The Nerds are HUGE fans of Disney’s Lightning Lane access via Genie+ (we know, we know, much easier to say paid FastPass).
Are you a huge fan of Disney’s lightning lane access?
The Nerds are HUGE fans of Disney’s lightning lane access via Genie+ (we know, we know, much easier to say paid FastPass).
But what happens when the ride you’ve reserved goes down?
We’ve all experienced it on the old FastPass system in the pre MaxPass or Genie+ days.
You crisscrossed Disneyland 37 times to secure multiple FastPasses.
Exhausted, you drag your body to the queue only to find the ride is offline (hopefully before you’ve turned in your FastPass).
But now that theme parks are firmly in the Digital Age, what happens when you have a Genie+ lightning lane reservation and the ride goes down?
In short – it’s probably the best thing that will happen, especially if the closure occurs early in the day.
But now that theme parks are firmly in the Digital Age, what happens when you have a Genie+ lightning lane reservation and the ride goes down?
Also read our ultimate guide to Individual Lightning Lane rides.
We just blew your minds, didn’t we?
Let us explain. We had entered Disneyland prior to the 9am official park opening and purchased Genie+.
We were able to make a Lightning Lane reservation for Space Mountain at 9:05am; five minutes after the park’s official opening time.
The ride broke down prior to opening, triggering a notification in the Disneyland app that my Lightning Lane reservation could not be honored.
Instead, we could return to any of the listed attractions at any point that day, including Space Mountain!
But wait, there’s more! The BONUS was that this closure triggered our Genie+ to allow us to book another reservation immediately.
So, not only did we have a sort of Super Lightning Lane pass, we also snagged a 9:05am Matterhorn Lightning Lane reservation through Genie+ so, no harm no foul because we came out ahead (way ahead!).
This got the Nerd’s brain churning about how this pass might be used throughout the day.
Clicking on the “Find out where you can go” link on the Multiple Experiences passes revealed “A Whole New World” of possibilities because the Nerd quickly learned this pass could be used at either Disneyland OR Disney California Adventure.
AND the options went way beyond normal Genie+ Lightning Lane options – a huge benefit!
The Options for Your Cancelled Lightning Lane Reservation
The options include nearly every attraction in Disneyland with the exception of Peter Pan and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (which is only available through the Individual Lightning Lane at an additional cost).
Also, some attractions were missing from the digital list in the screenshots, like Haunted Mansion, because they were not open the day we were visiting the park.
This Multiple Experience pass extended to Disney California Adventure
Nearly every attraction in Disney California Adventure is available with the exception of the two separately charged Individual Lightning Lane attractions: Radiator Springs Racers and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.
The Multiple Experiences pass is a great value for anyone visiting Disneyland Resort.
Not only do you have access to nearly every attraction in the parks, but you can also use the pass at Disney California Adventure.
This opens up a wealth of possibilities, especially if you are looking to experience attractions that are only available in one of the parks.
If your Lightning Lane reservation at Disney California Adventure was cancelled due to the addition of more attractions, you can use your Multiple Experience pass to visit 43 different attractions between the two parks for the rest of the day.
We call that a HUGE win…and it leaves extra time to snack on a Mickey Pretzel.
The next time you see a notification that an experience is cancelled, don’t fret and instead, rejoice!
Your day just got a whole lot better.
Lightning Lane was NOT as expected
Disneyland’s Individual Lightning Lane provides a lot of timesaving at a cost. Unfortunately, the our experience was quite different.
Picture it! Disneyland. Monday. 2022. The park is busier than expected and the Nerd was excited to try out the latest in time-saving technology…paying large amounts of money to skip the line of a single ride using the Individual Lightning Lane.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance was vacillating between a 90- and 120-minute wait and we only had plans to be at the park for a few hours. We arrived much later than usual, around 11am, and the Individual Lightning Lane reservations for Rise of the Resistance were already nearing the 2 o’clock hour. After refreshing the screen several times while enjoying a Mickey Pretzel and Diet Coke, a time slot opened up at 12:05pm – PERFECT!
After a spin through outer space aboard Space Mountain (using the $20 per person Genie+, of course….what? It was for science!), we confirmed via the Disneyland app that our Rise of the Resistance Individual Lightning Lane time was ready and made our way across the park to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Just prior to our arrival, Rise of the Resistance broke down. No big deal – we had already booked our Indiana Jones Adventure time slot via Genie+ (Genie+ reservations and Individual Lightning Lane reservations can overlap), so we visited the Temple of the Forbidden Eye and after conquering that ride…we were disappointed to find Rise of the Resistance was still out of commission, as was our ability to use our $40 worth of Individual Lightning Lane passes.
It appeared a trip to Guest Services was in my future as we had to leave Disneyland for a lunch reservation at Disney California Adventure’s Lamplight Lounge. While at lunch, we purchased Individual Lightning Lane passes for Radiator Springs Racers ($12 each) and WEB Slingers (also $12 each) as both reservations would coincide with our meal.
