Disney Parks Virtual Queue Guide - What You Need To Know!
So, you’re heading on a Disney vacation. Congratulations! We know you’ll have a blast experiencing the magic of Disney and all the amazing rides that the theme parks have in store.
Going on your first Disney trip — or your first Disney trip in a while — can come with its own set of obstacles. Disney is magical, but it can be overwhelming! Not to worry, though, because People Mover Travel has got you covered.
We’re here to answer all of your questions and share our tips and tricks to ensure you have the best trip ever. If you’re like us, you’re already daydreaming about all the incredible attractions you’re going to ride when you head to Disney. That brings us to this guide — our ultimate guide to using Disney’s virtual queue system.
Some of the most popular attractions at the Disney theme parks offer a virtual queue. But what is a virtual queue, and how do you use it? In this guide, we’re sharing our tips for how to use Disney’s virtual queue, including what you need to know before your upcoming vacation.
The virtual queues at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida are similar. Here’s what you need to know about joining the virtual queue on your next visit to The Happiest Place on Earth.
PEOPLE MOVER TRAVEL TOP TIP:
DOWNLOAD THE MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE APP BEFORE YOUR VISIT TO WALT DISNEY WORLD AND THE DISNEYLAND APP BEFORE YOUR VISIT TO DISNEYLAND. THE MOBILE APP IS THE ONLY WAY TO JOIN THE VIRTUAL QUEUE AT EACH THEME PARK DESTINATION (PLUS, IT WILL TELL YOU THE THEME PARK HOURS, ATTRACTION WAIT TIMES, AND MORE OPERATIONAL UPDATES). BE SURE TO HAVE NOTIFICATIONS ENABLED FOR EACH APP, AS WELL.
WHAT IS A VIRTUAL QUEUE?
All of this Disney jargon may be a little intimidating, but let’s break it down! So, what exactly is a virtual queue at a Disney theme park?
A virtual queue is an attraction’s mobile waitlist that you can join via the Disneyland app at Disneyland Resort or My Disney Experience app at Walt Disney World Resort. It works very similarly to a Lightning Lane in that it allows a guest to wait in a virtual line instead of a standby queue so that they can spend more time exploring the theme parks.
It’s important to note that you can only join on your mobile device during a certain time of day, and a spot in the virtual queue is not guaranteed. When a virtual queue is activated for an attraction, a standby queue will not be available.
Also, note that the virtual system is not the same as the Disney Lightning Lane system. Read more about Disney Lightning Lane on the official Walt Disney World website here and on the official Disneyland website here.
VIRTUAL QUEUE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Heading to Walt Disney World, The Most Magical Place on Earth? Here’s how this resort is handling virtual queues!
As of March 2025, there are two attractions at Walt Disney World Resort utilizing the virtual queue system! Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park can embark on a thrilling adventure through the bayou aboard Tiana’s Bayou Adventure using the virtual queue. Over at EPCOT, Guests can team up with Star-Lord and the Guardians aboard Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind through the virtual queue system.
The virtual queue can be accessed conveniently through your My Disney Experience account. Guests have two opportunities each day to join the queue:
7:00 AM: At this time, Guests can join the virtual queue from anywhere, without needing to be inside the theme park.
1:00 PM: For this opportunity, Guests must have already been admitted to the park before joining the queue.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Anytime between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on the day of your visit, you can confirm your party within the My Disney Experience app. This will ensure that everyone in your group who wants to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can be added to the queue together when it is time to join.
Within the My Disney Experience app, select the main menu in the bottom right corner, and then select “Virtual Queues.”
Select “Join Virtual Queue” and then click “Confirm Your Party.” From here, you can make sure that everyone who wants to ride the attraction is selected to be in your party, and if anyone is missing, you can make sure their ticket is linked to your My Disney Experience app. You can add or remove people from your party as needed.
Watch the clock! Immediately, at 7 a.m. (seriously, the SECOND 7 a.m. strikes), tap “Refresh” to start the boarding group process and join the virtual queue. Within seconds, you should either receive a boarding group number, or your screen will state that you did not make it into the queue.
