Disney World's Lightning Lane Premier Pass Hits Max Prices Across All Parks on Thanksgiving 2024

18 days ago in "Disney Genie"

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Posted: Thursday November 7, 2024 7:15am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Guests visiting Disney World on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024, will experience the highest prices yet for the Lightning Lane Premier Pass across all four parks.

Disney has reached the top end of its announced price ranges, setting a new peak for each park's Lightning Lane Premier Pass option. The Lightning Lane Premier Pass is for guests staying at Disney Deluxe Resorts, Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts, and select partner hotels. It offers Lightning Lane access to attractions in a single park for one day, without the need to select arrival windows for each ride.

Lightning Lane Premier Pass Pricing Trend Thanksgiving, 2024

Maximum Lightning Lane Premier Pass Prices by Park on Thanksgiving

Here's the breakdown of maximum prices by park on Thanksgiving Day:

Disney's Animal Kingdom: $199
Disney's Hollywood Studios: $349
EPCOT: $249
Magic Kingdom: $449

These prices align with the highest rates in the ranges Disney announced when it first launched the Lightning Lane Premier Pass, marking the first time all parks have reached their price ceilings simultaneously.

Price Trends and Expectations for Future Holidays

The current prices provide a glimpse into what guests might expect during other major holidays. Similar maximum pricing could apply for those planning to visit Disney World around Christmas, New Year's, or other peak seasons.

How to Plan for Premier Pass Pricing

Disney's dynamic pricing model for the Lightning Lane Premier Pass means that rates will vary throughout the year, with peak prices on major holidays and lower rates during off-peak times. For guests with flexibility in their schedules, midweek visits during non-peak periods can provide a more budget-friendly experience.

Checking the pricing calendar in advance can help find the best days to visit to take advantage of the Premier Pass without paying peak rates.

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DisneyDreamer081 hour ago

I wish they would release stats on who was purchasing this. Adults only? Families?

ConfettiCupcake2 hours ago

Yup I agree with this. I think it’s a stretch purchase for your average guest or an add on for a guest who can afford to do so but is not blindingly never needs to consider value of anything kind of rich (like has been implied over the course of this discussion). I liken it to the hard ticket events more than I do the VIP tours. It’s almost like an after hours party ticket, but with a premium that allows you to have a similar experience during regular hours. And I agree with this too. Ultimately they probably know better than I do, but I am curious to see if the decisions of the last decade or so but mostly the post Covid years are going to hurt in the long run. They are making it a lot more difficult to build the nostalgia in new guests, and a lot easier to prove people right who think Disney is too busy, expensive, and complicated. Back in my day they ran commercials showcasing how surprisingly affordable a Disney trip could really be. I know we’ll never see an ad campaign like that one in the near future!

DCBaker2 hours ago

Lightning Lane Premier Pass has now sold out at all parks tomorrow, November 26:

Vegas Disney Fan5 hours ago

I agree with this but also suspect millionaires who go yearly likely have club33 memberships that already come with virtually unlimited FPs, or are friends with other millionaires who have memberships… the few very wealthy Disney fans I know do anyway. Always fun to do Disney with them because it’s a whole different experience than the one us peasants receive. Our DL club33 friends don’t have WDW memberships but they network and have made friends with WDW members, when they go to FL their friends take care of them, when their FL friends go to DL they reciprocate and take care of them. Works out well for everyone. ETA… I only know 2 couples who are members so maybe what I’m taking as normal is an anomaly though.

Vegas Disney Fan5 hours ago

Short term gain, long term loss, that makes it good for Iger and current stockholders but bad for Disney, and I suspect a money loser for Disney over the long term also. If they can sell it to 10% of their guests they gain $150-400 for each guest, but if it costs them 10% of their other guests they lose not only $175 per ticket, but hundreds in hotels, hundreds in food and drinks, hundreds in souvenirs, etc. I just don’t see how the math works out long term. Igers bonus will likely be amazing though, long term declining attendance will be the next CEOs problem.

SplashJacket6 hours ago

I disagree, a VIP tour is a vastly different experience. You do a VIP tour when you have 1 day and want to do the headliners of all 4 parks. Or you’ve never been and really don’t know what to do. A top 1% who’s gone to Disney every year since they were kids are not going to get a VIP tour for 5 days straight. This makes the experience better for them if they don’t want a VIP tour. Personally, I would maybe do a VIP tour once if it was free just to do it, but I would always take an unlimited skip-the-line. Exactly. Infinite skip the line (with no re-rides) is a vastly different experience to a VIP tour, and one that many people would likely prefer.

Disstevefan16 hours ago

I totally get you, but it seems they are not smart enough to realize how much money APers are actually spending EVERYTIME they visit, but that's looking over time and Disney only looks at things fiscal quarter to fiscal quarter. Maybe their data says the family from Denver spends a lot in just a week stay (quick MONEY) and they only want those folks

DisneyCane7 hours ago

As soon as it gets to the point where I can't experience one attraction per hour with 1/4 being headliners on an average day without paying for some kind of LL I'll stop renewing my Annual Passes and may never visit again. If I do visit it will be for a few days every few years and Disney will lose a ton of dining and merchandise revenue from my family.

Disstevefan17 hours ago

For me, I agree what they are doing is idiotic. But what's idiotic to us is super smart for them to MAKE MONEY! The current LLMP iteration is the worst as they took the worst parts about FastPass+ and are now charging for it. To "help the guest" they offer LLSP and the best thing of all LLPP. The are making money on top of money for NOTHING. This is super smart! LLPP is SELLING OUT! Are families being priced out? YES. For my family, its not a matter of IF its a matter of WHEN.

Vegas Disney Fan8 hours ago

It’s a fine line between super smart and completely idiotic… All these “premium” products are coming at the expense of the average guest, we’ve noticed a huge decline in our experience since they eliminated FP. Normal guests are now left with a lessor experience, paying substantially more for an equivalent experience (MP), paying ridiculously more for a superior experience (PP), going less than before (what we’ve chosen), or just not going at all anymore. Lightning lane is pure profit but there’s a huge risk that new income is going to cost them more than it makes in the long run. I think they’re playing with fire and if they’re not careful they’re going to get burned in the long run.

wdwmagic9 hours ago

More Thanksgiving 2024 Sell-Out Dates for Disney World's Lightning Lane Premier Pass https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/disney-genie/news/25nov2024-more-thanksgiving-2024-sell-out-dates-for-disney-worlds-lightning-lane-premier-pass.htm

Ayla9 hours ago

Yeah, it was a short conversation. She didn't want to hear that I had visited almost 40 times over the last 18 years ~ she knew what she was talking about. 😂

Disstevefan110 hours ago

I have to say, this is brilliant. Irreverent as to how many LLPPs they sold, saying it’s sold out, CREATES DEMAND! This LLPP is a HUGE money maker that costs NOTHING! I do worry that the other segments of parks like food and merch may be neglected as now, all of a sudden, not being as important and we may see even more of a dumbing down of food and merch.

Rosso1110 hours ago

I agree with you to an extent. I fall into that 1% category but I’ve only used a VIP guide once almost 20 years ago and only because I was with another family who wanted to get it. It’s nice but when I’m on vacation with my family I’m not a big fan of having a stranger with us no matter how nice they are. Which the VIP guides are amazing. But I would much rather be alone with my family. I have many friends who fall into this 1% category, who also frequently visit Disney parks and I would say only about 20% of them go the VIP route. This new premier lightening lane is much more their style including myself. Of course my experiences may be anecdotal but I don’t believe they are.