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

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

My plan right now is to book in this order:
HS, our Day 7 Trying for Slinky Tier 1
EP, our Day 6 Trying for TT Tier 1
HS, our Day 3 Trying for Slinky Tier 1
EP, our Day 2 Trying for TT Tier 1
MK, our Day 8 Trying for Tiana Tier 1
MK, our Day 5 Trying for Tiana Tier 1

Tiana has a lot of drops same day so I'm not too worried about that even if I don't get it. I can watch the clock and looks for those regular Tiana drops if I don't happen to get it when I prebook

I’m honestly not an expert, but pretty familiar with the system over the past year, having done this at least 3x since the change—the issue being that TT could change things up dramatically at EPCOT.

I would expect that you will be able to get Slinky, Tiana, and TT for all of those days, but possibly not before noon? If you don’t care what time you get, I would day 3 and 2 before 6 and 7– I would be the majority of guests don’t stay more than 5 nights, so there’s probably less urgency to book day 6 and 7 unless you really want your T1 ride early in the day.

 

[DisneyFive]

I’m honestly not an expert, but pretty familiar with the system over the past year, having done this at least 3x since the change—the issue being that TT could change things up dramatically at EPCOT.

I would expect that you will be able to get Slinky, Tiana, and TT for all of those days, but possibly not before noon? If you don’t care what time you get, I would day 3 and 2 before 6 and 7– I would be the majority of guests don’t stay more than 5 nights, so there’s probably less urgency to book day 6 and 7 unless you really want your T1 ride early in the day.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah it doesn’t really matter to me too much when I get my first Tier 1, except for in the middle of the day, since we normally take midday breaks. I will be using my other two pre booked Tier 2’s (One of them booked close to park open) to book, use, and repeat throughout the day.

 

[DisneyFive]

Did our prebooking this morning (we're only doing LLMP). Here's my comments:

Everything went well overall this morning with one caveat. I had a $1000 gift card that I was using for our 6 days of LLMP bookings. After entering the 16 digit gift card number, and 8 digit EAN the card would show up. However I couldn't charge the full amount of a given day's LLMP cost. For instance if it was $170.40 as my total for our MK day, I couldn't put $170.40 on the gift card. It would let me go down by $0.01 and then it was o.k. So $170.40 became $170.39 on the gift card, and the remaining $0.01 went on my credit card on file. Weird. I had seen a vlogger have this same problem on a YouTube video I watched about prebooking, so it wasn't a huge surprise, but if I hadn't seen that video I'm not sure I would have known to bring the total down by just a penny. Hopefully that helps someone out.

Other notes.

• Test track was unavailable on our second park day (July 23rd), but was easily available the 6th day. For that second park day I had to change one of my tier 2's (Spaceship Earth) to Seas with Nemo so that I could get an early time of 9:25am so that I can tap in and unlock the tier restrictions and further book better day-of LLMP's ASAP. Otherwise our first LLMP would have been around 10:30am. No bueno.
• Slinky was pushed out to 2pm on day 3 and none of the good tier 2's were available before 10:30 so I took my 10:30 Toy Story and changed it to a 9:05am Star tours so that I can tap in and unlock the tier restrictions and further book day-of LLMP's ASAP.

All the other four days (days 5, 6, 7, 8) had everything we wanted available (Slinky, TOT, TSMM, Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Tiana, Haunted Mansion, Pirates...) and all were 9am, 10am, 11am each of those days which is fantastic.

 

[Miffy]

Did our prebooking this morning (we're only doing LLMP). Here's my comments:

Everything went well overall this morning with one caveat. I had a $1000 gift card that I was using for our 6 days of LLMP bookings. After entering the 16 digit gift card number, and 8 digit EAN the card would show up. However I couldn't charge the full amount of a given day's LLMP cost. For instance if it was $170.40 as my total for our MK day, I couldn't put $170.40 on the gift card. It would let me go down by $0.01 and then it was o.k. So $170.40 became $170.39 on the gift card, and the remaining $0.01 went on my credit card on file. Weird. I had seen a vlogger have this same problem on a YouTube video I watched about prebooking, so it wasn't a huge surprise, but if I hadn't seen that video I'm not sure I would have known to bring the total down by just a penny. Hopefully that helps someone out.

Other notes.

