Is Lightning Lane Worth it at Disney World?

Is Lightning Lane Worth it at Disney World?

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Is Lightning Lane Worth it at Disney World?

This article is your complete guide to the question, is Lightning Lane worth it at Disney World? In short, yes, we think the Lightning Lane system at the Disney Parks is worth it if you can save 60 minutes for every $11 spent on the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass or Lightning Lane Single Pass selections. While this can be difficult to do without the proper game plan, it is possible! Disney has come out to state that it’s intended to help guests skip 2-3 lines per day. However, getting your money’s worth on Single Pass Lightning Lane return times could be easier since these attractions typically have a lower cost but higher average wait times.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Disney World, check out our Disney Crowd calendar!

 Disney World Crowd Calendar

Are the Lightning Lane Passes Worth It at Disney World?

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We find the Disney World Lightning Lane to be worth it if you save 60 minutes for every $11 spent on the Multi-Pass or Single Pass Lightning Lane selections (previously known as Disney Genie+ and FastPass). The reason is that it typically costs the average guest $11.00 per hour to be in the Disney World parks. This is based on the price of a four-day Disney World ticket sold by The Park Prodigy divided by a 12-hour day in the parks. So, for this reason, we believe guests should aim to save at least 60 minutes for every $11.00 spent on the Multi-Pass or Single Pass Lightning Lane to make it worth it. However, because Disney will only allow you to hold three Multi-Pass return times at a time and two Single Pass lightning lanes per day, you must have a game plan to get the most out of it!

How Much Does Lightning Lane Cost at Disney World?

  • Multi Pass: $27 per person per day (pricing fluctuates based on the day)
  • Single Pass: $17 per person per attraction (pricing fluctuates based on the day)
  • Premier Pass: $289 per person per attraction (pricing fluctuates based on the day)

The only way that makes the Premier Pass worth it for your Disney Vacation is if you can pay the lowest price, it’s offered at $129, and you go on at least one ride per hour. But to do this, you need to be at a park where there are at least 12 attractions! This means that the only parks worth purchasing the Premier Pass would be Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

 

How Much Faster is Lightning Lane?

The Lightning Lane has a typical wait time of around 5-10 minutes. And it will always have a much shorter wait time compared to the standby line. It’s important to know that the LL will merge with the regular line before you get on the ride. But you will still wait a substantially less amount of time than waiting in the regular line, especially when you use the pass for some of the most popular rides like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios, which we will break down below.

Related Post: What is the Disney Lightning Lane?

Best Rides to Use the Lightning Lane on at Disney World

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Remember, the goal to make the Lightning Lane worth it over a standby queue is by saving more than 60 minutes per $11 spent!

Best Magic Kingdom Rides for Lightning Lane Passes

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: 76-minute wait on average (Single Pass Lightning Lane)
  • Peter Pan’s Flight: 69-minute wait on average
  • Tron Lightcycle Run: 67-minute wait on average
  • Jungle Cruise: 55-minute wait on average
  • Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: 49-minute wait on average
  • Haunted Mansion: 43-minute wait on average
  • Space Mountain: 42-minute wait on average
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 41-minute wait on average

The Best EPCOT Rides for Lightning Lane

  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 68-minute wait on average
  • Test Track: 57-minute wait on average
  • Frozen Ever After: 54-minute wait on average
  • Soarin’ Around the World: 33-minute wait on average
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind: TBD as the ride moves away from Virtual Queue (Single Pass Lightning Lane

Best Hollywood Studios Rides for Lightning Lane Passes

  • Slinky Dog Dash: 79-minute wait on average
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: 66-minute wait on average (Single Pass Lightning Lane)
  • Tower of Terror: 50-minute wait on average
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 44-minute wait on average
  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 43-minute wait on average

Best Animal Kingdom Rides for Lightning Lane

  • Avatar Flight of Passage: 80-minute wait on average (Single Pass Lightning Lane)
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris: 52-minute wait on average
  • Na’vi River Journey: 41-minute wait on average
  • Expedition Everest: 34-minute wait on average

Related Post: Complete Guide to Extended Evening Hours at Disney World 

Is Lightning Lane Worth It 2025 FAQ

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Q: What’s the difference between Multi Pass, Single Pass, and Premier Pass Lightning Lanes?

A: Multi-Pass allows you to avoid long lines on up to 3 select attractions at a time with a dedicated return time, Single-Pass allows one attraction with a dedicated return time (two total per person, per day), and Premier Pass allows any attraction once without a return time. While each version has its own set of rules, you can purchase them all the same way on the My Disney Experience App!

Q: Is Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance worth it?

A: Yes, we consider the Single Pass Lightning Lane to be worth it for Rise of the Resistance, as guests can save up to 77 minutes for an average additional cost of $20 per person. However, when you consider that it costs the average guest $11.00 per hour to be inside any of the Disney World theme parks, you’d have to pair this hour with another ride to make it worth the additional cost. We also recommend participating in rope drop or Early Entry and getting this ride done first thing in the morning. And you can save so much time by avoiding long lines and without the added cost!

Q: What is Better: Multi Pass or Premier Pass Lightning Lane?

A: We think the Multi-Pass Lightning Lane is the better option of the two. There are a lot of variables to this answer. Most have to do with cost and park hopping. The Premier Pass comes with an extremely high price point and is only able to be used in one park per day. That means if you have a park hopper ticket, you have to either only use this service for one part of your day or purchase another Premier Pass or another pass for the other park. While the Multi-Pass is a more affordable price, and you will still be able to experience most of the Lightning Lane attractions!

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney  World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages. The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets.

Don’t forget to check out our wonderful friends over at Theme Park Today, as well!

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Michael Belmont

Michael Belmont is the owner and chief editor at Theparkprodigy.com, an authorized Disney and Universal travel agency which has won the award for the fastest growing online travel agency by Travel Quest Network. He specializes in Disney and Universal theme park tickets and vacation packages, as well as daily park plans to help optimize vacation time. Michael and The Park Prodigy have been featured on ABC’s Florida affiliate, WTFV, as well as over 10 Disney focused blogs. As owner, Michael manages The Park Prodigy blog and social media, a Disney themed podcast, and a Disney and Universal focused YouTube channel. Prior to starting The Park Prodigy, Michael was a long time Disney and Universal enthusiast, frequent visitor of the parks, and even served as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in Orlando, Florida!