By: Ashley Gingerich, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
If you have ever looked at a Disney park map and thought, “There is NO way we can fit all of that into one day,” I get it. But with a little strategy, some flexibility, and the right use of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, you can accomplish a lot more than you might think. On our recent family trip, we decided to put that to the test. Our goal for Day One was to make the most of our park tickets, use Lightning Lane Multi Pass strategically, and take advantage of Park Hopper. By the end of the day, we had visited Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios. And the biggest lesson from our day?
One of the most important pieces of our strategy was choosing the earliest Lightning Lane times we could find. This is pivotal when you are trying to maximize Lightning Lane Multi Pass. Why? Because once you scan into your Lightning Lane, you can begin looking for your next selection. The earlier you use that first Lightning Lane, the earlier you can potentially make another selection. And then another. And another. That can really add up over the course of a park day. For us, this strategy was especially valuable because we were Park Hopping. We weren’t just trying to maximize our Lightning Lanes at Animal Kingdom. We were already thinking ahead to EPCOT and eventually Hollywood Studios. We booked our selections as early as we could, used them, immediately looked for the next available option, and adjusted our plans as availability changed. That is how we were able to keep stacking experiences throughout the day instead of waiting around for long periods between attractions.
We were up EARLY. We caught the first resort bus at about 6:20 AM for a 7:30 AM Early Entry. One important thing we noticed was that security did not actually open until around 7:00 AM, so arriving early does not necessarily mean you will immediately be walking toward the attractions.
Once we were through, we made our way toward Flight of Passage. The bridge leading back toward Flight of Passage opened at about 7:24 AM, and we were able to get in line for one of the most popular attractions in Animal Kingdom. We were off Flight of Passage by 8:04 AM. Not a bad way to start the day!
After Flight of Passage, we made a very important stop. Starbucks. Because caffeine is also part of the Disney touring strategy.
We then used our Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection for Kilimanjaro Safaris.
After Safari, we headed over to Expedition Everest and used our Lightning Lane there as well.
Once we scanned into our Lightning Lane at Everest, we were able to make additional Lightning Lane selections for EPCOT because we already knew we would be Park Hopping later that day. We grabbed Lightning Lane selections for Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
We also rode Na’vi River Journey, did some shopping, and enjoyed a little time in the park before leaving Animal Kingdom around 11:15 AM. And we were already ready for Park Number Two.
Next stop? EPCOT. Because we had already booked our Lightning Lane selections for EPCOT, we were able to jump right into our next set of attractions without spending the afternoon waiting in long standby lines. Our first Lightning Lane was Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. And here’s another important Lightning Lane tip: As soon as you scan into a Lightning Lane, check for your next available selection.
Once we scanned into Remy’s, we booked another Lightning Lane for The Seas with Nemo & Friends. After Nemo, we took a break for lunch. Because even the most strategically planned Disney day needs food.
We then rode Living with the Land and used another Lightning Lane for Soarin’.
After that, we headed over for our Individual Lightning Lane experience on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Then we used our Lightning Lane for Frozen Ever After. At this point, we had accomplished a LOT at EPCOT. We even had dinner at Nine Dragons before deciding what to do next.
We had used our available Lightning Lane selections at EPCOT, and we couldn’t find anything else there that we really wanted to grab. So instead of calling it a day, we checked Hollywood Studios. And this is where Park Hopper really came through. We were able to find Lightning Lane availability for:
So we hopped over to Hollywood Studios and kept going.
And that is how we turned one park day into a three park adventure.
Three Disney parks. One day.
Our day wasn’t successful because we simply had Lightning Lane Multi Pass. It was successful because we used it strategically.
For us, that strategy helped turn one park day into three parks and a whole lot of rides. This was huge because the next two days were hot, rainy, and busy! So we were glad we got so much accomplished on day one. And that is exactly why I love helping families create a Disney touring plan that works for their family. Because sometimes the difference between feeling like you spent all day waiting in lines and feeling like you conquered Disney is simply having a strategy.
As a travel advisor with Marvelous Mouse Travels, I can help you plan your park days, navigate Lightning Lane options and make the most of your Disney World vacation. Contact Ashley or Marvelous Mouse Travels to book your next Disney vacation.
