How Much Does Lightning Lane Cost So Far?
On July 24th, 2024, Walt Disney World and Disneyland threw out their old FastPass systems.
By that point, we hadn’t used the term FastPass in a while.
Photo: Disney
Instead, we called them Disney Genie+ and, before that, MaxPass and FastPass+.
Then, Disney fully committed to an idea: Lightning Lane. Since then, three iterations of this service have debuted.
So, we’ve had four months of data to evaluate one simple question.
How much does Lightning Lane cost so far? Let’s discuss what we know.
Magic Kingdom Pricing
Disney
There’s one Disney World theme park that matters more than the rest. It’s obviously Magic Kingdom, the world’s most popular theme park.
When management ended the Disney Genie+ program, we already had a strong feel for how the pricing works here.
Genie+
Due to the high attendance levels at Magic Kingdom, Disney can charge more for the add-ons.
Throughout the entire run of Disney Genie+, Magic Kingdom’s version of the virtual queuing system averaged a price of $26.31.
Photo: Disney
So, that’s the baseline for the start of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, the new version that allows for pre-visit booking.
Since the updated FastPass replacement is better, it’s fair to expect a higher price.
Thus far, that has proven to be the case, albeit with some caveats.
From July 24th through November 22nd – remember that we can check prices early now – Magic Kingdom’s average cost is $27.56.
That’s $1.25 more than before, but it comes with some caveats. The first is that Lightning Lane debuted during peak season.
Since then, it has only operated during one slow month versus three busy ones. Ergo, this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison.
Lightning Lane
If anything, I would argue that I’m happy with the pricing status quo here, given the enhanced offering and impacted dates.
Single Pass at Magic Kingdom
Photo: Disney
Then, we have the Lightning Lane Single Pass options at Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tron Lightcycle / Run.
I performed an annual evaluation for this option in July, back when it was still called simply Lightning Lane.
TRON Lightcycle / Run
At the time, Tron had averaged a price of $20 since it just cost $20 every day. Disney has since adjusted that to fluctuate more.
Still, the price hovers in the same range at $20.27. Then again, the pricing change only recently went into effect.
Photo: Disney
As for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, it had been $11.34, and it’s currently at $11.66.
That’s actually cheaper than the rate of inflation, which would price the roller coaster at $11.95.
This statement applies to Tron as well. So, we cannot complain about the pricing at Magic Kingdom currently.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
I’m leading with Disney’s two most popular theme parks, at least in terms of perception.
In actuality, EPCOT has passed Hollywood Studios, but Disney’s pricing doesn’t accurately reflect this fact.
Photo: Disney
When Disney Genie+ completed its run in July, the service had cost an average of $23.80.
During the first four months of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, the average is slightly higher at $24.62.
Tower of Terror
Still, comparing seasonal timing and inflation, that’s not a sizable increase at all.
Something I should mention about all four parks is that the trend shoots upwards at this time of year.
Hollywood Studios
For example, over the past three weeks, Hollywood Studios Multi Passes have averaged $28.73.
And I want to emphasize the point to you. Anyone visiting over the next two months should view those prices as cheap.
We WILL track higher prices, especially during Thanksgiving Week and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which also include Hanukkah this year.
As for the park’s Lightning Lane Single Pass, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had averaged a price of $22.24 over an extended period.
Since the Single Pass changes, the average is exactly $23. So, this one is hovering in the same range as well.
But the overall trend is slightly up. The debate lies in how much of that is seasonal timing vs. minimal price increases.
EPCOT
EPCOT
The final two parks at Walt Disney World proved the cheapest during the Disney Genie+ era.
I suspect that pattern will hold at EPCOT despite what I said earlier.
Factually, you could argue that EPCOT is Disney’s hottest park right now, at least in North America.
The recent change to more of a hangout spot hasn’t impacted the pricing much, at least not yet. But it has impacted the crowds.
So, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with things like Lightning Lane expenses.
To date, Disney hasn’t taken that step, which I find commendable.
Photo: Wikimedia
During the final year of Disney Genie+, the average price was just under $20 at $19.88.
For the first four months of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, the price is…$19.85!
Okay, the difference is fractional – just three cents – but this one is actually cheaper since the switch.
The same statement isn’t true at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which cost $15.25 throughout its run under the old system.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
As I noted in July, the price had increased to $15.69 in calendar 2024 through that date, though.
Well, for the four months of Lightning Lane Single Pass, it’s now at $16.09.
Photo: Wikimedia
That’s an increase of 40 cents since the change and 74 cents overall, which is still fairly reasonable, especially considering Multi Pass pricing is flat.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Finally, we have Disney World’s least crowded theme park. The pricing reflects this fact.
While I’m not analyzing Lightning Lane Premier Pass today, this park costs about $53 less than EPCOT.
Animal Kingdom
That’s not even the stunning fact. It’s less than half of either Hollywood Studios or Magic Kingdom.
So, Animal Kingdom is in roughly the same place right now as EPCOT was in 2015 and Hollywood Studios in 2017.
This place needs help, which is coming at the start of 2025 in the form of construction on the Tropical Americas.
During the Disney Genie+, you could have your run of Animal Kingdom for a meager $18.
I guess guests weren’t even paying that, as the price during the Lightning Lane Multi Pass era is down to $17.18.
Right now, I’m convinced that someone at Disney spends their whole day every day trying to figure out how to juice the numbers at Animal Kingdom.
Photo: OC Register
At least Avatar Flight of Passage is still a draw. During the previous era, this Lightning Lane averaged a price of $14.33.
Since the advent of Lightning Lane Single Pass, that cost has ticked up slightly to $15.01.
Photo: Disney
So, that’s the overall story at Disney. Park officials are currently trying to reset the pricing standards by making modest adjustments.
Some of the changes involve the nature of the season and surge-based pricing. The rest accounts for inflation.
Photo:visitorlando.com
Overall, I’d describe these changes as minimal, but they are occurring.
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Feature Photo: Disney
