Anonymous
02/24/2025 09:02
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:Best tip for a Disney vacation is to do the VIP experience. You are assigned a Disney VIP who helps you plan your Disney experience. The experience includes snacks, and beverages along the way. Meals are extra.
Our group of 8, two families experienced the Magic Kingdom in it’s entirety in one full day. We rode all the rides we wanted to experience. There was no standing in lines for hours for a few minute ride, no lightning passes or complications with using the app.
Our VIP had interesting stories and information as we traversed the park, we enjoyed seeing some of the ‘behind the scene’ activity, and enjoyed many more character meet & greets than we planned.
Doing this cost extra money, but allowed for an enjoyable Disney vacation. After a full day at the Magic Kingdom, the other days we enjoyed relaxing days at our resort and its amenities, toured Orlando and returned home feeling as though we had been on vacation.
We agreed one trip to Disney with our kids, and we’d make it memorable. Our friends that accompanied us still think we’re nuts, but talk about the experience and memories. They’ve been back twice and haven’t raved about subsequent trips trying to use lightning lanes and the apps.
Kudos to my friend who keyed us into the Disney VIP experience.
It’s $6k minimum per day and that doesn’t include lodging, tickets or food. Even you can’t be stupid enough to think that’s an option for most people. Even on DCUM.
Anonymous
02/24/2025 08:51
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Best tip for a Disney vacation is to do the VIP experience. You are assigned a Disney VIP who helps you plan your Disney experience. The experience includes snacks, and beverages along the way. Meals are extra.
Our group of 8, two families experienced the Magic Kingdom in it’s entirety in one full day. We rode all the rides we wanted to experience. There was no standing in lines for hours for a few minute ride, no lightning passes or complications with using the app.
Our VIP had interesting stories and information as we traversed the park, we enjoyed seeing some of the ‘behind the scene’ activity, and enjoyed many more character meet & greets than we planned.
Doing this cost extra money, but allowed for an enjoyable Disney vacation. After a full day at the Magic Kingdom, the other days we enjoyed relaxing days at our resort and its amenities, toured Orlando and returned home feeling as though we had been on vacation.
We agreed one trip to Disney with our kids, and we’d make it memorable. Our friends that accompanied us still think we’re nuts, but talk about the experience and memories. They’ve been back twice and haven’t raved about subsequent trips trying to use lightning lanes and the apps.
Kudos to my friend who keyed us into the Disney VIP experience.
Our group of 8, two families experienced the Magic Kingdom in it’s entirety in one full day. We rode all the rides we wanted to experience. There was no standing in lines for hours for a few minute ride, no lightning passes or complications with using the app.
Our VIP had interesting stories and information as we traversed the park, we enjoyed seeing some of the ‘behind the scene’ activity, and enjoyed many more character meet & greets than we planned.
Doing this cost extra money, but allowed for an enjoyable Disney vacation. After a full day at the Magic Kingdom, the other days we enjoyed relaxing days at our resort and its amenities, toured Orlando and returned home feeling as though we had been on vacation.
We agreed one trip to Disney with our kids, and we’d make it memorable. Our friends that accompanied us still think we’re nuts, but talk about the experience and memories. They’ve been back twice and haven’t raved about subsequent trips trying to use lightning lanes and the apps.
Kudos to my friend who keyed us into the Disney VIP experience.
Anonymous
02/12/2025 08:34
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
It’s always interesting to me how many people complain it’s awful and they won’t go and yet every year there are more people than the year before. Disney keeps raising the prices and they still haven’t found the price at which fewer people will come.
We went annually when our kids were small and now that they are teens we go every 2-3 years. The entire family enjoys it and looks forward to it. We’ve also done Universal a couple times.
We went annually when our kids were small and now that they are teens we go every 2-3 years. The entire family enjoys it and looks forward to it. We’ve also done Universal a couple times.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 10:54
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:This sounds like the worst most expensive “vacation” ever. I continue to be amazed by people who are willing to spend money on a Disney vacation.
No one is making you go. It’s too crowded anyway so if you don’t enjoy what disney has to offer, it makes sense for you to take a different vacation. I never know why people feel the need to post on these threads. I don’t go on Antarctica threads and say it sounds like the worst most expensive vacation ever (which is does to me — cold, rough waters, ugh.)
Anonymous
02/11/2025 10:50
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
We went over Christmas and had no trouble getting lightening lanes. It may help that we checked into our disney resort two days before we wanted lightening lanes. One thing I noticed is that it tries to prompt you to pick slots later in the day, but if you click on the more options button you can see all the slots. So for one ride, it defaulted to 4 pm or something but when I clicked I was able to get 11 am.
Another suggestion I have for anyone who cares is to look for the special party events, where there is no LL and much decreased crowd sizes. It only cost a bit more. The reason we didn’t get lightening lane for our first 2 days was because we did mickeys Christmas party on day 1 and jollywood nights on day 2. Those events are usually nighttime events but if you have kids that stay up until 10ish without any problems, they are a really good alternative.
