To LL or not-LL...that is the question

[Disneymom1126]

Hello all! It has been a while since I have posted. For some context - my daughter and I were annual park goers for years. As she has gotten older and life has gotten busier, this has not been the case and our last trip was in May 2022. She's a senior in HS this year and her MNSSHP has always been her favorite Disney thing so we are taking a trip this October. When we were there in May 2022 I did not enjoy the experience of LL's - having to get up early to purchase it and make your selections, etc. I'm guessing it has changed a bit over the years and will search through the threads to see where things stand. I'm hoping for some quick advice based on our situation:

1. We are not planning to do "all the things" - only really focusing on our favorites and the things we have not yet had a chance to experience (e.g. Guardians of the Galaxy, Tron, the rethemed Splash Mountain). Of course our favorites are also often the things with long lines (e.g. Flight of Passage, Tower of Terror, Smugglers Run, etc.).
2. Most of our trips in the past were during the glory days of Fast Pass and so waiting in lines is not something she is used to experiencing. I'm sure she will be fine, but just to add that context.
3. The cost of everything has sky rocketed (food, park entry, etc.), so I am not thrilled about the idea of having to fork over more for lightening lanes, etc. At the same time, this is likely the last trip we will take for a bit with her heading off to college next year so trying to make the most of it.

We are only spending one day in each park and our MK day will just be for MNSSHP so no LL that day. Should I just bite the bullet and purchase if for the other days? WWYD? Thanks!

 

[mickey916]

Hello all! It has been a while since I have posted. For some context - my daughter and I were annual park goers for years. As she has gotten older and life has gotten busier, this has not been the case and our last trip was in May 2022. She's a senior in HS this year and her MNSSHP has always been her favorite Disney thing so we are taking a trip this October. When we were there in May 2022 I did not enjoy the experience of LL's - having to get up early to purchase it and make your selections, etc. I'm guessing it has changed a bit over the years and will search through the threads to see where things stand. I'm hoping for some quick advice based on our situation:

1. We are not planning to do "all the things" - only really focusing on our favorites and the things we have not yet had a chance to experience (e.g. Guardians of the Galaxy, Tron, the rethemed Splash Mountain). Of course our favorites are also often the things with long lines (e.g. Flight of Passage, Tower of Terror, Smugglers Run, etc.).
2. Most of our trips in the past were during the glory days of Fast Pass and so waiting in lines is not something she is used to experiencing. I'm sure she will be fine, but just to add that context.
3. The cost of everything has sky rocketed (food, park entry, etc.), so I am not thrilled about the idea of having to fork over more for lightening lanes, etc. At the same time, this is likely the last trip we will take for a bit with her heading off to college next year so trying to make the most of it.

We are only spending one day in each park and our MK day will just be for MNSSHP so no LL that day. Should I just bite the bullet and purchase if for the other days? WWYD? Thanks!

It's usually not really necessary in Animal Kingdom and likely not for Epcot either especially since you can use single rider if you want for Remy and Test Track. I usually only purchase the LL for Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot. If you want to ride everything in Hollywood Studios though you definitely should get LLMP. There is single ride for Rise so you could do that or splurge for the LLSP.

 

[Tom_E_D]

It's usually not really necessary in Animal Kingdom and likely not for Epcot either especially since you can use single rider if you want for Remy and Test Track. I usually only purchase the LL for Galaxy's Edge in Epcot. If you want to ride everything in Hollywood Studios though you definitely should get LLMP. There is single ride for Rise so you could do that or splurge for the LLSP.

Galaxy's Edge is in HS. Did you mean to say you buy LLSP for Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot?

 

[mickey916]

Galaxy's Edge is in HS. Did you mean to say you buy LLSP for Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot?

Oops. yes. I will correct. Thanks!

 

[Tom_E_D]

Hello all! It has been a while since I have posted. For some context - my daughter and I were annual park goers for years. As she has gotten older and life has gotten busier, this has not been the case and our last trip was in May 2022. She's a senior in HS this year and her MNSSHP has always been her favorite Disney thing so we are taking a trip this October. When we were there in May 2022 I did not enjoy the experience of LL's - having to get up early to purchase it and make your selections, etc. I'm guessing it has changed a bit over the years and will search through the threads to see where things stand. I'm hoping for some quick advice based on our situation:

1. We are not planning to do "all the things" - only really focusing on our favorites and the things we have not yet had a chance to experience (e.g. Guardians of the Galaxy, Tron, the rethemed Splash Mountain). Of course our favorites are also often the things with long lines (e.g. Flight of Passage, Tower of Terror, Smugglers Run, etc.).
2. Most of our trips in the past were during the glory days of Fast Pass and so waiting in lines is not something she is used to experiencing. I'm sure she will be fine, but just to add that context.
3. The cost of everything has sky rocketed (food, park entry, etc.), so I am not thrilled about the idea of having to fork over more for lightening lanes, etc. At the same time, this is likely the last trip we will take for a bit with her heading off to college next year so trying to make the most of it.

We are only spending one day in each park and our MK day will just be for MNSSHP so no LL that day. Should I just bite the bullet and purchase if for the other days? WWYD? Thanks!

I assume you will be buying dated tickets. That's what most of us buy. If so, you can make all your lightning lane purchases on the same day. Which day that is depends on whether you are staying at a Disney resort (or Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve or Shades of Green), which makes you eligible 7 days before arrival, or elsewhere, which makes you eligible 3 days before the ticket start date . On that day, you can purchase your lightning lanes and get your times as early as 7:00 AM. Is it necessary to get up at 7:00 that day to book/buy your lightning lanes? I don't think so. I think I bought mine around Noon on the day I was first eligible for my last trip. But I was eligible 7 days before arrival and satisfied with getting afternoon times. If you want morning times and the best selection, you should book as soon as you are eligible. But even then, it only means getting up early once, not every day, as it was for Genie+.

I would definitely buy Lightning Lane Multi Pass for HS, and not buy it for AK. Epcot is the one I'm unsure how I would choose when I next visit. I didn't buy it for my last trip, but Test Track wasn't open then. As for Lightning Lane Single Pass, Guardians is the one I prioritize, but I also bought Avatar Flight of Passage, Rise of the Resistance, and Tron on my last trip (but that was in large part because the people I was with bought those.)