Complete Guide to the 2023 Disney Virtual Queue

Complete Guide to the 2023 Disney Virtual Queue

Complete Guide to the 2023 Disney Virtual Queue

This article is the complete guide to the Disney virtual queue system 2023! Because we all know planning a trip to Walt Disney World can be complicated, and that’s no different when it comes to the new virtual queue at Disney World. And this is by far one of the most popular topics guests have been asking us about when preparing for their next vacation. One of the main reasons is that many of the Disney virtual rides tend to be some of the most popular in theme parks. So it’s essential that we cover how to join the virtual queue at Disney World, how the virtual queue works, and some of the best Disney virtual queue tips and tricks 2023!

Disney also recently announced that it’s the newest ride Tron Lightcycle at the Magic Kindom will run through a virtual queue as it opens on April 4th 2023. So this now means that guests will have to use the Disney World virtual queue system at two of the four Walt Disney World parks if they are trying to ride every single attraction. We hope you find this post helpful, and if you are planning a trip to Disney World be sure to check out our other FREE vacation planning tools. Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time on your next vacation and find the cheapest Walt Disney World tickets!

We will cover this again later in our post, so for the complete guide on the virtual Queue Disney World read on!

 Disney World Crowd Calendar

How Does Disney Virtual Queue Work 2023?

Let’s start with the most common question we receive on this topic, and that is, how does the virtual queue work at Disney? And as a general rule of thumb, when a Disney virtual queue is in place it allows guests to request to enjoy that attraction or experience later in the day so that they can enjoy other rides and experiences while they wait. This will allow guests to track their place in the virtual line on their phone or on signs throughout the park as the day passes. This has allowed Disney to keep wait times significantly down once you do enter the Disney queue, and it has completely changed the way we get to enjoy our days at Walt Disney World!

It is important to note that all of the Disney World virtual queues are first come, first serve, and they can fill up. The reason why this is so important to understand is that the Disney virtual queues tend to be for the newest and most popular Disney World attractions. So our recommendation if you are worried about grabbing a WDW virtual queue is to try to visit during the off-peak time of year. And as a general rule of thumb, Disney World ticket prices will often show you the best time to visit Walt Disney World, as you will find the cheapest Disney World ticket prices during the slowest times of the year.

What is a virtual queue at Disney World?

The virtual queue at Disney World allows guests to request to join the line for an attraction later in the day, which allows you to enjoy other rides and attractions while you wait.

Related Page: Complete Guide to the Newest Rides at Disney World 

Disney World Virtual Queue Rides 2023

Another popular question we receive is, which Disney World rides use the virtual queue? And as a general rule of thumb, the only ride currently using the Disney virtual queue system is Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind over at EPCOT. However, Disney has recently announced that Tron Lightcyle Run will also be using the Disney World virtual queue system as it opens on April 4th, 2023. And given the anticipation and popularity of the Magic Kingdom park, it’s going to be very interesting to see how the virtual queue system handles the increased amount of guests trying to ride. In our opinion, it could be very similar to the early days of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance when the virtual queue would fill up within seconds during the 7:00 AM release.

What are the 2023 Disney World Virtual Queue Rides?

• Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind
• Tron Lightcycle Run (Newest ride to be added to Disney virtual queue)

Related Page: How to Ride Star Wars Rise of the Resistance 

How to Join Disney Virtual Queue 2023

The next most popular question is, how do I use the Disney virtual queue? And the first step to using the Disney virtual queue is to download and sign up for the My Disney Experience App. Next, guests can log in to their account at one of the virtual queue distribution times, and select “Virtual Queues” on the left side of the home screen as long as the virtual queue is open, it will say “join the virtual queue. It’s important to note that it’s very important to time these steps correctly, as the Disney World virtual queue can fill up and sell out for any of the distribution periods. And if you are not a morning bird, one of our favorite ways to use the Disney World virtual queue is during Disney deluxe resort after hours. From our experience, it is significantly easier to use the Disney Virtual queue during this time and it gives you a greater chance of grabbing a spot.

There are a few steps to make sure you can join the 2023 Disney World virtual queue system: 

1. Make sure you have purchased your Walt Disney World theme park tickets and have made a reservation for the theme park which contains the Disney World virtual queue ride
2. Download the My Disney Experience App and link all members of your party
3. 15 minutes before virtual queues are released, confirm all members who will be riding
4. Click virtual queues 2 minutes before and begin to refresh your phone
5. When “Join Boarding Group” appears, click join!

How to join virtual queue Disney Step 1

The first step to make sure you get onto your Disney World virtual queue ride is to purchase your Walt Disney World tickets. The reason being is all guests must make a valid theme park reservation for the theme park you are trying to make a valid Disney virtual queue reservation.

