Lightning Lane Strategy for Magic Kingdom Park
Planning a perfect day at Magic Kingdom can be overwhelming, especially if you're trying to avoid long lines at popular rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Peter Pan’s Flight. That's where an effective Lightning Lane strategy comes into play. By utilizing Disney’s Lightning Lane that let you skip the standby lines and experience more attractions in less time. In this guide, we'll walk you through tips like Tap and Burn, the Tap, Modify, Book method, and how to stack rides for the evening. With these time-saving strategies, you'll be able to take advantage of midday breaks, adjust your plans on the go, and hit all your favorite rides. Let’s dive into how to create the best Lightning Lane plan for a magical day at Magic Kingdom!
Types of Disney Days
Before we start, I want to discuss my four types of Disney days: leisure, ride-focused, show-focused, and bucket list days. Depending on how many times you have gone to Walt Disney World, the kind of day you want to go is sometimes determined. Knowing your goal truly helps guide what strategy will work best for you.
1. Leisure Day
A leisure day at Disney is all about relaxing, soaking in the atmosphere, and enjoying the parks at a slower pace. The goal isn’t to rush from ride to ride, but rather to explore at your own speed. This might include:
Strolling down Main Street, U.S.A. and browsing shops.
Enjoying less crowded, scenic spots like Tom Sawyer Island or the Liberty Square Riverboat. (until its replaced by cars!)
Taking time to enjoy casual dining at sit-down restaurants like Skipper Canteen.
Visiting character meet-and-greets and snapping photos.
A leisurely afternoon spent around the pool at your resort or enjoying a spa treatment.
This day is great for those who want to recharge and enjoy the magic without the pressure of a packed itinerary.
2. Ride-Focused Day
A ride-focused day at Disney is all about maximizing your time on attractions. The goal is to get on as many rides as possible, especially the headliners and thrill rides, making good use of strategies like Lightning Lane. This day could involve:
Arriving early for rope drop to hit popular rides with shorter wait times.
Prioritizing top rides like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Using Lightning Lane strategies like Tap and Burn or Tap, Modify, Book to avoid long standby queues.
Planning quick-service meals or snacks on the go to maximize ride time.
This is perfect for thrill-seekers or anyone with a goal to experience as many attractions as possible.
3. Show-Focused Day
A show-focused day is centered around Disney’s live entertainment, parades, and nighttime spectaculars. It’s about soaking in the storytelling through performances. On this day, you might:
Catch classic shows like Enchanted Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree, or the Festival of Fantasy Parade.
Prioritize live performances such as Mickey’s PhilharMagic or the Dapper Dans.
Take in the fireworks or nighttime spectaculars like Happily Ever After at Cinderella Castle.
Make time for character cavalcades or smaller performances around the park.
This type of day is ideal for guests who love Disney's theatrical experiences and want to spend time away from the rides.
4. Bucket List Day
A bucket list day at Disney is focused on achieving specific, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. This day is all about checking off big-ticket items or personal must-dos. A bucket list day could include:
Booking hard-to-get reservations, such as dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table or a VIP Tour.
Experiencing rare or special activities like a behind-the-scenes tour, VIP fireworks viewing.
Meeting a specific character you’ve always wanted to see or purchasing exclusive merchandise.
Prioritizing attractions you’ve never done before or only do on rare occasions.
A bucket list day is perfect for those celebrating a special occasion, First - Timer visitors trying to do a little bit of everything at the parks or who want to cross off some truly unique Disney experiences.
Each type of day offers a different approach to experiencing the parks, and your choice will depend on the mood, group dynamics, or personal goals for that Disney visit.
Staying On Disney Property vs Off-Property
Disney Resorts Collection Hotel Guest and On Property Hotels
Staying at Disney Resorts provides you with Early Theme Park Entry to Magic Kingdom Park, giving you access to Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. If you're staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts, you can enjoy the Extended Evening Hours (please check the calendars). As a Disney Resort Guest, you are eligible to book Lighting Lane 7 days prior to you Disney Resort stay for up to 14 days of your trip, which essentially is your entire Disney Trip.