There may be a situation in which you want to arrive at the park late, or you didn’t get a boarding group in the first round. Don’t worry! There is still another opportunity to join the virtual queue at 1 p.m. Just note that, unlike the 7 a.m. virtual queue process, the 1 p.m. process requires all members of your party to scan into the park before joining the queue. Be sure to enter Magic Kingdom Park or EPCOT with enough time to spare before 1 p.m. so you can refresh the Join Virtual Queue page within your My Disney Experience app and hopefully obtain a boarding group.
Remember that access to a boarding group is subject to availability and not guaranteed, and you can only join the virtual queue once per day per attraction. There is no paid option to bypass the virtual queue for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but if you wish to skip the queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, you can purchase Individual Lightning Lane access within the Disney Genie platform in the My Disney Experience app.
VIRTUAL QUEUE AT DISNEYLAND
If you’re on your way to The Happiest Place on Earth, here’s what to know about virtual queues.
As of March 2025, the only attraction currently using a virtual queue at Disneyland Resort is World of Color – ONE at Disney California Adventure Park.
World of Color – ONE Virtual Queue
To experience this thrilling nighttime spectacular from the preferred viewing area in Paradise Gardens Park, follow these important guidelines:
Guests with a valid ticket and theme park reservation for the same day may join the virtual queue in the Disneyland app beginning at 12:00 PM (noon), subject to availability.
To access the virtual queue, Guests must have entered Disney California Adventure Park with a one-park ticket or Park Hopper ticket, or Disneyland Park with a Park Hopper ticket.
If the virtual queue reaches capacity, visit the Paradise Bay viewing area 30 to 45 minutes before showtime to check with a Cast Member for walk-up viewing options.
Guests with a virtual queue selection will receive a notification in the Disneyland app to enter the viewing area via one of the two marked entrance points (Blue or Yellow), approximately 45 minutes before the show begins.
Joining the virtual queue is not required to view World of Color – ONE, but it is highly recommended. Additional viewing areas are available around Paradise Bay on a first-come, first-served basis.
Even though no Disneyland Resort attractions currently use a virtual queue, Disney can reinstate virtual queues for certain rides as needed. In the past, attractions such as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and WEB-SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure used virtual queues during peak times.
PEOPLE MOVER TRAVEL TOP TIP: DISNEY CAN DECIDE TO PAUSE THE USE OF A STANDBY QUEUE AND GO BACK TO A VIRTUAL QUEUE AT ANY TIME.
They may even revert to the old system of allowing Guests to join a virtual queue at 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. within the Disneyland app. So, if you’re heading on a Disneyland vacation, be prepared for any situation and study these tips below just in case!
Remember that just like at Walt Disney World, in Disneyland Resort, in order to join the virtual queue, you must have both valid theme park admission and a valid theme park reservation for the same day.
If a virtual queue is activated for any Disneyland attractions, the Disneyland app will say so—check the app ahead of time and enable notifications on your mobile device.
Within the hour before it is time to join the virtual queue, click “Confirm Your Party.”
A few seconds before joining the queue, repeatedly click “Refresh” at the bottom of the Join Virtual Queue page. As soon as the “Join Queue” button appears, click it.
You will immediately know whether you and your party obtained a boarding group for the attraction.
If you did not obtain a boarding group and Individual Lightning Lane selection is available for the attraction, you can pay to ride the attraction on the day of your visit. Check the Disneyland app for up-to-date availability.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DISNEY’S VIRTUAL QUEUE SYSTEM, REACH OUT TO YOUR PEOPLE MOVER TRAVEL AGENT! AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHILE YOU’RE ON VACATION, YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK A DISNEY CAST MEMBER AT THE FRONT DESK OF YOUR DISNEY HOTEL OR AT GUEST RELATIONS, LOCATED IN EVERY DISNEY THEME PARK.