Walt Disney World has raised prices of Lightning Lane Single Cross, efficient instantly for pre-booked journey reservation dates beginning in October 2024. Moreover, Multi-Cross pricing patterns will go up for EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. This covers the earlier than/after costs together with our commentary.
Let’s begin with transient background. Lightning Lane Single Cross (LLSP) sights are the person headliner rides that aren’t included within the multi-ride Lightning Lane Multi-Cross (LLMP) service. With LLMP, you possibly can pre-book 3 journey reservations per day, and what number of you get complete relies upon upon crowds and the way environment friendly you might be at making the rolling journey reservations after coming into the park.
LLMP excludes the preferred journey (or two) per park, that are the LLSP sights. Lightning Lane Multi Cross now makes use of per-park and date-based pricing, that means it may value as little as $16 or as a lot as $39 per particular person, per day. Ranges for LLSP are presently $10 to $25 per journey. See our Information to Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World for all the pieces it’s good to know.
Right here’s a have a look at present excessive and low worth factors we’ve seen for Lightning Lane Single Passes previous to October 2024:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare: excessive $12, low $10
- TRON Lightcycle Run: $20
- Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind: excessive $17, low $14
- Star Wars Rise of the Resistance: excessive $25, low $15
- Avatar Flight of Passage: excessive $17, low $11
Listed below are the brand new maximums for LLSP costs:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare: $13
- TRON Lightcycle Run: $21
- Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind: $18
- Star Wars Rise of the Resistance: unchanged
- Avatar Flight of Passage: unchanged
This worth will increase are efficient for dates beginning October 18, 2024. All dates on the calendar thereafter (thus far) are these new maximums.
Moreover, there’s a change to the Lightning Lane Multi-Cross pricing cadence. Listed below are the costs as of October 19:
- Magic Kingdom: $29
- EPCOT: $21
- Hollywood Studios: $27
- Animal Kingdom: $19
Listed below are the costs as of October 20, 2024:
- Magic Kingdom: $29 (unchanged)
- EPCOT: $24
- Hollywood Studios: $29
- Animal Kingdom: $22
Notice that none of those LLMP costs are new all-time data, whereas they’re for LLSP. The Lightning Lane Multi-Cross adjustments are, for lack of a greater time period, new worth permutations. Usually, Magic Kingdom is dearer than DHS by a couple of {dollars}, and generally $10 (or extra) greater than Animal Kingdom. Beginning October 20, the spreads between the opposite parks and Magic Kingdom are narrower than regular.
I don’t suppose that is notably noteworthy (but), and if this had been occurring with out the corresponding Lightning Lane Single Cross improve, we wouldn’t even be reporting on it. That reality is, Walt Disney World has experimented with quite a lot of Lightning Lane Multi Cross (or Genie+ earlier than that) worth mixtures. This may very well be nothing in any respect–a check that’ll be undone inside a pair days.
It’s nonetheless been fairly uncommon for this little of a distinction between Magic Kingdom and the opposite parks, which leads me to suspect we would see greater Magic Kingdom costs quickly (dates past October 20 have but to be launched). I might not anticipate a brand new all-time excessive for Magic Kingdom till Thanksgiving (on the earliest), nevertheless it appears very seemingly than the $40 barrier shall be damaged after so many dates offered out final December. Walt Disney World making an enormous leap–all the way in which to $49 for peak late December dates–wouldn’t shock me within the least.
Turning to commentary, these Lightning Lane worth will increase and adjustments struck us as price reporting on for a couple of causes. The primary is the self-evident one which Walt Disney World elevating costs is newsworthy. It’s particularly notable with Lightning Lane Single Passes, which seldom see their costs raised. It hasn’t occurred with wherever close to the frequency of Genie+ or Lightning Lane Multi-Cross.
In actual fact, TRON Lightcycle Run has by no means assorted in worth. It has at all times been $20. Personally, I feel it’s because the curler coaster is so quick, and Walt Disney World fears complaints or backlash about greater costs not being “price it” for such a brief journey.
Then once more, possibly that is projection on my half. I just like the coaster properly sufficient, however can’t fathom paying even $20 for ~90 seconds. I don’t purchase any LLSPs, but when I had been to purchase one, TRON would actually be my final alternative. To every their very own, although.