Off Property Guests
Off Site Guest are able to book 3 days prior to their park day and you can only book one day at a time.
Magic Kingdom Park is the only park that off site guest can still Rope Drop because only 2 of the 6 lands are open during Early Theme Park Entry. If you want to figure out a way to maximize your day at Magic Kingdom, this is a great way to start. Guests often hear the term "Rope Drop," but it may not mean the same thing to everyone. Essentially, it means getting to the park as early as possible, especially if you are staying off-site.
You'll need to park or be dropped off at the Ticket and Transportation Center, which is a mile from the park, and then take the ferry or monorail into the park.
It's a good idea to stay in the park until it closes after the fireworks show. This will give you plenty of time to ride as many attractions as possible. This is going to make for a very long day - if this is your goal make sure you plan in park breaks for your family.
There are several places in the park where you can rest and recharge, such as the Hall of Presidents and Mickey's Philharmagic. For a break idea, you can find your spot for fireworks early and take a seat, depending on the time find your spot around 7 or 8 pm fireworks mobile order dinner through a mobile app and get off your feet. You can also pay for after-hours parties or take a break at your resort from 12 pm to 4 pm if that is realistic and you are not staying to far from property.
You can also take a break at monorail resorts in the lobby which also gives you a chance to explore some of those fancier Disney Resorts.
Staying all day is doable but you have to have a plan if you are doing it with children, they cannot happily survive a 14 hours day, and lets be honest. Neither can you!
Lightning Lanes Rides at Magic Kingdom Park
If you are looking at these tiers and have no idea why we have tiers - you need to probably start from the beginning, and read What is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass? then come back to planning your day!
Sellout Key - Morning (M), Afternoon (A), Evening (E), Never (N)
Tier 1 Rides
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - Frontierland (A)
Jungle Cruise - Adventureland (M)
Peter Pan’s Flight - Fantasyland (A)
Space Mountain - Tomorrowland (E)
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - Frontierland - Before Park Opening
Tier 2 Rides
The Barnstormer - Fantasyland
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin - Tomorrowland
Dumbo the Flying Elephant - Fantasyland
Haunted Mansion - Liberty Square
“it’s a small world” - Fantasyland
Mad Tea Party - Fantasyland
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin - Adventureland
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Fantasyland
Mickey’s PhilharMagic - Fantasyland
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor - Tomorrowland
Pirates of the Caribbean - Adventureland
Tomorrowland Speedway - Tomorrowland
Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
When should you book Lightning Lane Single Pass at Magic Kingdom?
At Magic Kingdom Park, there are two key attractions that offer Lightning Lane Single Pass, also known as pay-per-ride options. These attractions are separate from the standard Multi Pass Lightning Lanes and require an additional fee to book.
TRON Lightcycle / Run: One of the newest and most thrilling rides at Magic Kingdom, TRON Lightcycle / Run takes you on a high-speed adventure through the digital world. This ride is extremely popular, so securing an Single Pass Lightning Lane is a great way to avoid long standby waits. On average its about 60 - 90 minutes in the standby queue (this ride became standby as of September 9th) TRON is so fun in the evening because of all the lights.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: A family-friendly roller coaster that’s been a crowd favorite since it opened, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train takes you on a smooth yet exciting journey through the diamond mines with Snow White’s dwarfs. I have some people in the Well Hello Magic family who are willing to wait up to 45 minutes for this ride, for my family we will wait about 20 minutes. But it is one of the rides that my entire family loves to ride together - well except the toddler she is not tall enough yet.
Decide Park Strategy
I am going to say it for you now - YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL. You may get on all the rides but you will miss all the shows, you may get Cinderella Royal Table but that takes 90 minutes of Park time away, you may meet four princesses, but you just spend 2 hours in lines. You cannot do Magic Kingdom in a day, so you need to decide what your families priorities are when planning. If you are some who has been to Walt Disney World before it will look different every time you visit. Here are four ways to break down you day. So first pick the type of park day you want from above and now you are going to decide which Park Strategy matches your desired park day.
