Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane are officially active at Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks. The new paid line skipping system allows guests to book a return time and skip potentially long waits in the standby line. But what if you’re running early or late for your Lightning Lane pass? Is there a grace period?
Good news! Yes, it appears there is a grace period for Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations. The new system mimics the old experience guests found when using FastPass+ selections.
Guests making a Lightning Lane selection for an attraction will be given a one-hour window to return to the ride. For example, a guest may have a Lightning Lane reservation for 2pm-3pm at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. They can then scan in at any point between 2pm and 3pm to use the Lightning Lane line.
But, let’s say the guest shows up at 1:55pm. Will they be allowed in when they scan? Yes! Like FastPass+, Lightning Lane will allow guests to scan in five minutes prior to the start of their window. Guests will notice the ‘Redeem’ button activates five minutes before the scheduled window.
You’re also in luck if you’re running late. Lightning Lane allows guests to scan in up to 15 minutes after their assigned one-hour window. Cast members may allow guests to scan in after this time, but that’s handled individually.
Note that these grace periods may vary depending on how busy the park is that day. Cast members may extend the grace period longer if crowds are light. The times might be more rigid if the parks are packed.
As with all things at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, these grace periods are subject to change. Currently, they match what we experienced with FastPass+ and we’re glad there’s some flexibility with this new system.
