Everything Virtual Queue - Please Read Posts 1 and 2

[Mrs.AMC]

How long are people waiting in line if they get a late afternoon return time?

With only a few exceptions the time from tapping in till rides is approx 30 min.
Can it go to closer to an hour? Yes. It's not the norm though

 

[Ricky P]

Hello, My granddaughter is in EPCOT today with a band trip. My son has her tickets and park reservations on his MDE app. Is he able to try for the 1 o’clock virtual queue or does she have to do it. She is physically in the park now. Thanks

 

[GBRforWDW]

he should be able to try for her at 1pm ET.

 

[Ricky P]

Thanks

 

[champagne&disney]

I have done this for a friend when she was on another attraction during the drop. It was fun to be at my home in Atlanta and hook my friend up with a slot on GOTG. I wasn't jealous at all.

 

[mgc]

This thread is so helpful! We are heading to EPCOT next Tuesday and I just want to make sure I understand everything correctly...hoping some of you can tell me if I have this right.
(For context- staying onsite, hoping to take afternoon break -plan to get all rides done in morning, leave afternoon, return to WS for dinner/harmonious).
Please tell me if I have this right:
7:00AM- try for VQ, if sold out go for ILL (question: for the 7A VQ drop- can I assume that my return time will definitely/most likely be before 1:00p?)
IF we get a VQ- we can board anytime after our BG is called...We should anticipate approx 30-45 minutes of waiting in line before actually getting on ride
If we get ILL we can only board during that window and we should expect to wait in line apprx 20 mins
Does this sound accurate??
Thanks so much!

 

[MousetersInc]

7:00AM- try for VQ, if sold out go for ILL (question: for the 7A VQ drop- can I assume that my return time will definitely/most likely be before 1:00p?)

No! Don't be slow. Take every measure you can to optimize your luck, even "silly" ones like having multiple people trying to reserve, using time.gov, and making sure you have good internet speed.

But note, for ILL you can pick your time, and onsite, you ought to have a pretty good selection.

IF we get a VQ- we can board anytime after our BG is called...

Correct

We should anticipate approx 30-45 minutes of waiting in line before actually getting on ride

Maybe a lot less if you're lucky? We experienced more like 15' with an early morning BG; it was closer to 30 with an ILL ca 2pm. Then again, this coming week is going to have very high traffic; maybe it will be longer.

If we get ILL we can only board during that window

Correct. The stated window, plus a "grace period" of 5 minutes before the start time and 15 minutes after the end time (but maybe don't push it!). Edited for posterity: You can use an ILL after the stated time as well; see corrections below.

and we should expect to wait in line apprx 20 mins

See above; we actually waited less time with a morning VQ than with an afternoon ILL. But both are pretty similar.

 

[rhenkt]

Correct. The stated window, plus a "grace period" of 5 minutes before the start time and 15 minutes after the end time (but maybe don't push it!).

I don't believe that is correct. The paid individual lightning lane can be used any time from the start time to park close. The Genie+ is the only time they enforce the "15 minutes late" rule.

 

[HopperFan]

This thread is so helpful! We are heading to EPCOT next Tuesday and I just want to make sure I understand everything correctly...hoping some of you can tell me if I have this right.
(For context- staying onsite, hoping to take afternoon break -plan to get all rides done in morning, leave afternoon, return to WS for dinner/harmonious).
Please tell me if I have this right:
7:00AM- try for VQ, if sold out go for ILL (question: for the 7A VQ drop- can I assume that my return time will definitely/most likely be before 1:00p?)
IF we get a VQ- we can board anytime after our BG is called...We should anticipate approx 30-45 minutes of waiting in line before actually getting on ride
If we get ILL we can only board during that window and we should expect to wait in line apprx 20 mins
Does this sound accurate??
Thanks so much!

NOPE. Couple weeks ago during a "slow week" I got my VQ immediately at 7 am, got group 71 with return time of 515 minutes. We were told it would be 3:20 pm, were called at 2:50 pm.

 

[JodyK]

Above information is correct.

 

[dina444444]

NOPE. Couple weeks ago during a "slow week" I got my VQ immediately at 7 am, got group 71 with return time of 515 minutes. We were told it would be 3:20 pm, were called at 2:50 pm.

