Walt Disney World’s new Lightning Lane Premier Pass has sold out for the first time during the upcoming peak holiday week, while also hitting new all-time low prices in the slower dates that follow. This post covers sold out dates and costs of LLPP for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom for dates between now and December 2024. Plus, predictions through January 2025 and other assorted thoughts about costs and crowds.
As basic background, Lightning Lane Premier Pass (LLPP) is a third tier of line-skipping in addition to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (LLMP) and Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP). It does not, and will not, replace either existing option. There are still some questions about the whole Lightning Lane Premier Pass system, and we’ve been doing our best to answer those in the Guide to Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World.
The whole point of Lightning Lane Premier Pass is to streamline things. Unlike LLMP or LLSP, Premier Pass is not convoluted or confusing–it’s all about removing the friction introduced by other line-skipping options. It’s a brilliantly devious decision on Disney’s part, and a classic tale of an arsonist turned firefighter. You’ve almost gotta hand it to Disney–they created this problem and are now selling the solution at an even higher price point.
As mentioned previously, the target audience for LLPP is exceedingly limited–it’s my understanding that fewer than 1% of guests have been purchasing from the day after launch through present. That will change closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas when crowds are higher, but it’s still unlikely to eclipse 2% of all guests. The caps and demand for this are pretty low–and that’s a good thing for everyone else!
For those considering Lightning Lane Premier Pass, my only advice would be: don’t overthink it. You should already know whether this is a product for you or not based simply and solely on the description and price points. If it is, more power to you! It’s not for me, and that’s fine–to each their own. I’d rather advise readers on the ways to get the most value-for-money out of their vacation, and that includes “beating the system” with time-saving hacks. To the extent it’s possible with this product, that’s what I’m also trying to do with LLPP–more on that in the commentary.
Below is a look at the next three weeks of data for Lightning Lane Premier Pass park-by-park prices. Bolded dates are all-time highs, italicized are all-time lows. Let’s start with Magic Kingdom, which skews more towards the higher end of the spectrum for recently-released days…
Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Premier Pass Pricing
- 11/20/2024 – $359
- 11/21/2024 – $329
- 11/22/2024 – $359
- 11/23/2024 – $359
- 11/24/2024 – $379
- 11/25/2024 – $379
- 11/26/2024 – $399
- 11/27/2024 – $399
- 11/28/2024 – $449
- 11/29/2024 – $449
- 11/30/2024 – $429
- 12/01/2024 – $419
- 12/02/2024 – $419
- 12/03/2024 – $399
- 12/04/2024 – $419
- 12/05/2024 – $379
- 12/06/2024 – $379
- 12/07/2024 – $419
- 12/08/2024 – $379
- 12/09/2024 – $419
- 12/10/2024 – $399
Lightning Lane Premier Pass is now sold out at Magic Kingdom on November 25 and November 26, 2024.
EPCOT Lightning Lane Premier Pass Pricing
- 11/20/2024 – $209
- 11/21/2024 – $169
- 11/22/2024 – $169
- 11/23/2024 – $169
- 11/24/2024 – $169
- 11/25/2024 – $209
- 11/26/2024 – $229
- 11/27/2024 – $229
- 11/28/2024 – $249
- 11/29/2024 – $249
- 11/30/2024 – $239
- 12/01/2024 – $229
- 12/02/2024 – $229
- 12/03/2024 – $229
- 12/04/2024 – $229
- 12/05/2024 – $229
- 12/06/2024 – $239
- 12/07/2024 – $239
- 12/08/2024 – $229
- 12/09/2024 – $149
- 12/10/2024 – $229
Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Premier Pass Pricing
- 11/21/2024 – $269
- 11/22/2024 – $289
- 11/23/2024 – $289
- 11/24/2024 – $329
- 11/25/2024 – $309
- 11/26/2024 – $329
- 11/27/2024 – $329
- 11/28/2024 – $349
- 11/29/2024 – $349
- 11/30/2024 – $339
- 12/01/2024 – $329
- 12/02/2024 – $309
- 12/03/2024 – $329
- 12/04/2024 – $309
- 12/05/2024 – $309
- 12/06/2024 – $329
- 12/07/2024 – $309
- 12/08/2024 – $249
- 12/09/2024 – $289
- 12/10/2024 – $309
Lightning Lane Premier Pass is now sold out at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on November 25, 2024.
Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Premier Pass Pricing
- 11/20/2024 – $129
- 11/21/2024 – $129
- 11/22/2024 – $129
- 11/23/2024 – $129
- 11/24/2024 – $159
- 11/25/2024 – $139
- 11/26/2024 – $179
- 11/27/2024 – $179
- 11/28/2024 – $199
- 11/29/2024 – $199
- 11/30/2024 – $189
- 12/01/2024 – $179
- 12/02/2024 – $159
- 12/03/2024 – $139
- 12/04/2024 – $129
- 12/05/2024 – $139
- 12/06/2024 – $159
- 12/07/2024 – $159
- 12/08/2024 – $139
- 12/09/2024 – $129
- 12/10/2024 – $119
As a reminder, there is no Park Hopper option for Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World. This is unlike LLPP at Disneyland, and also unlike Lightning Lane Multi-Pass at Walt Disney World. Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Walt Disney World is only valid at the theme park for which you purchase it.
At launch, Lightning Lane Premier Pass is available to purchase only by guests staying at Deluxe Resorts or Deluxe Villa Resorts (Disney Vacation Club Resorts). Lightning Lane Premier Pass may be purchased up to seven days in advance of their stay, which is how we have 21 days of data–because those stays could be two weeks long.
Lightning Lane Premier Pass gives Walt Disney World guests one-time entry to each available Lightning Lane entrance in a single theme park for the day. The lower attraction count along with lower crowds and Lightning Lane Multi-Pass being more useful (and not having tiers) is precisely why LLPP is pointless at Animal Kingdom.
Our Commentary
Those of you who read the commentary to our post about Lightning Lane Premier Pass Peak Pricing probably aren’t surprised by the dates when LLPP has and has not sold out over Thanksgiving week.
In that, we expressed surprise to see this as the start of peak season pricing be so late. Suffice to say, it does not follow the cadence established by the last few years of Genie+ pricing data. Based on that, we wouldn’t have expected Thanksgiving Day to be the peak of Lightning Lane Premier Pass pricing, or even highs for LLMP, is because that is typically not the busiest day of that week.
Based on years of historical data, wait times consistently peak on Monday or Tuesday of Thanksgiving. This year, the safest bet for the high-water mark is November 25. That’s a non-party day, and the only one in a 4-day stretch, which is always a recipe for disaster–especially when holiday-adjacent.
Despite that, Lightning Lane Premier Pass is less expensive at Magic Kingdom on Monday, November 25 than it is on the two party-shortened days that follow. We spent a lot of time in the last two posts about prices discussing how they didn’t always align with crowd expectations, and this was a ‘red flag’ example of that in play for us.
Accordingly, we recommended anyone considering LLPP one of these days during Thanksgiving week, to buy it on November 25 at Magic Kingdom. Here’s what I wrote before: “I’m 100% confident it’ll be more valuable that day than the 2 days that follow, and about 95% sure that’ll also be true versus November 27-28. (This also applies to LLMP, but the prices for that at least somewhat align with crowd predictions.)”
“I would also recommend making the purchase of Lightning Lane Premier Pass at Magic Kingdom on Monday, November 25 sooner rather than later. As mentioned above, it’s my understanding that the caps for this product during its pilot are very low, and we’ve seen Genie+ sell out on that Monday and Tuesday many times in the past. Obviously, this a different ballgame–but if it’s likely to sell out on any day this month, it’ll be that Monday at Magic Kingdom.”
Given all of that, it’s zero surprise whatsoever that Magic Kingdom has sold out of LLPP on November 25. The following day at Magic Kingdom is more surprising, as is DHS on November 25. If I had to guess, I would’ve bet on DHS selling out on November 26 and Magic Kingdom’s next sell out occurring on Thanksgiving Day–all due to the longer operating hours.
