How to Ride TRON Lightcycle Run
TRON Lightcycle Run is the most popular roller coaster at Walt Disney World. This guide covers how to ride now that the virtual queue is done: strategy for avoiding lines or minimizing the multi-hour wait times–with answers to common questions about the Lightning Lane and standby line at Magic Kingdom’s most popular thrill ride. (Updated September 22, 2024.)
Let’s start with the latest development, which is that Walt Disney World dropped the virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle Run in September 2024. This marks the first time ever that we’ve seen just how popular and in-demand Walt Disney World’s newest headliner attraction is during a regular operational environment.
As it turns out, TRON has Magic Kingdom’s longest wait time, dethroning Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s also among the most popular rides in all of Walt Disney World, with 120+ minute peak wait times on par with Slinky Dog Dash, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Avatar Flight of Passage, and other headliners.
TRON Lightcycle Run switching to standby has had huge ramifications on step-by-step itineraries for Magic Kingdom. It might sound like hyperbole, but this is the biggest change in over a decade for Magic Kingdom strategy. Not even the switch from Extra Magic Hours to Early Entry/Extended Evening Hours or free FastPass being replaced by Lightning Lanes was as impactful. Those were somewhat lateral shifts, whereas this introduces a new headliner with a regular line.
With that said, we also want to caution that TRON Lightcycle Run has dropped its virtual queue in the heart of Walt Disney World’s off-season. Our latest wait times report covered the Lowest Crowd Level Month & Week at Walt Disney World Since 2021! Although it should be evident from the title alone, the parks have been slow during the first few weeks in September (that’s starting to change, and crowds will worsen in October and beyond).
To that point, one final note: things are always changing with savvy standby strategy and Lightning Lanes. Walt Disney World tinkers with policies, demand rises & falls, and so forth. It’s entirely possible that the how to tackle TRON Lightcycle Run will “evolve” and will end up differing in the coming months.
If you want all of the latest updates on strategy for doing TRON Lightcycle Run–subscribe to our free Walt Disney World email newsletter. We also share other news and on-the-ground reports from the parks, when discounts are released, and much more.
In the weeks since the standby line opened, TRON Lightcycle Run has fallen into a pattern of a rope drop spike, followed by a mid-morning lull, midday plateau, and post-fireworks spike.
It’s still in the early days, but the highest wait times of the day that we’re seeing so far are between 9:30 and 10:30 am, and then again shortly after the Happily Ever After fireworks. Of course, wait times are often artificially inflated to varying degrees, and that’s usually the case more so at night than in the middle of the day.
If you want to ride TRON Lightcycle Run in the first half of the day, your best option is lining up towards the end of Early Entry (beating the regular rope drop crowd) or waiting until about 11 am when there’s a bit of a lunch lull. Just keep in mind that TRON is not open for Early Entry yet, so you’re waiting in line to wait in line. Accordingly, you don’t need to race to TRON right at 8:30 am. Do something else, like Space Mountain, first. (See our Guide to Early Entry at Walt Disney World for more info & strategy.)
If you are staying off-site, rope drop isn’t a bad option–just be sure to get in line before around 9:30 am. You don’t want to arrive much later than that if you’re planning on doing TRON Lightcycle Run in the morning, as many other guests will have the exact same idea–and you’ll be behind too many of them.
With that said, TRON Lightcycle Run can have very long lines at night. Part of the reason for this is that the ride is widely recognized as being better at night. Even the average guest knows this. The result is that a good number of people won’t even attempt to ride TRON earlier in the day, and instead will wait until evening.
There are a couple of ways to beat the crowds at night. The plaza around TRON Lightcycle Run is a fun and immersive location for fireworks viewing. This is not as good as the middle of Fantasyland, but it’s new and unique, with TRON’s lightcycles whizz by overhead and the dancing lights of the Upload Conduit canopy. While we don’t recommend it for your first or only viewing, it’s one of our favorite “secret” or “low-stress” locations for fireworks viewing in Magic Kingdom.
Towards the end of the fireworks, we recommend moving towards the nearby TRON Lightcycle Run entrance. Disregard the posted wait time–it’s reactive and very few people are getting in line for the roller coaster during the fireworks. Again, we know this thanks to the precedent set by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s often the case there that the posted wait time will be 60+ minutes, and the actual wait around then will be 15-20 minutes–sometimes less!
