By Throughout this book, we’ll reference “standby lines,” which may sound strange to you at first. The concept itself is quite basic, though.
At Walt Disney World and other Disney theme parks, you’ll spend a great deal of time standing in various lines. However, Disney attractions use two different kinds of line queues.
When you purchase a Lightning Lane of some sort, you’ll enter a Lightning Lane queue. Disney prioritizes the guests in these lanes, as the system exists to expedite the time needed to get you on a ride.
Most of the time, you won’t enter that queue. Instead, you’ll walk into the main line for an attraction. In Disney terms, it’s the standby line.
You’ve been using the equivalent of standby lines your entire life. You just never called them that. Any time you enter a line, you’re standing by, waiting for your turn.
Disney’s Lightning Lane lines are the equivalent of the velvet rope at a club. Some guests can bypass the main line and enter the special way because they’re special.
Generally, you must pay more to use the Lightning Lane queue rather than the standby line. However, in some rare instances, you’ll get to enter the Lightning Lane for free.
Sometimes, an attraction will close unexpectedly. When you’re standing in line when it happens, Disney may give you a Lightning Lane as the equivalent of a make-good.
Still, you’ll wait in the standby line, also called the standby queue, the overwhelming majority of the time you’re at Disney. So, please just expect that and savor your Lightning Lanes that much more when you use them.