The Best Lightning Lane Strategy? Let Your Family Help

There are a lot of Lightning Lane strategies out there, but here's one I use when I'm helping families plan their Disney day.

If you're staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can make your Lightning Lane selections 7 days in advance, and the attractions are divided into tiers when you make those advance selections you can select one Tier 1 attraction and two from tier 2. Here's the strategy.

Use one of your lower-tier selections as a "burner" Lightning Lane early in the morning.

Why?

Because once you actually use your first Lightning Lane, the tier restrictions go away. You can then make another Lightning Lane selection from any available attraction, including one of the attractions from tier one

So instead of using your three advance selections simply to book the attractions you want most, you can strategically use one of those lower-tier selections early in the day to unlock more flexibility.

And that's exactly what we did on our last Walt Disney World trip.

Peter Pan Was the Priority

Our granddaughter Gwen really wanted to ride Peter Pan's Flight.

Peter Pan is one of those attractions that can be difficult to get a Lightning Lane for, so we wanted to make sure she got that experience.

That meant using our advanced selection Tier 1 Lightning Lane for Peter Pan.

But Gwen wasn't the only one with a must-do. The adults wanted to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which is also a Tier 1 lightning lane.

So, we needed a plan.

We booked Voyage of the Little Mermaid Tier 2 early in the morning as our "burner." You don't usually need a Lightning Lane for that ride but using it early meant the tier restriction would disappear, giving us the ability to select another Tier 1 attraction if one became available.

And that's where the family part of this story comes in.

Everyone Had a Job

After checking into Voyage of the Little Mermaid, the girls were already working on the next Lightning Lane. They knew what we were looking for, and they were watching the My Disney Experience app for an opening.

There was just one problem.

The only times showing for Big Thunder Mountain were around 9:00 that night.

That wasn't really what we wanted.

My daughter Mallory is usually the Lightning Lane hunter in our family. She's the one who keeps the app open, refreshes, watches for openings, and looks for those little opportunities that can completely change the schedule.

She was working hard at it. She had started the moment we checked in, while we wre still in line. Now we were on the ride and she was still looking and refreashing and she was starting to get a little discouraged.

Then, from the next clamshell over, I suddenly heard my youngest daughter, Morgan, yell:

"Big Thunder! 4:15!"

I looked over and said:

"Get it!"

Her response?

"I already did."

That's What Disney Planning Is Really About

That moment made me smile because it really captured something I've learned from our family Disney trips.

Yes, knowing the strategies matters.

Yes, understanding Lightning Lane matters.

Yes, having a plan matters.

But the best Disney days aren't created by one person doing everything perfectly.

They're created when everyone contributes.

Mallory knew the strategy. She understood how to use the system and was constantly looking for an opportunity.

Morgan happened to see the opening and jumped on it.

Everyone had a role.

And that's what made the moment so much fun.

Maybe one person in your family loves researching every detail of the trip.

Maybe someone else is really good at keeping everyone moving.

Maybe someone is constantly looking for dining reservations or checking for a better Lightning Lane time.

And maybe someone else doesn't care about the planning at all. They just want to show up, ride the rides, eat the snacks, and enjoy the magic.

That's okay, too.

You don't need everyone in your family to become a Disney expert.

You just need to find the ways that everyone can contribute.

The Goal Isn't to Do Everything

It's easy to get caught up in the idea that the perfect Disney vacation is the one where you accomplish the most.

Five attractions before lunch.

Every Lightning Lane perfectly timed.

Dinner reservation at exactly the right time.

Every attraction checked off the list.

But that's not necessarily what makes a Disney day memorable.

The goal isn't simply to fit more rides into your day.

The goal is to create more time together.

Sometimes that happens because your carefully planned Lightning Lane strategy works perfectly.

And sometimes it happens because your daughter looks up from the next clamshell over and yells:

"Big Thunder! 4:15!"

And then tells you she already booked it.

Those are the moments you remember.

Planning for Your Family, Not Someone Else's

This is also one of the reasons I don't believe there is one perfect Disney itinerary or one perfect Lightning Lane strategy for every family.

When I help families plan Walt Disney World vacations, I don't just think about attractions and reservations.

I want to understand the people taking the trip.

What does your family enjoy?

Who gets up early?

Who needs a break in the afternoon?

Who loves rides?

Who wants to meet characters?

Who cares about food?

Who loves planning?

And who would rather have absolutely nothing to do with the My Disney Experience app?

Those things matter.

A strategy that works beautifully for one family might be completely wrong for another.

The best plan is the one that helps your family have a great vacation.

Years Later, You'll Remember the Moment

Years from now, you probably won't remember every Lightning Lane you booked.

You probably won't remember exactly what time you rode every attraction.

But you may remember the moment when your family was working together, everyone was watching for the next opportunity, and suddenly someone shouted:

"Big Thunder! 4:15!"

And someone else answered:

"I already did."

That's the kind of moment that makes a Disney vacation worth planning.

Because ultimately, Disney planning isn't about creating a perfect schedule.

It's about creating opportunities for your family to spend time together, experience something special, and come home with memories you'll still be talking about years later.

And that's what I want to help families do.

If you're planning a Walt Disney World vacation and want help creating a strategy that works for your family, I'd love to help you start creating your own magical memories.

Tim Thomson Travel — The plan behind the magic.