Disney in a Minute: What is a Virtual Queue?

A Virtual Queue is a way to stand in line without physically standing in that line. Disney often uses Virtual Queues when a new attraction opens in order to regulate the size of lines. You “sign up” to join a VQ through the My Disney Experience app (or at Disneyland, through the Disneyland app).

There are two ways Disney may use virtual queues. The first is at attractions without standby lines. For these, the Virtual Queue opens at scheduled times called “drops”. At each drop, the queue stays open until the drop is full. There are usually 2-3 drops each day.

The second way is at attractions that do have a standby line. Here, the Virtual Queue is used for “overflow” when the line gets too long. For attractions that use these overflow-style Virtual Queues, you’ll need to check the app to see whether the Virtual Queue is in use and if it’s open.

Either way, if you’re successful in snagging a place, you’ll be assigned to a numbered “Boarding Group” and given a time to show up and ride.

The first Virtual Queue at Disney World was used when Rise of the Resistance opened in 2017. Since that time, Disney World and Disneyland have routinely used Virtual Queues when rides or attractions first open, or as a temporary measure when construction limits access to the regular queue.

Now that you know what a VQ is, you’ve raised your Disney IQ! You can find more details about Virtual Queues, and answers to frequently asked questions, in our article: Answering All Your Questions About Virtual Queues.

Disney in a Minute is a series of short posts designed to help you better understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

Is there a Disney term that needs a bit more explanation? Let us know in the comments.