Virtual Queues Are Not Dead at Disney World.
Walt Disney World has ended all virtual queues, and this is the first month without any for the first time in years. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure switching to standby has been controversial, with fans split over whether boarding groups or physical lines are better. This covers the latest, along with further commentary about why are critics of virtual queues and what some fans get wrong about them.
Prior to this change, the last time Walt Disney World dropped a virtual queue for a ride wasn’t that long ago. It was back on September 9, 2024 when TRON Lightcycle Run switched to standby. Despite TRON still not participating in Early Entry, it’s going pretty well without a virtual queue.
Prior to that, it had been a long time since Walt Disney World dropped a virtual queue–a few months after the opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. That change came only a few months after Disney’s Hollywood Studios “paused” the virtual queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. That pause turned out to be permanent.
Technically, there was about 1-week of no virtual queues at all in Walt Disney World between the time in late September 2021 when Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance dropped its virtual queue and when Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened one week later. Given that was one of the lowest crowd stretches at Walt Disney World in the last 5+ years, we’re guessing not many of you experienced it.
For the last meaningful stretch when Walt Disney World was without a virtual queue, you’d have to go back even further–all the way to the halcyon days of December 2019, before the closure and phased reopening, prior to the opening of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Back when free FastPass, evening Extra Magic Hours, etc. were all still alive and well.
That makes March 2025 the first month since November 2019 without any virtual queues. Standby lines are finally available and virtual queues are longer be offered at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in EPCOT and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom. For the first time in a long, long time, there’s a standby line at every Walt Disney World attraction.
I’ve been doing extensive standby testing at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind during Early Entry (4 days and counting!), as well as rope drop, the mid-morning lull, late afternoon, evenings, and Extended Evening Hours during spring break season. It’s been mostly smooth sailing thus far, although there have been a few things that have caught me by surprise (in hindsight, they probably shouldn’t have) and ways standby for Cosmic Rewind deviates from TRON. But that’s another topic for another post…or several.
For now, here’s the latest from Walt Disney World, posted to their virtual queues page…
Check for Updates
There are no virtual queues available at this time.
Virtual queues continue to be helpful with the launch of popular attractions and the debut of new experiences and offerings. In the future, we may use them again from time to time for select experiences.
Check Virtual Queue in the My Disney Experience app just before your visit to learn whether a virtual or standby queue will be required or available for any attractions or experiences when you’re here.
Some Walt Disney World fans will read the above and construe the language to imply that Walt Disney World is perhaps only “pausing” the virtual queues at Cosmic Rewind and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. To be sure, this does leave the door open for their return. The same type of language was used when Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance switched to standby–a move that proved to be permanent.
It’s always possible that this time could be different. That Tiana’s Bayou Adventure could regress, with more reliability and downtime woes. That Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind proves so popular that it overwhelms the comically-short physical queue and overflow set up outside. That guest satisfaction scores take a nosedive.
We highly doubt all of this. Walt Disney World has been doing guest satisfaction surveys about virtual queues for years; they already know the results, which is precisely why they’re making this change. Projected demand for Cosmic Rewind should likewise be a known quantity, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure had better be starting to work reliably after the increased after hours maintenance.
It’s nevertheless unsurprising that Walt Disney World would hedge a bit with its language. However, in all likelihood, this is referring to other experiences like merchandise releases and other assorted one-off events. Things like runDisney, rare merchandise releases, and that sort of thing. If Walt Disney World ever comes to its senses and releases a Big Al popcorn bucket, they’ll probably need a virtual queue to manage the unprecedented demand for that.
Less speculative is the launch of new attractions, as Walt Disney World specifically states that “virtual queues continue to be helpful” with this, and that they “may use them again from time to time for select experiences in the future.” This is completely unsurprising, and we fully expect to see virtual queues reintroduced on several occasions between now and 2030. There are a few factors that could trigger virtual queues:
- New high-demand attraction launches
- Attractions posing crowd-flow problems
- Rides with short standby lines
- Complex attractions prone to breakdowns or extended downtime
Most of those should be pretty self-explanatory (or have examples given above), but the crowd-flow problem is best exemplified by Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and TRON Lightcycle Run. Both of those attractions were shoehorned into previously backstage areas, and have pinch-points leading to them. Had either or both opened with standby lines, that could’ve created concerns about congestion.
Previously, I mentioned that Walt Disney World probably wouldn’t have a need for another virtual queue until 2027 when Tropical Americas opens. Well, that was wrong. I somehow managed to overlook the one ‘big’ attraction reopening this year.