And yes Presidents’ Day weekend is their number 2 most crowded travel time (after Christmas) so that does make it tougher than usual. Ordinarily when we go to disney we go on the Jewish holiday long weekend in October or the end of semester teacher planning day in January.
I agree it’s not cheap but it’s definitely cheaper or price comparable to other vacations we’ve taken like European cities, cruises, or skiing out West. (Skiing out west might have been the most expensive day by day once you added on the rentals and ski lessons and the holiday premium lift tickets.). Airfare to Florida is so cheap that it really evens out some of the other expenses with disney and our food expenses are also usually pretty light because we aren’t going for tje food.
Another suggestion I have for anyone who cares is to look for the special party events, where there is no LL and much decreased crowd sizes. It only cost a bit more. The reason we didn’t get lightening lane for our first 2 days was because we did mickeys Christmas party on day 1 and jollywood nights on day 2. Those events are usually nighttime events but if you have kids that stay up until 10ish without any problems, they are a really good alternative.
And yes Presidents’ Day weekend is their number 2 most crowded travel time (after Christmas) so that does make it tougher than usual. Ordinarily when we go to disney we go on the Jewish holiday long weekend in October or the end of semester teacher planning day in January.
I agree it’s not cheap but it’s definitely cheaper or price comparable to other vacations we’ve taken like European cities, cruises, or skiing out West. (Skiing out west might have been the most expensive day by day once you added on the rentals and ski lessons and the holiday premium lift tickets.). Airfare to Florida is so cheap that it really evens out some of the other expenses with disney and our food expenses are also usually pretty light because we aren’t going for tje food.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 09:53
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This sounds like the worst most expensive “vacation” ever. I continue to be amazed by people who are willing to spend money on a Disney vacation.
I'm so glad my kids have long outgrown Disney. I still resent that I had to put in so much time and effort to make an enormous and expensive amusement park fun enough.[/
Ditto to all, but especially the last part. With Disney’s price point, it’s ridiculous that you have to game plan and strategize a visit to optimize the “fun.”I’m not a huge amusement park person, but give me Busch Garden or Hershey Park over Disney every time.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 09:43
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Go for a shorter stay and buy the premier pass.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 09:31
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
You can check DisBoards. Sometimes there are known "drops" at later times. So every option may get sucked up instantly at 7 AM, but they may release more options at 7:06 or 7:13 or some other random time. You can be online and refreshing if you know the window.
And yes, those with long stays do grab the best times. Try to put the most popular rides late in your trip to have the best odds.
And yes, those with long stays do grab the best times. Try to put the most popular rides late in your trip to have the best odds.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 09:26
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:This sounds like the worst most expensive “vacation” ever. I continue to be amazed by people who are willing to spend money on a Disney vacation.
I'm so glad my kids have long outgrown Disney. I still resent that I had to put in so much time and effort to make an enormous and expensive amusement park fun enough.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 09:09
Subject: Re:Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:I stopped going to Disney. It's too much like the Hunger Games.
I also feel like I am being trained to get treats...get up at 7 am, log onto my device, wait in an online line for a pass. Maybe I get a treat.
Then, I have to be on my phone all day trying to get onto rides at certain times.
And for that, I am paying high prices? No way.
Our kids are older, so we are thankfully past Disney trips. We went twice, and while they were fun trips, if we had younger kids now, I probably wouldn’t go to Disney. In addition to all the fast pass, lightning pass, check in at this time, extra charge for this pass…etc, we are probably priced out. It sounds less and less like a vacation. The Hunger Games analogy, is a good one.
Anonymous
02/11/2025 08:01
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:I agree with you that they Disney system seems over complicated (caveat that I have only been to both places once) I was surprised at how much better the Universal Fast pass is. We were able to go in order of the rides instead of criss-crossing the park because we had something booked.
Also significantly more expensive and not scalable at a place the size of Disney. Not comparable at all.
Anonymous
02/10/2025 17:14
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
I agree with you that they Disney system seems over complicated (caveat that I have only been to both places once) I was surprised at how much better the Universal Fast pass is. We were able to go in order of the rides instead of criss-crossing the park because we had something booked.
Anonymous
02/10/2025 16:54
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Presidents Day week is like the third busiest week. It will be insane crowd levels.
Anonymous
02/10/2025 16:49
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:As i mentioned, I was online right at 7 am, not 7:01, and the snow white was not available until after 6 pm. There must be slots set aside. No other explanation.
At 7am on the day of your resort check-in, you can get all the lightning lanes for your entire trip, so if you are going for 5 days, start backwards - pick for day 5 first and then 4, 3, 2, etc. When you are picking for your first day, you are already behind everyone that is checking in for a multi-day stay as they picked for that day days ahead of you.
Ahh. I see. thanks for the info.
Anonymous
02/10/2025 16:34
Subject: Another vent on Disney lightening passes
This sounds like the worst most expensive “vacation” ever. I continue to be amazed by people who are willing to spend money on a Disney vacation.