How to join virtual queue Disney Step 2

So the second step is to make sure your valid theme park ticket or annual pass is connected to your My Disney Experience account. And as discussed in step 1 make sure you actually have a Walt Disney World park reservation for the theme park in which the ride is located. The next step would be to make sure that everyone in your party is linked and connected through the My Disney Experience App.

How to join virtual queue Disney Step 3

 

Step three is the first step to take place on the actual day of your visit. A few minutes before the virtual Disney queues are released sign into the Disney World app and select each group member who will be joining you in the Disney virtual queue. For kids and small children you will add them as a guest on your account.

How to join virtual queue Disney Step 4

The last and final step to joining a Disney virtual queue is a few minutes before it is released begin to refresh your phone. This way at exactly the time when the virtual queue spots are released you will be promoted to join. Once you see “Join Boarding Group” click that button and you will hopefully be part of the lucky group that is selected!

Related Page: What is the Disney World Genie? 

How Does the Disney World Virtual Queue Work After Selected?

Okay, so now that you have been selected, what happens next? Well, if you have successfully joined a Disney virtual queue you will receive a boarding group number. Once Disney is ready for your boarding group to go and enter the attraction they will send you a notification. At that point you will have an hour window to go and scan in using the My Disney Experience app.

What Time Do the Disney World Virtual Queues Start?

Another popular question is, what time do the virtual queues at Disney World come out? And as a general rule of thumb, the Disney World virtual queues are distrusted daily at 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM. It’s also important to note that due to the popularity of Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind and how efficiently the virtual queue has been working, Disney can sometimes release more virtual queues at 6:00 PM as well for extended evening hours. It is important to also note that guests can only join the same WDW virtual queue once within the same day.

What are the Disney Virtual Queue distribution times?

• 7:00 AM
• 1:00 PM

How long do you have to return to Disney virtual queue?

As a general rule of thumb, Disney World guests have one hour to return to the standby line after their Disney virtual queue number is called. It’s important to keep in mind that you do have to check in and scan your ticket, mobile device or magic band as you enter the virtual queue line so be sure to have them out to speed up the process.

What is the 6 PM virtual queue?

An additional opportunity to join the virtual queue will be available at 6:00 PM during extended evening theme park hours – a benefit for guests, staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort, Deluxe Villa Resort or other select hotels. Guests do not need to be in the park to join the queue. Extended evening hours are only available on select nights for deluxe resort guests so be sure to check the My Disney Experience App for updated park hours during your visit.

Related Page: Complete Guide to Disney Genie+ Rides

Disney Virtual Queue Tips and Tricks 2023

• It’s not possible to get more than one Disney World virtual queue for the same ride in a single day.
• Do not load the My Disney Experience app exactly when the WDW virtual passes are released.
• Double-check and be 100% sure that everyone in your party is linked to your My Disney Experience Account
• We have found that using your cellular service is best, so we recommend staying outside and grabbing your virtual boarding pass before going on rides when trying at 1:00 PM. (Turn off your Wifi)
• Be sure to have your smartphone push notifications on and keep an eye on your phone while enjoying the day at the parks. Guests must head to the ride once their boarding group is called.

Related Page: Should Your Rope Drop Hollywood Studios? 

2023 Disney World Virtual Queue Pros

Another one of the most popular questions we receive is, is the Disney World virtual queue worth it? And from our personal experience using the Disney World virtual queue in the parks we do believe that it makes for a better guest experience in many situations. The first is that families don’t have to wait on 3-4 hour-long lines for the newest rides in the parks anymore. This had become a common occurrence, and I remember waiting on a three hour long line for Avatar Flight of Passage almost one year after that ride was initially released. The new 2023 virtual queue system has eliminated that and the longest we have waited for Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic rewind has been around 35 minutes once our boarding group has been called. The second is that this is a free feature which adds to a better guest experience which we believe is very rare these days, especially when you consider the prices of the Disney World Genie+. 

2023 Disney World Virtual Queue Cons

In our opinion, one of the most significant downsides of the virtual queue system at Disney World is that guests must have a Disney World park reservation for the park in which the ride is located even to try to grab a boarding group. We feel like this makes it extremely difficult for families who upgraded to the Disney World park hopper ticket to be spontaneous and visit which ever parks they would like for that day. And on the flip side, even if you can successfully grab a virtual queue for that day, another one of the negatives to the new system is that you won’t know what time your boarding group will be called throughout the day. We feel like this also doesn’t allow families to plan ahead and really get the most out of their day.

Related Page: What to Bring to Disney World 

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney  World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages. The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets. If you’re brand new to Disney vacation planning we recommend our Walt Disney World Planning Page! Learn more about Disney hotels by reading our Walt Disney World Hotels Review page.

Don’t forget to check out our wonderful friends over at Theme Park Today, as well!