Second, there’s the tried and true approach for any headliner attraction: 1 minute before park closing. This is like the reverse rope drop, or ‘rope rise’ option. We like to think of it as the “buzzer beater” approach. You can queue up right until the clock strikes midnight (or usually in Magic Kingdom’s case, 10 pm or 11 pm–whatever time park closing is). This effectively extends your day and is when the actual wait time is lowest for TRON Lightcycle Run.
When doing this, ignore the posted wait time. Disney deliberately inflates wait times at the end of the night to discourage guests from getting in one last ride. The more people who jump in line for the buzz beater approach, the longer it takes to clear the park, which means more staffing expenses for Disney.
We’ve done the ‘buzzer-beater’ approach to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train dozens and dozens of times. There have been a handful of times that we’ve waited 20 minutes or more, but the overwhelming majority of the time, our actual wait time has been between 10 and 15 minutes. There have been times when it’s a walk-on!
That wraps up our revised strategy guide for riding TRON Lightcycle Run as of Late 2024. We’ll keep you updated with what you need to know for doing TRON Lightcycle Run if/when the attraction is added to Early Entry or as crowd levels increase and that causes changes to the above strategy.
TRON Lightcycle Run Ride Q&A
TRON Lightcycle Run Ride Questions & Answers
Is there any other way to ride TRON Lightcycle Run?
Yes.
TRON Lightcycle Run also offers paid Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP) access. It’s likely the latter will sell out within minutes of 7 am, supplanting Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as the most popular Lightning Lane Single Pass in all of Walt Disney World.
In general, we’re not fans of paying extra for ILLs, but TRON Lightcycle Run could end up being an exception to that general rule. Our updated Lightning Lane Single Pass Info & Tips post has more info about this paid line-skipping option.
Is TRON Lightcycle Run open for Early Entry at Magic Kingdom?
No.
Despite Tomorrowland being one of the two lands open during Early Entry at Magic Kingdom (Fantasyland being the other), it will not operate during Early Entry.
What about Extended Evening Hours?
Yes.
TRON Lightcycle Run is open during Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom and no longer uses the virtual queue during that, either. For those unfamiliar with it, this is a benefit for registered guests staying at a Deluxe Resort, Deluxe Villa Resort, or other select hotels. Guests with this benefit do not need to be in Magic Kingdom to request to join at that time.
Are larger-sized guests still experiencing issues with TRON Lightcycle Run?
Yes, albeit to a lesser extent than was first reported as TRON Lightcycle Run Cast Members have gotten better about assisting borderline guests.
In case you have not heard of this issue, larger guests have had issues not fitting into the lightcycle ride vehicles due to weight, height, and more. Suffice to say, if you’re tall, have muscular legs, or are plus-sized, you might have issues with the normal ride vehicles on TRON Lightcycle Run.
We cover everything you need to know in TRON Lightcycle Run Problems for Larger Guests. If you think you could have problems fitting into the lightcycle, we’d strongly recommend reading that. Not only does it cover common issues, but also suggestions for improving your chances of ‘successfully’ riding the attraction in a standard seat.
What happens if we buy a Lightning Lane Single Pass, but can’t fit on the ride?
You will still be able to ride TRON Lightcycle Run, you’ll just sit in a regular roller coaster ride vehicle (pictured above) rather than the lightcycle.
The only material difference is that your wait time will likely be slightly longer, as there are very few of these ride vehicles. Each offers different pros & cons, but we’d recommend seeing if you can fit in the lightcycle if at all possible.
Is it better to ride TRON Lightcycle Run during a certain time of day?
Night.
A big part of the TRON Lightcycle Run experience is the outdoor canopy. Not only does the attraction look better at night, but the story makes a bit more sense. This is definitely one attraction that is superior at night.
Which days of the week are best for visiting Magic Kingdom?
Statistically speaking, Saturdays and Sundays are currently your best bets for the lowest crowds at Magic Kingdom. That’ll likely change during Party Season, though.
For more comprehensive advice and explanations, see our Best & Worst Days to Do Each Park at Walt Disney World. That offers definitive advice for picking dates, and not just for Magic Kingdom, but for all 4 parks.
As far as current info goes, that’s it. What follows is ‘legacy’ info about the now-defunct virtual queue, preserved for posterity–and just in case it returns…
What is the virtual queue for TRON Lightcycle Run?
The virtual queue is one of two main ways to ride the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster.
