Now everyone has the chance to be a true VIP... for a price
Hey, remember the Lightning Lane Premier Pass? No…? I can’t blame you. This pass wasn’t actually very marketed by Disney, and it was only available to guests staying at the Walt Disney World Hotels. Starting on January 21, the Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be available to everyone, and you can buy it through the My Disney Experience App the same way you buy the traditional Lightning Lane Multi Pass and the Lightning Lane Single Pass.
The Lightning Lane Premier Pass gives you a one-time entry to each Lightning Lane experience in a theme park. No need to book anything in advance, and it’s also valid to attractions that use the Virtual Queue. Keep in mind that, before you can purchase a Lightning Lane Premier Pass, you must have valid theme park admission.
The price for the Lightning Lane Premier Pass varies by park and date. It can range from $129 per day, per guest at a park like Animal Kingdom, all the way up to $450 at Magic Kingdom during busy months.
The only difference now is that guests staying at Disney Hotels can purchase the Lightning Lane Premier Pass 7 days before their theme park visit, while everyone else can buy it 3 days in advance. Since this pass provides access to every ride and requires no pre-planning, this is just a (very) minor perk.
More changes in the future?
Of course, there is a reason that Disney made this change, and the reason is probably very simple: not a lot of guests were buying it. Disney now plans to expand it to everyone, and see if people will finally make this option more popular. Sure, the price is steep, but there is another good reason to make it available for everyone: Disney can now market the Lightning Lane Premier Pass on the main page of the My Disney Experience App, right next the other two options.
Let’s wait and see if this move pays off for Disney. Personally, I think they either need to significantly lower the price or allow unlimited uses per ride. We’ll likely hear updates about it in the coming months.