Additionally price mentioning is that this is applicable to dates in October 2024. As we just lately lined in Worth Will increase Probably Coming Quickly at Walt Disney World & Disneyland for 2024-2025, the corporate elevating charges on parking, admission, meals, upcharges, and extra across the begin of the brand new fiscal yr is probably going. It’s truly much less of a prediction and extra of an inevitability.
As famous there, Disney has traditionally elevated costs across the begin of the brand new fiscal yr for some time and on October 11, particularly, for each of the final two years. Regardless of that, we felt/really feel that that is extra prone to happen on October 8 or 9, 2024 than October 11, as a result of latter being a Friday.
Properly, October 18 can be a Friday. Personally, I don’t suppose that’s notably significant as a predictor for when the remainder of the will increase will roll out, as a result of Lightning Lane Single Cross costs aren’t going up on that date. The rise has already occurred (efficient instantly)–that’s simply the primary impacted date.
With that stated, I’m shocked by the October 18, 2024 timing. That’s the weekend after Columbus Day, which is often the preferred weekend for fall breaks. To make certain, each lengthy weekends–and all the week in between–are busy.
As lined in our record of the 10 Finest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024 & 2025, we anticipate October 11-19 to be one of many busiest stretches of the yr. So why not begin the rise on the front-end of fall break moderately than the bottom?
Whilst fall break has gotten busier and busier, it nonetheless has nothing on the November and December peak week holidays, that means that it’s solely attainable that these Lightning Lane Single Passes nonetheless haven’t hit their highest highs for 2024. Not suggesting I’d guess on additional worth will increase for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Yr’s Eve–as Walt Disney World has been slower to lift costs on the a la carte rides–however I wouldn’t guess towards it, both.
As for why Lightning Lane Single Cross costs are rising, the only clarification is demand.
Even in low to average crowd ranges, Lightning Lane Single Cross is promoting out way more usually than Particular person Lightning Lanes did. The seemingly causes for this are past the scope of this submit, nevertheless it’s one thing we handle at size in Lightning Lane Single Cross is Promoting Out FAST!
The title there actually says all of it, however suffice to say, a number of of those LLSPs are actually absolutely booked up upfront or have restricted same-day availability. For what it’s price, we’re seeing one thing comparable with greater demand for Lightning Lane Multi-Cross. The transfer to pre-arrival reserving has clearly been a sensible one for Disney from a monetary perspective.
Talking of which, that is in all probability a good time to plug our current submit: When You Ought to Skip Lightning Lane Multi-Cross. Whereas good for Disney’s backside line, unlucky byproducts of pre-arrival Lightning Lanes from a visitor perspective are heightened FOMO and FUD–two of my favourite “facronyms.” Because you’re now not shopping for Lightning Lanes same-day, it’s harder to evaluate the necessity for them and modify accordingly throughout your trip. That submit will make it easier to decide when LLMP is probably not “essential” for you.
On a considerably comparable observe, however barely extra speculative, I wouldn’t be shocked if Walt Disney World is elevating costs on Multi-Cross and Single Cross in anticipation of launching Lightning Lane Premier Cross, which we absolutely anticipate to be Disney’s reply to Common’s Categorical Cross (however not with a vast possibility).
Elevating costs on ‘common’ Lightning Lanes might assist enhance the perceived worth proposition of the upper finish providing. Since that new system will undoubtedly be controversial, I may additionally see Walt Disney World launching it on the very same day that the remainder of the worth will increase hit. Ripping the band-aid off unexpectedly and consolidating the unfavourable information right into a single day moderately than drawing it out can be in Disney’s greatest pursuits. Once more, pure spitballing hypothesis on my half, however it might make sense.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study lodges on our Walt Disney World Motels Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it’s good to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Lightning Lane Single Cross worth will increase? Is $20+ for a 90 second curler coaster an excessive amount of or affordable if it means bypassing a 2-hour wait? Ideas on the probability that Walt Disney World will elevate charges across the begin of the brand new fiscal yr? Assume Lightning Lane Multi-Cross will break the $40 barrier this yr? Anticipate a $49 worth level, or one thing decrease? Any predictions about Lightning Lane Premier Cross? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
