Does This Sneaky Lightning Lane Strategy Still Work? New Research Points Another Way

When it comes to vacationing at Disney World, two of the biggest concerns many guests have are being able to ride all the rides they want with as short waits as possible and saving money.

In other words, a hack that conceivably makes it easier to score Lightning Lanes for some of the resort’s most in-demand attractions while saving big *should* be one that we’d recommend, right? However, in this case, the pros may outweigh the cons regarding this loophole.

This hack is all about paying Animal Kingdom prices and then using that purchase to start building a Magic Kingdom day. See, Lightning Lane Multi Pass pricing can vary dramatically by park. Animal Kingdom is usually the cheapest while Magic Kingdom is usually the most expensive.

For example, at times we’ve seen Animal Kingdom Multi Pass pricing as low as $15 per person, and Magic Kingdom as high as $45 per person. So, heading to Animal Kingdom first and purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass for the park, spending some time there, then Park Hopping over to Magic Kingdom can potentially save money.

However, it’s important to remember that if you purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Disney requires you to make your first three selections in the park where you purchased it, so if you buy Multi Pass for Animal Kingdom, your first three reservations need to be Animal Kingdom reservations. Animal Kingdom currently has fewer Lightning Lane attractions than the other parks, which means it’s easier to get through your priorities quickly, so before your trip, book your three Multi Pass reservations in Animal Kingdom. Then, as early as possible, scan into your first Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane, and as soon as that happens, you can start booking attractions in the Magic Kingdom, potentially giving you access to the most expensive Lightning Lane inventory in Disney World while paying Animal Kingdom prices. Those are definitely some pros. However, it’s not all good.

For starters, using this hack turns your morning into a Lightning Lane marathon. Instead of enjoying the parks, you’re racing to Animal Kingdom early, trying to tap into an attraction as quickly as possible, then immediately focusing on modifying reservations and hopping parks. While some guests may not mind this, and it can be beneficial for those trying to fit as many rides as possible into a given day, it also really takes away from the ability to truly enjoy the ambiance and enveloping theming of Animal Kingdom.

Beyond that, executing this hack doesn’t actually guarantee that you will get a reservation for any of the more popular rides, like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, as they may run out before you can get through your Animal Kingdom Lightning Lanes.

If saving every possible dollar and blitzing through as many rides are your top priorities, this may still be worth considering. However, in our mind, all the extra effort and constant attention required, plus missing out on the ambiance of Animal Kingdom, outweigh these potential savings. Stay tuned to AllEars for more Disney World tips!

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What’s your go-to Disney World hack? Let us know in the comments below.