There’s a rumor circulating {that a} new Lightning Lane line-skipping service is coming to Walt Disney World and/or Disneyland. Sure, one other one. This publish shares particulars of the app look, together with our intensive commentary about potentialities for what the subsequent paid FastPass may provide, and why we predict Disney’s twist on Specific Go is the probably candidate (together with predicted pricing and eligibility).
Let’s begin with being very clear: that is purely a rumor primarily based on performance within the Disneyland app. It’s usually the case that options are examined–and are available to mild in precisely this fashion–earlier than being totally rolled out for most people. It’s additionally usually the case that issues are toyed with that by no means see the sunshine of day.
That means the approximate timeline for a Lightning Lane Premier Go announcement is as early as tomorrow or as late as by no means. We may know all the specifics by August 23, or this could possibly be a distant reminiscence that’s lengthy forgotten by 2025. Accordingly, if you happen to solely need “official” information and never wild hypothesis, you would possibly need to skip this publish and wait a couple of days or even weeks.
We are also fairly assured that this isn’t a substitute for Lightning Lane Multi Go (LLMP) or Single Go (SP). Though there was some backlash in the direction of these new programs, that’s all the time the case with main modifications at Walt Disney World and Disneyland that create new classes of winners and losers.
It’s our understanding that Disney is happy with the brand new system and it appears to be going effectively regardless of some hiccups. Even when that weren’t the case, one other main overhaul wouldn’t be attainable so quickly. It wouldn’t occur till 2026 or later. Regardless, there’s completely no cause to consider that’s what that is.
As for the substance of the rumor, ThemeParkIQ is reporting on social media that they noticed performance that Disney just lately pushed in an replace to the Disneyland app to incorporate a brand new “Lightning Lane Premier Go.” Disney has eliminated this already.
ThemeParkIQ additionally shared this: “It appears like it is possible for you to to pre-purchase Lightning Lane upfront and ebook forward of time much like Walt Disney World. This will come at an added price.”
I don’t know what their foundation is for drawing this conclusion, however it’s price noting that this account is a superb useful resource and sometimes spots modifications within the Disneyland app earlier than they’re rolled out. I take advantage of their web site for perusing menu modifications at Disneyland earlier than they’re formally introduced–however I do know they’ve a bunch of different options.
Right here’s the graphic that ThemeParkIQ shared from the app:
One other factor that’s price noting earlier than we dig into the commentary is that ‘Premier’ is already utilized in branding for all the worldwide parks. Curiously, what it means or gives differs in any respect of them.
Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris all have line-skip providers that which can be successfully bundles. Visitors should buy a set of points of interest–or all of them–for a set value. This could possibly be a package deal much like a kind of.
In the meantime, Tokyo Disney Resort makes use of the identify Premier Entry to refer to what’s referred to as Lightning Lane Single Go within the home parks. The Japan parks additionally nonetheless provide free FastPass, albeit by a unique identify–Precedence Go. Lastly, TDR now gives trip packages and ticket sorts that supply what’s primarily akin to Common’s Limitless Specific Go. (As a reminder, TDR shouldn’t be owned by Disney, so it kinda does its personal factor.)
To additional confuse issues, the Premier Go is a coast-to-coast Annual Go for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It was as soon as bought to most people, however has solely been accessible to Membership 33 members and Golden Oak residents (and maybe different VIPs?) since 2020. So who is aware of…perhaps this can be a Lightning Lane for the turnstiles at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland?!
Turning to commentary, there are a few sensible potentialities for what Lightning Lane Premier Go may provide. The only and most simple rationalization is that that is pre-arrival trip reservations coming to Disneyland. For individuals who aren’t conscious, when Genie+ was retired and changed by Lightning Lane Multi Go, it occurred in identify solely at Disneyland Resort.
That is to say that the system was completely overhauled at Walt Disney World, with the introduction of a brand new system that appears strikingly much like FastPass+, however paid. (I’d argue that LLMP has extra in frequent with FP+ than it does Genie+, minus the entire cash factor. Minor element.) Against this, it was a change in identify solely at Disneyland. It was achieved for the sake of continuity between the coasts and since the Genie model had change into so poisonous.
In any case, this has created a bigger product hole between Walt Disney World and Disneyland. You thus may be inclined to attract the cheap conclusion that Disney goes to fill that by providing pre-arrival Lightning Lanes at Disneyland. This makes a point of sense. As a result of totally different demographics, it is smart for Disneyland to stay (largely) to same-day bookings. However many planners want advance alternatives, and this could possibly be a product providing focused at these (on common) greater spenders. It is smart!
