Lightning Lane dilemma

[luvnwdwgal]

I realize this question may have already been asked but I didn’t want to read through 100’s of posts to find it. I’m wondering if say you don’t pay for it and get in the standard line. Do you think they will just keep letting the people who paid for the Lightning Lane keep going through the line and ignore the people in standby? Do the people in the standby lane have to wait until there is nobody in the Lightning Lane before they will be let on? If it were just my husband and I then we would probably pay for it but there will be 8 of us going the first week of November and we have paid for everything for this trip. We have budgeted for over 2 years to afford 3 rooms at Pop and the airfare and we are tapped out. I really don’t want to fork over another $700+ for the Lightning Lane but I don’t want to be snubbed in the ride lines either. This is our 3 granddaughter’s first trip. Ugh.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

I share your concerns, but if our fears are realized then Genie+ with Lightning Lanes would be a fail. Since Disney tries not to fail, I think the theory is that paid access will be so much less than when those lines were used for FP+ and thus allow the standby lines to move much more quickly than before Genie+. Only time and how the system might be tweaked will tell. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

I think they should have given the Genie+ option to those that already had their vacation booked and paid. People that book from here on out could easily budget the additional $15 pp / per day but to throw it on a family last minute that has already budgeted their vacation is kinda crappy.

 

[Amyeliza]

Is there a scheduled start date to when this begins? My trip is in 2 weeks. Ugh!

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Is there a scheduled start date to when this begins? My trip is in 2 weeks. Ugh!

I think Oct. 1st? I've been wrong before though.

 

[Amyeliza]

I think Oct. 1st? I've been wrong before though.

Thank you! I'm wrong a lot, LOL!

 

[scrappinginontario]

I realize this question may have already been asked but I didn’t want to read through 100’s of posts to find it. I’m wondering if say you don’t pay for it and get in the standard line. Do you think they will just keep letting the people who paid for the Lightning Lane keep going through the line and ignore the people in standby? Do the people in the standby lane have to wait until there is nobody in the Lightning Lane before they will be let on? If it were just my husband and I then we would probably pay for it but there will be 8 of us going the first week of November and we have paid for everything for this trip. We have budgeted for over 2 years to afford 3 rooms at Pop and the airfare and we are tapped out. I really don’t want to fork over another $700+ for the Lightning Lane but I don’t want to be snubbed in the ride lines either. This is our 3 granddaughter’s first trip. Ugh.

It could work much the same was as FP+ did. X number of LL then a few standby. Not sure if the exact number that used to enter with FP+ but I don’t believe they will only load LL until the lane is empty.

I think Oct. 1st? I've been wrong before though.

A start date has not been announced.

Personally I don’t believe it would start Oct 1st as that is the 50th Anniversary. I can’t see them bringing in something this big the day of the celebrations. To me it would be a week or 2 before or after, not on that day. But that is only my guess.

 

[OKW Lover]

Do you think they will just keep letting the people who paid for the Lightning Lane keep going through the line and ignore the people in standby?

No, I don't think so. Under the old FP system there were rules in effect that feed a certain number of standby guests in even if there were FP guests in the queue. I believe the new system will work that way as well.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

A start date has not been announced.

Personally I don’t believe it would start Oct 1st as that is the 50th Anniversary. I can’t see them bringing in something this big the day of the celebrations. To me it would be a week or 2 before or after, not on that day. But that is only my guess.

I did say I've been wrong before lol

 

[Disneylover99]

I'm sure they'll figure out a ratio of standby to lightening lane, but I'd expect the lightening lane to get through much quicker then fp ratios since people are now paying for this.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I realize this question may have already been asked but I didn’t want to read through 100’s of posts to find it. I’m wondering if say you don’t pay for it and get in the standard line. Do you think they will just keep letting the people who paid for the Lightning Lane keep going through the line and ignore the people in standby? Do the people in the standby lane have to wait until there is nobody in the Lightning Lane before they will be let on? If it were just my husband and I then we would probably pay for it but there will be 8 of us going the first week of November and we have paid for everything for this trip. We have budgeted for over 2 years to afford 3 rooms at Pop and the airfare and we are tapped out. I really don’t want to fork over another $700+ for the Lightning Lane but I don’t want to be snubbed in the ride lines either. This is our 3 granddaughter’s first trip. Ugh.

While I like to think they’ll run it like the old FP program, I’m well aware it’s in Disney’s best financial interest to make the LL as fast as possible and the wait time for LL attractions as long as possible so I don’t think your concerns are invalid- especially at a time Disney seems intent on milking every dollar possible from its customers (Xmas party prices anyone?). Alas speculation is pointless as Disney will never release this information so we won’t know until the program goes live.

