There’s a rumor circulating {that a} new Lightning Lane line-skipping service is coming to Walt Disney World and/or Disneyland. Sure, one other one. This submit shares particulars of the app look, together with our intensive commentary about prospects for what the subsequent paid FastPass may provide, and why we predict Disney’s twist on Specific Move is the almost certainly candidate (together with predicted pricing and eligibility).
Let’s begin with being very clear: that is purely a rumor based mostly on performance within the Disneyland app. It’s typically the case that options are examined–and are available to mild in precisely this fashion–earlier than being totally rolled out for most people. It’s additionally typically the case that issues are toyed with that by no means see the sunshine of day.
Which means the approximate timeline for a Lightning Lane Premier Move announcement is as early as tomorrow or as late as by no means. We may know all the specifics by August 23, or this could possibly be a distant reminiscence that’s lengthy forgotten by 2025. Accordingly, if you happen to solely need “official” information and never wild hypothesis, you would possibly wish to skip this submit and wait a number of days or perhaps weeks.
We are also fairly assured that this isn’t a substitute for Lightning Lane Multi Move (LLMP) or Single Move (SP). Though there was some backlash in the direction of these new methods, that’s at all times the case with main modifications at Walt Disney World and Disneyland that create new classes of winners and losers.
It’s our understanding that Disney is happy with the brand new system and it appears to be going effectively regardless of some hiccups. Even when that weren’t the case, one other main overhaul wouldn’t be potential so quickly. It wouldn’t occur till 2026 or later. Regardless, there’s completely no motive to consider that’s what that is.
As for the substance of the rumor, ThemeParkIQ is reporting on social media that they noticed performance that Disney just lately pushed in an replace to the Disneyland app to incorporate a brand new “Lightning Lane Premier Move.” Disney has eliminated this already.
ThemeParkIQ additionally shared this: “It seems to be like it is possible for you to to pre-purchase Lightning Lane upfront and guide forward of time much like Walt Disney World. This will likely come at an added price.”
I don’t know what their foundation is for drawing this conclusion, nevertheless it’s value noting that this account is a superb useful resource and sometimes spots modifications within the Disneyland app earlier than they’re rolled out. I exploit their web site for perusing menu modifications at Disneyland earlier than they’re formally introduced–however I do know they’ve a bunch of different options.
Right here’s the graphic that ThemeParkIQ shared from the app:
One other factor that’s value noting earlier than we dig into the commentary is that ‘Premier’ is already utilized in branding for all the worldwide parks. Curiously, what it means or gives differs in any respect of them.
Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris all have line-skip companies that which might be successfully bundles. Visitors should purchase a set of sights–or all of them–for a set worth. This could possibly be a package deal much like a type of.
In the meantime, Tokyo Disney Resort makes use of the identify Premier Entry to refer to what’s often called Lightning Lane Single Move within the home parks. The Japan parks additionally nonetheless provide free FastPass, albeit by a special identify–Precedence Move. Lastly, TDR now gives trip packages and ticket sorts that provide what’s primarily akin to Common’s Limitless Specific Move. (As a reminder, TDR is just not owned by Disney, so it kinda does its personal factor.)
To additional confuse issues, the Premier Move is a coast-to-coast Annual Move for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It was as soon as offered to most people, however has solely been obtainable to Membership 33 members and Golden Oak residents (and maybe different VIPs?) since 2020. So who is aware of…perhaps this can be a Lightning Lane for the turnstiles at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland?!
Turning to commentary, there are a few life like prospects for what Lightning Lane Premier Move may provide. The best and most easy rationalization is that that is pre-arrival journey reservations coming to Disneyland. For many who aren’t conscious, when Genie+ was retired and changed by Lightning Lane Multi Move, it occurred in identify solely at Disneyland Resort.
That is to say that the system was completely overhauled at Walt Disney World, with the introduction of a brand new system that appears strikingly much like FastPass+, however paid. (I’d argue that LLMP has extra in frequent with FP+ than it does Genie+, minus the entire cash factor. Minor element.) Against this, it was a change in identify solely at Disneyland. It was performed for the sake of continuity between the coasts and since the Genie model had change into so poisonous.
In any case, this has created a bigger product hole between Walt Disney World and Disneyland. You thus could be inclined to attract the affordable conclusion that Disney goes to fill that by providing pre-arrival Lightning Lanes at Disneyland. This makes some extent of sense. Resulting from completely different demographics, it is sensible for Disneyland to stay (principally) to same-day bookings. However many planners favor advance choices, and this could possibly be a product providing focused at these (on common) greater spenders. It is sensible!