As mentioned previously, the “best” time to buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass is the intersection of higher prices and higher crowds. That Monday at Magic Kingdom checks both boxes, and is arguably a “bargain” as contrasted with the days that follow. Of course, you cannot purchase it now, but good info for future reference, I suppose.
The flip side of that is that the “worst” time to buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass is when the prices and crowds are lowest. I’m not inclined to recommend it on any party-shortened day at Magic Kingdom, as those 6 pm closings strongly “discourage” attendance and push people to non-party days. Thanksgiving week will be a slightly different story since there are so many party days, but not to the point that LLPP will be worth it any day other than Monday or Thursday.
Then again, the “feels like” crowds on those two dates will make Magic Kingdom unbearable then, so I wouldn’t recommend visiting then, regardless. Sure, you can avoid lines once per attraction with LLPP, but what about fireworks, restaurants, and everything else? Or simply enjoying the park? If someone gave me the option of LLPP for free on that Monday/Thursday or visiting on Wednesday/Friday armed with only savvy strategy, I’m taking the latter in an instant. No contest whatsoever. Some guests really overestimate the value of Lightning Lanes and underrate everything else–but that’s a different subject for a different post.
As for the all-time low prices at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios all occurring around December 8-10, 2024…I’m also not surprised. November and December have roller coaster crowds, with high highs and low lows. That’s definitely the latter.
With that said, Our Favorite Week of the Year at Walt Disney World starts a full week earlier than those prices plummet. And in fact, prices are still quite high during the window that we love. Here’s what we predicted previously about pricing post-Thanksgiving: “we’d expect them to plummet on the Saturday or Sunday that follow Black Friday, unless Walt Disney World is too reactionary.”
Before anyone who has that ideal week booked starts to freak out because Lightning Lane prices are still elevated then, believing it’s a “signal” that Walt Disney World is anticipating high crowds and word has finally gotten out about the greatness of that week: don’t.
Over the last decade-plus, we’ve heard the same sentiment from readers every single year, worried that this year will finally be different and crowds will be worse. That has yet to happen. It’s always possible that we’re one viral TikTok “secret revealed” away from that changing, but it hasn’t yet. There have been countless signals or signs over the years that things would change…but they haven’t.
For whatever reason, Walt Disney World has been slow to downwardly adjust Lightning Lane pricing post-Thanksgiving in the last few years. My best guess in the past to explain this is that they’re too reactionary with pricing, and that fans overestimate just how good Walt Disney World is at leveraging their own data to project attendance and optimal pricing.
It’s likely that prices will remain in their early to mid-December range during the next week-plus for which we don’t yet have data. After that, expect a return to the all-time high prices starting December 21, 2024 and continuing through at least New Year’s Eve–possibly until January 6, 2025.
My expectation is that the entire stretch hits the max–that would make sense and comport with past precedent. However, Lightning Lane Premier Pass pricing has been all over the place thus far, so I also wouldn’t be surprised if there are ups and downs with pricing then.
Finally, don’t be surprised to see Walt Disney World make major changes to Lightning Lane Premier Pass in early 2025. Even with these first sold out dates–and likely many more to follow between Christmas and New Year’s Eve–it’s still my understanding that the new line-skipping service is underperforming.
With demand likely to drop in the second week of January 2025, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see Walt Disney World adjust the “pilot program” to spark demand. If you’re not the target audience for LLPP, I still wouldn’t worry about the impact on wait times–we’re talking about going from <1% of guests using this service to <2% using it, at best. And that assumes any future changes actually increase demand over its organic level on peak holiday dates, which is a bold assumption and one that I personally would not make.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about Lightning Lane Premier Pass? Surprised by the date-by-date prices or that it’s hitting the peak on Thanksgiving instead of the days before? Under what, if any, scenarios would you buy Lightning Lane Premier Pass? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
