UPDATED December 11, 2024

If you’re heading to Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort and are hoping to ride some of the newest and most in-demand attractions, then you should know the ins-and-outs of Virtual Queues!

We’re sharing everything there is to know here, but if you’d like to skip to a specific topic, just click any of the links below:

• What is a Virtual Queue?
• Which Attractions Use a Virtual Queue? 
• What Do I Need to Enter a Virtual Queue?
• How Do I Enter a Virtual Queue in Disney World?
• How Do I Enter a Virtual Queue in Disneyland?
• What if I Don’t Get a Spot in a Virtual Queue? 

What is a Virtual Queue?

A Virtual Queue is a tool available through the My Disney Experience app (for Disney World) and the Disneyland app (for Disneyland Resort) which allows guests to reserve a space in line for the most popular park attractions. This space is referred to as a Boarding Pass for use within an assigned Boarding Group.

If a ride is utilizing a Virtual Queue, that means there is NO traditional standby line available, so getting a space in a Boarding Group through a Virtual Queue is of utmost importance!

Overwhelmed? Confused? Don’t worry… we’re breaking it all down here!

Attractions That Utilize a Virtual Queue

First things first: below are the attractions that currently utilize a Virtual Queue.

Walt Disney World Attractions That Use Virtual Queues

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom
• Be aware the we have also seen Virtual Queues in use for seasonal offerings in the parks and even Disney Springs for happenings such as runDisney Race Weekend merchandise at the Fitness Expo and other select merchandise events, and even Meet-and-Greets with Santa Claus during the Holiday Season!

Note that guests may only book ONE VIRTUAL QUEUE per day, per ride at any park where they have valid admission. Visitors are only able to hold one Virtual Queue at a time, however, so you can’t book both Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind simultaneously. 

Disneyland Resort Attractions That Use Virtual Queues

• World of Color at Disney California Adventure — Distribution times for this virtual queue start at noon each day.
• Be aware the we have also seen Virtual Queues in use for seasonal offerings in the parks such as the purchase process for the famous Disneyland Candy Canes during the Holiday Season!

Next? Let’s talk about WHAT you need and how to join a Virtual Queue!

How to Join a Virtual Queue in Disney World

IN PREPARATION:

You’ll first want to make sure that you have a registered account the My Disney Experience app for Disney World installed on your phone and/or updated with the latest version.

Sign into your Disney account and check that the following things are linked to your account:

• Valid admission tickets;
• The accounts of any family and friends who are visiting the park with you and wish to be in the same Boarding Group.

PLEASE NOTE: Cast Members and Annual Passholders must also have a Park Pass Reservation in the instances where one is required. 

For the purposes of this example, we’re using TRON Lightcycle / Run in Disney World. (Please note that TRON has recently switched to a Standby line and no longer utilizes Virtual Queue; however, the process is the same for all attractions.)

STEP ONE: CONFIRM YOUR PARTY

To make things go more quickly when the Virtual Queue opens (because, with in-demand attractions, speed is the KEY!), you can confirm your party in advance up to an hour before you try to score a space in a Boarding Group in the My Disney Experience app.

Beginning at 6AM, you can tap into the Virtual Queue and set your party so that you have fewer steps when Boarding Groups are available at 7AM or 1PM. On the app, after you’ve selected your desired attraction in the appropriate park (as seen below — you’ll see both Magic Kingdom and EPCOT), under “Join Virtual Queue,” you’ll find a button that says “Confirm Your Party.”

Once you hit that button, the app will find the people who are linked to your account. You’ll select each person that you want to add to your party, and choose “Confirm Party.”

The text above, which populates immediately on the home screen for the My Disney Experience app, notes that the virtual queue will open at 7AM, and again at 1PM.*

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the 7AM and 1PM openings, the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind offers a THIRD opportunity at 6PM for guests who are eligible to attend Extended Evening Hours on select dates when offered in EPCOT. Guests who qualify for Extended Evening Hours do NOT have to be inside EPCOT or Magic Kingdom to join the virtual queue at 6PM. You can find out more about who qualifies for this perk here.

*Guests can join a Virtual Queue WITHOUT BEING INSIDE A PARK for the 7AM Virtual Queue opening. Guests MUST BE IN THE SPECIFIC PARK WHICH HOUSES THE RIDE for the 1PM Virtual Queue opening. 

STEP TWO: JOIN VIRTUAL QUEUE

You can attempt to join the Virtual Queue through the app at exactly 7AM EST by selecting the Join Virtual Queue button on the home screen of the app. (Remember, you can register for the 7AM Virtual Queue opening from ANYWHERE — you do not have to be inside the park.) 

Or, if you’ve already confirmed your party as mentioned above, you may REFRESH the next screen at the appointed time to make the process move a bit faster!

