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Between the advent of Genie+ and later Lightning Lane Multi-Pass in Disney World and Disneyland’s parks, there’s been a lot of added cost and inconvenience that’s rubbed parkgoers the wrong way. While we know an incredible number of parkgoers will shell out for the more premium experience, it comes with downsides. That includes things like the aforementioned prices, but also a much more complex planning structure as a whole, and the planner having to be on their phones and having to keep their phones charged through the whole day. Don’t even get me started on what happens when the app crashes.
If you go to Disney parks regularly or have been over the past several years, you should know exactly what I am talking about, here. There’s still plenty of magic to go around, but this is one wrinkle that people love to talk about. In fact, a recent article over at the Wall Street Journal went through this basic rigmarole, explaining that the person who is tied to their phone now has a “very different day” at Disney than the rest of their party. In short, it’s a lot of doomscrolling for them, but buried in this article was a tidbit that caught my attention.
Apparently, back in February Disney Experiences Chair Thomas Mazloum was asked about how Lightning Lane was going at a press event for Disneyland. Apparently, this is something those at Disney have been keeping a close eye on, as he reported:
This is something we are looking at as we consider ways to simplify the guest experience.
The rest of the article mostly dives into familiar territory, like how it's better to think of Lightning Lane as “a game” (and rightfully so) and other ways you can manage your day at the parks. Yet it was this note from the Experiences Chair that really stood out to me. For a long time, it’s seemed like Lightning Lane, the app, and all of these technological complexities Disney World and Disneyland have added would be a headache forever. It at least now seems as if those working for the parks want to “simplify” the process more meaningfully. Whether or not that’s lip service remains to be seen.
After a post-pandemic boom, price increases have allegedly led to fewer crowds in 2026. Though it’s worth noting the parks have been making more money even with less volume, fewer lines have anecdotally felt like fewer people even using Lightning Lane which means more fluidity within the queue experience in the parks. We’ve run down whether Lightning Lane Multi-Pass is worth the money before, and it’s not as simple as just a yes or a no.
Beyond the pros and cons of the app and cost itself, it’s difficult to compare experiences at Disneyland and Disney World when the app is different in both parks and when Disneyland caters to a larger audience of locals. It’s also worth noting the Wall Street Journal was at Disney World when it wrote about the Lighting Lane Multi-Pass experience. So, mileage varies for sure.
Still, I often long for the days when I didn’t need to pull out my phone in the parks to order food or check the app. I think we’re fully past that time in our lives, but I do believe that if we can get to a future where the process is simple even for newbies at Disney World and Disneyland, it will be a much-appreciated change.
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