Some Disney World Lightning Lanes simply aren’t worth your time OR your money.
Lightning Lane at Peter Pan’s Flight
When you’re paying money for Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you’ll want to make sure you get the most value by booking Lightning Lanes that will ACTUALLY save you time spent waiting in line. Typically, it’s easy to figure out which Lightning Lanes will be useful — they’re the ones for the rides with the highest wait times. But which Lightning Lanes do the experts refuse to book? We’ve got the list.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Starting off this list, we’ve got Mickey’s PhilharMagic, which is an adorable show starring Donald Duck as he “borrows” Mickey’s sorcerer hat and gets sent on musical adventures throughout several Disney films. It’s in 3D and it’s definitely an attraction we’d recommend if you have time. However, you probably don’t need to use your Lightning Lane Multi Pass for this show.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Why not? Well, the wait time is rarely longer than the length of one show, which means that pretty much everyone will be waiting in the same holding area, and your Lightning Lane won’t give you any kind of special access. Now, if the wait time is 30 or 45 minutes, you’ll be waiting through multiple shows — in that case, you might want to use Multi Pass (but that’s not super common!).
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
The same thing goes for Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor over in Tomorrowland. This 10-minute show features Mike Wazowski and Roz as the hosts, while other monsters come in and try to make everyone laugh. But like PhilharMagic, its wait time is only about as long as it takes for the show before yours to finish.
Lightning Lane for Laugh Floor
There are times when the wait can get long, like on particularly crowded days. If you see the line out the door, you may want to book a Lightning Lane. Otherwise, you’re safe to just wait 10 minutes for this one.
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Now it’s time for our first ride of the list! Magic Carpets of Aladdin is a Dumbo-style attraction that lets you fly above Adventureland on carpets like Aladdin and Jasmine. Of the spinner-style rides, this one tends to have the lowest wait, so using the Lightning Lane entrance doesn’t get you as much value over here.
Lightning Lane
However, you might want to consider using a Lightning Lane for this ride if it’s a must-do for your littles, the wait is unusually long, or it’s a particularly hot day. The queue is entirely outdoors, and it gets TOASTY.
The Barnstormer
Our last choice is The Barnstormer in Storybook Circus! Like the other attractions, there are rare occasions when a Lightning Lane might be beneficial for this ride, but for the most part, the wait time stays low.
The Barnstormer
The coaster is only 30 seconds long, so the line tends to move pretty quickly. If it’s a must-do for your kids or the wait is climbing up higher, you can book a Lightning Lane for this one later in the day (it’s definitely not one of the first ones you’ll want to book).
And a BONUS Tip
You may be surprised that Mad Tea Party isn’t on this list — that’s because we recommend booking it as your “burner” Lightning Lane. What’s a “burner Lightning Lane?” Well, when you book your Lightning Lanes initially in Magic Kingdom, you’ll be able to choose ONE Tier 1 attraction and TWO Tier 2 attractions. (Or three from Tier 2 if you’re not interested in the popular rides.)
Mad Tea Party
Once you scan into your first Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection for the day, the tiers will no longer be relevant, and you’ll be able to book whatever is available in the park. That’s why we recommend choosing Mad Tea Party! If you can get this Lightning Lane for the first hour of your park day, you’ll be able to scan in and then immediately start searching for Lightning Lanes for those popular rides that you haven’t snagged already. It’s a great strategy!
Mad Tea Party Lightning Lane
In the end, if you’re going to spend the extra $$ to purchase Lightning Lanes in Disney World, you want to have a good strategy! Try out these tips on your next vacation.
For more tips and hacks to use with Lightning Lanes, check out our YouTube video below.
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Using your “burner” on mad tea party is a good idea unless you haven’t picked your next lightning lane fast enough and the teacups start spinning. Spinning and lightning lane choosing at the same time! Lol!