Nonetheless, I’m skeptical of this risk. For one factor, I feel providing two substantively-identical merchandise however with completely different names would create client confusion. You could possibly argue that this has already occurred by advantage of Lightning Lane Multi Move being completely different on the 2 coasts. However introducing one more product that does the identical factor would solely additional muddy the waters and complicate issues.
Then there’s the truth that that is within the Disneyland app. If this have been in My Disney Expertise (and solely MDX) my tackle it could be completely different. However the whole lot I’ve heard through the years means that Disneyland was a “reluctant” participant in the entire Genie debacle, and it was an initiative pushed from on excessive for each coasts. That Disneyland needed to stay with MaxPass, nevertheless it wasn’t their name.
Even within the absence of such rumors, you’re in all probability conscious that Disneyland is the extra laid again resort. Disneyland is just not practically as eager on pushing upcharges or making issues sophisticated for visitors. The California parks have gotten worse about this since 2021, however nonetheless nothing like Walt Disney World. So it’s tough for me to think about a Disneyland-exclusive initiative that makes journey reservations much more complicated than at Walt Disney World. It’s simply not taking place.
There’s additionally the matter of incentives. What profit is there to Disney in creating a brand new pre-arrival system for Disneyland after which, presumably, promoting it for the very same worth as Lightning Lane Multi Move? That’s presumably what would occur if this have been Walt Disney World’s model of LLMP by a special identify.
So now abruptly Disneyland has two methods to juggle, priced at or about the identical quantity that trigger better client confusion. And for what? Does anybody realistically consider that this could enhance gross sales to sufficient of a level for it to offset the added prices? It wouldn’t.
There may be not an enormous untapped market of visitors who’re on the sidelines, skipping Lightning Lane Multi Move at Disneyland as a result of it doesn’t have a pre-arrival part. (Past all the above, the identical day system works significantly better at Disneyland.) The marketplace for this product merely doesn’t exist at scale enough to justify its prices. I’m fairly assured it isn’t taking place.
Which brings us to the second risk for Lightning Lane Premier Move: that it’s extra like Disney’s model of Common’s Specific Move.
At Common, Specific Move is offered as a ticket add-on or with choose lodge stays. You should buy two sorts of Specific Move, common or limitless. The common model means that you can skip the road as soon as per eligible attraction in both park. Common Specific Limitless gives line-skipping privileges, because the identify suggests, a vast variety of occasions per attraction.
In contrast to Lightning Lanes, visitors utilizing Specific Move are usually not required to make journey reservations–which means there are not any set return occasions. You merely go as much as the attraction, scan your move, and use your Specific Move entitlement. There’s nothing to order or problem with in an app. It’s a very “dumb” system–and I imply that in one of the simplest ways potential. Specific Move includes zero know-how and display screen time. It’s fully hassle-free.
Specific Move can also be way more costly when not included with a lodge keep. The out-of-pocket price of normal Specific Move begins at $89.99 per particular person plus tax and might prime out at $290, with the typical being effectively north of $100. Limitless Common Specific Move ranges from $120 to $320, with the typical close to $200.
My guess is that if Disney is introducing one more line-skipping product, it’s primarily this: a “competitor” to Common’s Specific Move. There can be enough product differentiation between Lightning Lane Multi Move and this, and it will really be viable. It in all probability additionally wouldn’t simply be at Disneyland.
Earlier than anybody even thinks about going there, Lightning Lane Premier Move wouldn’t be included in choose resort stays as its counterpart is at Common Orlando. C’mon! They don’t even give away Lightning Lane Multi Move to on-site visitors…why on earth would they provide away the upper finish product?!
With that stated, it will not shock me within the least if there is a lodge part to this. By that, I imply that it’s solely obtainable for choose visitors to buy within the first place. This may really make quite a lot of sense, as it will considerably restrict the visitor pool for a product which may in any other case be highly regarded–even at a particularly excessive worth. It might additionally operate as a “perk” of types, incentivizing higher-end lodge stays amongst “whales” who would possibly in any other case keep in off-site luxurious lodging.
This isn’t a massively daring prediction. Walt Disney World already did this below the outdated FastPass+ system, permitting Membership Degree visitors to buy a ‘theme park additional’ package deal that primarily consisted of three additional FastPass+ choices for $50 per particular person, per day. That began in 2018 and ran via the closure of the parks in 2020. I assumed that was loopy on the time–an insane price for a system that might simply be ‘gamed’ with just a bit effort.