• Test track was unavailable on our second park day (July 23rd), but was easily available the 6th day. For that second park day I had to change one of my tier 2's (Spaceship Earth) to Seas with Nemo so that I could get an early time of 9:25am so that I can tap in and unlock the tier restrictions and further book better day-of LLMP's ASAP. Otherwise our first LLMP would have been around 10:30am. No bueno.
• Slinky was pushed out to 2pm on day 3 and none of the good tier 2's were available before 10:30 so I took my 10:30 Toy Story and changed it to a 9:05am Star tours so that I can tap in and unlock the tier restrictions and further book day-of LLMP's ASAP.

All the other four days (days 5, 6, 7, 8) had everything we wanted available (Slinky, TOT, TSMM, Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Tiana, Haunted Mansion, Pirates...) and all were 9am, 10am, 11am each of those days which is fantastic.

Thank you so much for posting this! I'll post tomorrow after we've done our LLs for next week.

 

[gottalovepluto]

… I had a $1000 gift card that I was using for our 6 days of LLMP bookings. After entering the 16 digit gift card number, and 8 digit EAN the card would show up. However I couldn't charge the full amount of a given day's LLMP cost.

Did you click the button to remove the other payment method? If you don’t do that you have to charge something on the other payment method. The button to remove the other payment method takes a minute to show up.

Here is a DISer’s experience complete with a screenshot link

 

[DisneyFive]

Did you click the button to remove the other payment method? If you don’t do that you have to charge something on the other payment method. The button to remove the other payment method takes a minute to show up.

Here is a DISer’s experience complete with a screenshot link

That's a great question!

If I saw that link, it didn't "sink in" what it was saying. In the hustle and bustle of things I missed that completely. I guess I found the work-around. LOL Thanks for the heads-up. It's past for me but maybe your post will help others.

I just did a mock purchase to find out, and yes, that's exactly what happened. It's weird the way they have it setup. I mean, in the prior screen if you click "Add a payment method" and you have a gift card to cover the full amount, obviously that's what you are trying to do. It should default to the full amount to charge to gift card and provide a link to split the bill if you want to. (at least that's my opinion)

 

[gottalovepluto]

That's a great question!

If I saw that link, it didn't "sink in" what it was saying. In the hustle and bustle of things I missed that completely. I guess I found the work-around. LOL Thanks for the heads-up. It's past for me but maybe your post will help others.

I just did a mock purchase to find out, and yes, that's exactly what happened. It's weird the way they have it setup. I mean, in the prior screen if you click "Add a payment method" and you have a gift card to cover the full amount, obviously that's what you are trying to do. It should default to the full amount to charge to gift card and provide a link to split the bill if you want to. (at least that's my opinion)

Yes, it's sloppy programming forcing the end user to remove the additional payment method in order to process the order fully to the gc. Everybody else does this automatically if a gc covers the full amount or makes it optional to split payment.

 

[brockash]

That's a great question!

If I saw that link, it didn't "sink in" what it was saying. In the hustle and bustle of things I missed that completely. I guess I found the work-around. LOL Thanks for the heads-up. It's past for me but maybe your post will help others.

I just did a mock purchase to find out, and yes, that's exactly what happened. It's weird the way they have it setup. I mean, in the prior screen if you click "Add a payment method" and you have a gift card to cover the full amount, obviously that's what you are trying to do. It should default to the full amount to charge to gift card and provide a link to split the bill if you want to. (at least that's my opinion)

Yes, it's definitely confusing. The first time I bought Llanes with a gift card it took me like 10 mins to figure out why it wouldn't let me.

 

[Dave006]

Yes, it's sloppy programming forcing the end user to remove the additional payment method in order to process the order fully to the gc.

It is 100% programmed as they were instructed to make it work. There is a 99,999% chance they were trying to avoid a claim of copying the way another major solution works.

It had to be approved by the UI team, the UX team, and the Product Owner. While you might not like it it was no accident that it works this way in the LLMP and/or LLSP purchase workflow.

Dave

 

[DisneyFive]

It is 100% programmed as they were instructed to make it work. There is a 99,999% chance they were trying to avoid a claim of copying the way another major solution works.

It had to be approved by the UI team, the UX team, and the Product Owner. While you might not like it it was no accident that it works this way in the LLMP and/or LLSP purchase workflow.

Dave

No one said they did this unintentionally. The fact that they did something like this intentionally doesn’t mean I can’t criticize it. (Maybe even more-so )

I personally feel that if you have a gift card to cover the full cost of the purchase (and you go through all the work to enter/copy in the 24 digits from the gift card) your first choice is obviously to use that card for the purchase. At that point it is a surprise that they would still force you to split payment between two payment methods, and the only way to do otherwise is to click the link to remove your credit card on file.

