28 Best Rides for Lightning Lane at Disney World

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With so many attractions that use the system, it can be hard to decide on the best rides for Lightning Lane at Disney World when it comes time to visit the parks. 

I’ve visited Disney World both with and without their skip-the-line features. I also have over 25 years of experience visiting, researching, and working in theme parks. I’ve seen and experienced which rides get the longest lines and which ones are/aren’t worth it.

In this post, I want to help you decide what parks and rides you should invest in Lightning Lane for and strategies for how to help it maximize the fun you have on your vacation.

What Is Lightning Lane?

Simply put, Lightning Lane allows you to shorten the wait times you would experience in the regular standby line, which is the line anyone can walk up to and enter for an attraction. Access to Lightning Lane requires a purchase, while entering a standby line is free.

Lightning Lane has three different options at Walt Disney World:

1. Lightning Lane Multi Pass allows you to skip most attractions participating in the service once per day and allows you to park hop.
2. Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions are not included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass, and require a completely separate purchase to use this system. Newer attractions are usually using this type of Lightning Lane.
3. Lightning Lane Premier Pass allows you to enter the Lightning Lane queues for all attractions participating in the service once per day without having to reserve a time on your phone. It does not include park hopping.

Best Disney World Parks to Purchase Lightning Lane For

While each of the four parks has its own strengths and weaknesses, the amount of attractions and the speed at which their lines move vary greatly from park to park. 

Based on my experience, I would definitely look into purchasing at least one Lightning Lane product for these parks:

• Magic Kingdom has the most attractions at the resort and is the most visited theme park in the world. At the very least, I’d recommend getting a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for this park. If you don’t want to wait in the long lines for Tron Lightcycle / Run or Seven Dwarves Mine Train, also consider purchasing Lightning Lane Single Pass for these two attractions.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios doesn’t have as many attractions as Magic Kingdom, but it does have some of the most popular attractions at the resort. Plan on purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for this park, and if you’re a Star Wars fan (or hate long lines), a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. That’s one ride you definitely don’t want to miss.

Lightning Lane is an option, but not completely necessary to enjoy these parks:

• EPCOT is the theme park that’s “work (rides) in the front, party (food and drink) in the back”. While there are some star attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, unless you’re going to be spending a lot of time in World Showcase eating and drinking, or you’re really looking to cut your wait times at these rides down, you should be able to get most of the attractions done during the day.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom currently has the least amount of attractions at Walt Disney World Resort, but what it does have is fantastic. My recommendation would be to skip purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass altogether and only purchase Lightning Lane Single Pass if you can’t get to Avatar Flight of Passage at rope drop or don’t want to wait in line for it.

Magic Kingdom: Best Rides for Lightning Lane

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – This family roller coaster is in high-demand and gets long lines. If you don’t want to purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for this, consider rope-dropping it when the park opens.
• Tron Lightcycle / Run – Being the newest roller coaster at Magic Kingdom, this one tends to get pretty long lines, so if you don’t want to wait in those, consider a Lightning Lane Single Pass.
• Peter Pan’s Flight – This is a classic attraction and incredibly popular, resulting in long lines.
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – It’s the newest ride at Magic Kingdom and a replacement for a beloved attraction.
• Jungle Cruise – A classic boat ride that’s fun and unpredictable for all ages, but has a line that moves slowly.
• Space Mountain – The iconic space adventure that can often get long lines.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – The wildest ride in the wilderness still gets pretty popular after all these years.
• Haunted Mansion – An absolute classic dark ride that can get long lines, but not as often as others on this list due to the fact that the cars are constantly loading.
• Pirates of the Caribbean – The boat ride whose original in Disneyland Park inspired a huge movie franchise, this ride can get long lines, but doesn’t need to be prioritized for Lightning Lane over others on this list.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Best Rides for Lightning Lane

