Walt Disney World has introduced the enlargement of Lightning Lane Premier Go, eradicating all resort restrictions on the top-tier line skipping service. This covers the eligibility modifications for the upcharge possibility at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Plus, our commentary about how this can influence recognition, wait instances, and many others.
For starters, we need to reiterate as soon as once more that Lightning Lane Premier Go shouldn’t be Walt Disney World’s core line-skipping product providing. That’s not altering at present–or most likely ever. Somewhat, Lightning Lane Premier Go (LLPP) is a 3rd tier of line-skipping along with Lightning Lane Multi-Go (LLMP) and Lightning Lane Single Go (LLSP).
There’s much more to the Lightning Lane Multi-Go and Single Go, all of which is past the scope of this put up. However when you don’t already learn about these line-skipping providers, we’d encourage you to learn our Information to Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World as an alternative of this put up. There’s a couple of 95% or greater likelihood that’s extra related in your planning functions than this one.
Earlier than you are worried concerning the implications of Walt Disney World increasing Lightning Lane Premier Go repeatedly, the vital factor to know is that Lightning Lane Multi-Go and Single Go will live on all through 2025 and possibly past. LLPP provides a definite, different line-skipping product providing for friends who don’t need to problem with LLMP or LLSP. Whereas Lightning Lane Premier Go options the identical experience rosters as the opposite Lightning Lane providers, it’s essentially otherwise.
I’m (over)emphasizing this as a result of we’ve seen a variety of fears from frequent Walt Disney World followers that the pilot program of Lightning Lane Premier Go is barely step one. They’re involved that the tip result’s Lightning Lane Multi-Go being eradicated fully, and friends being “compelled” to buy LLPP. These fears are understandably rekindled at any time when Lightning Lane Premier Go is expanded, as a result of a logical conclusion is that the eventual subsequent step is eliminating LLMP and LLSP in favor of LLPP.
Truthfully, I’d love for that to occur. Not as a result of I’m a high-roller who has cash to burn–I’ve by no means purchased LLPP and by no means will–however due to the cascading results on standby traces. That’s additionally exactly why Walt Disney World won’t ever do it–as a result of it will imply a income stream drying up. You can’t pressure somebody with a $30 finances to spend $300. If that have been potential, Walt Disney World would additionally remove Worth and Reasonable Resorts and substitute them solely with Deluxe Resorts. However I digress.
Right here’s what Walt Disney World has formally introduced concerning the enlargement to Lightning Lane Premier Go…
Starting January 21, 2025, Walt Disney World will broaden the Lightning Lane Premier Go pilot to all friends. Company of Disney resort inns and different choose third-party inns (Swan & Dolphin and Shades of Inexperienced) can be eligible to buy as much as 7 days earlier than the primary day of their keep. Off-site friends can be eligible to buy as much as 3 days upfront of their park go to.
The one change right here is the final sentence–that off-site friends will now be eligible to buy LLPP. That is the second enlargement of this system. When it launched, the one eligible friends have been these staying at Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas/Disney Trip Membership properties. Then on November 22, Disney expanded the service to all on-site friends (plus the aforementioned third get together inns).
Now, it expands for a closing time to all friends as of January 21, with the identical on-site vs. off-site timeline as Lightning Lane Multi-Go and Single Go.
This implies among the costliest inns in Central Florida at the moment are eligible for Lightning Lane Premier Go, together with however not restricted to the 4 Seasons Orlando, JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek, Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Conrad Orlando, and extra.
These are actual world luxurious inns the place many prosperous friends elect to remain over Deluxe Resorts at Walt Disney World. Usually, a few of these luxurious inns which can be situated on-site are eligible for Disney perks (e.g. Early Entry).
This most likely will transfer the needle on Lightning Lane Premier Go gross sales to a point. Whereas there is likely to be the temptation to assume that friends opting to remain off-site to save cash are much less seemingly to purchase LLPP, that’s not the total story. Company staying on the 4 Seasons are statistically more likely to purchase LLPP than these staying at All Star Sports activities.
Level being, there’s a really big selection of lodging off-site, not simply cheaper ones. There are additionally huge mansions which can be rented out as trip properties, and I’d assume the identical is true of these friends being extra seemingly to purchase Lightning Lane Premier Go. (If something, this transfer may cannibalize VIP tour gross sales as a result of a few of these off-site friends have been beforehand extra inclined to buy these.)
Even after the 2025 enlargement of Lightning Lane Premier Go, Walt Disney World’s official web site nonetheless emphasizes that they’re piloting the rollout of Lightning Lane Premier Go with “very restricted portions.” When the brand new tier of line-skipping first went dwell, our largest query was: simply how restricted may be very restricted?
Would Lightning Lane Premier Go be so restricted that it simply sells out each single day? Is that the rationale Walt Disney World began by proscribing it to solely Deluxe Resort and DVC Villas? Is that this going to significant influence Lightning Lane availability for many who need to buy Multi-Go or Single Go? Will this imply extra capability is allotted away from standby traces and to Lightning Lanes?
These questions will as soon as once more be front-of-mind for a lot of Walt Disney World followers seeing this huge enlargement of Lightning Lane Premier Go. Whereas they’re truthful to ask, we aren’t nervous. The caps and demand for LLPP are fairly low–and that’s a good factor for everybody else!