Rather than a standby line, you join this virtual line via the My Disney Experience (MDX) app and are notified when it’s your turn to ride. The process requires a few clicks in-app, but it’s pretty intuitive.
What are boarding groups for TRON Lightcycle Run?
If the virtual queue were like a lottery (it isn’t exactly), the boarding group would be like the ticket. The method versus the means.
Stated differently, boarding groups are the means of organizing guests into groups when it’s their turn to ride. Rather than a specific return window of 2-3 pm as is the case with Lightning Lanes, you might be in boarding group 71. Your return time is not specified in advance, but rather, as an estimate.
When can we enter the virtual queue?
You can join the TRON Lightcycle Run virtual queue at 7 am or 1 pm via the My Disney Experience app.
The first of those times can be joined by anyone who has valid admission and/or a reservation for Magic Kingdom that day. The second can be joined by anyone who has tapped into Magic Kingdom that day.
Next, we’ll cover some techniques to improve your speed and increase your chances of success at the TRON Lightcycle Run virtual queue!
Virtual Queue Speed Strategy
Disney WiFi v. Cellular Data?
It really depends on your carrier and where you’re located in the park/resort/etc.
We’d recommend doing a quick speed test with both a few minutes before it’s time to join the virtual queue. Anything at or above 50 Mbps should be sufficient, but the higher the better. If necessary, move around to get away from other people or increase your speed to that threshold.
Are there any ways to improve speed?
Obviously, there’s only so much that’s within your control when it comes to your internet speed at Walt Disney World. Two big things are getting away from congested areas and out from under things. Lower-level Walt Disney World hotel rooms have issues, as do outlying buildings. As a result, you might want to go outside, to the lobby, the balcony, an exterior walkway, etc. for the 7 am entry time.
When it comes to the 1 pm virtual queue, avoid congested areas of the parks. If at all possible, attempt to join while not standing in line for anything else, as some queues have ‘dead zones’ without WiFi or cellular service. In Magic Kingdom, most of the park is pretty good–the only area that comes to mind as being problematic is Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid.
How should we prepare for joining the virtual queue?
This might sound like overkill, but milliseconds matter.
Make sure your phone is fully updated and force close all apps, including My Disney Experience shortly before it’s time to join the virtual queue. Double-check the time on your phone or watch against time.gov, which is what Disney uses for opening the virtual queue.
What’s the best strategic approach for joining a boarding group? Should one person try for everyone, should we each try individually, or what?
Do not try individually–you won’t be in the same boarding groups, meaning you won’t ride together.
We recommend everyone try for everyone in your party. Launch the MDX app about 10 seconds before the official virtual queue entry time and hit the “Join Boarding Group” button. If that doesn’t work, force-refreshing by pulling down “hard.”
Again, it’s good to do a practice run or two at home so you’re comfortable with the process in the My Disney Experience app so you don’t get flustered and mess up. We’ve heard horror stories of readers clicking through too quickly and forgetting to add one of their family members. Don’t freak out if that happens–go to the Guest Experience Team Cast Members stationed at the blue umbrellas.
How accurate is the return time estimate that appears in My Disney Experience?
It depends. The estimate is based on the average number of boarding groups that TRON Lightcycle Run normally services per hour. Some days, it’s right on the money.
However, the estimate can be wildly inaccurate and you could be called back much sooner than originally indicated if the attraction starts operating early or if a lot of guests in front of you are no-shows. Conversely, if there are a lot of breakdowns, you may be called back much later than the estimate indicates.
Once notified that “your group has been called!” how long do we have to return?
You’re expected to return within 1 hour of being called.
Are late arrivals accommodated?
Walt Disney World has updated its virtual queue page to state that “late arrivals may not be accommodated.”
Officially, you should make every effort to return during your allotted window. Unofficially, Walt Disney World has been offering a grace period of around one hour, especially as return time estimates have varied wildly and Advance Dining Reservations have interfered with return times. However, most guests arriving beyond that hour grace period are usually denied entry absent extenuating circumstances.
Note that this is different from the (also unofficial) policy at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. There, guests are typically allowed to enter the virtual queue whenever, so long as their boarding group has been called. The reason for the difference, and why Disney is being more strict with TRON Lightcycle Run, is that this is an objectively better experience at night due to the illuminated Upload Conduit canopy.
Do we need to be in the park for the 1 pm virtual queue opening?