I used to be improper. (Properly, not solely–it was loopy to purchase one thing you can get without cost with a modicum of effort.) Membership Degree visitors beloved it–the bonus FastPass+ have been insanely fashionable. Simply ask a journey agent. Many had purchasers who in any other case wouldn’t have booked Membership Degree within the first place achieve this simply to have entry to the bonus FastPass+ choices. Which means that their precise price wasn’t $50 per particular person, per day–it was that plus the nightly improve to Membership Degree over cheaper lodging they might’ve booked within the different!
If we’ve discovered something since ~2018-2020, it’s that there’s an insatiable marketplace for unique Disney choices. If such a “perk” on prime of a freebie was $50 then, it may simply be triple or extra that worth now. No matter you suppose is the “value it” worth for such a line-skipping product, the precise price will virtually definitely be greater. Such a service would simply have a 8x multiplier on the price of Lightning Lane Multi Move. Possibly even 10x or extra.
The underside line is that there’s an even bigger marketplace for a ‘problem free’ Specific Move-esque different to Lightning Lane Multi Move and the visitors prepared to buy this can in all probability pay greater than you suppose it’s value. Should you already scoff at paying for FastPasses that was free, you aren’t the target market. And that’s not a price judgment–I’m not, both!
Nonetheless, there’s additionally an inner need to strike extra of a steadiness between standby visitors and Lightning Lane customers. Insurance policies and methods that really feel fairer to nearly all of visitors and don’t benefit or drawback anybody an excessive amount of. From what we’ve heard, Disney has been attempting to string the needle with all the queueing and capability modifications over the previous couple of months. It’s an unenviable activity and no-win proposition that’s resulted in a superb quantity of backlash, however that’s the intent.
If my guesses about Lightning Lane Premier Move are right, this potential system could appear at odds with that. In spite of everything, that is pay to play taken to the intense, aimed on the most prosperous of visitors. However that is exactly why I believe this product providing can be restricted to Membership Degree visitors (or perhaps Deluxe/Villa visitors if ahead occupancy projections actually are as tough as I’ve heard). I’d be completely shocked if somebody staying on the All Stars or off-site is ready to buy this.
That may additionally clarify why it’s showing within the Disneyland app first. On condition that there are solely three resorts there and so they’re all pretty costly, it could be simpler to check Lightning Lane Premier Move at Disneyland first earlier than rolling it out at Walt Disney World.
Or, it’s potential that it’ll be rolled out concurrently and it simply wasn’t noticed in MDX. I can’t think about Disneyland desires to be the check floor for this–and it additionally could be higher to tear the band help off as an alternative of letting a brand new system that may revive “Disney solely cares in regards to the wealthy!” headlines have two information cycles.
In the end, that’s a rundown of what has been rumored thus far, prospects as to what it could possibly be, and what I feel Lightning Lane Premier Move really is. A few further shot-in-the-dark guesses I’d provide are that it’ll have beginning costs over double these of Specific Move at Common (I’d be shocked to see this price lower than $200 per particular person) and that there won’t be an ‘limitless’ possibility (which means it’ll be one line-skipping entitlement per attraction). Once more, full guesses on all of this–I’ve zero inside info.
I additionally suspect Disney gained’t wish to disturb that ‘delicate steadiness’ in queue capability allocation by providing Lightning Lane Premier Move at a vast stage (even when they might simply promote it for $1,000 per particular person, per day). Maybe extra importantly, they gained’t wish to cannibalize VIP tour gross sales. The aim will to be slot this in between present product choices, not compete with them.
Lastly, I may additionally see this not coming to fruition in any respect. That Disney is toying with the concept however will get chilly ft, fearing a detrimental PR cycle and backlash. There have been rumors of such a system for years, and so they’ve by no means fairly occurred because of this or that. I may see this falling via but once more, particularly given all the current detrimental headlines and a spotlight Disney has garnered. It would make sense to kick the can down the highway but once more, wanting for a extra opportune time. Or perhaps they suppose that point is now, and the vibe is constructive post-D23? I don’t actually know…however I’d by no means wager in opposition to Disney’s urge for food for extra income!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you concentrate on the rumored Lightning Lane Premier Move? Will this really come to fruition, or is it one other check that’ll result in nothing? Predictions as to what LLPP will entail? Will it merely be Disneyland’s model of pre-booking or will or not it’s Disney’s model of Specific Move? Guesses as to what it’ll price or who can be eligible to buy? Beneath what, if any, situations would you purchase Lightning Lane Premier Move? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or considerations? Any questions we may also 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 under within the feedback!