In the much nearer term, there’s Test Track 3.0. This is a ride reimagining, so you’d think it probably wouldn’t require a virtual queue. However, Test Track is notoriously unreliable and this sounds like it’ll involve major show scene changes. The latter could exacerbate the former, especially if the timing or pacing of the attraction changes at all.
On top of that, Test Track–already a popular EPCOT attraction–should see renewed interest for at least the first ~6 months. All of this could be a recipe for a virtual queue–it’s a somewhat similar set-up to what we’ve seen with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Frankly, the likelihood of a virtual queue being used for Test Track 3.0 seems higher than either individual attraction in Tropical Americas.
Indiana Jones Adventure looks like it’ll have a massive overflow queue, and the Encanto Madrigal Casito dark ride appears to be an omnimover. I’d still bet that one of those two will use a virtual queue (that’s the safe money), but I think the odds of either one getting a virtual queue are individually lower than Test Track 3.0.
After that, it’s hard to say which other new or reimagined rides will get virtual queues. The Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster seems like a safe bet, as does the off-road ride in Cars Land. I probably would bet against one being used for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets, but that’s completely speculative shot-in-the-dark.
Finally, I want to revisit the controversy surrounding virtual queues with some commentary further clarifying our position.
In response to the announcement that Walt Disney World was ending virtual queues for Cosmic Rewind and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we received a lot of reader backlash. Probably 75% of you are against the change.
I would implore those of you who are against this decision to consider this: not everyone is you.
That’s an obvious and self-evident point, but I nevertheless feel like it’s one worth making.
Many longtime Walt Disney World fans take for granted just how complex of a destination it is, with its Byzantine policies and quirks. We’ve all accumulated so much knowledge over time that to many of us, adding one little thing seems simple and straightforward. As a thought experiment, try to assume a veil of ignorance about all of Walt Disney World’s myriad rules–Lightning Lanes, ADRs, Early Entry, rope drop, Dining Plans, etc.
That’s what it’s like to be a first-timer. Everything is brand-new to you, and it is utterly overwhelming. (This is why we say if you can plan a trip to Walt Disney World, you can travel anywhere in the real world. Nowhere else–nowhere–is this complex and complicated.) It’s not just one thing, it’s the totality of everything.
Most of you probably don’t even need to imagine this. You can think back to when Lightning Lane Multi-Pass or Genie+ were brand new, and how overwhelming those changes were. The story was largely the same in both cases, complaints about paying for FastPass–but also many about the changes themselves and the uncertainty they introduced.
Those of you who have been visiting Walt Disney World for at least ~5 years can think back even further to late 2019 or early 2020.
The virtual queue and boarding pass system for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance was the most pressing problem at Walt Disney World in the months prior to the closure. (Ah, simpler times!) We had a roller coaster relationship with the system, visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios before sunrise at least once per week from early December through early March. The reason we did this, quite simply, was due to reader demand. There was a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt about the new system.
We won’t rehash all of that here since most of you probably are familiar with it, instead fast-forwarding to the weeks immediately before the closure. At that point, frustration was setting in for us and most Walt Disney World guests, leading us to proclaim “this isn’t working” (400+ reader comments). We followed that up with Hollywood Studios: Walt Disney World’s Best Rides & Most Frustrating Park.
Those posts and others in the aftermath of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opening were hugely popular, because Walt Disney World’s approach was unpopular. Several posts about Rise of the Resistance garnered lots of comments and, spoiler, that was not from fans who were happy with virtual queues.
While Walt Disney World’s approach to virtual queues thankfully evolved later in 2020-2021, the biggest change didn’t come from Disney. It was you. Most of you obtained firsthand experience with virtual queues, became knowledgeable, and started leveraging them to your advantage. They became more of a known quantity and less controversial as a result. For you.
Just remember that not everyone is you, and there are thousands of first-timers every single day feeling that same fear, uncertainty and doubt that longtime fans felt in late 2019 and early 2020.
In the spirit of this sentiment that not everyone is you and first-timers still have FUD about virtual queues, I’d recommend applying the same thinking to Lightning Lane Single Pass.
Some fans are claiming that Walt Disney World is removing virtual queues out of “greed.” Their theory is that high posted wait times will push people to purchase Lightning Lanes. That people will balk at a 2-hour wait for Cosmic Rewind and instead buy a Lightning Lane Single Pass to skip that line. What I think they really mean by this is that they will be more inclined to buy Lightning Lanes, as the wait time will likely exceed their balking point.
This line of reasoning makes sense, but it overlooks a couple of critical points. First, that Lightning Lane Single Pass is Selling Out Faster than ever now that it’s bookable pre-arrival, and Cosmic Rewind is the most popular LLSP. It’s usually gone several days in advance, so impulse buys based on wait times are not a thing in the first place.