No. However, everyone in your party does need to enter Magic Kingdom at some point before 1 pm in order to “unlock” access to the virtual queue at 1 pm. Meaning you could arrive for park opening, take the monorail back to your hotel for lunch and a pool break, and try again at 1 pm.
It is not geofenced or based upon proximity—this functionality unlocks in the My Disney Experience app for each guest after they have physically tapped into the park’s tap/turnstiles. You can leave after tapping in and still join during the afternoon entry time from your hotel room or wherever.
You could literally be inside Magic Kingdom or in Manitoba. The virtual queue system only validates whether you’ve tapped into Magic Kingdom, not your current location. It can actually be advantageous to leave Magic Kingdom midday, as that’s when crowds and wait times are worst. If you’re like us, you also may prefer to do lunch at a Magic Kingdom area resort rather at Walt Disney World’s worst food park.
Can we get more than one boarding pass per day?
Not during regular park hours–you cannot join both the 7 am and 1 pm virtual queue.
However, those who are eligible for Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom can join the third virtual queue entry time at 6 pm. You can enter at one of the earlier times and again at 6 pm for the bonus hours after normal park closing time.
In fact, you could theoretically ride up to 3 times in one day. Once thanks to one of the earlier two VQ times, once via Lightning Lane, and once during Extended Evening Hours at Magic Kingdom. Or, if you visit during Party Season, a third time during MNSSHP or MVMCP.
What time does TRON Lightcycle Run run out of boarding passes?
There is no set time, but expect the first virtual queue to fill up by literally 7:00:05 am each day during most of the year. That’s what has happened with all attractions that have come before and used virtual queues.
As for the 1 pm virtual queue, that really depends upon demand. There have been low to moderate crowd days when Cosmic Rewind has still had availability after 2 pm, or even after 4 pm. On busier days, it’s gone within seconds of 1 pm.
Another key distinction is that Magic Kingdom is the most popular theme park at Walt Disney World, with significantly higher average attendance than its counterparts. More guests equals more demand for the TRON Lightcycle Run virtual queue. Consequently, we are not expecting it to last long after 1 pm on most days.
How do I get a spot in the 1 pm virtual queue if Park Hopping doesn’t start until 2 pm?
You don’t.
That’s part of the point in staggering the times. Walt Disney World is prioritizing people who start in Magic Kingdom and have reservations for that park. If there’s still availability after 2 pm, guests who have Park Hopped to Magic Kingdom then are given a chance to join.
Is it possible to score spots in both the TRON Lightcycle Run and Cosmic Rewind VQs in the same day?
Theoretically, yes.
The reason we say it’ll be theoretically possible is because it all depends upon your speed, demand, and and crowd levels. In a nutshell, it’ll require being able to score a boarding group for TRON Lightcycle Run at 7 am with a relatively low number, and then Cosmic Rewind still having availability once Park Hopping starts.
We have had success with this a couple of times already, but only on 1/10 and 2/10 crowd level days. It’s impossible to achieve when the parks are busier.
Does everyone have to be present to join or can we send one ‘runner’ to the park?
For the 7 am entry, the only requirement is valid admission for Magic Kingdom. The park isn’t even open at that hour, so entering the park isn’t even possible for that.
For the 1 pm entry, everyone in your party must tap into Magic Kingdom before they’re eligible to join the VQ.
What if we’re all near the park?
Nope.
It’s not based upon proximity–this functionality only unlocks in the My Disney Experience app once you physically tap into the park’s tap/turnstiles. It’s worth noting that you can leave after tapping in and still join during the afternoon entry time from your hotel room or wherever. The system only validates whether you’ve tapped in, not your current location.
Can we leave the park once joining the queue?
Yes. You could go back to your resort and take a nap, eat lunch, etc.
How do we know when we can return?
If your phone has push notifications for My Disney Experience enabled, you’ll receive an alert that your boarding group has been called.
Failing that, the “My Status” screen on the TRON Lightcycle Run virtual queue screen displays the same information. It also gives an estimated wait time, but again, that’s often inaccurate.
What happens if we have an Advance Dining Reservation that conflicts with our return time?
Ideally, you should see a Cast Member at the Guest Experience Team stands (look for the blue umbrella) located throughout the park. They can assist with scheduling conflicts.
Failing that, see a Cast Member at the attraction entrance–they are typically pretty flexible.
Does TRON Lightcycle Run accommodate Disability Access Service (DAS) card?
Yes, but this is still truly first come, first served.
