Disney Extending Most Expensive Line-Skipping Option to All Guests

One of the guests’ main complaints about their experience at the Walt Disney World Resort is that once free, things are now being monetized. Magic Bands, Magical Express, and late-night park hours were once free to all guests staying at the Disney World hotel. 

However, guests’ biggest complaint is the monetization of the once-free Fast Past system, which is now turned into Lightning Lane passes. Despite complaints from guests, that system is about to get more expensive and more widespread.

On Martin Luther King Day, Disney announced that it was extending its Lightning Lane Premier Pass access to all guests, not just those staying at a Disney World Resort Hotel. When Disney introduced the pricey way to skip the line, it was only available to guests at Disney World Deluxe Resort, the Swan and Dolphin Hotels, or Shades of Green.

Disney then rolled out the pricey option to all Disney World Resort Hotel guests, and now, starting on January 21, the Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be available to all park guests. The Lightning Lane Premier Pass gives guests access to all Lightning Lane lines for every ride at a given park that day; however, that privilege comes with a cost.

On January 21, when the pass will be available to all guests, it is $379 at the Magic Kingdom, $229 at EPCOT, $329 at Hollywood Studios, and $129 at Animal Kingdom. These prices fluctuate throughout the year based on the crowd size and have reached as high as $449 during the holiday rush.

Despite the staggering cost, Disney’s Lightning Lane Premier Pass was sold out for most of the holiday season at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios and several days at EPCOT. With that kind of demand, it’s no wonder Disney is extending it to all guests.

Unlike the Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which is available for significantly less, the Lightning Lane Premier Pass does not require you to return to a ride during a specific time window. Guests are free to ride each ride in the park at any point during the day.

Disney World’s website stresses that the Lightning Lane Premier Pass is still in its “pilot phase,” and more changes could be coming. Unlike a similar pass at Universal Studios Orlando, guests can only use the pass once per ride, and it currently does not allow park-hopping with the pass.

Guests staying at a Disney World Deluxe Resort can purchase their Lightning Lane Premier Pass up to seven days in advance, while other guests can purchase three days in advance.