Second, Walt Disney World has complete control over capacity allocation. Meaning that if they wanted to sell more Lightning Lanes…they could simply sell more Lightning Lanes. We have no way of knowing how many spots in the virtual queue they were distributing. The best evidence that they are not simply maximizing potential sales is the simple fact that Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lanes always sold out in advance under the VQ, meaning there was unsatisfied demand. They were already leaving money on the table under the virtual queue!
Finally, some fans who are more inclined to purchase a Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind now that it doesn’t have a virtual queue are failing to consider the counterfactual: first-timers and infrequent guests are less likely to buy LLSP now that there’s a standby line. Before, they risked being shut out completely if they didn’t buy a Lightning Lane Single Pass in advance (since they’re sold out day of) and missed out in joining the virtual queue (since there’s no standby line).
It’s safe to say that the stakes are higher for first-timers and infrequent guests than locals or Annual Passholders. It’s also safe to say that the former demographics are freer spending and more inclined to purchase Lightning Lanes in the first place. As we discuss quite often, the FOMO/FUD factor is a powerful motivator for Walt Disney World guests, and Cosmic Rewind having no safety net before was undoubtedly a strong driver of sales. The standby line is such a safety net.
Ultimately, our view is that virtual queues are unfriendly to first-time and infrequent guests due to their learning curve and should only be used when absolutely necessary. There are some times when, on balance, they are a net positive for the guest experience. The first several months of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, when the attraction was unreliable and downtime was excessive, are one such example. Opening days and weeks when wait times might otherwise be 3+ hours are another.
Otherwise, virtual queues should be dropped whenever practical. And again, I say all of this as someone who selfishly likes virtual queues because they give me (and other knowledgeable, frequent guests) an advantage over the average visitors. But I also recognize that what’s good for me is not always good for the park-going public. Virtual queues present too much FUD/FOMO, introducing friction and stress to the guest experience.
There’s also the reality that ride capacity is a zero-sum game. Virtual queues introduce friction that favors high-knowledge guests like Annual Passholders and locals who would skip a triple-digit standby wait, and they are winning at the expense of someone else. The losers in this scenario are likely disproportionately first-timers and other low-knowledge or technology-averse guests.
If Walt Disney World is going to tip the scales in anyone’s favor, it should be those who do not have regular access to the parks. At the end of the day, standby lines level the playing field–anyone is free to join them, as many times as they so desire, so long as the experience is “worth” the wait to them. The same cannot be said about virtual queues.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of Walt Disney World switching to standby at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Wish virtual queues were still around–or more abundant? Any expectations about VQs on new or reimagined rides going forward? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? 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!
Hello,
I haven’t been to WDW since 2005. Going this year in September. Can people no longer stand in line for a ride? Do you have to have a pass to stand in a wait line? Very confused about this.
Cyndia
Cynthia – Yes, you can stand in line for all the rides. Tom’s point is that virtual queues take that option away. Right now there aren’t any VQ’s operating, but that could change before your trip. Even if it does change, though, it would just be an issue for the specific ride(s) with the VQ’s. Check the Disney website when its closer to your travel dates.
Good luck and have a great trip!
Same as the other recent article you wrote about VQ…there is only one reason why Disney ends them – why give away a limited resource for free when they can charge for it?!!
For arguments sake, let’s pretend for a moment that EVERY ride and attraction had VQ – in that case we would effectively be back to free FastPass+. And that is NEVER going to come back.
Disney ends the VQs as soon as they can in order to shift that capacity over to monetized LL.
That’s it.
VQ is not at all the same as free fastpass+. If you don’t get VQ you cannot ride. At all. Without FP you can ride whatever you want you just might have to wait. If you go to a theme park for which you paid admission you should expect to be allowed to ride the headliners without needing technology. VQ leaves out a large segment of guests. I doubt it was monetization that drove this decision. It was never meant to last forever. VQ wasn’t created so guests in the know could get what they wanted for free. It was math/science/optimization of lines vs ride reliability and capacity.
OMG a Big Al popcorn bucket – can you imagine it?!!
I’d be straight there from over the Atlantic for one of those VQ or not 🙂
Good riddance! Disney’s virtual queues always felt like a lottery. I don’t really care how long the lines are. I just want to be able to decide what time of day I get in the lines.
Lest we forget that before the world shut down, you had to physically be through the turnstiles at HS before 7 to TRY for Rise, and it was a tense 10 seconds of people cheering and groaning. As a fellow VQ power user who has been super successful at most attempts, I do agree that it’s more fair this way (and my family will just continue to rope drop instead of buy ILLs)
Yeah, I had to do Rise by myself, because the rest of my family wanted to sleep in until 6:00 AM!
