Walt Disney World continues to tweak queue capability allocations, and that on prime of fixing crowd patterns and better costs has resulted in a unique worth proposition for Lightning Lane Multi-Go. This seems to be at wait instances for standby traces, LLMP availability, plus our experiences and reader studies to elucidate how issues have modified in 2025 and allow you to decide whether or not Lightning Lanes are nonetheless “price it” or if sticking to free standby plus savvy technique is nice sufficient.
This can be a subject we first addressed final yr in Right here’s Why Standby Strains & Lightning Lanes Are Shifting Sooner at Walt Disney World. I don’t need to merely rehash that put up and would additionally like this to be extra concise, so I’m going to construct on a couple of of the conclusions there whereas additionally presupposing others.
Crowd ranges are usually down at Walt Disney World on a year-over-year foundation since final February. This does not imply that wait instances are low–it signifies that they’re, on common, decrease than the identical timeframes as final yr. Which means Spring Break 2025 was nonetheless slammed, however not as slammed as final yr. Summer time is already heating up–you would possibly encounter a 75 minute anticipate Slinky Canine Sprint, whereas it would’ve been 90 minutes final yr. Nonetheless a protracted wait, however not an insignificant distinction!
However as we regularly level out, crowd ranges as decided by wait instances (an imperfect measure, however the one worthwhile one) usually are not the identical as ‘looks like’ crowds or congestion. The latter is extra akin to attendance (nonetheless imperfect, however nearer). Mainly, wait instances don’t inform the total story.
For in regards to the final yr, there’s been much more of a divergence between wait instances and crowds or attendance, with the previous dropping greater than the latter. In reality, wait instances have continued reducing in 2025 whilst executives have indicated that bookings are up at Walt Disney World year-over-year. Attendance is rising whilst wait instances are reducing. How can that be reconciled?
Our idea: decrease use of the Lightning Lanes is the first driver of decrease standby wait instances. Fewer friends are skipping the road, and are as a substitute within the common line (or doing one thing else solely). This might clarify why the standby traces are transferring extra fluidly and why wait instances are decrease–as a result of fewer friends are within the Lightning Lanes, being prioritized and pulled in entrance of standby traces.
Underneath Genie+ and FastPass, normal working process known as for a roughly 4:1 or 80:20 ratio of ‘quick lane’ to standby friends on the the attraction’s merge level. This meant that for each 10 events boarding an attraction, 8 have been pulled from the Lightning Lane and a pair of have been pulled from standby.
This was the baseline–the ratio solely will get much less favorable for the standby line! When there was elevated demand, Solid Members had the discretion to regulate that merge to a 90:10 ratio. From there, the ratio might be adjusted up even additional, which solely occurs within the occasion of prolonged downtime and a backlog of Lightning Lane friends.
That is accompanied by an arbitrarily excessive wait time being posted to discourage friends from getting within the standby line. As a result of though these friends would possibly see a brief line, it’s nonetheless a protracted wait. The entire aim is to course of the backlog of Lightning Lane friends. None of that is something new–these ratios have existed for the reason that FastPass days.
That’s why standby traces can transfer at a snail’s tempo with FastPass/Lightning Lanes, as a result of these friends are progressing via the road slower. It’s (virtually) all in regards to the ratio. There could possibly be 200 friends within the Lightning Lane and 50 within the standby line, but when the pull ratio is 90:10, the 199th visitor within the Lightning Lane will nonetheless board earlier than the thirtieth visitor within the standby line.
As I shared in our earlier replace late final yr, my expertise within the standby traces over the course of the final yr has undoubtedly not been that 4 individuals are being pulled from the Lightning Lane for each one visitor from the standby line.
So far in 2025, I’ve been doing in depth testing for overhauled itineraries and with the swap to standby for Cosmic Rewind, Tiana’s Bayou Journey, and TRON Lightcycle Run. Anecdotally, this has roughly confirmed what I beforehand suspected: the ratio is now pretty near 1:1. That’s one social gathering from standby for each social gathering from the Lightning Lane.
For what it’s price, this will nonetheless skew in favor of the Lightning Lane. Walt Disney World operations nonetheless has a mandate to prioritize Lightning Lane friends and guarantee their wait instances are saved to a minimal. So if there’s a backlog of friends within the Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lane, for instance, as a consequence of downtime or at Peter Pan’s Flight post-parade, these friends will nonetheless be processed first, tipping the scales again in favor of the Lightning Lane. However throughout regular instances, I’d ballpark it at 1:1.
