Earlier this week, Walt Disney World dropped the bombshell that Lightning Lane Multi Cross is changing Genie+ at Walt Disney World. This information was introduced through press launch and official web site updates, together with extra supplementary info given to web sites like this one. Consequently and unsurprisingly, there have been a lot of questions–even from seasoned Walt Disney World veterans.
That announcement put up has over 200 feedback, lots of that are diehard Walt Disney World followers venting and/or grieving. Understandably. One of the vital controversial and outrage-inducing elements of the brand new Lightning Lane Multi Cross and Single Cross system was Walt Disney World indicating that worldwide visitors, categorically, wouldn’t be capable of make pre-arrival picks till arriving into america.
That coverage wrinkle wasn’t talked about within the official announcement or web site, however it was in supplementary info–and Solid Members confirmed it to worldwide visitors through chat and elsewhere. This meant that, even when worldwide visitors can be staying on-site, they might not have an on-site benefit. Nicely, not less than not till arrival in america. I’d hazard a guess that round 100 of the 200+ feedback on our put up pertained to this rule. Nicely, we’ve got an replace to this that’ll please lots of our mates within the Nice White North.
We spoke with a Walt Disney World consultant on the afternoon of June 28, 2024, who confirmed to us that Canadian visitors could proceed to make use of the My Disney Expertise app after the launch of pre-arrival buying and planning for Lightning Lane Multi Cross and Single Cross, simply as they do at this time for Genie, Advance Eating Reservations, and all the things else.
Which means Canadian visitors who’re staying on-site at Walt Disney World will be capable of reserve Lightning Lane passes as much as 7 days prematurely for his or her total keep (as much as 14 days). Off-site visitors from Canada will be capable of plan as much as 3 days prematurely. All of this whereas in Canada–no have to drive right into a border city in america as some readers indicated that they had been debating doing!
Please notice that this replace applies solely to visitors in Canada and no different nations. We inquired about guests from the European Union and United Kingdom–two different huge demos for Walt Disney World (and readers of this weblog)–and the corporate indicated that there are not any updates for different markets right now.
Additionally please notice that this isn’t hypothesis or the results of interacting with a chatbot, frontline Solid Member, and so forth. We spoke with a Walt Disney World spokesperson, who formally confirmed the entire above. (With that mentioned, the earlier categorical ‘rule’ excluding worldwide visitors was official, too.)
The underside line is that, for all intents and functions, visitors from Canada shall be handled the identical as visitors from america in the case of Lightning Lane Multi Cross and Single Cross insurance policies and reserving home windows. The home guidelines apply to america and Canada, whereas the worldwide ones apply to everybody else.
At the very least, for now. We don’t need to give readers in Europe, Asia, Australia, and so forth. false hope–as this coverage change for visitors in Canada may very effectively have been a miscommunication all alongside. Nonetheless, it’s additionally potential that that is occurring as a result of visitor suggestions and the super quantity of backlash Walt Disney World has been receiving.
Accordingly, it might be a calculated determination, with the corporate making adjustments in order to not lose enterprise from its largest worldwide market. To that time, we’ve got ideas for different worldwide visitors in direction of the underside of this put up for offering your suggestions and (hopefully) spurring additional coverage adjustments to Lightning Lane Single and Multi Cross.
As beforehand talked about, we’re persevering with to replace and broaden our Lightning Lane Multi-Cross at Walt Disney World FAQ based mostly on questions you ask and solutions we’re capable of receive from the corporate. (That’s a mixture of official insurance policies and our speculative solutions based mostly on previous precedent and expectations–it needs to be apparent which is which based mostly on wording.)
With the entire information out of the best way, right here’s the up to date reply to the FAQ query pertaining to worldwide visitors buying Lightning Lane passes…
When can non-Canadian worldwide visitors buy Lightning Lanes?
They will buy Lightning Lane passes and make picks upon arrival into america.