Classic Disney: These are opening day rides at Walt Disney World 1971. This is what we consider the classics, it's a small world, Peter Pan Flight, Jungle Cruise, etc. These rides are the ones that give us nostalgia surrounding the Disney parks. I rode Teacups as a little girl in the 1990s, so of course, I want to ride them with my daughter.
Thrill Rides: Although Walt Disney World Resort’s focus is mainly family fun, there are a few BIG thrills rides. Which also happen to be the most popular rides as well. So if these are a priority for you, you will need to be very strategic.
Attractions/Dining: Are you heading to Magic Kingdom because you specifically eat at Cinderella Royal Table or see the Fireworks. If you base your day around shows or dining make sure you are planning the other aspects of your day around that. For example, one year we went with friends who really wanted to do a makeover and got to Cinderella Royal Table but then got caught up in all Magic Kingdom had to offer, their little princess ended up falling asleep before dinner missing the entire dinner.
Lands (zones): Pick the Lands you want to execute and stick to them. Fill your time with other aspects of the area while you wait for your Lighting Lanes to open up, but decide you are exploring Fantasyland and Tomorrowland stragetically plan to have shows, filler activities and Lightning Lanes booked in that geographic region.
Pre-Planning Strategy
When planning a visit to a Magic Kingdom Park, it's important to prioritize your preferred rides. Start by listing your "must-do" rides and pin them to the top of your Tip Board. Also make sure you download and print my Lighting Lane Planning sheet and start to fill it out. You will pick two Tier 1 Rides and four Tier 2 rides that are important to your family.
Consider any advantages you may have, such as early theme park entry or extended evening hours, if you are staying at a Disney resort. Build that into your day and begin planning around advantages. Download the Daily Plan Sheet to start writing in the things you want to do based on the day you are building.
Before visiting the park, make sure to check the park calendar to ensure that it is open during the hours you plan to visit. Also, ensure that all members of your party are connected. You can either have one person book everything, or you can divide and conquer if you have multiple people who can help. You do not have to book your Lightning Lane reservations in order of park days. For example, if you wanted to book two days and have someone else book the other days, you can do that.
If you are planning a bucket list trip that is a week long or want to experience as must as possible at Magic Kingdom, consider spending two days at the park to make the most of your visit. Determine how long you plan to be at the park and remember to take breaks if you are traveling with young children. Then determine what you want to ccomplsih each day. Maybe one day is ride focused while the other is more of a show focused/leisure day.
If you want a good spot for the fireworks, you should aim to find a seat around 30 - 45 minutes before the show. Check your My Disney Experience app for show times. Cast members start taping off areas at around this time, so plan to mobile order dinner and have a picnic in front of or to the right of the castle.
What Lightning Lanes Should I book at Magic Kingdom and Why?
If you don't know general strategy terms before you start reading this, you really need to go back and read my blog post on How to Maximize your Day with Lightning Lane: Best Tips and Tricks. I will be using many terms from that blog to explain what you should do when you book here.
If you want to get an idea of the cost, I had to use Thrilldata.com which keeps an accurate account of how much lightning lane will cost.
First, review your priority list with your family and assess the Sellout Order. As I am writing this, Tiana's Bayou Adventure is the most difficult attraction to book, selling out before the 3-day booking park. Prioritize your lightning lanes based on the sellout order.
However, remember that you can only book two if you have three highly popular priorities. In this case, you may need a filler ride to maximize your use of lightning lanes. You can use StandbySkipper to book that priority ride or keep a picture of your Daily Plan Sheet on your phone to ensure you experience everything you want.
If you look at my example of my initial booking. I booked “its small world” as a burner ride because otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to use Lightning Lane until after Haunted Mansion. Our next ride was scheduled between Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Normally, I wouldn't use Lightning Lane for “it's a small world”, but in this case, it's part of my strategy. Since I know we'll be in Fantasyland for early theme park entry, I know we can tap in to “its a small world” right away when the park opens.