That means everyone must join the virtual queue first, which means arriving and going through that just like everyone else. To take advantage of DAS, go to the Lightning Lane return line once your boarding group is called.
What about Rider Switch?
Yep, same process as above.
Is it possible to be too good at the TRON Lightcycle Run virtual queue?
Sorta.
If you follow the speed strategy here and get really lucky, you could end up with a boarding group under 10. This means your return time will likely be in the first hour that Magic Kingdom is open. There’s honestly nothing really wrong with this, but that comes with the important asterisk that you do not return immediately upon being called. Take your full hour and do other rides with low wait times first.
(This “warning” brought to you by watching several families rope drop Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT who would’ve been far better off doing Frozen Ever After or Test Track. Do as much as you can via standby lines while wait times are low!)
Should we just wait to do TRON Lightcycle Run until our 2025 Walt Disney World trip?
Although the virtual queue creates winners and losers, if you’ve already read the ~5,000 words above, you’re much more likely to be one of the winners. You are far better positioned than 95% of other guests–many of whom arrive without knowing what a virtual queue even is or when it’s offered–and are more likely to succeed in scoring a boarding group. With a virtual queue, your wait time will be significantly shorter than if you just wait until 2025 or whenever the virtual queue is replaced with a standby line.
You’ve already learned what to do and how to do it–now put that knowledge to use!
When will this all die down?
When Villains Land opens. Maybe.
The last big attraction to debut in Magic Kingdom was Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and that was about a decade ago. If you visit today, the vast majority of the Early Entry and rope drop crowds still race (well, more like shuffle!) to that ride and it instantly posts wait times of an hour or longer. Throughout the day, it Seven Dwarfs Mine Train routinely sports triple-digit wait times. Suffice to say, TRON Lightcycle Run will be very popular and in-demand for years to come. If you’re waiting for that to die down, see you in 2045!
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Your Thoughts
Do you have any questions this FAQ failed to answer? If you’ve done TRON Lightcycle Run, do you think there’s anything else first-timers should know? Do you agree or disagree with any of our advice or answers? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We are attending MNSSHP in September, we will not have (daytime) MK tickets during that day. Does anyone know if we can by ILL during the period we arrive for standard park operating hours?
Curious for the Halloween party virtual queue that opens at 6pm, would people who don’t have tickets to the party technically be able to join the VQ? When I came to the Christmas party many people without tickets stayed but they weren’t allowed on rides. Really hoping to ride Tron at the Halloween party but concerned I won’t get to because of non-party guests filling the VQ! Any idea how it’ll work if non-party goers can use the VQ?
I assume it will work much like after hours. I Joined the Q right at 6pm and was hoping for a call back once after hours started at 9pm. I got a 8pm-9pm call back. It looks like they timed the day guests to be done early so they could start calling the after hours. I assume this will be the same for the Halloween party.
With respect to park hopping, I can report anecdotally that I was allowed into MK at closer to 1:45pm during my last trip. A number of guests were hanging around outside the MK tapstiles waiting for the official 2:00pm time. However, a CM started circulating amongst us ahead of that official time and was asking everyone, “Park hopper?” Upon hearing yes, she told people to just go right in. Whether this happens routinely or even all that often, I cannot say. But to the extent that the Tron’s afternoon VQ might still be available, I suppose every little bit helps.
If you want to guarantee a nighttime ride you’ll have to buy the ILL. We got the Virtual Queue at 1 pm yesterday and were called back around 5 so being June it of course was still light.
Is there a significant difference in wait time between VQ and ILL? I’m trying to determine when and if we should even try to ride Tron since our party has three very little ones that might be able to stand in line for 60 minutes.
I have another question. Are WDW Value resorts guests no longer eligible for early entry days or extended hours nights at the parks??
Value resorts are eligible for early entry 30 min early every day but the evening hours are only for deluxe resorts.