From here, move quickly through the prompts to land that coveted Boarding Group spot! You won’t need to be in the park at 7AM to join the queue, but you’ll want to be quick — boarding passes often disappear in seconds, so we recommend having a clock nearby to count down.

The app will notify you immediately if you have successfully booked a space in the Virtual Queue with an assigned Boarding Group Number!

At any time throughout the day, you can monitor your which groups are currently boarding within the app, or on Information Boards posted throughout the park.

Better yet, it’s wise to also enable push notifications from the app that can alert you when your Boarding Group is called!

You may also see an Estimated Return Time*, depending on the attraction. (For instance, the screenshot below is from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which provides an Estimated Wait time.)

*As of August 2024, we have also seen an “arrive anytime today” option ONLY at EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Your mileage may vary.

If there IS an estimated wait time provided, typically, you will have a one hour return time window. Sometime, late arrivals may be accommodated, though it is not guaranteed, and guests should check with a Cast Member stationed at the attraction.

STEP THREE — IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

If you miss the morning opportunity, you can try again to enter the Virtual Queue at 1PM, once you’re inside the park that houses the ride.

Again, unlike the 7AM opening, you must have scanned into the park in order to try for a boarding pass in the afternoon.

Also unlike the 7AM, you can request help from Guest Relations in the park if, for some reason, you do not have access to your phone when the Virtual Queue opens. You can speak to Cast Members at Guest Relations or at a Guest Experience station and a Cast Member may book it for you (though we must stress that this is PENDING AVAILABILITY). In this instance, the Cast Member will give you your boarding group number (be sure to write it down so you don’t forget it). You will need to keep an eye on the physical tip boards at the park or check at the ride itself to see what boarding groups are currently being called.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the 7AM and 1PM openings, the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind offers a THIRD opportunity at 6PM for guests who are eligible to attend Extended Evening Hours on select dates when offered in EPCOT. Guests who qualify for Extended Evening Hours do NOT have to be inside EPCOT or Magic Kingdom to join the virtual queue at 6PM. You can find out more about who qualifies for this perk here.

How to Join a Virtual Queue in Disneyland

Essentially, the step-by-step app process seen above is the same process guests will use in Disneyland within the Disneyland app  — BUT there are some important differences to note!

VIRTUAL QUEUE OPENING TIMES: While the first Virtual Queue typically opens at 7AM in Disneyland (like in Disney World) with some exceptions, some Virtual Queue opening times differ:

World of Color

It is important to be aware that the Virtual Queue for World of Color has a unique opening time. Distribution times for that virtual queue start at noon each day. To access the virtual queue, you’ll need to have entered Disney California Adventure Park (with a 1-park ticket or Park Hopper ticket/Magic Key pass) or Disneyland Park (with a Park Hopper ticket/Magic Key pass) before noon.

If you do get a virtual queue spot for World of Color, you’ll receive a notification through the Disneyland app. That notification will tell you to enter your designated viewing area through one of the 2 marked entrance points — yellow or blue, approximately 45 minutes before the show starts.

When there are multiple showtimes, distribution for additional showtimes will begin immediately after distribution is full for the first showtime. Once you’ve secured a virtual queue spot, enter your designated viewing area for your show time about 30-45 minutes before the show begins.

If the virtual queue fills up, you can visit the Paradise Bay viewing area 30-45 minutes before the showtime to speak with a Cast Member and see what availability looks like for walk-up viewing options.

Click HERE to read more about the Virtual Queue for World of Color. 

I Didn’t get a Boarding Group! Is There Any Chance I Can Still Ride This Popular Attraction?

The thing about a Virtual Queue is, that — even following every step to the letter — there is no guarantee that you will get a spot in a Boarding Group. Well, there is an ADDITIONAL way to access in-demand attractions. 

Lightning Lane Single Pass offers guests who opt for this pay-per-ride service to bypass the Standby Line — or have as an option if a Boarding Group isn’t acquired through the Virtual Queue — and enter the “Lightning Lane.”

Many of the attractions that offer Virtual Queues also offer the Lightning Lane Single Pass (pay-per-ride) option*. Pay-per-ride prices vary by date: the busier the day, the more the ride may cost. Thus far, we have seen the following prices:

Disney World

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — $14 – $17 per person

Our recommendation? Try for the Virtual Queue FIRST, because it can obviously save you a chunk of change!

*Uniquely, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is available as a Lightning Lane Multi Pass Tier 1 option. This means that, from THREE advance Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections, you can choose one experience from Tier 1 and two experiences (or all three) from Tier 2. You can learn more about how to access Tiana’s Bayou Adventure using Lightning Lane Multi-Pass HERE.

Remember, there are a several new rides and experiences on the way to both Disney World and Disneyland. The pattern for new rides in recent years has included a debut with a Virtual Queue to manage the crowds that a new attraction inevitably brings. We’ll certainly keep you posted as more information on current and upcoming rides are announced, and we hope you’ll stay tuned!