Hollywood Studios is the park with probably the most headliners and highest common wait instances at Walt Disney World, making line-skipping particularly priceless. With the launch of the brand new Lightning Lane Multi Go system, I made pre-arrival experience reservations and headed to DHS to check the paid FastPass service on a moderately-crowded day.
This was really one of some discipline assessments I’ve now carried out of Lightning Lane Multi-Go (LLMP) at Walt Disney World. “Sadly,” crowds have been even decrease than anticipated on a few these days, rendering them ineffective from the angle of a publish like this. I do know, I do know…low wait instances is an effective downside to have! However not when attempting to check technique and produce consultant outcomes for LLMP that’ll be remotely helpful for anybody visiting from October via December.
I shouldn’t be stunned, however it seems that Walt Disney World’s pre-arrival pricing just isn’t completely predictive of crowds. This isn’t the primary time their forecasts have missed the mark. For these questioning what I imply by this, principally what I’ve carried out to date is goal the most costly days and do testing on these. In any case, I did have success at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and managed to hit the park on the busiest day of this month (to date).
Truthfully, even that isn’t saying a lot. The day of my go to had a mean wait time of 34 minutes and a crowd stage of 4/10. I don’t need to oversell it–this isn’t even remotely busy by Disney’s Hollywood Studios requirements. My private threshold for reasonable crowds at DHS is round 40 minutes, and 50 minutes for top crowds. Nonetheless, the size has shifted as crowds have slowed down throughout the board.
With that mentioned, don’t make the error of assuming Lightning Lane Multi Go was not obligatory on at the present time as a result of all the pieces was a walk-on or had low precise wait instances. On the contrary, there have been rides with wait instances exceeding an hour and a few fleeting situations of triple-digit waits.
On this 4/10 crowd stage day at DHS, right here’s a rundown of common wait instances (all wait instances information is courtesy of thrill-data):
- Slinky Canine Sprint: 78 minutes
- Star Wars Rise of the Resistance: 60 minutes
- Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster: 59 minutes
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 49 minutes
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 46 minutes
- Tower of Terror: 43 minutes
- Toy Story Mania: 42 minutes
At numerous factors, each single certainly one of these rides had wait instances that have been over an hour lengthy. Nonetheless, all of them additionally had rather more manageable wait instances over the course of the day, too. All of it relies upon upon once you hit every attraction.
Nonetheless, it looks as if Walt Disney World followers have unrealistic expectations for what “low crowds” means at DHS within the present period. This wasn’t precisely a useless day–it simply wasn’t almost as unhealthy as DHS can get through the coronary heart of the vacation season.
In any case, this picture report walks you thru my step-by-step day utilizing Lightning Lane Multi-Go, with advance & identical day choices, what I completed utilizing LLMP throughout low to reasonable crowd ranges (by 2024 requirements), and ideas on the finish about whether or not Lightning Lane Multi-Go is definitely worth the cash at DHS.
Earlier than we get going, it’s necessary to notice that that is merely my day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios utilizing Lightning Lane Multi-Go. It’s not a beneficial itinerary, touring plan, or universally-applicable day that I might recommend replicating. Merely what I did over the course of testing LLMP throughout a day at DHS. For precise recommendation, see the next:
In the event you’re attempting to perform simply as a lot in a day with out Lightning Lanes, savvy technique is required at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s the hardest park to tour at Walt Disney World. There’s no magical formulation for sleeping in, rolling as much as the park a pair hours after rope drop, not shopping for Lightning Lane Multi-Go, having fun with the park in a leisurely approach, and conducting all the pieces.
Anyway, let’s transfer alongside to my day utilizing Lightning Lane Multi Go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
I had an on-site cut up keep, which enabled me to buy Lightning Lane Multi Go seven days previous to the beginning of my complete journey. With cut up stays, there’s at all times the potential of issues, however these have been linked in My Disney Expertise and I had no points in any way. Nonetheless, I nonetheless waited till the 7-day mark as different items of my planning fell into place.
In consequence, I didn’t have each return time possibility out there to me. Ideally, I might’ve wished to knock out Slinky Canine Sprint first and had slight overlap on all of my return instances. Slinky Canine Sprint first is each for the sake of comfort (I like doing Early Entry in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land) and effectivity (Slinky Canine Sprint will get a protracted line even early on).
Lightning Lane Multi Go is a little bit of a balancing act. With a purpose to “run the desk” on headliner Lightning Lanes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it’s normally crucial to stack your bookings within the 9 am, 10 am, and 11 am hour. That is because of the ‘rolling 3 rule,’ which lets you at all times have 3 Lightning Lanes booked–and to be able to e-book extra, you first must redeem one thing. You’re thus incentivized to purpose for earlier return instances so you may e-book subsequent choices.
The issue with this method is that very first thing within the morning is commonly when standby strains are the shortest–so that you need to return early, however not too early when you may be knocking out rides with brief strains by way of standby. That is why a whole lot of followers beloved Genie+ and its stacking guidelines.
