Credit: DisneyDespite controversy, Disney’s new line-skipping tool appears to be popular, which is good news for the company and its theme parks.
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Walt Disney World’s pricy Lightning Lane Premier Pass has sold out for the first time in its history. The line-skipping tool is now completely sold out during the week of Thanksgiving, indicating the controversial service may actually prove to be a hit for Disney.
Premier Pass was unveiled earlier in 2024 by Disney, an announcement that stirred up a significant amount of controversy among fans and guests alike. There’s no denying a Disney vacation has become increasingly more costly over the last several years, with Disney introducing new ways for guests to “enhance” their trips.
Many of these “enhancements” have been available for years, like Disney’s PhotoPass add-on, which remains a popular and useful tool for guests looking to capture memories of their trip.
Others, like the now-defunct Disney Genie+, Lighting Lane, and Premier Pass, are more recent and controversial additions.
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Premier Pass allows guests to “skip” the regular standby queue for all eligible attractions inside a single theme park. Premier Pass is offered on a per-park and per-person basis and does not come cheap. When the service was originally offered, Disney priced the Premier Pass between $150 and $450, depending on which park guests chose.
Unsurprisingly, Magic Kingdom is the most expensive option, with Disney’s Animal Kingdom being the cheapest. Disney still offers guests the choice of Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass, but neither guarantees guests the chance of skipping the standby queue for most, if not every, ride and attraction.
Premier Pass debuted on October 30 and has not sold out until now, with new purchases completely unavailable during Thanksgiving week. According to Walt Disney World, the service is currently sold out for both Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the two parks that arguably offer the best value when it comes to Premier Pass.
Magic Kingdom
- Nov. 25: $379 per person
- Nov. 26: $399 per person
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Nov. 25: $309 per person
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Premier Pass is a far cry from Disney’s original paper FastPass system, which was totally free. This system had problems of its own, but there’s no denying the value it added to a Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacation.
Despite prices continuing to rise, it’s clear there is a market for high-end theme park add-ons, meaning Premier Pass could be the very beginning of a completely revitalized line-skipping procedure at the Disney theme parks.
It’s been theorized that Disney may be inching closer to a system like Universal Studios’ Express Pass, which works similarly to Premier Pass. However, unlike Disney, Express Pass is the only way to bypass the standby queues at the Universal Studios theme parks, which could be a problem for Disney’s costly Premier Pass.
One of the biggest criticisms of Premier Pass stems from the other ways guests can “skip” the stand-by lines inside the Disney theme parks. If guests don’t want to spend the money needed to join Disney’s Premier Pass program, they can still purchase a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which starts at $32, or a Lightning Lane Single Pass, which ranges between $10 and $30 most days.
This means that it is very likely a guest who purchased Premier Pass at the Magic Kingdom for $400 could very well end up in the same line as someone who spent $15.
The true “value” of Lightning Lane Premier Pass comes with its freedom, as the service does not require guests to book return windows, making for a somewhat more hassle-free day compared to the regular Lightning Lane system. Guests are guaranteed one ride on most attractions at a given theme park, whereas Lightning Lane Multi and Single Pass users are only guaranteed three rides.
It’s unclear what the future of the theme parks will look like, but it’s clear Disney is interested in providing guests with new and exciting ways to enhance and customize their vacation. Only time will tell how Disney’s Premier Pass plays out, though the new system appears to be a hit.
Have you used Lightning Lane Premier Pass?