Lightning Lane Multi-Cross has hit its highest value ever, matching the all-time document excessive value of Genie+ at Walt Disney World. This submit covers crowds, chance of the line-skipping service promoting out at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT or Animal Kingdom regardless of the upper value, and different commentary on the paid FastPass service.
Let’s begin by straightening issues out. This pertains to Lightning Lane Multi-Cross (LLMP), which changed Genie+ as the first paid FastPass possibility at Walt Disney World. With the change, there’s as soon as once more the addition of an on-site benefit, capability to make 3 choices prematurely, and a variety of different variations which are past the scope of this submit.
Moreover, there’s Lightning Lane Single Cross (LLSP), which is the a la carte possibility that was referred to as Particular person Lightning Lanes. That’s all bookable prematurely. Lastly, there’s Lightning Lane Premier Cross (LLPP), which is the highest tier of line-skipping meant for the highest 1-2% of visitors and priced accordingly. It’s like Common’s Specific Cross. Acquired all of that? Good. Now let’s discuss pricing for the height weeks of 2024, that are additionally the final two weeks of the yr.
It ought to come as no shock to any followers who’ve been paying consideration over the previous few years, however Lightning Lane Multi-Cross goes to hit a brand new document value for this new service–an identical to the earlier peak value of the Genie+ system. Listed here are pricing developments beginning the week of Christmas 2024…
December 22-23, 2024 Costs
- Magic Kingdom: $37 per particular person
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $32 per particular person
- EPCOT: $28 per particular person
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $25 per particular person
December 24, 2024 Costs
- Magic Kingdom: $39 per particular person
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: $35 per particular person
- EPCOT: $32 per particular person
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: $29 per particular person
Walt Disney World followers are going to be upset about this, as a result of that’s the predictable response. And naturally, it’s comprehensible that followers would nonetheless be agitated a couple of previously free service now costing cash–particularly since Lightning Lane Multi Cross actually is paid FastPass+ (it’s arguably worse than FastPass+ in some methods, specifically the tiers and having the separate Single Cross!).
Nobody holds grudges like Walt Disney World followers, so it’s secure to say the “convey again free FastPass!” sentiment will proceed for the subsequent decade or three. I’m nonetheless bitter about Disney killing off Dreamfinder, and others lament the lack of Horizons. It’s what we do. However I digress.
Along with bemoaning increased costs, I believe it’s value peeling again the layers right here as a result of there’s truly good information right here when you get previous the surface-level sticker shock of the costs.
First, this isn’t a year-over-year value enhance. That’s the primary time we’ve seen this because the introduction of the Genie+ system.
Final yr, costs went up by $3-4 per park, beginning on December 23. That truly wasn’t that vital of a leap in comparison with prior peak season value will increase. In case you don’t recall, Genie+ began at a flat-rate of $15 in late 2021, so there have been some pretty main leaps in there in 2022 and 2023.
Even on the $39 value level, Lightning Lanes offered out with regularity final yr round Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. It offered out most days throughout that stretch, in addition to 4 of the primary 5 days of this January. (Albeit at decrease costs.) It was on that foundation that we brazenly puzzled whether or not Lightning Lane Multi-Cross would break the $50 barrier (after tax). It now appears fairly clear that won’t occur.
In the event you needed to be actually charitable to Walt Disney World, you possibly can even conceivably argue that it is a value lower. It’s a little bit of a stretch, however it’s a believable argument.
Final yr, the price of the Park Hopping possibility was $39–the identical as Magic Kingdom. This yr, the Park Hopping possibility is included, which means whichever park you go to first is the price of Park Hopping. It may very well be the low, low price of $29 (a $10 theoretical drop!) when you begin at Animal Kingdom. And beginning at Animal Kingdom isn’t a foul thought, because it opens earliest.
I’m not notably receptive to that argument because the peak season crowds coupled with change to pre-booking Lightning Lanes means it’s going to possible be, for all intents and functions, slim pickins’ at subsequent parks until your refresh sport is tremendous robust. You in all probability usually are not working the desk at two parks on December 24, 2024. Then once more, you weren’t final yr, both.
(With that mentioned, I’d assert that the typical on-site visitor goes to do a lot better with Lightning Lanes this yr than they did final yr on the identical dates, due to a mixture of the on-site benefit and improved stock.)
We in all probability shouldn’t get forward of ourselves patting Walt Disney World on the again, although.
Pricing knowledge is simply out there 21 days into the long run–by December 24, 2024. Final yr, the bonkers crowds didn’t arrive till December 27. I’m not going to rehash how that peak week performed out, however when you’re visiting between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, it’s value studying Walt Disney World’s Busiest Week of the Yr By Far. Suffice to say, that week noticed the 4 worst days within the final 4 years and was a lot busier than anticipated. As of late had been all 10+/10 crowd ranges, and the worst common wait instances since not less than December 2019.
Level being, it’s attainable that Walt Disney World acknowledges that the week after Christmas is far busier than the week earlier than (regardless that each are very, very busy) and costs Lightning Lane Multi-Cross accordingly. They’ve achieved some bizarre issues with Lightning Lane pricing, so nothing would shock me. It will be considerably shocking, although, because the development has been to extend costs earlier than Christmas and depart them at that degree till New Yr’s Eve. I believe that is the excessive water mark, and a lower arrives on January 1, 2025.
In case you are planning a go to to Walt Disney World to finish the yr, we’d extremely suggest shopping for Lightning Lane Multi-Cross.
