Hi there Meredith and welcome back to planDisney!
When it comes to
Virtual Queues, I find myself spending a lot time tinkering with the best strategies that would result in being able to enjoy experiences like riding
TRON Lightcycle / Run as the outer structure glows at night, or discovering that the best place to sit as I help save the galaxy. I even had the opportunity to book Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind as a private VIP Experience for my
Disney Wedding this year as a surprise way to end our big day, so it's definitely high up on my Disney attraction list! With your specific situation in mind, here are a few of my personal Princely pointers to help you out:
- When you say that your family won't be in EPCOT until later in the afternoon, does that mean that you won't be with them until then? This is key, since the second opportunity to join the Virtual Queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind requires you and your entire party wishing to ride this attraction together to be already within EPCOT in order to do so.
- In my opinion, the combined popularity of this ride with the Spring Break crowds that descend upon Walt Disney World Resort in March already make snagging a spot in the Virtual Queue competitive so I would take every chance I had! In this case, I would definitely make the early morning attempt at 7:00 a.m. and try again in the afternoon if I wasn't successful at the first try - especially if my family wouldn't be able to join me on the ride either way if they were only arriving later in the afternoon.
- If you do manage to snag a spot in the Virtual Queue that's a bit too early for you to be able to make it to, it's still important to note that the policies for Virtual Queues was updated to emphasize that once your Boarding Group has been called, "late arrivals may not be accommodated." I've personally observed in recent months that guests and families running behind have been let through by understanding Cast Members, but this can never be guaranteed and policies are always subject to change without prior notice so there's always a risk that you may miss out on the ride if you arrive way too late beyond your boarding time.
In the event that you're happy with taking the one opportunity to join the Virtual Queue at 1:00 p.m., just be sure that you've already entered past the turnstiles and are in a spot where you won't encounter difficulty finding a strong internet connection. I have consistently found that using your data results in slightly faster and more successful attempts to join the Virtual Queue as opposed to connecting to the in-park wireless internet, especially when you're in a cluster of other folks and families anxiously looking down at their My Disney Experience mobile apps. Hope this helped, Meredith - come back to planDisney again for any other tips or tricks ahead of your next Disney adventure!
I wish you the best of luck in snagging a spot as you prepare to save the galaxy!
Prince