Purchasing LLMP’s is a bit of unique situation. The problem in the LL purchase scenario is that you are trying to race through the payment information so that you can get to your next day to keep booking your lightning lanes. You aren’t expecting stumbling blocks like this.

 

[gottalovepluto]

It is 100% programmed as they were instructed to make it work. There is a 99,999% chance they were trying to avoid a claim of copying the way another major solution works.

So they’re aren’t incompetent, they’re just cheaper than every other company on the internet that accepts gift cards. …somehow that is even worse than bad programming lol

 

[Miffy]

Today was our LL booking day, we started booking at 7 a.m. exactly, and I screwed up the first day, which is actually the day after check-in (the 24th). We don't get LLs for arrival or departure day.

So, because I clicked the wrong screen and then spent probably 30 seconds figuring out what to do, the TBA we got is for nearly 4 pm. Not at all what we wanted, but we took it. I've tried several times to modify it to no avail.

The only other LL--an LLSP--I wasn't happy with the time they gave us is for RotR on day 3 of our trip. It's at 12:55, and only that "early" because I was able to modify it.

Other than that, we got everything we wanted--we have 6 days of LLs booked--and most of them are at good times. For reference, we have 2 LLSPs at FoP and 1 at RotR. We have a pre-lunch time for FEA at Epcot, along with SE and Soarin'. We have TBA booked for both of our MK days and for the one later in the week it's an early time (thank goodness). We didn't book Slinky or 7DMT or Tron, in case you're wondering.

We'll probably RD TBA--I realize it's not open until after ETPE--because there's usually not much of a standby line then. So I'm hoping we get to ride it several times. We've gotten lucky in the past and it's our favorite MK ride.

Before we started booking (my sister and I split up the days) I checked to see if the ADRs I'd already booked were still available and since they were, I canceled all of them and then rebooked them after we got the LLs done. I've had noonish ADRs push every LL booked into the afternoon before and I definitely did not want that this time.

One thing I noticed that I have not seen before, including on our May trip, was that the app no longer gives you an option to book the LLSP at a specific time. It just gives you whatever time it feels like.

Any questions, ask away. And yes, I'm still recovering from some sticker shock even though we've done this on several trips now.

 

[DisneyFive]

Today was our LL booking day, we started booking at 7 a.m. exactly, and I screwed up the first day, which is actually the day after check-in (the 24th). We don't get LLs for arrival or departure day.

So, because I clicked the wrong screen and then spent probably 30 seconds figuring out what to do, the TBA we got is for nearly 4 pm. Not at all what we wanted, but we took it. I've tried several times to modify it to no avail.

The only other LL--an LLSP--I wasn't happy with the time they gave us is for RotR on day 3 of our trip. It's at 12:55, and only that "early" because I was able to modify it.

Other than that, we got everything we wanted--we have 6 days of LLs booked--and most of them are at good times. For reference, we have 2 LLSPs at FoP and 1 at RotR. We have a pre-lunch time for FEA at Epcot, along with SE and Soarin'. We have TBA booked for both of our MK days and for the one later in the week it's an early time (thank goodness). We didn't book Slinky or 7DMT or Tron, in case you're wondering.

We'll probably RD TBA--I realize it's not open until after ETPE--because there's usually not much of a standby line then. So I'm hoping we get to ride it several times. We've gotten lucky in the past and it's our favorite MK ride.

Before we started booking (my sister and I split up the days) I checked to see if the ADRs I'd already booked were still available and since they were, I canceled all of them and then rebooked them after we got the LLs done. I've had noonish ADRs push every LL booked into the afternoon before and I definitely did not want that this time.

One thing I noticed that I have not seen before, including on our May trip, was that the app no longer gives you an option to book the LLSP at a specific time. It just gives you whatever time it feels like.

Any questions, ask away. And yes, I'm still recovering from some sticker shock even though we've done this on several trips now.

Yeah those first few days are a little rough. After I prebooked booked yesterday morning I'm not finding good opportunities to move anything earlier either on our day 2 and 3. I'm guessing/hoping that day-of things will loosen up and hopefully as they release more LL's and others change plans that day, we can maybe pick up earlier times. We'll see. I've relied on "refreshing" a lot in the past with both FP+ and G+ and I expect LLMP will be fairly similar.