Quick-forward to the day of my go to to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. After tapping into my first Lightning Lane (Tower of Terror), I instantly booked my subsequent Lightning Lane. The most suitable choice at this level was Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
You’ll observe within the screenshot above that my return time for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is 10:45 am to 11:45 am. I’m not this fortunate. My preliminary return time was early afternoon, however I performed the refresh sport till I used to be happy with a greater return time.
This may additionally work properly with my itinerary if I have been attempting to attenuate backtracking. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a extremely small footprint as in contrast the opposite parks, so I don’t thoughts some backtracking, however it’s however good to knock out two close by points of interest in fast succession.
Earlier than anybody bemoans having your face in a display screen with LLMP, my tough “rule” for enjoying the refresh sport is limiting it to my time within the Lightning Lane return line after tapping in. This implies I’ve anyplace from 2 minutes to 10 minutes–all of it depends upon whether or not there are two faucet factors, the place merge happens, and so on. Tower of Terror permits for extra time since there’s queue after the pre-show. In any case, it took perhaps 90 seconds of refreshing earlier than I scored that Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run return.
After tapping into Toy Story Mania and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, I booked Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
These return instances really would’ve labored properly with my schedule. In principle, I may’ve carried out stage exhibits or non-headliners at DHS to kill time through the center of the day. In truth, I used to be nonetheless doing Meals & Wine Pageant taste-testing, so I may Park Jump over to EPCOT to try this for lunch earlier than returning for afternoon and night at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
One factor value noting is that Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run didn’t have a protracted line in any respect. The posted wait time was half-hour, however I’m guessing the precise was nearer to 10-Quarter-hour. On slower days, I’ve observed that experience reservation refills at Walt Disney World observe with posted wait instances.
That means that if wait instances drop or spike, Lightning Lane stock adjusts accordingly, additionally going up or down, and pushing return instances later or transferring them ahead. At the least, that is my principle–corroborated by dozens of days of use (and lots of extra of remark). That is nothing new–it’s how Fastpass+ and Genie+ additionally labored.
That’s actually one of many huge variations between slower and busier day at DHS. Whereas each are going to have hour-plus wait instances for the headliners, the crowded day goes to have even worse wait instances. No shock there.
Extra necessary from the Lightning Lane perspective is that the majority points of interest gained’t run out of experience reservations till very late on a gradual day. There’s a ‘tipping level’ of types on less-busy days the place purchasers of LLMP falls under the general allotted capability for Lightning Lanes, and makes it very easy for many points of interest as long as you e-book early and sometimes by way of the rolling 3 rule. This was a kind of days.
Tangentially associated, that is a part of the genius (for Disney) in transferring from Genie+ to the pre-arrival Lightning Lane Multi Go. Underneath the outdated same-day system, company visiting throughout slower seasons (like proper now!) may use Genie+ at some point, understand it was pointless after seeing/experiencing some standby strains, and never purchase it throughout subsequent days of their journey.
Underneath Lightning Lane Multi-Go, many company will buy for each single day of their trip prematurely, earlier than even experiencing the ‘seems like’ crowds or wait instances. They’ll purchase as a hedge or as a result of worry, uncertainty and doubt…despite the fact that they wouldn’t have bought Genie+ in the identical circumstances. (Simply one thing to contemplate if you happen to’re visiting on borderline dates and are on the fence about Lightning Lane Multi Go!)
After doing Slinky Canine Sprint, I used to be successfully carried out with Lightning Lane Multi Go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I had already gotten each experience reservation I wished, and re-rides aren’t potential. However I’m a completionist, so I booked Alien Swirling Saucers for some/no purpose. I had no intentions of driving it, simply obtained it to show I may, I suppose.
That’s in all probability the identical purpose I modified my Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Return time, transferring it ahead 15 complete minutes, from 3:30 pm to three:15 pm. Whole gamechanger. This does illustrate an necessary level: Lightning Lane Multi Go tries to keep away from overlapping plans (see the warning) and the auto outcomes it offers you when pre-booking will sometimes not have any overlap.
Nonetheless, you may override this (to the extent potential) by modifying prematurely. The knowledge of doing that is debatable. Once more, you need to have the ability to do some rides by way of standby very first thing within the morning, so returning ASAP isn’t at all times one of the best technique. It’s a steadiness.
There’s zero draw back to overlapping within the afternoon when standby strains are at their longest. By default, the system will nonetheless attempt to stop this from occurring. I normally modify and have vital overlap until there’s a distinct purpose to not (rides on reverse sides of the park, starvation, sundown images, and so on).
As a reminder, it’s potential to enter the Lightning Lane as much as 5 minutes early or Quarter-hour late. There isn’t a must ask for a Forged Member’s permission to do that–it doesn’t require a pc override. If something, asking a CM may lead to confusion, because it’s potential they may not learn about this Lightning Lane “rule.” (No knock at them–there’s approach an excessive amount of to maintain observe of with Genie!)
