The foolproof guide to getting the virtual queue every time

By Jenna Caron

What is a virtual queue, you ask?? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. A virtual line that you don't have to physically be there to wait in, but you need to be there (on the My Disney Experience or Disneyland app) at 7am (or 12pm, 1pm, or 6pm) to "enter" the queue. The virtual queue sells out in seconds, so if you are not prepared to snag it first thing in the morning - you will 100% miss out.

At Walt Disney World currently, the only way to access certain attractions is through the virtual queue (free option) or by purchasing an individual lighting lane (paid option). Tron Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind at Epcot are currently utilizing the virtual queue system. These virtual queues open at 7:00am, 1:00pm, and sometimes at 6:00pm when deluxe resort guests have extended evening hours (currently Monday's at Epcot and Wednesday's at Magic Kingdom).

I cannot count the number of times I have seen guests outside of these attractions looking for the physical queue, only to find out they missed out on the experience all together since they missed the virtual queue opening up at 7:00am.

At the Disneyland Resort, the only virtual queue currently is for the World of Color nighttime spectacular at Disney's California Adventure park. This queue opens at 12:00 pm and you MUST have either entered DCA before noon, or have entered Disneyland with a park hopper ticket before noon. Getting the virtual queue for this show gives you access to the priority viewing areas. You can also just show up early without having entered the virtual queue at all to watch this show!

SO! The ultimate question - what is the foolproof way to secure the virtual queue EVERY TIME? I'm going to share what works for me, and I've never NOT gotten a virtual queue before.

• Step 1: be ready to rock at 6:50am (or 11:50am, or 12:50pm, or 6:50pm). By ready to rock, I mean make sure you're logged into the app and ensure everyone who is joining you either has a profile on your account, or has shared plans with you on the app. If you don't see everyone in your party, they will need to be added. Only guests with a valid theme park ticket will show up as "available" to be booked for the virtual queue.

• Step 2: Pre-select your party for the Virtual Queue. Have your party PRE-SELECTED. Go to the home page in My Disney Experience, hit join virtual queues, select which queue you're going to join and select everyone in your party who will be coming with you. Once you hit confirm, it will take you to the page you need to stay on until you've secured your VQ.

• Step 3: Turn off your wifi. Nothing like everyone else in your vicinity clogging up the interwebs when you're trying to secure the goods.

• Step 4: Step outside of your hotel room. I'm not saying that staying inside your hotel room would deter your chances, but I always step outside to ensure I am getting the best signal possible.

• Step 5: Have another device with the world clock available, or use your apple watch for your countdown. Now this is important! 1 second can set you apart from boarding group 3 or boarding group 300. It's essential to have a countdown nearby so that you can press refresh/join queue at EXACTLY the right time. I personally don't use the world clock, I use my apple watch hourly chimes to countdown.

• Step 6: At 6:59:59 hit refresh/join queue! I know that when my apple watch chime starts, it's 6:59:59. That is the time to press refresh/join queue! If you're using the world clock, obviously hit refresh/join queue at 6:59:59. I personally hit refresh constantly starting at 6:59 so my screen doesn't go black.

• Step 7: Just keeping tapping. Just like Dory just keeps swimming. Hit that refresh/join queue and keep tapping through until it takes you back to the home page where you can view what boarding group you got! The virtual queue is free, you don't have to worry about agreeing to any payments or anything - but stopping to read will delay your progress! JUST KEEP TAPPING!

And there you have it. The coveted virtual queue! The same rules apply whether you're joining at 7:00am, 1:00pm, or any other time.

I personally like the virtual queue. I would always prefer to wait in a virtual queue so I can do other things while I'm waiting, vs standing in a physical queue where I am stuck for any length of time.

At Walt Disney World currently, you are only allowed to join a virtual queue once per day for an attraction. You can't get in the virtual queue at 7:00am and then again at 1:00pm. You can however, get into a DIFFERENT virtual queue at that time! For example, you start at Epcot and got the Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind virtual queue at 7:00am, and you plan to park hop to Magic Kingdom later in the day. You can get into the virtual queue for Tron Lightcycle Run at 1:00pm. This was a recent change, when all day park hopping came back earlier this year.

If you loved the attraction so much and you want to ride it again, you can always purchase an individual lightning lane. Those don't sell out as quickly as the virtual queue does. Pricing is dynamic and changes from day to day based on availability and crowds (like genie+). I do highly suggest getting your individual lighting lane as early in the day as possible.

Have you been successful getting the virtual queue at Walt Disney World or at the Disneyland Resort? Let me know in the comments! If you liked this information and you're looking for more, please subscribe to my blog where I offer tips like this and so much more Disney content!