The ride likely has down time that day. They are usually in the 90s-100s by 2pm. 90s are part of the morning drop.

 

[rhenkt]

That is not correct; for the paid individual lightning lane you select a time and then have the grace period. If you are later, it is the cast member's discretion to let you in. I believe both sides have been reported here people being let in and people given a hard time.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but this is literally from @scrappinginontario sticky page about it:

"-Current Disney policy (unpublished) is that once a purchased ILL$ return time has arrived, guests can ride anytime from then until park close."

 

[mgc]

No! Don't be slow. Take every measure you can to optimize your luck, even "silly" ones like having multiple people trying to reserve, using time.gov, and making sure you have good internet speed.

But note, for ILL you can pick your time, and onsite, you ought to have a pretty good selection.

Correct

Maybe a lot less if you're lucky? We experienced more like 15' with an early morning BG; it was closer to 30 with an ILL ca 2pm. Then again, this coming week is going to have very high traffic; maybe it will be longer.

Correct. The stated window, plus a "grace period" of 5 minutes before the start time and 15 minutes after the end time (but maybe don't push it!).

See above; we actually waited less time with a morning VQ than with an afternoon ILL. But both are pretty similar.

This is super helpful! Thank you!

 

[HopperFan]

The ride likely has down time that day. They are usually in the 90s-100s by 2pm. 90s are part of the morning drop.

I was assigned that time at 7 am. They had already calculated before opening that it would be that long.

It is not the first time a 7 am VQ was projected to be mid afternoon.

 

[dina444444]

I was assigned that time at 7 am. They had already calculated before opening that it would be that long.

It is not the first time a 7 am VQ was projected to be mid afternoon.

The initial projected boarding time is never correct. It rebalances when the ride officially opens and moves throughout the day based on downtime and ride queue flow.

 

[HopperFan]

The initial projected boarding time is never correct. It rebalances when the ride officially opens and moves throughout the day based on downtime and ride queue flow.

THE POINT of my post is to tell the poster that no, the assumption their return time will be before 1 pm is not correct. From 7 am I was assigned later than 1 pm, and in reality I was called back later than 1 pm, not much earlier than my projected time. And that is not the first time that has happened.

There are no for sure things with the VQ system. No promises that they will call you early or late or on time with your assigned time. It really doesn't matter what you group number is, it matters how long they take to call you back. Their projection is the only thing a guest can work with ~ and I was sharing that "my experience" with a immediate booking at 7 am I was given a projected return time much after 1 pm, more than once. Poster can then assume based on the quickness of their connection and competition they might get before 1, after 1 or much after 1 or nothing at all.

Whether the ride went down at some point or not doesn't matter, my projected return time was pretty accurate. I wouldn't depend on anything else.

 

[MousetersInc]

@mgc Note, this recent thread described ca 50 minutes before getting on the ride, or an hour entrance-to-exit, during what was almost certainly a lower-traffic date than yours. But then, they could have been just recovering from an outage or something. Bottom line, be prepared for anything.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I don't believe that is correct. The paid individual lightning lane can be used any time from the start time to park close. The Genie+ is the only time they enforce the "15 minutes late" rule.

If an ILL$ has a return time of 1:30PM, it can be used from 1:30 until park close.

That is not correct; for the paid individual lightning lane you select a time and then have the grace period. If you are later, it is the cast member's discretion to let you in. I believe both sides have been reported here people being let in and people given a hard time.

The grace period applies to regular G+ LL (5 mins early to 15 mins late) but does not apply to purchased ILL$. Guests with an ILL$ are allowed to ride AFTER their ILL$ return time has expired but, not before their start time.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but this is literally from @scrappinginontario sticky page about it:

"-Current Disney policy (unpublished) is that once a purchased ILL$ return time has arrived, guests can ride anytime from then until park close."

This is still correct.

 

[JodyK]

Sorry, I thought I had read some posts about people being given hard times for missing their ILL time. I've updated my post.

 

[SwanVT2]

I just read about GOTG virtual queue. How does this work and is this something other rides have? Also is GOTG one of the rides you have to buy a separate LL for? Thank you.