“Accelerating” is when you’re holding BOTH:
A) a Multi-Experience Pass (“MEP”: compensation for something having gone wrong during your day);
*AND*
B) a
Lightning Lane reservation for an attraction you’re going to ride with a scheduled return time later in the day…
*AND* when you scan at that attraction NOW (prior to the Lightning Lane scheduled return time)… the system uses your Lightning Lane reservation NOW, INSTEAD of deducting the Multi-Experience Pass from your ticket.
In theory, when this happens, you could repeat the process as long as Lightning Lane reservations continue to be available for attractions you want to ride, and your MEP continues not to be deducted. This unlikely at Disney World, and more likely at Disneyland.
Explanation:
First, understand it’s not a dependable strategy for an average guest visiting the park. There are lots of exceptions and situations where it doesn’t work as described above. The added complexity makes it not worthwhile for a vast majority of casual visitors. It also hinges upon something going wrong during your day… which is in itself not a great thing to hope for.
Why it Works at DL and not WDW:
At WDW, LL sell out much earlier, so it’s less likely you can grab a LL for later in the day to “Accelerate” to “ride right now” using a MEP. (MEPs may also be far less frequently given out at DisneyWorld because you’re not dealing with 1950’s engineering breaking down all the time.)
Steps to “Accelerate” a LL:
1) Get a MEP pass from the misfortune of experiencing an attraction going down.
2) Make a Lightning Lane reservation for the attraction you want to ride instead (regardless of the return time on the LL)
3) Scan in at the attraction immediately to ride right now instead of the Lightning Lane scheduled return time.
4) The scan may use your Lightning Lane return entitlement instead of your MEP, leaving you free to make your next Lightning Lane selection now to get back on track with your day.
Overall:
There are a variety of situations where this behavior of the system is as intended. Some people refer to it as a “glitch” or a “loophole”, which isn’t really correct.
You paid for a service to provide the convenience of shortening waits in line, then something happened to prevent you from riding the attraction as scheduled through no fault of your own. The MEP behavior allows you to recoup your lost time, inconvenience from rescheduling your day, additional walking to attractions away from your intended touring plan, making it to pre-paid reserved experiences and dining reservations, etc.
The ethics behind “fishing for compensation” to get an MEP may be advocated by others, but I wonder why it’s not against the rules of these boards… and I would recommend against fishing for compensation from any business.
“Accelerating” helps you make up lost time to get back on track. “Fishing for compensation”, by comparison, is a little like sending back your steak after eating 75% of it… or buying a service with the intent to get more than what the service includes… or… many other things that toe the line of dishonesty.
You don’t need to be dishonest to have a good time at a Disney park: just a lot of money and/or time.