There’s a new theme park in Walt Disney World’s future—and even if Disney hasn’t made it official yet, the recently released Comprehensive Plan 2045 says it all. One new “major theme park” and two “minor parks” could be coming over the next two decades, and it’s a game-changer in every way. Especially for how we skip the lines.
Because if Disney’s building a brand-new park, there’s one thing you can bet on: Lightning Lane, as we know it, won’t make the cut.
The Planning Document That Quietly Changed Everything
The CFTOD’s 2045 plan doesn’t just reserve land for new parks. It essentially clears all the legal and zoning hurdles that would have slowed Disney down. That means when Disney’s ready, construction can move forward without massive delays.
That also means the operational systems Disney uses—like Lightning Lane—will have to be rethought from the ground up.
Lightning Lane’s Built-In Expiration
Here’s why: Lightning Lane was designed in the aftermath of the FastPass+ era. It’s already undergone some retooling, ditching the Genie+ name and introducing purchase windows instead of same-day scrambling. But that version of Lightning Lane? It works because it’s retrofitted into the current parks. The rides, the crowds, the timing—everything is built around existing limitations.
But a brand-new park has no limitations. No pre-existing pathways. No outdated queue designs. No ride systems that weren’t built to accommodate digital reservations.
So why would Disney carry over a line-skipping system that was designed to fit a square peg into a round hole?
The Future Could Look Very Different
The fifth gate gives Disney a blank canvas. Imagine if your park admission came with smart ride reservations already built in—no scrambling at 7 a.m., no last-minute changes. Imagine if your Lightning Lane bookings adapted in real-time to your location or crowd levels.
That kind of system wouldn’t just be better. It would make the current Lightning Lane look like a relic of a more complicated time.
And once that new system launches? You can bet the rest of the resort will follow.