One level of delight for this weblog is not recommending LLMP in all places, on a regular basis. We sometimes advise buying at Magic Kingdom on non-party days and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in average crowd ranges or above. EPCOT is extra circumstantial, and Animal Kingdom is nearly by no means advisable. The truth is, LLMP at DAK simply made our Worst 10 Wastes of Cash at Walt Disney World.
Effectively, the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve (together with the primary few days of January 2025) are the exception to that. Throughout hell week, you want each software in your package. It’s not an both/or state of affairs in relation to technique. It’s essential be up early and utilizing a great plan and doing a noon break and staying out late and shopping for Lightning Lanes. Even at Animal Kingdom.
(For extra recommendation, see our current submit: High 12 Ideas for Beating Heavy Crowds at Walt Disney World. That was written particularly with these peak vacation weeks in thoughts.)
I point out all of this each as a result of I don’t need you over-relying on our regular recommendation about when Lightning Lanes are and usually are not needed. But in addition so that you don’t over-rely on Lightning Lanes! Many visitors assume LLMP is that this ‘golden ticket’ they usually don’t must do the rest in an effort to beat the gang. That’s unsuitable.
You may count on roughly 50% of visitors, if no more, to buy Lightning Lane Multi-Cross throughout that week. It’s not some unique membership that bypasses the road. Throughout that week (and to a lesser extent, the one earlier than it), the Lightning Lane is the common line, and shopping for Multi-Cross must be considered as a peak week tax. The standby line shouldn’t be considered as the traditional line–it’s the sluggish lane.
Hopefully we’ve earned some credibility right here since we’re not all the time blindly recommending that you just purchase Lightning Lanes. Through which case, additionally take this recommendation: make the choice to purchase (or not, I assume) proper now. The worst transfer you can also make is arriving to heavier crowds than you anticipated, shopping for then, and getting caught with poor choices. E book as early as attainable for the greatest and most tough Lightning Lane Multi-Cross experience reservations and to extend your odds of worthwhile rolling same-day choices.
Walt Disney World followers who’ve expertise throughout this timeframe may scoff on the notion of worthwhile choices being out there. That’s fully comprehensible, as we acquired numerous reviews over the previous few years from visitors who bought between zero (0) and three good Lightning Lanes. That has been a extra widespread expertise than you may consider!
The potential distinction this yr is elevated Lightning Lane stock. I’m not going to rehash one other current submit, so take a look at Shorter Standby Traces and Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World for a dialogue of this phenomenon and the “why” of it.
Suffice to say, all of my current LLMP area testing has gone very well–even throughout Jersey Week and Veterans Day. It simply took a little bit of diligence (~5 minutes of refreshing whereas in return strains). Nonetheless, and I can’t emphasize this sufficient, the worst week I’ve achieved is nothing just like the interval between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. So I’d hesitate to extrapolate an excessive amount of from my expertise. Regardless, it’s value a shot…and also you solely have a shot if in case you have not less than one earlier return time…which you gained’t get when you wait till your journey begins to purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Cross!
Lastly, we all the time used to make predictions about when Genie+ would promote out throughout these weeks.
Lightning Lanes sometimes promote out at increased costs, as they’re (unsurprisingly) tied to increased crowds and due to this fact increased demand. Nothing would shock us at this level, however we truly do not count on LLMP to promote out on December 24. If it does, it’ll possible promote out for each single day between then and the top of the yr.
In truth, I don’t know what to foretell past that. Genie+ doesn’t provide nice precedent right here, largely as a result of it was a same-day system and the switchover to LLMP roughly coincided with the DAS overhaul. There’s a variety of prospects right here, from Multi-Cross promoting out per week prematurely because of FOMO or by no means in any respect because of elevated bandwidth that enables Disney to promote extra situations of LLMP. Consequently, I’ve no clue what to anticipate…simply kinda considering out loud right here. (I’d guess towards LLMP promoting out prematurely on any date. Even with pre-booking, I believe a variety of gross sales are nonetheless reactionary in response to crowds encountered by visitors.)
Finally, it must be a enjoyable saga to comply with. I’m personally very intrigued by how all this performs out, from how far prematurely the perfect Lightning Lanes in every park ebook as much as what same-day experience reservation refills are like. With the ability to lock-in 3 choices earlier than shopping for is big throughout peak weeks like this, as is the on-site benefit.
It’s home windows like this when the distinction between Genie+ and Multi-Cross will probably be felt most–worth, utility, and satisfaction ought to all be increased this yr than the identical week final. Maybe I’m getting forward of myself. All of that is true provided that my assumption is right and costs don’t skyrocket on December 27 or 28. If that does occur, I’ll be again right here in just a few days issuing a ‘retraction’ on a variety of this.
Oh, and when you’re visiting Walt Disney World between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, hopefully none of this scared you an excessive amount of. The purpose of a lot of the above was to implore you to organize, and simply by studying this one submit, you’re in a greater place than not less than 90% of different visitors. Comply with the recommendation right here and in High 12 Ideas for Beating Heavy Crowds at Walt Disney World.
Loopy because the crowds get, we’ve achieved the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve a number of instances, and find it irresistible. The wait instances are terrible, but when you realize what you’re doing (and also you do), it may be some of the memorable instances of the whole yr to go to. Don’t sweat it an excessive amount of–it is advisable to be scared simply sufficient to correctly plan, not have a meltdown!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study lodges on our Walt Disney World Inns Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize 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 singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces it is advisable to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Lightning Lane Multi-Cross reaching the document excessive value of $39? In the event you’re visiting in the course of the weeks of Christmas or New Yr’s, what’s the utmost value you’ll pay for the line-skipping service? Ideas on our perspective or suggestions? Some other concerns we did not consider or particulars we missed/bought unsuitable? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