That way, I can go ahead and book Big Thunder Mountain at an earlier time because I tapped in early. I will essentially be able to write two-tier ones in the first two hours of the Park's opening.
Also remember there is a Virtual Queue for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and their are random “refills” for this ride if it is moving smoothly that day.
Best Attractions at Magic Kingdom for Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Here are the averages for July to September, which is typically a slower time at Walt Disney World. This shows you how much time you save during your Magic Kingdom trip. You can expect these times to double during the October to December season, the busier times of the year.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure - 34 minutes - Tier 1
Space Mountain - 30 minutes - Tier 1
Jungle Cruise - 27 minutes - Tier 1
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - 23 minutes - Tier 1
Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin - 18 minutes - Tier 2
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - Tier 2
Haunted Mansion - 13 minutes
Pirates of the Caribbean - 12 minutes - Tier 2
it’s a small world - 11 minutes - Tier 2
What Characters can I meet at Magic Kingdom and can I book them?
At Magic Kingdom, you can meet a variety of Disney characters across different themed lands. It's disappointing that all of these character encounters are not included in the list of LLMP attractions. To avoid long lines, aim to meet the characters early in the morning or later in the evening, as the park is most crowded from 12 to 4 pm. Another option is to book a character meal in the park to take a break and meet some of these characters. At the time I am writing this it is September 2024 - make sure you use your My Disney experience app to change any changes in characters and locations.
Here's a list of some of the characters and their meeting locations:
Main Street, U.S.A.
Mickey Mouse – Town Square Theater
Adventureland
Aladdin and Jasmine – Near The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Captain Jack Sparrow – Near Pirates of the Caribbean (sporadically)
Frontierland
Country Bears – Outside Country Bear Jamboree (roaming characters)
Liberty Square
Merida - Liberty Square Gazebo
Fantasyland
Cinderella and Princess Elena – Princess Fairytale Hall
Rapunzel and Princess Tiana – Princess Fairytale Hall
Ariel – Ariel’s Grotto (near Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid)
Gaston – Near Gaston’s Tavern (sporadically)
Peter Pan – Near Peter Pan's Flight
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger – Near The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Maribel at Castia – Fairytale Garden
Anastasia and Drizella (Stepsisters) – Near Cinderella Castle
These are the primary character meet-and-greet spots at Magic Kingdom, but characters also appear in cavalcades and special events throughout the park.
How Would Well Hello Magic plan a well-rounded Disney Day?
I have a family of 6 - 12, 9,9, and 4 years old. We use Rider Switch and take a midday break. But we also utilize Early Theme Park Entry.
Pre-Booking Selections:
Book TRON in the evening around 7 pm for a night ride LLSP
Book Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - Book for 10 am LLSP
Lightning Lane Multi Pass Choices:
Peter Pans’s Flight
Haunted Mansion
'“its a small world” - burner
We will virtual queue Tiana’s Bayou Advutre the day of going to the parks since we do not have a whole crew of riders
We will Standby Skipper:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Space Mountain
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Lightning Lane Blogs (more will be added as they are written)
How to Use My Disney Experience at Walt Disney World
What is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass?
How to book Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass
How to Maximize Your Disney Day with Lightning Lane: Best Tips and Tricks
Lightning Lane Strategy for Magic Kingdom Park
Kid-Approved: The Ultimate Guide to Kid-Friendly Rides at Magic Kingdom
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Thank you for visiting the Well Hello Magic Blog. If you have questions, please leave them in the comments, and I will be sure to answer them.
Planning a Disney vacation can be overwhelming, but you don't need to worry because we have got your back! Here are a few blogs to help you get organized!
How to Use My Disney Experience
Disney Infants: Everything You Need to Know!
Tips for Traveling with Family, Friends & Large Groups
What is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass?
Strolling through Disney: Disney Stroller Tips
What to do if you Get Sick at Disney
Baby Care Centers at Walt Disney World
The Differences between Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort
Who is the Mom behind Well Hello Magic? Click Here!
I am so happy to be on this journey with you.