Whereas I reported my suspicions of this months in the past, my latest testing has additional bolstered that that is occurring. And I’m not the one one which’s been watching this. TouringPlans not too long ago launched their very own subject testing outcomes, providing corroboration. They arrive on the identical 1:1 conclusion, with a sliding scale of two:1 and three:1–nonetheless decrease than the previous mannequin below FastPass. In addition they counsel that much less park capability has been put aside for Lightning Lane friends.
There are a few ways in which our conclusions differ. The primary is that they counsel this can be a latest improvement as of 2025. Whereas I might agree that the follow has grow to be extra pronounced this yr, I noticed (and wrote about) this sample final yr. It felt noticeable throughout above-average vacation dates between Veterans Day and Christmas.
They conclude that the modifications are nice for friends in standby traces, leading to shorter waits. I strongly agree with this–it’s fairly inarguable–and assume it’s price underscoring a couple of instances. Standby traces are transferring quicker and the wait instances are decrease–that was actually our earlier headline. An enormous win for friends sick of upcharges.
Nonetheless, their flipside conclusion is that friends utilizing Lightning Lanes may have “marginally longer” waits. I might see how this inference is likely to be drawn from the info, however my on-the-ground observations don’t actually help this. From what I’ve seen, the reverse is true. On its face, that will not make sense. Journey capability is what it’s, so features for standby come on the expense of Lightning Lanes–and vice-versa, proper?
A method we are able to decide Lightning Lanes is by merely them. There are a number of different points of interest that used to frequently use overflow queues for the Lightning Lanes. There have been instances when Peter Pan’s Flight would again up previous PhilharMagic, Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare would have a number of switchbacks (by way of tape on the bottom), Area Mountain had a line out to the TTA observe, and so forth.
This could nonetheless occur from time-to-time, particularly on peak days or after rides return from extreme downtime. Nevertheless it was beforehand occurring with regularity, even on low season days. I haven’t seen Lightning Lanes that persistently backed up within the final ~11 months. It’s a night-and-day distinction.
This helps an alternate speculation: what if as a substitute of the ratio being modified to favor standby and improve waits for Lightning Lanes, that fewer Lightning Lanes are being issued within the first place? That it’s not the tail wagging the canine–the ratio will not be what modified first, however is an oblique byproduct of decrease utilization of line-skipping? (In different phrases, it’s provide aspect–fewer Lightning Lanes are being distributed.)
In combing via the info and listening to Disney’s earnings calls, the reason for that is not Lightning Lane Multi-Go or Single Go having decrease demand than their predecessors. On the contrary, Lightning Lane Single Go is promoting out way more usually than Particular person Lightning Lanes did, even in low to reasonable crowd ranges.
We’ve noticed greater demand and extra restricted stock for Lightning Lane Multi-Go and Single Go. A number of totally different Lightning Lanes absolutely e-book up prematurely and have restricted same-day availability, together with some that by no means have been tough with the Genie+ system. As for the ‘why’ of this, our greatest clarification is heightened FOMO and FUD.
Since friends are not shopping for Lightning Lanes same-day, it’s harder to evaluate the necessity for them and modify accordingly throughout your trip. As such, there’s seemingly an inclination to “over-purchase” Lightning Lanes as in comparison with below the previous system. (One other topic that’s past the scope of this put up, but it surely’s price studying our latest put up: When You Ought to Skip Lightning Lane Multi-Go.)
I’ve observed this with regularity when subject testing Lightning Lane Multi-Go. Not simply that point slots are filling up prematurely and a few rides are ‘promoting out’ of Lightning Lane stock a number of days prematurely, but in addition that same-day drops are much less frequent. (They nonetheless happen, you simply must work extra for them.)
All of this and extra is mentioned in our new Prime 10 Suggestions & Tips for Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World in 2025, with contemporary suggestions for adapting to the entire main modifications from Genie+ to Multi-Go that we’ve skilled in follow. (Not simply theoretical or coverage/rule modifications.) One massive change is that Disney’s Hollywood Studios has grow to be the #1 park for LLMP, dethroning Magic Kingdom, which was once the perfect park due to its journey roster.
That modified largely as a consequence of harder same-day availability and journey reservation refills at Magic Kingdom. You possibly can nonetheless leverage the rolling 3 rule if you happen to put slightly elbow grease into your refresh recreation, but it surely’s harder at Magic Kingdom than it was once. I might hazard a guess that the common visitor (not you) is acquiring fewer worthwhile Lightning Lanes per day than earlier than on reasonable crowd stage days at MK. We’ve additionally heard this from readers, lots of whom are high-knowledge friends who’ve accomplished “worse” with Lightning Lane Multi-Go.
