Welcome to the Lightning Lane guide that gives you the best & worst rides to use the service on when it comes to saving you time on your Walt Disney World holiday!
Walt Disney World is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world, and it's also one of the busiest. However, with so many attractions and shows to see while at Walt Disney World, deciding how to spend your time might be a bit of a struggle.
My top tip to anyone who asks me is - to have each travel party member pick one "must do" for each park or each day if you're a small travel party. This could be a show, a character meet, a ride, a snack even... then view absolutely everything else as extra.
However, with Walt Disney World’s new Lightning Lane system, if you're happy to pay, you'll be able to fill your day to the brim with exciting activities for all the family! Yes, you can save time at selected attractions and pre-book your return times in advance. When it’s your turn, just join the Lighting Lane instead of the regular standby queue.
So to help you with your planning, here are the best (and the 5 worst) rides to use with Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World, that save you the most time compared to waiting in the standby queue. Of course, this is my opinion, you may disagree but hopefully, it'll help those new to the Lightning Lane system!
The 10 Best Lightning Lane Rides That Save You The Most Time
These are the 10 best time-saving rides with Lightning Lane. By selecting and prioritising these rides in your Lightning Lane selection, you’ll save a lot of time compared to using the normal standby queue.
#1 Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Slinky Dog Dash is a new family coaster at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. The ride is based on the movie “Toy Story”, and it takes you on a journey through Andy’s backyard. You’ll race on Slinky Dog as you make your way through the twists and turns of the track.
The queues for Slinky Dog Dash can often be very long and what makes it worse is the queue area is in the sun with little to no shade. So you're best using Lightning Lane to skip the line. This new coaster is a lot of fun and it’s sure to be a hit with Walt Disney World guests of all ages.
#2 Peter Pan’s Flight at Magic Kingdom
Peter Pan’s Flight is a Walt Disney World classic that takes you on a journey to Neverland. You’ll fly over London and experience all the famous landmarks, and then you’ll head to Neverland where you’ll see Captain Hook’s ship and Peter Pan’s home. The ride is fun for all ages, but the queues are usually very long for such a short ride, so using Lightning Lane to save time is a must.
#3 Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Na’vi River Journey is a gentle ride through the bioluminescent rainforest of Pandora. You’ll see amazing creatures and plants that can only be found on this planet. This is a slow-moving ride that takes about 11 minutes from start to finish. However, the standby queue can often be over an hour long, so using Lightning Lane to save time is a great idea while you’re in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (it also means you can rope drop Flight of Passage rather than feeling torn between the two!)
#4 Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safaris is a must-do for anyone visiting Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. The ride is based on a real safari trek through Africa, and you’ll get to see some of the most amazing animals in the world. Due to the unique nature of this ride and the fact it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish, it's unsurprising that the line gets long fast. Use Lightning Lane to skip this and free up some of your day to enjoy more of the park.
#5 Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom
This is another Walt Disney World classic that everyone should experience, and of course, everyone wants to experience! The Jungle Cruise takes you on a journey through the jungles of the world, where you’ll see all sorts of animals and plants. Guided by an entertaining skipper, this ride is a laugh for the whole family. But it's also one of the most popular at Magic Kingdom so be sure to Lightning Lane it.
#6 Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Long name and long queues. This is a new ride that opened in 2019 and it’s already one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World. If you’re a Star Wars fan, then you won’t want to miss out on the new Millennium Falcon ride at Walt Disney World where you get the chance to fly the famed starship! As it's such a new ride in a new area of the park, to miss out on the long line your best bet is to use Lightning Lane.
#7 Toy Story Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Toy Story Mania is a 3D, interactive ride that takes you through the world of Toy Story and allows you to play as your favourite toy taking on fairground-style games against the the others in your car. The queue can often be well over an hour long, so using Lightning Lane here is a good way to save time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
#8 The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of Walt Disney World’s most iconic attractions. In the attraction, you’ll be taken on a wild ride as your elevator plummets to the ground and back up again. If you’re terrified by drop rides, you might want to skip it! But it is an iconic ride and a favourite of many. Being one of the few "thrill" rides at Walt Disney World the ride does get long so it's recommended you use Lightning Lane if it's a "must do" for you!
#9 Test Track at EPCOT
Test Track at Epcot is a great way to test out your car design skills before you race your car around a track and see how it handles different terrains and situations, just as if you were trying out a new car. The ride is a lot of fun and it’s one of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World due to the fact it has a lower height limit (40 inches). Be sure to use Lightning Lane if you don't want a long wait!
#10 Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom
If you’re looking for a high-speed thrill ride at Walt Disney World, then Big Thunder Mountain is the perfect choice. The roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 35 miles per hour, so it’s sure to get your heart racing. The line does get long and a lot of it is out in the sun so if you don't want to be waiting over an hour, use Lightning Lane.
Other rides you might want to consider using Lightning Lane on are Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, Frozen Ever After and Ratatouille at EPCOT, and Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom.
The 5 Lightning Lane Walt Disney World Rides That Don’t Save You Time
I adore all of these rides, but the time you’ll save utilising Lightning Lane versus using the Standby line isn’t worth using a Lightning Lane reservation for. I recommend using the Regular Standby queue for these adventures and saving your Lightning Lane choice for some of the attractions listed above.
#1 Mickey’s PhilharMagic at Magic Kingdom
Firstly, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, a 3D show that takes you on a journey through the world of Disney music. The show is fun for all the family, but the Standby queue is rarely very long as the show itself is short and the theatre is huge so it can take a lot of people at once.
#2 Living with the Land at EPCOT
Living with the Land ride is a boat ride that takes you through a tour of the Walt Disney World greenhouses. You’ll get to see how Walt Disney World grows its own fruits and vegetables that are used throughout the park, and you’ll learn about the different ways that they use to conserve water. The ride is educational and fun for all ages, and the queues are usually very short.
#3 Spaceship Earth at EPCOT
Spaceship Earth at Epcot takes you on a journey through the history of communication. You’ll learn about how humans have evolved over the years, and you’ll see how different forms of communication have been used throughout history. The ride is educational and fun for all ages and the lines are usually very quick too as the loading is non-stop.
This also applies to Journey Into the Imagination and The Seas with Nemo. You'll find these both at EPCOT.
#4 Tomorrowland Speedway at Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World is filled with fast-paced rides that are sure to get your heart racing. But what if you’re looking for something a little slower? Walt Disney World’s Tomorrowland features the Tomorrowland Speedway! Which is a huge thrill at a slower pace!
This ride lets you race against other racers in your car, and there are no height restrictions so kids can compete too. You’ll be able to choose from three different courses – including one for beginners.
The best part about this ride is that you don’t need any experience at all because the course is self-guided! If you’re looking for a low-key attraction at Walt Disney World, then head on over to the Tomorrowland Speedway today.
#5 Mad Tea Party at Magic Kingdom
Fantasyland is home to many of the most iconic attractions in all of Walt Disney World including The Mad Tea Party ride! The queues however are usually pretty short, especially in the morning and evening.
So there you have it – a fab guide to the best rides at Walt Disney World to use with Lightning Lane with. All of these attractions have queues that often last over an hour, so using the shortcut will save you some valuable time at Walt Disney World. If you need more help with planning your day at Walt Disney World, let the team at Fairytale Holidays know, they love to help!
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