Disney recently announced a new way for visitors to skip the lines at their parks with the introduction of the Lightning Lane Premier Pass. This new tier of line skipping does away with the need to select a specific time to arrive for your “line skip,” but it comes at a hefty cost. The Premier Pass will be available later this month and will cost up to $450 a day per person at Disney World. The price varies depending on the park and when you go, with the highest prices during peak travel periods.
For Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the pass will cost between $129 to $199, EPCOT between $169 to $249, Disney’s Hollywood Studios between $269 to $349, and Magic Kingdom between $329 to $449. At Disneyland, the Premier pass will cost $400 per person until December 31, and in 2025, the price will drop to $300 to $400 a day per person based on the dates of visit.
Disney CEO Bob Iger previously acknowledged that the company had been too aggressive in increasing prices at the parks and wanted to make them more accessible. The introduction of the Premier Pass, however, seems to contradict that goal as it significantly raises the cost of enjoying the rides at Disney World and Disneyland. While some may argue that visitors can choose to wait in line instead of purchasing these passes, the long queues for popular rides can be frustrating. The main attraction of Disney parks is the rides, and making it more expensive to experience them does not align with the idea of making the parks more accessible to a wider audience.
It is essential to note that in addition to the cost of the Premier Pass, visitors are still required to purchase a ticket to enter the park. At Disney World, only guests staying in Disney World hotels on the property will be eligible to purchase these new, limited passes.
Overall, the introduction of the Lightning Lane Premier Pass offers visitors a new way to skip the lines at Disney parks, but it comes at a significant cost. Whether or not it is worth it will depend on individual preferences and budget considerations. While the convenience of skipping lines may appeal to some, others may find the high price tag prohibitive. As Disney continues to explore options to enhance the visitor experience, it will be interesting to see how the Premier Pass is received by park guests.