I’m totally confused. I think I will have to read this article over quite a few times to try to understand it all. We used to make a trip to Disney World from Canada almost every year for about 16 years. Even took a couple Disney Cruises. Stopped a few years back and decided to take a break due to rising costs and then COVID hit. Now prices are higher than ever and there are so many changes since we were last there in 2017. Fast pass is gone, Magical Express is gone, virtual cues instead of stand by lines, people have to make park reservations. I used to be a pro at managing a WDW holiday as we had gone so many times and now I really find the idea of going back quite daunting. We always stayed at the Value resorts, often Pop Century. We always did Park Hopper. I used to know how to use the app and fast pass reservations and park hopping to manage to get on all the rides we wanted to experience during our week at WDW, usually we managed to do most of our favorites twice. Now it’s not only much more expensive it’s much more complicated. We were thinking of saving up for a trip in late November/early December 2024 as they have had many new rides opened since we were last there that we would love to try. I was thinking of buying the Genie + or Lightning Lane passes when we go to help us get on the new rides but I am confused with everything I’ve read about these. Are they two different things? Do you need to buy both? Are LL passes only good for one individual ride each? Also, What’s the best way to get to the resort from the airport without renting a car? I really loved the Magical Express, so sad it’s gone. I used to love our trips to Disney, now I’m worried. Between the high exchange rates we have to pay for US dollars and the much higher cost to stay at Disney, paying more for park passes and park hopper, paying extra to get on the rides we want, higher airfare costs, and paying extra for ground transportation, and dealing with all the changes like VQs and park reservations. I’m worried we might end up paying a fortune for a vacation that we may not enjoy. With all the changes and extra costs I feel like I need to take a course on visiting Walt Disney World before I can go back to WDW. Do you actually have to buy a LL pass for each individual ride you want to go on using LL? I thought maybe it was for each park per day like Universal’s express pass but now what I’m reading makes it sound like you would have to buy a pass for each individual ride for each person if you want to skip VQ? And is Genie + something different? I’m so confused. HELP!?
You’ll still have a great trip! It is worth finding and reading Toms articles about Genie+ vs Virtual Queue vs Individual Lightning Lane. Most rides are Genie+ and if you park hop, you can use it for more than one park in a day. Learning which rides you may need it for and the order to book this is helpful so find Toms article. Same goes for the one Individual Lightning Lane ride in each park. Tom doesn’t advocate for paying for those and utilising the Virtual Queue for TRON and Guardians and savvy strategy to ride Avatar and Rise of the Resistance but some people like to book them to allow them to control their schedule better and not wait in the long queue. Hope that helps. You’ll get the hang of it but do your research and have a plan but enjoy and just have fun!
I agree with @Melissa. Tom’s Genie+ articles can sound daunting (and they are, the first time through), but they get better with more read throughs. Like you, we used to go annually then stopped in 2018. I was a master at FP+ , ADRs, planning our days, etc. Then SO many changes occurred, and I was anxious. But Tom’s articles, followed by watching some AllEars & Mammoth Club Genie + tutorial videos on YouTube, then re-reading Tom’s articles, and I felt like I’d taken a Master Class in Genie+, ILL, and Virtual Queues by the time we went again last November. It all went like a dream, so I am confident that I’ll be ok when we go again in December. You can do fine. Just familiarize yourself with the Genie+ on the My Disney Experience app, and you’ll be fine. We followed Tom’s advice about watching the clock for the virtual Queue for Guardians – my husband brought up Time.Gov on his phone, and counted down out loud. I hit Refresh on my app at 6:59:59, and we got a Boarding Party with no problem at all. Like many, I do wish we could do some of the Genie+ in advance (30 days in advance if we’re staying at a Disney Hotel seems fair to me), but I have to work with what IS, not what I wish it all would be. We had a great time, and I’m sure you will too. Plus, by the time you take your trip, I’m betting more changes will come to Genie+ which will hopefully make things easier.
Hello. We just returned from Disney. I managed to get in the virtual queue twice— at 7am and at 6 pm for the extended evening hours. Even with the virtual queue, the line was still very long. We ended up buying a lightning lane pass because we would’ve wasted so much of our day standing in line. We skipped the evening one altogether because at 11:30 pm when our group was called, the line was still very long and we were all exhausted from the heat.
Thanks for the heads up on that! I’ve heard others mention similar things with regard to the 7 am VQ.
I’ve been doing the 1 pm VQ exclusively in order to get evening returns, and haven’t had much of an issue with lines then. I guess I need to do the earlier drops some more to get a better idea of current wait times once returning during the day.
I concur. Just did it 2 days ago. Got in the 7am queue using Tom’s speed strategies (Thanks). However, returned as soon as our group was called and waited in line 80 minutes. The ride was not down at all as we watched people flying by all morning. We weren’t expecting this long of a wait and it made us miss a few other things so it is good for people to have realistic expectations the line could be huge even if they “win” the virtual process. My family all agreed the 60 second ride wasn’t at all worth the 80 minute wait and we wouldn’t have done it if we knew.