The popular tier 2's play a lot into this now (more than I expected) since they also get booked later than I would like. We got the rides we wanted just maybe not ideal times (early in the trip). Day 2 and 3 I had to trade a good Tier 2 for a lousy one in order to get a time as close to park open as possible. Hopefully you can adjust day-of to some extent. That's our plan.

Most are fighting for the same Tier 1 and Tier 2's especially at MK and HS it seems. MK = Tiana, HM, Pirates, HS = Slinky Dog, ToT, and TSMM. Now with TT opening at EP I expect the top 3 are TT, Soarin and SE

We honestly don't think Slinky is all that great but if we don't prebook it there is a good chance that we would completely miss out day-of since it books out so fast. Tapping into a Tier 2 early in the day hopefully allows us to start getting the Tier 1's we want even more throughout the day, like RnRC, MMRR, and MFSR

Hope everything work out for ya!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Today was our LL booking day, we started booking at 7 a.m. exactly, and I screwed up the first day, which is actually the day after check-in (the 24th). We don't get LLs for arrival or departure day.

So, because I clicked the wrong screen and then spent probably 30 seconds figuring out what to do, the TBA we got is for nearly 4 pm. Not at all what we wanted, but we took it. I've tried several times to modify it to no avail.

TBA drops a lot throughout the day if it's running well so I suspect you've got a decent shot at modifying it earlier day of.

 

[Miffy]

TBA drops a lot throughout the day if it's running well so I suspect you've got a decent shot at modifying it earlier day of.

Believe me, I'm going to try!

 

[tom1944]

We have an Ohana breakfast on our second day so we will not be getting over to a park until around 11:15. Either MK or Ep- not sure yet.

I have to decide where in the order of the 6 days of selections of the LLMP I should make that day. Our initial 2 days of selecting LLMP will be for HS and it will be for our 5th and 6th park days. I think I will select for MK on our 3rd day. I will select for afternoon rides at AK as our last LLMP selection day and this will be our first park day.

I have our second and 4th days to make selections and am not sure if it will be MK and EP or EP and MK

Right now, I think on August 5th it will be

7 days out from arrival
HS Day 5 and then day 6
MK for day 3
MK day 2- all selections for 11am or after
Ep day 4
AK day 1 all late afternoon

We have hoppers so we will be hoping to EP on day 5 and 6.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

We have an Ohana breakfast on our second day so we will not be getting over to a park until around 11:15. Either MK or Ep- not sure yet.

I have to decide where in the order of the 6 days of selections of the LLMP I should make that day. Our initial 2 days of selecting LLMP will be for HS and it will be for our 5th and 6th park days. I think I will select for MK on our 3rd day. I will select for afternoon rides at AK as our last LLMP selection day and this will be our first park day.

I have our second and 4th days to make selections and am not sure if it will be MK and EP or EP and MK

Right now, I think on August 5th it will be

7 days out from arrival
HS Day 5 and then day 6
MK for day 3
MK day 2- all selections for 11am or after
Ep day 4
AK day 1 all late afternoon

We have hoppers so we will be hoping to EP on day 5 and 6.

If you are interested in doing Test Track, I would probably book it a little earlier in your morning—but if you aren’t booking until Aug 5, maybe it will be less insane by then?

 

[tom1944]

If you are interested in doing Test Track, I would probably book it a little earlier in your morning—but if you aren’t booking until Aug 5, maybe it will be less insane by then?

I am hoping to book Test Track for our original Epcot day

 

[TheyCallMeStacey]

We've got 1 day to try to do new-to-us rides at MK and EP. I wouldn't say I had the best luck with MP/SP selections this morning. I think we're going to try to rope drop TBA (not sure how sound that is) and then the other issue is that my SP for Tron is later in the afternoon and pushing back our park hop time to EPCOT. I know that I can (and believe me I will) stalk the app for a better Tron time, but is there a chance that if we go to guest services, they may take pity on us and move our Tron SP earlier in the day?

 

[DisneyFive]

We've got 1 day to try to do new-to-us rides at MK and EP. I wouldn't say I had the best luck with MP/SP selections this morning. I think we're going to try to rope drop TBA (not sure how sound that is) and then the other issue is that my SP for Tron is later in the afternoon and pushing back our park hop time to EPCOT. I know that I can (and believe me I will) stalk the app for a better Tron time, but is there a chance that if we go to guest services, they may take pity on us and move our Tron SP earlier in the day?

Tiana drop more LL's frequently throughout the day. Check right at 9:45am, 11:45am, 1:45pm, 3:45pm, 5:45pm, 7:45pm