Hey, Zoraida! Welcome to planDisney.
I'm so glad you stopped by with your great question.
The only attraction that currently uses the virtual queue system is
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Although,
TRON Lightcycle / Run will utilize the virtual queue system once it opens on April 4.
To join the
virtual queue, you'll need to open your
My Disney Experience Mobile App. There are a few different windows that open for the virtual queue. The first is at 7:00 AM, the second is at 1:00 PM, and the third is at 6:00 PM on select dates during extended evening theme park hours (usually Mondays for EPCOT and Wednesdays for Magic Kingdom Park). This third window is a benefit for registered Guests staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort, Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, or other select hotels.
Since you might have never joined a virtual queue before, let me walk you through it:
1. As soon as the window opens (7:00 AM, 1:00 PM, or 6:00 PM) open your My Disney Experience Mobile App.
2. Select "Join Virtual Queue" on the home screen. You'll then see the next steps for joining the virtual queue. You'll need to do this quickly since lots of people will be trying to get a slot. The app will indicate when there is no availability for a specific distribution time, or if a backup group is available.
3. Enroll your group. Make sure your My Disney Experience account is linked to your group's park tickets.
4. Once your boarding group is called to return, you’ll receive a notification via the My Disney Experience app (make sure notifications are switched on). Then, head over to the entrance of the attraction within your designated return window.
If you're not able to join the virtual queue at 7:00 AM, Hakuna Matata. This is usually the hardest window to join the virtual queue. As I mentioned above, you'll have another opportunity to join the virtual queue at 1:00 PM. Here's an important data point though: for the 7:00 AM window, you can join the virtual queue from outside the theme park. However, for the 1:00 PM window (and the 6:00 PM window) you'll have to be
inside the theme park to join the virtual queue.
But let's say you join the virtual queue at 7:00 AM, however, you actually miss your time slot. Maybe you lost track of time or you were waiting in line for another attraction. Whatever the reason, I would actually ask a Cast Member at the ride entrance and explain your situation. Who knows, they might show you some grace and let you board the attraction. However, if that's not possible, you can always join the virtual queue again at 1:00 PM since you never activated your original boarding pass.
Finally, for any attraction that uses the virtual queue system, you can also purchase an
Individual Lightning Lane entrance. You can do this from 7:00 AM on the day of your visit if you're staying at a Disney Resort. If you're staying off-property, you can make a purchase once the theme park opens. Simply open your My Disney Experience App, go to the "Tip Board," select the theme park and scroll down to the attraction. You should see an option to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane.
I hope that's helpful, Zoraida. As we say in Liverpool, "Have a boss holiday!"
Mike