I missed the morning VQ, so I bought the ILL for Tron – that was basically a walk-on. I made it in the 1PM VQ, and when I was called back around 7PM, the wait was over an hour. The ride was operating normally, no downtime.
Just wanted to let everyone know that regardless of the VQ time you get, the wait when you are called can be long! If I had known, I probably would have skipped the VQ since I had already ridden via ILL that day. I’ve never had that experience with the GotG VQ.
You mentioned needing a park reservation in advance for the day you’ll be in the Magic Kingdom in order to try and get a virtual queue at the 7:00am time. Disney recently released a “4 Park, 4 Day” ticket special, good thru September 29. One of the highlights is no park reservation required. So, how would that work for the 7:00 virtual queue if I buy that ticket package?
I was wondering this too and I just found out for myself. As long as you have a valid ticket already assigned in the app, you should be able to join the virtual queue. When you confirm your party there should be a message saying you are eligible to join the queue.
Alexis, thanks for that update. I was thinking I was going to have to rely on the 1:00pm virtual queue, where we have to physically be in the park, and only have one chance at getting it. Now it looks like I’ll have two chances on that particular day.
I just confirmed at 7:00am this morning that we do not need a park reservation to join a virtual queue for TRON if we have the 4 park, 4 day ticket package. I was experimenting with the fastest way to join the virtual queue and the option to join popped up a few seconds after 7:00am. I went ahead and tapped the button and I was in. I’m still over 1,000 miles away from WDW and it’ll be another month before we visit so I removed myself from the queue to give someone else a chance who will actually be in the park today.
Anyway, it’s nice to see that it works and now I know I can practice shaving fractions of seconds off my methods each day so I have the routine dialed in on the day when it really counts. 🙂
You recommended that as a boarding group strategy, “everyone try for everyone in your party”
I assume this means each individual from our party should create their own mydisneyexperience app accounts and linking them all together to form the same boarding group for each of individual app access?
My question is this — I cannot seem to create a mydisneyexperience app account for my younger child who is 11 years old (because she is a minor?). And therefore, she does not come out on the app account of my wife’s and my eldest child’s.
So when my wife joins the virtual queue, my 11 year old daughter is not part of the boarding group, only myself and my older child. What happens in this case? Am I understanding something wrong?
Many thanks.
@Angelo- For my family of 6- every one was logged onto the same myDisney Experience account-mine only. We were all linked which is essential. Disney does not like minors to have their own account. You will be fine with everyone logged into just one account. We did great- we used time.gov -Grandma was the time keeper and the younger members of our party- teens and tweens and my husband did the fast finger button pushing for the virtual cue. We had some phones on wi-fi and some on cellular-but all with one account log in. Call Disney to get your MyDisney Experience family and friends all listed correctly. That is key. Good luck and you will do great!
Oh wow Trish! This totally makes much more sense now. Knew I wasn’t doing it right.
Many thanks for the assist!
Curious to know if anyone had an experience like ours. We got a VQ for Guardians. A couple of hours later we received notification that our VQ had been cancelled. About an hour after that we received notification that there was availability for us to BUY a lightning lane for Guardians! Needless to say we were very annoyed. Our VQ was cancelled but now we could buy our way on?
I’ve never heard of that Susan but I always screen shot my virtual Queue confirmation just in case and if that happens you have something to show to the Disney Experience folks and get them to fix it for you.
Wow, Tom– you were NOT joking about the dropoff in attendance– just opened the WDW app and at 3PM you could still enter the VQ for both GotG AND Tron. Incredible!
Yeah, today is the latest the TRON VQ has ever been available. Still open as of 3:25 pm EST!
Any idea when Gaurdians will get rid of virtual queue? I have read and heard from others that it is an awesome ride but the demand is dying down a little bit. I think it would be easier and less stressful having no virtual queens, lightning lanes, or genie +. Just pick your ride and wait.
Last August.
I’m not being facetious. Demand started dying down last July, and the afternoon virtual queue became much easier to enter. I don’t know why it’s still in use. There’s gotta be some reason (a lack of physical space?), but I’m still surprised.
On a positive note, the afternoon entry is not stressful at all unless you go on a very busy day!