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – A must-see immersive experience with thrills for everyone, especially Star Wars fans. This gets some of the longest lines in the resort, so I’d recommend either rope-dropping it or purchasing Lightning Lane Single Pass.
• Slinky Dog Dash – A fun, family-friendly roller coaster that gets long lines that unfortunately has you waiting in a sunny, hot queue. If you want to do this, I recommend this being your first reservation for Lightning Lane Multi Pass. 
• Toy Story Mania – Fun for all ages and highly popular, this interactive shooter-style dark rides still gets long lines.
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – One of the newer rides at the park, this dark ride is family-friendly and has some impressive tech, though the lines do tend to get long.
• Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror – The absolute classic thrill ride with impeccable theming still can draw crowds all these years later.
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – As the only ride on Disney World property that goes upside down, this line tends to get filled with thrill-seekers.
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – In my opinion, the best part of this ride is the end of the queue and the large Millennium Falcon outside. Do it once, but don’t feel like the ride itself is something to prioritize over others on this list unless you’re a die-hard Star Wars fan.

If you’re looking to have the best Walt Disney World vacation, work with me as a travel advisor and Authorized Disney Vacation Planner! With the help of my host agency, Wishdrawals Travel, I can help make it one to remember. Whether you’re a family with kids, a solo traveler, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, you’ll have an stress-free, safe Disney trip!

EPCOT: Best Rides for Lightning Lane

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – The newest and most thrilling ride in EPCOT is also still extremely popular. If you don’t mind paying for Lightning Lane Single Pass, consider purchasing for this stellar attraction.
• Test Track – This still tends to get pretty long lines, but it’s the fastest ride at the resort, so it’s easy to see why.
• Frozen Ever After – A family-favorite boat ride based on Frozen that unfortunately always seems to have long waits.
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – A newer family-friendly dark ride that tends to still gets longer lines than other attractions at EPCOT. 
• Soarin’ Around the World – A classic attraction that lets you fly over different places around the world. Unfortunately, the lines for this can still move slowly.
• Living With The Land (holidays only) – During the holiday season, this slow-moving boat ride is decked out in holiday lights, making for a very festive experience that comes with longer-than-average wait times.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Best Rides for Lightning Lane

• Avatar Flight of Passage – One of the most popular rides at Disney World with some of the most impressive technology, this ride tends to get long lines that move slowly. I’d prioritize getting a Lightning Lane Single Pass for this over a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for the rest of the park, honestly.
• Na’vi River Journey – This slow-moving boat ride gets pretty long wait times and has the most impressive animatronic on property. The ride itself is just ok.
• Kilimanjaro Safaris – Popular with families, this must-do adventure puts you close to real-life safari animals. Consider riding first thing in the morning or around 5PM for the most animal activity!
• Expedition Everest – A thrilling roller coaster with high demand and my favorite Disney attraction anywhere.
• Kali River Rapids (hot days only) – This river raft adventure can get long lines on the hottest days, so if you don’t mind getting wet, take a spin!

Expert Strategy for Using Lightning Lane on These Attractions

• Remember to stay flexible when visiting Disney World. Strange things can and do happen, so having a flexible itinerary is key.
• Reserve your must-do attractions in advance. You can reserve up to three Lightning Lane attractions (4 if you purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass) up to 7 days before your vacation starts. If you don’t visit Disney World often, try and work with your travel agent to make sure you get all your must-do attractions done!
• Anticipate crowd levels by working with your travel agent or using online tools. It’s going to make more sense to purchase Lightning Lane around the holidays that a random weekday in February, for example. But remember that with higher crowds comes higher costs for both Lightning Lane products, park tickets, and vacation packages.
• Plan for your park hopping in advance. If you know you’re going to start the day in Animal Kingdom and end it in EPCOT, for example, start thinking about what rides you need to reserve in what park as the day goes on.
• Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours, and rope dropping are your friends. Take advantage of these to get in line before anyone else and possibly save some money on Lightning Lane products! Work with your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to see which of these benefits will apply to you during your trip.

Conquer The Best Rides for Lightning Lane at Disney World!

With some planning ahead and strategy, it’s possible to conquer all the rides you want at Disney World. As someone who’s been there numerous times, I know it can be done. Remember to stay calm, stay flexible, and most importantly, have fun!

Disney World vacations can be a lot to plan for, but they don’t have to be stressful. Let me help you plan your next vacation with my expertise and passion for the parks.