Disney Reportedly Closes Standby Line, Only Allows Lightning Lane Users In Attraction

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lightning lane web slingers at disneyland

Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lane have been met with much controversy to say the least since arriving at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

The paid services– Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane— have reportedly seen their fair share of problems, including glitches and Disney Park Guests complaining about not being able to get a reservation for any of the attractions they wanted after purchasing the add-on service. In addition, many have complained about having to stay on their phones the entire day rather than enjoy cherished time with their families.

disney genie in disneyland resort starts soon
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

While some have noted that the paid service is not required and that anyone who doesn’t want to use it can simply wait in the standby line, it seems that allegedly wasn’t the case for one Guest recently at Disneyland.

User @themeparkmom shared their story on TikTok.

#greenscreen #lightninglane #distok #disneytiktok #disneyadult #disneyproblems #disneyfail #disneyplusvoices #distok #disneynews #disneyupdates

@themeparkmom

#greenscreen #lightninglane #distok #disneytiktok #disneyadult #disneyproblems #disneyfail #disneyplusvoices #distok #disneynews #disneyupdates

♬ Gogo Dance – El Alfa & Chael Produciendo

As you can see in the video, the user frequently visits both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, but this is the first time that they’ve seen this type of situation unfold.

Disney Cast Members reportedly closed the standby line for Soarin’ at Disneyland and were only allowing those with Lightning Lane to enter the attraction. The Disneyland app still read a 150-minute wait time, but the standby line queue was completely empty and no one was allowed to enter unless they had Lightning Lane, according to the user.

Soarin'
Credit: Disney

Disney’s official description of Soarin’ Around the World reads:

An Epic Aerial Adventure

Strap in and prepare for lift off! Thrill as you’re raised high into the air in front of an 80-foot projection dome for a virtual tour around the world. Incredible IMAX digital projection and spectacular aerial footage simulate the graceful motion of flight. 

Ride the Sky 

Your journey begins as the clouds part above the majestic Swiss Alps, revealing a familiar sight to Disneyland fans. Next, you’ll visit polar bears in icy Greenland, swoop past sailboats on Australia’s iconic Sydney Harbour and weave between elephants marching toward Mount Kilimanjaro.

Glide above marvels like the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India. Cruise over Monument Valley, Fiji’s Lau Island and thundering Iguazu Falls in South America. Gaze down at the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles like a jewel in the night, surrounded by the lights of Paris.

genie disney phone mobile
Credit: Disney

More On Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lane

Disney Genie was recently added to the My Disney Experience app, which is a new way for Walt Disney World Resort Guests to plan their day. Disney Genie is meant for those who are unsure on what they should do while at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and gives them a variety of specifically catered options. On top of that, Disney Genie also has a Disney Genie+ feature. For $15.00 per day per Disney World Guest, you can skip the long standby queue by making a Lightning Lane reservation (new FastPass) and returning at that time.

At each Disney Park, however, there are some attractions that Guests would need to purchase a separate Lightning Lane ticket if they wanted to skip those lines. Those Walt Disney World Resort attractions are:

  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
  • Avatar Flight of Passage
rise of the resistance stormtrooper room
Credit: ITM Rebekah B.

Until August 7, 2022, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Space Mountain, and Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain will be included via Disney Genie+ service and will not be included as individual Lightning Lane entry selections. However, after that date, they are currently set to return to be individual Lightning Lane selection.

Disneyland Resort has this available as well, but at $20.00 per day and only three attractions in the “a la carte” section of pay per ride at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. Disneyland Paris also has a pay-per-ride system with Premier Access, and now, it seems that the Disney influence is traveling to more local-based theme parks, which can end up driving up the cost of the theme park experience for Guests looking to spend less than they would at Disney.

Have you had a similar experience with Lightning Lane? Let us know in the comments!

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