Disney World Lighting Lane Tips and Strategies for Hollywood Studios 2024 -

Are you looking for ways to maximize your Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane pass purchase? Below are tips and strategies for Lightning Lane at Hollywood Studios. I’ve also included a real-life example of my Lightning Lane reservations during my family vacation at Hollywood Studios.

What is Lightning Lane?

Before we start, I just want to go over the basics of what Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane is. It is Disney World’s ride reservation system. There are 2 types of Lightning Lanes at Disney World.

Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane

The Disney Genie+ Lightning can be used to make ride reservations all day long. You can use it on multiple rides but only one ride at a time (or if 2 hours have elapsed since your last booking). It costs $15+ per person per day (the price will vary).

Individual Lighting Lane

Individual Lightning Lane is a ride reservation for one ride only. The cost of an individual Lighting Lane will depend on the attraction, the range is $10-$15 per person per ride.

If you are still confused about Lightning Lane. Read my Beginner’s Guide to Disney World’s Lightning Lane before proceeding to the tips and strategies.

Lightning Lane Tips and Strategies for Hollywood Studios

1. Popular Lightning Lane Rides at Hollywood Studios Sells Out

You should be aware that popular Lightning Lane rides at Hollywood Studios do sell out by mid-day or in the afternoon. Some of the most popular rides at Disney World are in Hollywood Studios. These rides are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, Tower of Terror, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. You need to book your Lightning Lane reservations early! Don’t assume you have all day to book your Lightning Lane because they do sell out!

2. Wake Up Early to Book Your First Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane at 7 am

There are many popular rides at Hollywood Studios, in order to make sure you get your ride reservations before it sells out, you need to wake up early to book your Lightning Lane at Hollywood Studios. Book your first Lightning Lane ride at 7 am.

Check out my Tips for Families Visiting Hollywood Studios

3. Book the Lightning Lane for the Most Popular Ride at Hollywood Studios First

I suggest booking Slinky Dog Dash as your first Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane ride, This is the most popular Lightning Lane ride at Hollywood Studios and can sell out by mid-morning.

4. Book Your Second Lightning Lane 2 hours after Hollywood Studios Opens

You are eligible to book your next Lightning Lane reservations 2 hours after Hollywood Studios opens. Hollywood Studios usually opens at 8:30 am, so 2 hours after that is 10:30 am. Set an alarm as a reminder. Book Tower of Terror or Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run as your second Lightning Lane ride.

5. Book Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway as Your 3rd Lightning Lane at Hollywood Studios

Book your 3rd Lightning Lane ride at 12:30 pm (which is 2 hours after 10:30 am). Book Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith as your third Lightning Lane. If Tower of Terror or Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is still available, you should book it. If not, book Book Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith as your 3rd Lightning Lane ride.

If you are torn between which ride to book first, know that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has a single-rider line. So if you are willing to split up your group, then I suggest booking the Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and going on the single rider line for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

6. It’s Worth It to Buy Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Individual Lightning Lane

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the hottest ride at Disney World right now. Standby wait times typically are over 100 minutes long (2-3 hours long)! If you can save 2-3 hours of your time, it is worth paying $15 per person for the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Individual Lightning Lane.

7. Buy Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Individual Lightning Lane As Soon as You Can

The individual Lighting Lane of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance do sell out by mid-day. You need to buy it as soon as you are eligible to buy individual Lightning Lane passes.

Individual Lightning Lane passes are sold on the day of your park visit. If you are a Disney World Resort Guest (including Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walk Disney World Dolphin Hotel, and Shades of Green Resort), you can buy Individual Lightning Lane starting at 7 am on the day of your park visit.

If you are not staying at Disney World Resort, you can buy Individual Lightning Lane when the park opens. Since Individual Lightning Lane passes for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance sells out, you should buy them as soon as you can. Otherwise, you will be stuck having to stand in line for 2-3 hours or worse, not riding it at all!

8. When You Are Eligible, Book Another Lightning Lane Ride

Whenever you become eligible to book a Lighting Lane, don’t waste it, use it to book another one right away. There are many good rides at Hollywood Studios. Use Lighting Lane to shorten your wait time.

9. Order of Lightning Lane at Hollywood Studios

Here is the order of rides at Hollywood Studios with regards to its likelihood of selling out of Lightning Lane reservations. Try to book the rides with the highest likelihood of selling out first.

1. Slinky Dog Dash and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

2. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Tower of Terror

3. Rock n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

4. Toy Story Mania!

Real-Life Example of How I Used Lighting Lane at Hollywood Studios

Below, is a real-life example of how I booked Lightning Lane when I was at Hollywood Studios for 2 days. I was able to book 3 Disney Genie+ Lighting Lanes rides each day and 1 Individual Lightning Lane on the second day.

Day 1 Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane

7 am- Booked Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

10:30 am- Booked Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway

Booked Toy Story Mania!

Day 2 Hollywood Studios Lighting Lane

7:10 am- Booked Millennium Falcon and got a 12:30 pm ride time

8:30 am- Booked Individual Lightning Lane at $15 per person per ride for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

10:30 am- Booked Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway (Slinky Dog was already sold out by 10:30 am)

12:30 pm- Booked Toy Story Mania!

If you are still on the fence about whether or not, Lighting Lane is worth it at Hollywood Studios. Check out my article: Is Lightning Lane Worth it at Disney World?