Tom, in your reply to Jessica’s question about having a reservation to AK but hopping to MK at 2pm, you said: ” I would absolutely recommend buying the ILL for TRON Lightcycle Run at 7 am.” Can you do that? Can you buy an ILL for Tron if you don’t have a park reservation for that day? I don’t think so, since you won’t be able to enter MK until 2pm and your ILL could be at 11am. We’ll be staying at Wilderness Lodge the first week of December (MVMCP). Will try for a pass for Tron on one or two days at 7am, but we’re more excited to ride the train again.
You select the return time on the ILL for TRON Lightcycle Run. If you don’t buy it at or shortly after 7 am, there’s a good chance it won’t be available later.
However, that’s as of right now. It should be a very different story (demand-wise) the first week of December!
Thanks Tom! Great info as always!
What’s the best strategy to use ILL to secure a nighttime ride of TRON?
We have one day and we begin at Animal Kingdom (not negotiable). Should we buy Genie + and at 7am I try for ILL for Tron after 2pm when we can hop?
1) There’s no point in buying Genie+ for Animal Kingdom. Stacking for the afternoon in Magic Kingdom is a different story, but even then, you won’t be able to start booking those Lightning Lanes until around 8 am or later. (I had this exact same scenario last week, doing Early Entry at DAK and booking LLs for MK in afternoon, and the times didn’t advance after 2 pm until around 8:30 am IIRC.)
2) In this scenario, I would absolutely recommend buying the ILL for TRON Lightcycle Run at 7 am.
I feel like the all go so fast anyway. I haven’t even been able to get one for Guardians using the virtual que twice now recently even when I’m ready to hit the button at 7 (or refresh) so way to go Tom!
Question though. We did end up not using a Virtual Que one time for Guardians because the time wasn’t going to work with out plans and the purchase option was available. Does anyone know if that penalises you in the future for that ride or just coincidence? I had always had luck scoring the Virtual Que in the past for Star Wars, Remy, and Guardians but my last two tries in Jan and a couple of weeks ago were a bust!
The only “penalty” for not using a VQ is if you get one at 7AM you can’t get another one at 1pm.
In general, for GotG it’s a lot easier to get one at 1pm than 7AM, so maybe try that.
For TRON, I expect it to be very hard to get a VQ at either time for the next few weeks but after the initial rush dies down it will probably be easier to get one at 1pm also.
Has there ever been a virtual que rides with a party before? I’m hoping VQ will be gone by our late September trip. Our only time at MK is during MMSSHP and I’m curious how it will work. maybe just waiting on a regular line?
We wont know for sure how a party will work until we have one. But for extended hours there is an extra VQ. for people who are eligible at 6pm. I assume it will work the same way. In my experience with GOTG the 6pm VQ was not stressful and easy to get as there is a lower amount of people eligible to get it.
Lightning lanes are not available during the Halloween or Christmas parties. I would assume that there would be no virtual queue as well, but since this is the first ride at MK to offer a virtual queue, it isn’t clear if there will just be a standby line after 6pm for TRON. I guess we’ll find out as the first MNSSHP begins in August.
Thanks for all the tips! After reading this, does that mean people staying off site have no chance of getting in the first VQ? What do you suggest as a strategy if we have to wait till 9:00 am..?
Staying off-site doesn’t impact your ability to get in the virtual queue…everyone who has a park pass for MK may attempt to join the queue at 7am regardless of where they are. It is only if you wish to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Tron that you are resigned to 9am, when there will be none left.
I’m glad they’re doing the vq, even though I’m amazed to say that. I’ve hated most of them. But, with this being such a short ride (60 seconds of roller coaster time), I can’t imagine guests would be overly thrilled to wait in a 4 to 6 hour line for such a short ride. My family was able to do it during a preview and enjoyed it thoroughly. But to wait 4 hours, no way….
Totally agree. We got the AP preview and only had to wait 30 min. I don’t think I’ll be paying for the LL like we do for Guardians either. I feel like that is worth it to not even a stand in the hour or so late for virtual que and be able to plan your day but I don’t see TRON being worth it.
Thank you for this information! So for the soft opening starting March 20th, there will be a way to purchase an individual lightning lane for TRON and ALSO try for a virtual cue boarding group? I thought perhaps just the virtual cue was happening for the soft opening and no formal individual lightning lane was available for purchase until April 4th. I guess it is good to have both for the soft opening period, to increase chances to ride TRON for on site guests….
ILL was offered today, so looks like you can buy ILL during soft opening.