It’s additionally supported by thrill-data, which tracks Lightning Lane availability. It has decreased markedly within the Lightning Lane Multi-Go/Single Go period. All of this helps a conclusion that Walt Disney World has throttled Lightning Lane provide.
This isn’t occurring in isolation. It’s additionally been occurring alongside the overhaul of Incapacity Entry Service to scale back abuse and misuse. It’s our understanding that that is what’s having the most important impression on each wait instances and decreased utilization of Lightning Lanes.
It’s all however sure that the DAS overhaul is likely one of the major causes for shorter standby traces and fewer Lightning Lane utilization. This was one of many driving forces behind the crackdown, so it is sensible. Even previous to the overhaul announcement, we had heard that DAS utilization had exploded and DAS utilization outpaced paid gross sales of Lightning Lanes.
Disney has been sued over lodging for disabled friends previously, and these stats have come out throughout discovery and testimony. A check research throughout that exposed that DAS customers skilled, on common, 45% extra points of interest than these with out DAS. And that research was below the previous system that was tougher to make use of and had much less abuse.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out right here that this DAS crackdown got here on the expense of disabled friends who want DAS in an effort to take pleasure in Walt Disney World. Whereas it’s good to see the abusers being denied, there was collateral harm. Many friends who’re truly disabled have been swept up within the crackdown–it’s unlucky there’s no strategy to narrowly goal the abusers. I gained’t fake to know what the “good” resolution is–however a few of the tales to come back out of the established order are heartbreaking.
Nonetheless, that is about shorter standby traces and decrease Lightning Lane utilization regardless of demand. Given the entire above, it’s unattainable to reconcile all of that with out attributing it to the DAS overhaul. There are different contributing elements, however a major driver is undoubtedly DAS.
DAS will not be the one driver, although. As talked about above, the provision we’re seeing in our subject testing and knowledge strongly suggests much less stock for paid Lightning Lanes, too. That is fascinating, as a result of the DAS crackdown might theoretically yield the other–extra stock. And but, that has not been our expertise. It’s as if two massive dials are being adjusted without delay, and each in the identical route.
That is additional bolstered by Lightning Lane Multi-Go not promoting out throughout the vacation season or spring break, which used to occur with regularity below Genie+. In all chance, it’s because Disney is managing stock for the Lightning Lanes, allocating fewer to every visitor who’s using the system.
That sort of begs the query: if much less stock is being utilized by DAS and by paid Lightning Lanes, the place is it going? Who’s the winner below this technique? As already mentioned above, friends within the standby traces–that is exactly why common wait instances are shorter (and likewise, not longer for friends in Lightning Lanes). They’re not the one ones, although.
One other winner is friends who buy Lightning Lane Premier Go. This isn’t to say that they have been actually losers earlier than, as that product providing has remained static since its launch. Nonetheless, the marginal worth for LLPP has arguably elevated since its launch. That is very true while you examine product choices. If the typical visitor who buys Multi-Go is simply getting 4-5 “good” Lightning Lanes as a substitute of all or most of them, the worth of LLPP isn’t just in comfort, lack of display screen time, and so forth. It additionally provides extra utility than the choice.
In idea, it is sensible that Walt Disney World would need to differentiate its product choices, throttling Lightning Lane Multi-Go to some extent to enhance the worth proposition of Lightning Lane Premier Go by comparability. Actually, I ponder if this was the first motivation. Lighting Lane Premier Go is a relatively area of interest product with an exceedingly restricted target market.
Making Multi-Go much less helpful is much less more likely to push individuals in the direction of LLPP than it’s to push them in the direction of nothing in any respect–free standby traces. The price disparity is the true hurdle for the overwhelming majority of friends, not product differentiation. Volkswagen throttling the velocity of the Beetle wouldn’t be a savvy technique for pushing individuals to buy the Porsche 911. That’s not the way it works.
Consequently, this as soon as once more brings us again to friends in standby traces as the most important winners. The final ~5 years have made loads of Walt Disney World followers extra cynical in the direction of the corporate, me included. And for good cause! Even earlier than I hit publish, I can hear you doubting this conclusion (that’s proper, the skepticism is so sturdy that I can already hear it by way of a while warp kinda deal). When you’re accomplished laughing at the opportunity of Disney bettering the “free” visitor expertise on the expense of the paid upcharge, hear me out.