So now…let’s get to the meat.
Stop 1: Guest Services at the Parks
As we prepared to leave Disney California Adventure, we made a quick pit stop at Guest Services to request a refund. There was no line and we spoke with a terrific Cast Member who delivered some welcomed news – since we did not redeem the Individual Lightning Lane reservations, our credit card would be refunded after the park closed.
Awesome! Right? Well…..let’s just say that the American Express was NOT refunded.
Stop 2: Chat via Disneyland App
The Nerd hopped on the Disneyland App and chatted with a very nice Cast Member who, unfortunately, could not help. Their best suggestion for refunding the Individual Lightening Lane was to call Guest Information and Ticket Sales at (714) 781-4636.
Sigh.
Stop 3: Guest Information and Ticket Sales via Phone
After quite some time on hold and an hour on the phone in total (with another very nice Cast Member), a supervisor had to get involved, but we did get a refund of $40.
The irony of this situation was not lost on the Nerd or the Cast Member. We spent $40 to save 2 hours, spent 30 minutes of wasted time walking aimlessly around Disneyland for Rise of the Resistance to ultimately not experience the attraction and spend a couple additional hours securing a refund.
The Nerd asked what they would do to help make it up to us. Perhaps an Individual Lightning Lane? Something to give us our time back. The Guest Information and Ticket Sales team maintained they could not do these things and to either stop by Guest Services or email guest.services@disneyland.com.
Fortunately, there was another Disneyland Reservation for the Nerd that same week, so….
Stop 4: Guest Services at the Parks – Part Deux
This is a story that ends well – ands quickly. The Nerd stopped by Guest Services a few days later and politely explained the situation, including how the Guest Information and Ticket Sales team was limited in their ability to help. The nice gentleman at Guest Services agreed that they had limited ability, understood what I was after and made quick work in fixing it. All in all, it took less than five minutes.
He assigned a multi-use Lightning Lane pass for everyone in my party at the park that day – and there were six of us. He asked which park we would be spending time (the answer was Disney California Adventure) and the pass was immediately added to the Disneyland app. Essentially, this pass allowed us to go to the front of just about any attraction at DCA.
And the best part? Radiator Springs Racers was included. All six of us scanned in and enjoyed racing around Cars Land with a nearly non-existent wait despite the posted 65-minute wait. It gave us back 6 hours and $42 (Radiator Scorings Racers’ Individual Lightning Lane was only $7 on the Thursday we visited) and we were appreciative Disneyland Customer Service made the situation right.
Despite the frustration of the experience, it was a good lesson in the kinks Disneyland is working through with their new system. We’re hopeful that any such issues will be automatic in the future to make it easier on everyone.
In the meantime, the Nerd is going to go grab a Mickey pretzel.
Frequently asked questions about Lightning Lane at Disneyland
What is lightning lane?
Lightning Lane is a digital reservation system that allows guests to skip the regular line at the best attraction in Disneyland.
How do I make a lightning lane reservation?
You can make a lightning lane reservation by using the Disneyland app or by visiting a kiosk in the park.
What happens if the ride I have a lightning lane reservation for goes down?
If the ride you have a lightning lane reservation for goes down, you will be given a Multiple Experience pass that allows you to choose from any of the other experiences available that day.
Can I use my lightning lane reservation more than once?
No, lightning lane reservations are only good for one use.
What if I don’t want to use my lightning lane reservation?
If you don’t want to use your lightning lane reservation, you can cancel it and receive a Multiple Experience pass that allows you to choose from any of the other experiences available that day.
How do I cancel my lightning lane reservation?
You can cancel your lightning lane reservation by using the Disneyland app or by visiting a kiosk in the park.
What is the Multiple Experience pass?
The Multiple Experience pass is a digital pass that allows guests to choose from any of the other experiences available that day.
How do I use my Multiple Experience pass?
You can use your Multiple Experience pass by using the Disneyland app or by visiting a kiosk in the park.
Do I need a lightning lane reservation to use the Multiple Experience pass?
No, you do not need a lightning lane reservation to use the Multiple Experience pass.
How many experiences can I choose with the Multiple Experience pass?
With the Multiple Experience pass, you can choose from any of the other experiences available that day.
Final thoughts on Lightning Lane
Lightning Lane is a great way to skip the regular line at certain popular attractions at Disneyland.
However, it is important to keep in mind that lightning lane reservations are only good for one use.
If you don’t want to use your lightning lane reservation, you can cancel it and receive a Multiple Experience pass that allows you to choose from any of the other experiences available that day.
The Multiple Experience pass is a great value for anyone visiting Disneyland Resort.
Not only do you have access to nearly every attraction in the parks, but you can also use the pass at Disney California Adventure.
This opens up a wealth of possibilities, especially if you are looking to experience attractions that are only available in one of the parks.
So, next time you see a notification that an experience is cancelled, don’t fret and instead, rejoice!
Your day just got a whole lot better.
