No one wants to spend hours standing in line during their vacation!
One of the most frequent questions I receive from Walt Disney World clients is how they can spend less time waiting in line.
Luckily, Disney offers several opportunities that allow guests to optimize their visits and reduce their time standing in long queues.
Check out my 5 tips for avoiding the long lines at Walt Disney World - any time of the year!
1. Book a room at a Walt Disney World resort
When you book a room at one of the Walt Disney World resorts, not only will you be in the middle of the magic, but you will be entitled to certain onsite benefits.
One of those perks includes early theme park entry.
All guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort will have access to enter any of the 4 theme parks 30 minutes early during any of their park days.
Those extra 30 minutes will help guests get a head start on their day before all the other offsite guests arrive.
Plus, guests who stay at one of Walt Disney World’s deluxe resorts or deluxe villa resorts will have access to extended evening hours at certain theme parks on select nights.
Typically, these extended evening hours last two full hours after the park closes!
2. Utilize Disney’s Virtual Queue
Disney World also has a virtual queuing system that enables guests to spend less time waiting in physical lines.
All guests with tickets have access to this virtual queuing system through the My Disney Experience app.
Throughout the day, guests with park reservations can search for virtual queues and select a boarding pass that will allow them to access an attraction within a specified window.
During your time waiting in the virtual queue, you can experience everything else that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer.
3. Add Disney Genie+ to your park tickets for Lightning Lane access
Now that Disney’s FastPass+ has been retired, a new program has been replaced allowing guests to access Lightning Lanes, a physical line that is traditionally shorter than the standby queues.
One way guests can access an attraction’s Lightning Lane is by adding Disney Genie+ to their theme park tickets.
With Disney Genie+, guests will be able to select a return time to access the Lightning Lanes at over 40 attractions across 4 theme parks.
Utilizing the Lightning Lanes throughout the day will significantly reduce guests' time spent standing in long lines.
4. Purchase Individual Lightning Lane passes
Another way guests can access the Lightning Lanes is by purchasing Individual Lightning Lane passes.
Individual Lightning Lane passes can be used in addition to Disney Genie+ or may be used without purchasing Disney Genie+.
Disney has set aside premier attractions at each theme park that cannot be selected with the Disney Genie+ service.
Instead, guests may choose to pay for utilizing the Lightning Lanes at these premier attractions during a specified window.
Pricing and availability for these attractions will be visible in the My Disney Experience app and rates will fluctuate based on demand.
5. Reserve a Private VIP tour
For the ultimate time-saver, guests are encouraged to reserve a private VIP tour to skip the long lines and receive access to Disney’s signature service.
VIP tours may be reserved in advance and may hold up to 10 guests with a minimum duration of 7 hours.
Disney’s VIP tour guides provide guests with front-of-the-line access to attractions, shows and entertainment.
Plus, guests will save time traveling through the parks with their personal guide and they'll also get to learn about the parks’ history and some hidden treasures.
Want to learn more? Check out more articles about the most magical place on earth including a review of The Best Walt Disney World Resorts.
Lissa Ryan is a Senior Travel Advisor with Kingdom Destinations specializing in luxurious family vacations. Lissa helps busy parents who want to create travel memories with their families through luxury travel experiences, but are too busy or overwhelmed with all the effort and research that is required to plan that perfect vacation.
Looking to optimize your time during your visit to the Walt Disney World Resort? Please reach out to lissa@kingdomdestinations.com or schedule a consultation for personalized travel planning advice and all the tips necessary to make your vacation stress-free.
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