Nevertheless, I’m skeptical of this risk. For one factor, I feel providing two substantively-identical merchandise however with totally different names would create shopper confusion. You may argue that this has already occurred by advantage of Lightning Lane Multi Go being totally different on the 2 coasts. However introducing one more product that does the identical factor would solely additional muddy the waters and complicate issues.
Then there’s the truth that that is within the Disneyland app. If this have been in My Disney Expertise (and solely MDX) my tackle it may be totally different. However the whole lot I’ve heard through the years means that Disneyland was a “reluctant” participant in the entire Genie debacle, and it was an initiative pushed from on excessive for each coasts. That Disneyland wished to stay with MaxPass, however it wasn’t their name.
Even within the absence of such rumors, you’re most likely conscious that Disneyland is the extra laid again resort. Disneyland shouldn’t be almost as eager on pushing upcharges or making issues difficult for visitors. The California parks have gotten worse about this since 2021, however nonetheless nothing like Walt Disney World. So it’s troublesome for me to think about a Disneyland-exclusive initiative that makes trip reservations much more complicated than at Walt Disney World. It’s simply not taking place.
There’s additionally the matter of incentives. What profit is there to Disney in creating a brand new pre-arrival system for Disneyland after which, presumably, promoting it for the very same value as Lightning Lane Multi Go? That’s presumably what would occur if this have been Walt Disney World’s model of LLMP by a unique identify.
So now instantly Disneyland has two programs to juggle, priced at or about the identical quantity that trigger larger shopper confusion. And for what? Does anybody realistically consider that this may improve gross sales to sufficient of a level for it to offset the added prices? It wouldn’t.
There’s not an enormous untapped market of visitors who’re on the sidelines, skipping Lightning Lane Multi Go at Disneyland as a result of it doesn’t have a pre-arrival element. (Past all the above, the identical day system works significantly better at Disneyland.) The marketplace for this product merely doesn’t exist at scale adequate to justify its prices. I’m fairly assured it isn’t taking place.
Which brings us to the second risk for Lightning Lane Premier Go: that it’s extra like Disney’s model of Common’s Specific Go.
At Common, Specific Go is on the market as a ticket add-on or with choose resort stays. You should purchase two kinds of Specific Go, common or limitless. The common model permits you to skip the road as soon as per eligible attraction in both park. Common Specific Limitless gives line-skipping privileges, because the identify suggests, a vast variety of instances per attraction.
Not like Lightning Lanes, visitors utilizing Specific Go should not required to make trip reservations–that means there aren’t any set return instances. You merely go as much as the attraction, scan your cross, and use your Specific Go entitlement. There’s nothing to order or trouble with in an app. It’s a completely “dumb” system–and I imply that in the easiest way attainable. Specific Go includes zero know-how and display screen time. It’s fully hassle-free.
Specific Go can also be way more costly when not included with a resort keep. The out-of-pocket price of normal Specific Go begins at $89.99 per particular person plus tax and might prime out at $290, with the typical being effectively north of $100. Limitless Common Specific Go ranges from $120 to $320, with the typical close to $200.
My guess is that if Disney is introducing one more line-skipping product, it’s primarily this: a “competitor” to Common’s Specific Go. There can be adequate product differentiation between Lightning Lane Multi Go and this, and it might really be viable. It most likely additionally wouldn’t simply be at Disneyland.
Earlier than anybody even thinks about going there, Lightning Lane Premier Go wouldn’t be included in choose resort stays as its counterpart is at Common Orlando. C’mon! They don’t even give away Lightning Lane Multi Go to on-site visitors…why on earth would they offer away the upper finish product?!
With that mentioned, it might not shock me within the least if there is a resort element to this. By that, I imply that it’s solely accessible for choose visitors to buy within the first place. This may really make lots of sense, as it might considerably restrict the visitor pool for a product which may in any other case be very fashionable–even at a particularly excessive value. It might additionally operate as a “perk” of types, incentivizing higher-end resort stays amongst “whales” who would possibly in any other case keep in off-site luxurious lodging.
This isn’t a vastly daring prediction. Walt Disney World already did this beneath the outdated FastPass+ system, permitting Membership Degree visitors to buy a ‘theme park additional’ package deal that primarily consisted of three additional FastPass+ alternatives for $50 per particular person, per day. That began in 2018 and ran by way of the closure of the parks in 2020. I assumed that was loopy on the time–an insane price for a system that would simply be ‘gamed’ with just a bit effort.