I don’t mind VQs but I’m a solo annual passholder. I trwveled with a family of three last year and, in effect, became their VIP guide without the extra money! The wife was extra savvy but I still had to guide them through the process. I’m glad the whole world coming to a standstill to tap a button at the exact second is gone.
I cannot stand Disney’s Implementation of Virtual Queue and am elated to see it on pause.
The stress of having to have myself or rely on other people to click a button exactly at 7am or miss the most important ride at the park.
The Stress of having to explain repeatedly to guests buying tickets in 2019 they literally cannot do Rise unless they book the VQ at specific times.
The stress of joining groups together in advance of a visit. The loss of spontaneity.
The Stress of booking a 1pm VQ and then never being called.
The Stress of having to plan my day around when I think Disney will let me ride an attraction.
The Stress to Arrive at Tokyo DisneySea at 630AM to ensure I could even ride the attraction I had travelled 4000 miles to see without paying for an even more expensive VP that also required booking at a specific time and more stress.
The Stress of Watching Guardians Cycle Empty Trains near park closing every night, Or watching Peter Pan at Disneysea Cycle Empty Trains at 1230pm ,because Virtual Queues do not align with actual demand and capacity.
I think it’s horrible, and I prefer a system where if you buy a ticket to a theme park, you can just hop in line for the most important reason for your visit to that park. I think that’s dramatically more fair. I hope Disney’s Virtual Queue never returns.
I never had problems getting a boarding group with the VQ’s. What I didn’t like was being told what time I had to arrive and not having much notice. I like being able to choose times (SP LL) or knowing in advance when my time is (MP LL). Every attraction should have a standby line. That’s the baseline for fairness, for gods sake.
For a living I run simulations of scenarios exactly like everyone trying to snag a virtual queue at 7AM, so it was funny to read all of the online stories about how they’ve “mastered the virtual queue” and if you just follow these easy steps you’ll get a place.
The whole point of the virtual queue is that many more people want to get on a ride than there are slots available, so ultimately many people are disappointed no matter what they did or didn’t do.
On the one hand, I like that virtual queues are like a lottery to get free lightning lanes. Free! But getting up at 6:45 every day on vacation is too high a price. That’s assuming we’re in Orlando– going to visit Disneyland on an east coast sleep cycle makes it way easier.
I’m heading down the last Saturday of the month and I’m hoping you’ll touch on what you feel is the best time to ride Guardians soon.
If Test Track does reopen with a Virtual Queue it will be the first ride with a single rider line to use a VQ yes?
I would not expect Test Track to use both a VQ and a Single Rider line simultaneously. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and RotR also have Single Rider lines–they did not use them during the VQ era.
As an “expert” tourist, I was good at VQ. And never bought ILLs. But even I am overall happy with this change. I definitely don’t mind skipping the 7am adrenaline, and after haaving to work a boarding group return time into an existing daily plan, I appreciate the option to just make my plan and get to the attraction when it works for me and decide at that point if it is worth the wait. (Especially Cosmic Rewind which usually still had 30-50 minute waits once the group was called.) I look forward to your Cosmic Rewind data, especially potential “lulls” in the day, once you are ready to hit publish!
Agreed! I didn’t mind them personally, but totally agree that it’s so much easier to simply decide to ride a ride or not! And as someone who tries to explain WDW and helps people plan, anything to simplify the experience is a huge win IMO!
This is a great post Tom, and exactly my feeling on it. I’m one who’s never, ever missed on a VQ attempt, from Rise on to Tiana–even 30,000 ft in the air on in-flight wifi. I had it down to a science with the speed strategy to ensure I was always getting one of the first BGs called. (Note: truly comical the number of people who didn’t understand the system and thought I was lying about this.) Cosmic Rewind is my favorite ride, and while I have been internally throwing toddler tantrums over this change for personal reasons as a super user, I recognize the change is for the greater good.
Because, like, I also remember the old Disboards threads of people “practicing” how to join the Rise VQ, which is how I got good at it in the first place. Which, objectively, is sort of crazy. I don’t think systems that encourage this sort of thing are ultimately good or healthy for the parks, for all the reasons you stated. They only breed frustration and resentment among casual guests. There is always going to be a certain amount of tension between casual guests and hardcore planner fans who put in more effort–I don’t want to see EVERY advantage disappear, both for selfish and practical reasons. But I think casual guests should at minimum be able to do things at all. When you had people like me riding Cosmic Rewind 3x a day on EEH days while huge numbers of people weren’t even able to ride once, something is messed up and has to give.
Excellent article, Tom! You put into words what I have been feeling for many months.