Also- I just want to make sure you realize Genie+ and LL are two different programs even though the physical entrances are all called “Lightening Lane” (Can I get a Facepalm for the idiot that decided that naming scheme?) If you were to do LL and G+ you would be looking at $15/day/person for G+, $15-$20/day/person for your first LL ride and another $15-$20/day/person for your second LL. That financial hurdle is simply not achievable for many so please know you are not alone!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm sure they'll figure out a ratio of standby to lightening lane, but I'd expect the lightening lane to get through much quicker then fp ratios since people are now paying for this.

I’d hate to be a CM working the LL. How many times every single day are they gonna hear “I paid for this!!”

 

[gottalovepluto]

Is there a scheduled start date to when this begins? My trip is in 2 weeks. Ugh!

No. But with signs going up and a lot of money to be made when it goes live my bet is sooner rather than later. If IT can make it work lol.

 

[cjlong88]

Our plan to keep wait times minimal for the most popular attractions while not paying for those LL$ attractions will be the same two strategies we used during FP+ when we couldn't grab a fp we really wanted.

1) Rope Drop. This will be even more important for those of us staying on property. With the 30-minute early entry, we will get a head start at the most popular attractions. And I can't remember if they will allow LL$ during that early entry period, so that might help the standby lines move quicker.

2) Park close. Waiting in line after everything is closed (including the LL) is much easier for us because it doesn't feel like we are wasting time. What else is there to do? Wait in the long transportation line? We enjoy hopping in line the last second in one of the most popular rides and then turn our brains off. That also makes exiting the park so much easier.

If we have 8 park days, that gives us quite a few attempts to ride something with minimal waits AND not paying extra. We don't even need rope drop or stay until park close every single day to get a lot of the best attractions knocked out with shorter lines. We like to take a long break during the afternoon so we can take advantage of better wait times in the mornings and evenings, so this works for us.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

While I like to think they’ll run it like the old FP program, I’m well aware it’s in Disney’s best financial interest to make the LL as fast as possible and the wait time for LL attractions as long as possible so I don’t think your concerns are invalid- especially at a time Disney seems intent on milking every dollar possible from its customers (Xmas party prices anyone?). Alas speculation is pointless as Disney will never release this information so we won’t know until the program goes live.

Also- I just want to make sure you realize Genie+ and LL are two different programs even though the physical entrances are all called “Lightening Lane” (Can I get a Facepalm for the idiot that decided that naming scheme?) If you were to do LL and G+ you would be looking at $15/day/person for G+, $15-$20/day/person for your first LL ride and another $15-$20/day/person for your second LL. That financial hurdle is simply not achievable for many so please know you are not alone!

The way I read it, you purchase Genie+ for $15 per person per day. You can make your first LL pass at 7:00am. After that you can keep making LL passes as you use them, holding only one at a time. No where does it say you will pay $15-20 per LL ride. There are also the 2 a la carte rides you can pay to ride but that's nothing to do with the LL rides you can book just by having Genie+.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The way I read it, you purchase Genie+ for $15 per person per day. You can make your first LL pass at 7:00am. After that you can keep making LL passes as you use them, holding only one at a time. No where does it say you will pay $15-20 per LL ride. There are also the 2 a la carte rides you can pay to ride but that's nothing to do with the LL rides you can book just by having Genie+.

Ahh “Individual Attraction Selections”. I see it. Link. Grrrr. Why are they making this so confusing?!

ETA: As far as the math goes I assumed OP was pricing the all out option of G+ and 2 IAS. While most Disney nerds know you don’t have to buy both I can imagine plenty of people don’t realize the headliners aren’t included in G+ Just another reasons this is a terribly convoluted system. For heavens sake Disney, pick MaxPass Disneyland or pay per ride Paris! Trying to have ones cake and eat it too never ends well.

$15-$20 price point is what some of the major Disney bloggers are floating as expected pricing for IAS.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Ahh “Individual Attraction Selections”. I see it. Link. Grrrr. Why are they making this so confusing?!

Personally we won't mind waiting in standby for the "Premier" rides that Disney wants us to pay for. We will hit them at opening or park close so I don't think it's gonna be that big a deal.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Personally we won't mind waiting in standby for the "Premier" rides that Disney wants us to pay for. We will hit them at opening or park close so I don't think it's gonna be that big a deal.

Disney is missing out. They should be selling an app for use while you wait in line that will keep the crew distracted

 

[gottalovepluto]

Also @JIMMY MOUSE you are way too fast for me, I can’t keep up, your responses are *drumroll please* lightning fast!

I’ll be here all night folks

 

[1lilspark]

Lightning Lane = what fastpass is called
Genie+ is the service that gives access to most LL
“E Ticket” LL will be flex priced
I don’t see how confusing that is….

as for OP’s initial question it will probably be something like 10 LL parties 3 SB parties

for rides with VQ id assume 40% of daily capacity will be boarding group 60% paid (id say vice Versa but its Di$ney)