Visitor satisfaction and intent to return or suggest metrics took a beating after the honeymoon interval post-reopening as a consequence of varied cuts, whereas additionally implementing insurance policies that many followers hated. We’ve mentioned all of this at size, explaining that bettering these metrics has been the driving issue behind making different guest-friendly modifications within the final couple of years.
This can be a subject that once more reared its ugly head in Walt Disney World is Anxious About Its Excessive Costs, which coated how alarms are being sounded inside the corporate. Some executives worry that value will increase, nickel & diming, and so forth. are alienating followers, souring sentiment, and pricing out the center class. A few month after that leaked, Walt Disney World went on an all-out discounting and advertising and marketing blitz, with a flurry of offers that make this summer time the least expensive time to go to Walt Disney World since (a minimum of) 2019. The entire low cost aspect of the “Cool Child Summer time” marketing campaign ought to’ve vindicated the studies of these inside alarms and worries.
Again when the DAS modifications have been introduced final yr, we indicated that the supposed beneficiary was friends within the standby traces. That it wasn’t merely about liberating up capability to promote extra Lightning Lanes, however hanging a greater steadiness. That queueing is a zero-sum recreation, and internally, the view was {that a} small share of energy customers have been reaping disproportionate rewards on the expense of the overwhelming majority. The aim was to normalize wait instances throughout the board. It now appears that this was true by adjusting each free and paid line-skipping.
Truthfully, it nonetheless comes as one thing of a shock to me that Walt Disney World would do something on the expense of paid Lightning Lane customers since that dangers decrease satisfaction amongst greater spending friends, to not point out future gross sales. Not fairly positive find out how to absolutely clarify this. Maybe management has been so happy with the general visitor satisfaction features that it’s one thing they’re keen to tolerate.
Possibly they’ve managed to string the needle, discovering that the ‘candy spot’ for prime Lightning Lane purchaser visitor satisfaction is 4.12 traces skipped on common or 93 minutes saved ready in line, versus 4.47 traces and 108 minutes (all fully made-up numbers), as would possibly’ve been the case below the Genie+ system. It’s additionally doable that the knowledge of pre-booking alone will increase visitor satisfaction amongst patrons, even when they’re securing barely fewer experiences on common (and once more, averages aren’t the identical as maximums–it’s nonetheless doable for prime energy customers to outperform!). I actually don’t have any clue–simply spitballing potential explanations.
In the end, that’s our idea to why standby traces are shorter and quicker transferring on the identical time that Lightning Lane utilization has decreased, even with demand for Multi-Go and Single Go showing pretty sturdy. This strikes us as the one believable conclusion that reconciles Disney’s quarterly outcomes reporting greater bookings, decrease common wait instances knowledge, decreased Lightning Lane availability, and our in depth experiences when testing.
Evidently Walt Disney World has achieved that desired higher steadiness between pursuits of friends utilizing standby traces and Lightning Lanes. As for the titular query about whether or not Lightning Lanes are nonetheless “price it?,” our new rule of thumb is that you need to in all probability make the acquisition (or not) based mostly on the journey reservations you’re capable of make on the level of buy, with the idea that you just’ll rating one extra worthwhile Lightning Lane at DHS and two at Magic Kingdom with minimal effort, and maybe a couple of extra in case you have a powerful refresh recreation.
Actually, the essential factor is that you just make an knowledgeable choice on the query as as to whether Lightning Lanes are nonetheless well worth the cash to you, personally. The important thing right here is to grasp that standby traces are shorter and quicker transferring, with posted and precise wait instances which can be decrease because of the ratio of Lightning Lanes to the standby line altering fairly dramatically.
As needs to be demonstrated by the forgoing, it’s the “why” of this that actually issues. Whether or not Lightning Lanes are nonetheless price it’ll be subjective–various based mostly in your finances, tolerance for ready in traces, and different technique. It additionally presupposes that line-skipping ever was price it within the first place, which I don’t assume was the case.
Personally, I’d nonetheless purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Go virtually the entire time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, more often than not at Magic Kingdom, lower than half of the time at EPCOT, and virtually by no means at Animal Kingdom (exception: December 22, 2025 to January 5, 2026). So there’s your reply if you happen to’re actually craving one, versus an in depth clarification.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What’s been your expertise with standby traces, Lightning Lanes, and the stream of each at Walt Disney World within the final yr or so? Have you ever been capable of rating extra, fewer, or about the identical variety of Lightning Lanes below Multi-Go vs. Genie? Have you ever observed any discernible variations? Would you suggest LLMP or simply advise sticking to standby given these tendencies? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