As for the why of this, it’s most likely not as a result of Walt Disney World hates worldwide visitors. Though it would appear that approach on this one specific difficulty, Walt Disney World really loves visitors from exterior america. They’re extra of a captive viewers, have larger per visitor spending metrics, and usually do longer stays. Because of this we routinely consult with British visitors as Walt Disney World’s “whales” (non-derogatory).
It’s our understanding that this pertains to regulatory points and legal guidelines exterior of america (notably in Europe), and it’s simpler for Walt Disney World to ‘decide out’ of these by not providing the app than it’s complying with quite a lot of native legal guidelines. In doing extra digging, it’s additionally my understanding that this was a recognized difficulty and there was an answer–constructing a web-based model of the Lightning Lane Multi Cross reserving engine–however Disney opted towards doing that for no matter cause.
That’s most likely an unsatisfying clarification, however it’s probably the rationale why. Make no mistake, we aren’t justifying this determination by Walt Disney World. If I had been a world visitor–a so-called whale that Disney purports to worth–I’d be furious. Completely irate.
I nonetheless assume worldwide visitors will be capable of work round this. Utilizing U.S. based mostly Approved Disney Trip Planners is one choice. One other chance is asking Walt Disney World and making an attempt to have a Solid Member make your picks. (Truthfully, this is perhaps the perfect route, as larger labor prices may pressure Disney’s hand to create a web-based model.)
One other conceivable choice is utilizing a mixture and VPNs, GPS spoofers, and different know-how to side-step the rule. It’s not like Walt Disney World will care should you do that, since they’re solely proscribing entry to keep away from regulatory compliance, themselves. Or should you vote together with your pockets and take your corporation to Common since you don’t really feel valued by Disney, I don’t assume anybody would blame you.
There’s nonetheless lots of time between now and July 24, and this has already confirmed to be probably the most controversial coverage of the Lightning Lane passes (and for good cause!). I wouldn’t be stunned if there are extra updates or makeshift options from Walt Disney World within the coming weeks.
For these non-Canadian worldwide visitors who’re nonetheless excluded from the pre-arrival Lightning Lane benefit by this coverage, you may respectfully specific your opinions as to how will impression your holidays or enterprise with Walt Disney World by e mail [email protected].
That is far superior to complaining in feedback, social media, boards, and so forth. (Though Disney sees all of that, too.) Somewhat than beginning petitions, that are largely ineffectual, share suggestions in visitor satisfaction surveys, convey it up should you converse with managers or others in park management, and even contact Visitor Relations.
You’ll completely get an ordinary kind response to your e mail, so don’t count on in any other case. Nonetheless, Walt Disney World management may even see the quantity of the complaints and the way it may negatively impression the underside line or visitor satisfaction amongst a profitable viewers. That might be outcome-determinative in getting this coverage modified for extra than simply Canadian visitors.
Simply as Genie+ advanced over its first year-plus based mostly on visitor use and demand dynamics, so can also you count on Lightning Lane MultiPass and Single Cross to alter all through the remainder of this yr and into 2025–which means that all the things above is topic to alter. In different phrases, the “guidelines” and the way Lightning Lanes work will proceed to evolve and we are going to replace our suggestions accordingly.
We’ll proceed to maintain you posted, as extra adjustments are probably on the horizon. We’ll additionally proceed updating this FAQ as we study extra and we obtain extra reader questions. For now, this ought to reply many of the questions that readers have been asking about Lightning Lanes at Walt Disney World. There have been lots of questions, so if we didn’t handle yours, we apologize. Please put up within the feedback beneath and we’ll reply extra as they’re requested!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study accommodations on our Walt Disney World Inns Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the things you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Please to see Walt Disney World strolling again its coverage on Lightning Lane purchases for visitors in Canada? Upset that it hasn’t but occurred for Europe, Asia, Australia, and so forth? Hopeful that if sufficient worldwide visitors converse up, extra adjustments will come? Have any questions we didn’t reply with the above FAQ? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Different ideas or considerations? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