The target market for LLPP is exceedingly restricted. It’s my understanding that fewer than 1% of friends have been buying Lightning Lane Premier Go on the overwhelming majority of days. That quantity is greater when crowds are greater, particularly at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but it surely’s nonetheless solely round 2% of all friends (perhaps underneath).
There’s sure to be fan frustration that the corporate is getting grasping and easily desires to promote extra Premier Go. That’s most likely true, however maybe not in the way in which you assume. Now that Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve has handed, costs and demand for LLPP have undoubtedly dropped precipitously.
Lightning Lane Premier Go did promote out for essentially the most dates between Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and a pair at EPCOT. Nevertheless, that’s the busiest week of the whole yr. The one really busy week on the horizon the place Lightning Lane promote outs are conceivable is Easter–perhaps a pair dates at Magic Kingdom round Winter Break and early Spring Break. Earlier than and after that, it’s unlikely.
This isn’t about rising Lightning Lane Premier Go on the expense of everybody else–it’s about opening LLPP to extra friends and holding utilization at 1%. If demand have been sturdy and Walt Disney World needed to promote extra Lightning Lane Premier Go, they may merely…promote extra? In spite of everything, they’re those who set the caps, so if it have been really a provide scarcity, they may create extra out of skinny air. It is a demand shortfall, therefore an try at remedying it by increasing the pilot program to all friends.
For our half, we’ve noticed completely no influence in anyway on Lightning Lane utilization because of Premier Go. I did intensive testing of Multi-Go and standby traces in November and December, together with one of many busier vacation weekends of the yr. There was no downside in anyway. Strains have been a lot better than final yr, regardless of Lightning Lane Premier Go having launched (after which expanded) throughout these timeframes.
Once more, we’ve defined this in Right here’s Why Standby Strains and Lightning Lanes Are Transferring Sooner at Walt Disney World and have mentioned it elsewhere. That’s actually value studying if you wish to perceive the rising disconnect between ‘appears like’ crowds and wait instances. Suffice to say, Lightning Lane Premier Go has not brought on any issues in anyway.
Clearly, Lightning Lane Premier Go isn’t the rationale traces are shifting sooner, both. There are a number of contributing elements, with the DAS modifications and, to a lesser extent, swap from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi-Go having essentially the most vital influence. It ought to go with out saying that there are controversies, downsides, and unlucky realities to the above. However the enchancment to the movement of traces–standby and Lightning Lanes–in addition to decrease wait instances can be plain.
As for the influence of the enlargement of Lightning Lane Premier Go on traces, it ought to proceed to be nonexistent. For no matter it’s value, I’d preserve this place even when Walt Disney World tripled the provision of Lightning Lane Premier Go.
It’s because, as soon as once more, it’s principally a requirement problem. Extra friends staying on the 4 Seasons Orlando and the opposite aforementioned luxurious resorts will buy Premier Go, positive. However it nonetheless gained’t be a statistically-significant quantity–not sufficient to have an effect on standby line wait instances or Lightning Lane utilization.
Even with out any caps, my guess is that Lightning Lane Premier Go wouldn’t actually transfer the needle on these issues. For one factor, it’s secure to imagine that almost all of LLPP friends are already utilizing some type of line-skipping–which means that they’re both upgrading from Multi-Go or downgrading from VIP excursions. So this actually solely incrementally modifications their frequency.
For one more factor, natural demand is restricted by the excessive worth of Lightning Lane Premier Go. Apart from a handful of the busiest days of the yr, Premier Go has not been promoting out as-is even when accessible in “very restricted portions” to the friends most inclined to buy it just because the worth is simply too excessive.
There are potential “fixes” to make LLPP extra enticing, akin to a limiteless model, providing numerous floating re-rides, introducing a Park Hopper possibility, or making it considerably inexpensive. Nevertheless, all of them include downsides which have unintended penalties that might damage Disney’s backside line, akin to cannibalizing VIP tour gross sales, reducing income, making the service difficult and complicated, or decreasing common length-of-stay for high-rolling friends.
In the end, if Lightning Lane Premier Go is generally not promoting out when made accessible in “very restricted portions” then it clearly additionally gained’t promote out in very excessive portions. There’s not an enormous untapped pool of friends who need to purchase this product providing however can’t.
That is additionally exactly why LLPP won’t ever substitute Lightning Lane Multi-Go or Single Go. Though it might not appear to be it at instances, most friends are cost-sensitive. That is exactly why the decrease tier resorts are extra well-liked than the upper tier ones, Cosmic Ray’s is busier than Monsieur Paul, and many others.
All the complaints about Disney solely wanting wealthy friends–whereas feeling legitimate–ignore this sensible actuality and limitation. Walt Disney World can’t cater solely to the rich, as a result of there merely aren’t sufficient such friends to even come near sustaining the parks and resorts. The recognition, or lack thereof, of Lightning Lane Premier Go ought to reinforce this conclusion.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Lightning Lane Premier Go? Ideas on Walt Disney World increasing the highest tier of paid FastPass to all friends? Predictions as to how profitable this line-skipping service can be? Beneath what, if any, situations would you purchase Lightning Lane Premier Go? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or considerations? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
