When a new ride or attraction opens in a theme park, it can change EVERYTHING.

If you’re the type to use Lightning Lanes during your visit, a ride change may throw off your entire strategy — messing up the order in which you usually book things. We’ve seen this happen several times in the past few years, with rides and attractions swapping around on the “popularity podium.” And nowadays, some Magic Kingdom attractions aren’t as popular as they once were. 

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Starting out this list, we have a ride that had a brief surge of popularity in early spring and summer 2026. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin underwent a major renovation in 2025-2026 that changed the targets and scoring system, updated the ride vehicles, and swapped the attraction over to handheld blasters.

Following the refurbishment and reopening, the ride became a popular Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection for a little while. Fans were eager to check out the updates and wanted to avoid the long lines, so of the Tier 2 selections, it was a clear choice. Now that the initial hype has died down a bit, it remains a good choice for a Lightning Lane, but it’s not selling out as quickly.

See All the Updates Made to the Ride Here!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Similarly, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad recently reopened after a long closure. This ride was closed for nearly a year and a half and got a full track update as well as some new scenes, effects, and backstory elements. It had a long wait for a while when it reopened in May, and many people were apparently hoping to skip that long line in the heat.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a Tier 1 Lightning Lane Multi Pass selection, and it was booking up FAST after the ride reopened. After a couple of months, it’s still a popular choice, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be your #1 pick — we’ve seen times available for this ride day-of.

What We REALLY Think About the Big Thunder Makeover

Peter Pan’s Flight

For many years, Peter Pan’s Flight was a HOT ticket item. It was a ride that we often recommended guests flock to at rope drop, and it was the top choice for a Lightning Lane for many folks, due to its long wait and fairly slow-moving line. But nowadays? It’s not as much of a priority.

If you have small children, Peter Pan’s Flight and Jungle Cruise are the only two Tier 1 Lightning Lane Multi Pass options without height restrictions. In that case, this is a great choice for your first booking. Otherwise, you can wait to book this Lightning Lane until after you’ve used one in the park, as it’ll likely be available at some point in the day.

Why You’ll Never Catch Me Skipping Lightning Lanes as a Disney Mom

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in Magic Kingdom in 2024, and it held its popularity for AGES. This ride was a revamp of the fan-favorite Splash Mountain, and thus, it was the clear top choice for Lightning Lane Multi Pass for a looooong time. It perpetually had a lengthy wait.

Now that the ride has been open for more than two years, some of the hype has died down. We used to cheer and jump up and down if we were graced with the opportunity to snag a last-minute Lightning Lane reservation for this attraction, but now it’s much more routine. If it’s a must-do, it’s a good first choice for Tier 1, but don’t fret if you prefer to book something else — you can probably find some of these time slots throughout the day.

Learn More About This Ride HERE!

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Finally, we have to include a Lightning Lane Single Pass option in this list! Magic Kingdom is currently the only park with TWO Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions, and one of those is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. For nearly a decade, it was pretty much guaranteed that this ride would have the highest average wait time in the park. 

But then, several other big rides got updates (see some of the ones near the top of this list), and TRON Lightcycle / Run opened. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train’s Lightning Lane used to be hard to snag, but when guests find themselves working with a tight budget and choosing between this or TRON…the choice often goes to the newer coaster in Tomorrowland.

No matter which rides you choose for your Lightning Lanes, you can still have a great time in Magic Kingdom if you go in with a plan! Follow us here at DFB for more Disney tips and tricks, so you can have a smooth and worry-free vacation.

Everything You Need to Know About Lightning Lanes in Disney World!

Which Lightning Lanes do you prioritize in Magic Kingdom? Tell us in the comments!