride like you could with FP+ or only 1 time per ride like Genie +.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

Does the pre-booking all take place in the MDE app? Or can we do it online like ADRs?

 

[123SA]

Very happy with these changes. Wish they would have just rolled it out this way. Essentially, you have FP+ and now paying for it. Ilike having 3 guaranteed every day. I haven't seen if you can get multiple LL for one ride like you could with FP+ or only 1 time per ride like Genie +.

No. One LL per ride

 

[Neener16]

Everyone arriving by July 27 and onsite guests arriving through July 31 are all going to be waiting in the queue “in orbit” together on July 24.

View attachment 870979

I was going to reply with a laughing emoji, but I bet you will be right, and it's not funny. It will likely be a very frustrating experience for those that must be the first to test out the system.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

So glad to have this thread to do my emotional processing

One good thing mentioned upstream is hopefully we won’t be hamstrung by “overlapping times” (ie couldn’t book overlapping FPs)…. So this could potentially open up some availability as well

For the 3 day in advance off site peeps- the wording makes it sound like it is 3 days in advance of the whole trip? Rather than a rolling basis like the old 30 day window for FP+? That would be good I think….

 

[traveler9]

So glad to have this thread to do my emotional processing

One good thing mentioned upstream is hopefully we won’t be hamstrung by “overlapping times” (ie couldn’t book overlapping FPs)…. So this could potentially open up some availability as well

For the 3 day in advance off site peeps- the wording makes it sound like it is 3 days in advance of the whole trip? Rather than a rolling basis like the old 30 day window for FP+? That would be good I think….

For offsite with date based tickets, yes. For APs it’s 3 days before each park day.

 

[DLRExpert]

Another strategy idea. Unsure if this would work.
For example MK...
Book your one tier one LL attraction for whenever and the other two LL can be for anything with a quick return time, so that it expires early. Prefferably something that wouldn't need LL or would have short Stand by waits later.

Then as the low tier LLs expire you should be able to book 1 and even 2 LL at any tier.
Then modify the LL until you find the return time you want.

 

[rastuso]

Especially given how easy it is to access info about Disney parks compared to when paper Fastpass was first introduced in the late 90s.


I mean, that is the core issue but Disney doesn't care enough to fix it. Not referring to the attendance numbers but the low attraction capacity part.

Yeah, VERY few knew you could take old room keys and tickets and use them ALL for FPs.