I used to be fallacious. (Nicely, not completely–it was loopy to purchase one thing you would get without cost with a modicum of effort.) Membership Degree visitors cherished it–the bonus FastPass+ have been insanely well-liked. Simply ask a journey agent. Many had purchasers who in any other case wouldn’t have booked Membership Degree within the first place achieve this simply to have entry to the bonus FastPass+ alternatives. That means that their precise price wasn’t $50 per particular person, per day–it was that plus the nightly improve to Membership Degree over cheaper lodging they might’ve booked within the various!
If we’ve discovered something since ~2018-2020, it’s that there’s an insatiable marketplace for unique Disney choices. If such a “perk” on prime of a freebie was $50 then, it may simply be triple or extra that value now. No matter you suppose is the “price it” value for such a line-skipping product, the precise price will nearly definitely be increased. Such a service would simply have a 8x multiplier on the price of Lightning Lane Multi Go. Perhaps even 10x or extra.
The underside line is that there’s a much bigger marketplace for a ‘trouble free’ Specific Go-esque various to Lightning Lane Multi Go and the visitors prepared to buy this can most likely pay greater than you suppose it’s price. For those who already scoff at paying for FastPasses that was once free, you aren’t the target market. And that’s not a worth judgment–I’m not, both!
Nevertheless, there’s additionally an inner want to strike extra of a stability between standby visitors and Lightning Lane customers. Insurance policies and programs that really feel fairer to nearly all of visitors and don’t benefit or drawback anybody an excessive amount of. From what we’ve heard, Disney has been attempting to string the needle with all the queueing and capability modifications over the previous couple of months. It’s an unenviable process and no-win proposition that’s resulted in quantity of backlash, however that’s the intent.
If my guesses about Lightning Lane Premier Go are right, this attainable system could appear at odds with that. In spite of everything, that is pay to play taken to the acute, aimed on the most prosperous of visitors. However that is exactly why I think this product providing might be restricted to Membership Degree visitors (or perhaps Deluxe/Villa visitors if ahead occupancy projections actually are as tough as I’ve heard). I’d be completely shocked if somebody staying on the All Stars or off-site is ready to buy this.
That may additionally clarify why it’s showing within the Disneyland app first. Provided that there are solely three accommodations there and so they’re all pretty costly, it may be simpler to check Lightning Lane Premier Go at Disneyland first earlier than rolling it out at Walt Disney World.
Or, it’s attainable that it’ll be rolled out concurrently and it simply wasn’t noticed in MDX. I can’t think about Disneyland needs to be the take a look at floor for this–and it additionally may be higher to tear the band help off unexpectedly as an alternative of letting a brand new system that can revive “Disney solely cares in regards to the wealthy!” headlines have two information cycles.
In the end, that’s a rundown of what has been rumored to this point, potentialities as to what it could possibly be, and what I feel Lightning Lane Premier Go really is. A few extra shot-in-the-dark guesses I’d provide are that it’ll have beginning costs over double these of Specific Go at Common (I’d be stunned to see this price lower than $200 per particular person) and that there is not going to be an ‘limitless’ possibility (that means it’ll be one line-skipping entitlement per attraction). Once more, full guesses on all of this–I’ve zero inside info.
I additionally suspect Disney gained’t need to disturb that ‘delicate stability’ in queue capability allocation by providing Lightning Lane Premier Go at a vast degree (even when they may simply promote it for $1,000 per particular person, per day). Maybe extra importantly, they gained’t need to cannibalize VIP tour gross sales. The aim will to be slot this in between current product choices, not compete with them.
Lastly, I may additionally see this not coming to fruition in any respect. That Disney is toying with the thought however will get chilly toes, fearing a detrimental PR cycle and backlash. There have been rumors of such a system for years, and so they’ve by no means fairly occurred because of this or that. I may see this falling by way of but once more, particularly given all the current detrimental headlines and a spotlight Disney has garnered. It’d make sense to kick the can down the highway but once more, wanting for a extra opportune time. Or perhaps they suppose that point is now, and the vibe is optimistic post-D23? I don’t actually know…however I’d by no means wager towards Disney’s urge for food for extra income!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you concentrate on the rumored Lightning Lane Premier Go? Will this really come to fruition, or is it one other take a look at that’ll result in nothing? Predictions as to what LLPP will entail? Will it merely be Disneyland’s model of pre-booking or will it’s Disney’s model of Specific Go? Guesses as to what it’ll price or who might be eligible to buy? Underneath what, if any, situations would you purchase Lightning Lane Premier Go? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!