It’s the costliest place on earth.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland have announced a new, top-tier pass that allows for the ultimate line-skipping at the theme parks for a single day — but it comes with an eye-watering price tag.
The Lightning Lane Premier Pass will be available to a limited number of visitors later this month and will offer them the ability to skip the long waits one time at each eligible ride for a single day. The fast pass could be quite a time-saver for some, as wait times for popular rides at Disney World, for instance, often exceed an hour.
The Premier Pass differs from the traditional line-skipping passes available at the theme parks, which typically require eager visitors to choose a time to return and ride, and the launch follows years of intense scrutiny by fans who have complained about the rising costs of visiting and egregiously long wait times.
While it sounds magical — getting to skip the line at the drop of a Mickey Mouse hat without wasting a single minute waiting — it requires a lot of cheddar. Disneyland will charge a flat rate of $400 per day per person, while Disney World pass prices will fluctuate depending on the day, according to Forbes.
In Florida’s Magic Kingdom, mouse-eared visitors will have to fork over $329 to $449 for the Premier Pass, which goes for $129 to $199 in the Animal Kingdom, $169 to $249 at EPCOT and $269 to $349 at Hollywood Studios, according to USA Today.
Fan-beloved attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, “It’s a Small World,” Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain are among the qualified rides with Lightning Lane experience.
Critics with sticker shock panned the new offering from the Disney parks and poked fun at the cost.
“‘Lightning Lane Premier Pass’ is another move in the wrong direction,” one X user wrote online. “Why do you insist on monetizing every aspect of a visit? People hate being nickel and dimed while on vacation.”
The pass launches at California’s Disneyland next Wednesday, Oct. 23, but Disney World’s Orlando visitors won’t be able to get their paws on it until Oct. 30, at which time it will only be available to guests staying at eligible hotels.
The passes aren’t meant to be accessible for all visitors all of the time, according to USA Today.
“In terms of making these experiences attainable, it’s making sure that we’re addressing specifically what each consumer wants and giving them an opportunity to experience the parks or the (cruise) ships in a way that makes sense for them,” Josh D’Amaro, the Disney Experience chairman, told the outlet.
“What type of hotel do I want to stay in? And we’ll have a range of hotels to choose from. What season might I choose to come and visit one of these parks? And we’ll have differentiated pricing for those seasons,” he said.