Once more, my unique plan was to move to EPCOT for lunch and return to DHS. Nonetheless, I noticed earlier availability for Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster pop up, so I modified my time and grabbed that. I’m making some extent of watching MuppetVision 3D as usually as potential (for apparent causes), so I did that whereas ready for my return time.
Whereas ready for MuppetVision, I opted to push again my Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway return time so I didn’t should get again to DHS from EPCOT fairly as early. (Once more, I had no intentions of driving Alien Swirling Saucers. That’s only a trophy Lightning Lane.) Even when I deliberate on reserving Lightning Lane Multi Passes at EPCOT (and I did!), there was little draw back to doing this since I’d have open slots from each RnRc and ASS. There’s no approach I used to be scoring three worthwhile LLMPs at EPCOT, so not having that vacant spot didn’t harm me in any respect.
That is nearly as good of time as any to share my refresh technique, which goes to the modify display screen after which toggling the “shut” dropdown to refresh instances. Evaluate the left and proper, the latter of which exhibits pop-up availability for 4:25 pm that wasn’t there 2 minutes earlier. In my expertise, toggling this “shut” dropdown is probably the most environment friendly approach to play the refresh sport. YMMV.
Quick-forward to afternoon and night, and wait instances throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios have been considerably decrease than once I left for EPCOT. My Lightning Lane for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway was helpful, however barely. I’m betting it saved me 10 minutes, tops.
All waits have been minimal by 6 pm or so. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which I had additionally carried out throughout Early Entry, had a posted wait time of 25 minutes and was really a walk-on. On slower evenings when downtime isn’t unhealthy, a posted wait time below an hour usually means close to walk-on standing. (On the finish of the night time, it was solely 10 minutes–that’s a uncommon posted wait time to see for RotR!)
It was an analogous story with Slinky Canine Sprint. This had a posted wait time, however one have a look at the queues led me to consider the wait time was about half of that. The standby line right here later within the night advantages from LLMP customers leaving, doing dinner, or choosing Fantasmic as a substitute of their Lightning Lane reservations.
In the end, I ended up utilizing Lightning Lane Multi Go to safe all 4 high tier Lightning Lane choices and the one two worthwhile second tier points of interest throughout this 4/10 crowd day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (I additionally booked three at EPCOT: Soarin, Dwelling with the Land, and Spaceship Earth.) I in all probability may’ve scored 10+ Lightning Lanes had I additionally carried out the pointless ones for stage exhibits.
Going by posted wait instances throughout my return home windows, I saved over 3 hours ready in line at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (plus one other hour or so at EPCOT). This was really down significantly from my final time testing Genie+ on an analogous day at DHS, and that’s virtually fully as a result of I pre-booked a number of experience reservations earlier within the day once I in any other case would’ve most well-liked to be doing points of interest by way of standby. In contrast, I usually discovered myself stacking by default at DHS and utilizing the 120 minute rule below the outdated system.
Three hours saved goes to be sufficient to make Lightning Lane Multi Go definitely worth the cash to the common vacationer. After all, that period of time financial savings assumes posted wait instances are correct (they don’t seem to be) and that I might’ve waited in standby strains at similar instances as my LLMP returns (I might not).
I may’ve gotten so much carried out by way of standby throughout Early Entry and at rope drop, and in addition been aggressive with standby strains on the finish of the night. With that mentioned, utilizing Lightning Lane Multi Go was the extra laid again possibility for at the present time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Lightning Lane Multi-Go allowed me to not fear over wait instances or stress about conducting all the pieces in an environment friendly order. I didn’t do a lot backtracking or refreshing, and knocking out so many points of interest earlier within the day allowed me to have a leisurely night.
Briefly, LLMP this was the best method to this explicit day at DHS. That gained’t at all times be the case. On busier days, my desire is Early Entry and staying late and doing standby as soon as the crowds begin to subside. There are a number of “options” to beating crowds and no one-size-fits-all reply. Typically, it really will take multiple–that means Early Entry plus Lightning Lane Multi Go.
Fortunately, Lightning Lane Multi-Go doesn’t essentially must contain extreme display screen time, frantic refreshing, or criss-crossing the park a number of instances. Whereas there are downsides versus Genie+ (particularly with the way in which I love to do issues at DHS), the power to reach with 3 experience reservations in hand presents large peace of thoughts (and also will supply strategic benefit–particularly when it’s busier). Hopefully at the present time illustrates that LLMP generally is a good instrument to have in your ‘park touring package’ to be used when obligatory or applicable.
For more information and solutions to widespread questions, see our Information to Lightning Lane Multi Go Walt Disney World. We’ve already up to date that a number of instances, and it’s an incredible leaping off level if you happen to’re confused, overwhelmed…or absolutely perceive the system, however need some next-level technique to raised leverage LLMP.
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Your Ideas
Ideas on my day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios utilizing Lightning Lane Multi Go? Would this be sufficient time financial savings so that you can be happy with LLMP? Are you planning on utilizing Lightning Lanes or sticking to free standby strains at DHS? Choose Early Entry, LLMP, or finish of day at DHS? Do you agree or disagree with my evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
