Epcot One Day—Guardians LL or Virtual Queue?

[have2getaway]

We are heading to Epcot tomorrow for one day. It will be me, do, and our boys, all age 13. We are currently staying at Portofino Bay at US, so plan to Uber or Lyft early tomorrow am. My question is regarding how to make sure we are able to ride Guardians of the Galaxy during our one day visit? I’ve heard of two different options for riding Guardians of the Galaxy—LL or Boarding Pass. Do we have to be at the park to purchase the LL? Can I purchase the LL today or do I have to wait until tomorrow? We don’t mind paying for the LL, but would also like to ride the Ratatouille ride, as well as some other rides, so are considering getting the Genie Plus for the day. Our preference is to do the Lightening Lane, because I feel like that’s more of a guarantee. Am I correct? I’m just trying to make sure I’m covering everything. The last time we were there was in 2020 with the fast pass system, and we stayed on site at Yacht Club, so I’m completely lost when it comes to the new Genie Plus system and not being a resort guest. What should our plan be? Do we need to leave our hotel at six in the morning and make sure we’re at the park at 7 AM or can I buy the LL and plan to arrive later, closer to park opening. TIA

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Just some clarifications. First, GOTG is an Individual Lightning Lane attraction, the only one at EPCOT. It's where you pay just to ride that ride. You do not need Genie+/LL to buy it - they're unrelated. Second, since you're not staying onsite at Disney, you'll only be able to buy the ILL at park opening, which is probably 8:30/9:00 (I'm not sure). Onsite guests will have access at 7AM and will have a jump, but seems like you could still get one when you're eligible. The big advantage of ILL is you can select a time range from the remaining times.

You can purchase Genie+ for the LL attractions as early at 12:01AM the day-of - so tomorrow morning. You'll definitely want to make the purchase by 6:50AM so you can make your first LL reservation at 7AM - so you would likely get Remy reserving that early. With G+/LL, you get the next-avail-time slot to return. You then can make another LL 2 hours after you make the first. You do not need to be in the park to make the LL or ILL reservations, as long as you have a ticket and a park reservation for EPCOT.

You can purchase ILL and Genie+ via the My Disney Exp app. It's also how you'll make your reservations. It will also show you when you're eligible to reserve another G+/LL attraction.

Hope that might help a little.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Sorry - didn't address your BG/VQ question. I believe, even offsite, you could go into the MDE app and try for a boarding group to wait in the line later in the day and ride. I'd recommend ILL, unless you want to ride it twice, or try to ride it for free! Have a great time!

 

[have2getaway]

Sorry - didn't address your BG/VQ question. I believe, even offsite, you could go into the MDE app and try for a boarding group to wait in the line later in the day and ride. I'd recommend ILL, unless you want to ride it twice, or try to ride it for free! Have a great time!

Wow! Thanks for all the helpful information. I do still have a couple of questions. Should I buy the genie plus now (today) or do I actually have to wait until tomorrow to buy the genie plus—after 12:01 am? I understand that I will want to start making reservations at 7 AM, and definitely one for Remy. Am I able to make the ILL purchase at that time for GoG or is that the one I have to wait and buy once we’re in the park?

I did read that I could elect a virtual queue for a boarding group for GoG without actually being in the park as long as I have an Epcot reservation, but you still recommend the ILL for GoG, so just curious as to why? It sounds like the boarding group is free and the ILL is not, which I’m completely fine with paying the extra, but are
you saying I’m guaranteed to be able to buy an ILL for the GOG and so should just focus on that?

Thanks again! I honestly didn’t think after what we had to go through to ride the rise of the resistance, it could get any more confusing. I was obviously wrong!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

No, you cannot buy it until day-off.

Actually, since you can't buy ILL until park opening anyway, you should give the BG a try! It can't hurt. You just have a bit less control over the return time with the BG, but it is absolutely included with the price of admission. Then perhaps, if you don't get the BG, you could buy ILL at park opening. NO - you are not guaranteed to be able to buy an ILL for GOTG - only if they're still available when you look.

If you are familiar with the Virtual Queue process, you should go for that right at 7AM..... FYI - people have said that as long as you return after your group is called, you're fine to get in. So if your BG is called at 1PM, for example, you can return to ride anytime from 1PM until park closing. The BG line tends to be longer than ILL, but it's not significant - and could have you $20 or more per ILL. So again, I'm agreeing with you to try VQ first!

 

[have2getaway]

No, you cannot buy it until day-off.

Actually, since you can't buy ILL until park opening anyway, you should give the BG a try! It can't hurt. You just have a bit less control over the return time with the BG, but it is absolutely included with the price of admission. Then perhaps, if you don't get the BG, you could buy ILL at park opening. NO - you are not guaranteed to be able to buy an ILL for GOTG - only if they're still available when you look.

If you are familiar with the Virtual Queue process, you should go for that right at 7AM..... FYI - people have said that as long as you return after your group is called, you're fine to get in. So if your BG is called at 1PM, for example, you can return to ride anytime from 1PM until park closing. The BG line tends to be longer than ILL, but it's not significant - and could have you $20 or more per ILL. So again, I'm agreeing with you to try VQ first!

Thank you!!! I was slow to follow at first, but I understand the process now. Am I able to see today what the price for GP and ILL will be tomorrow?

 

[Tom_E_D]

We are heading to Epcot tomorrow for one day. It will be me, do, and our boys, all age 13. We are currently staying at Portofino Bay at US, so plan to Uber or Lyft early tomorrow am. My question is regarding how to make sure we are able to ride Guardians of the Galaxy during our one day visit? I’ve heard of two different options for riding Guardians of the Galaxy—LL or Boarding Pass. Do we have to be at the park to purchase the LL? Can I purchase the LL today or do I have to wait until tomorrow? We don’t mind paying for the LL, but would also like to ride the Ratatouille ride, as well as some other rides, so are considering getting the Genie Plus for the day. Our preference is to do the Lightening Lane, because I feel like that’s more of a guarantee. Am I correct? I’m just trying to make sure I’m covering everything. The last time we were there was in 2020 with the fast pass system, and we stayed on site at Yacht Club, so I’m completely lost when it comes to the new Genie Plus system and not being a resort guest. What should our plan be? Do we need to leave our hotel at six in the morning and make sure we’re at the park at 7 AM or can I buy the LL and plan to arrive later, closer to park opening. TIA

It seems you are confused about some things. I assume you at least have tickets and park reservations for Epcot tomorrow. If so, you will be eligible to try for the virtual queue for Guardians at 7:00 tomorrow morning. You will be given a boarding group if you are fast enough, but they go quickly. You do not need to have entered Epcot to do so (the park won't even be open then). You can do it from your hotel room at Portofino Bay. You will not be eligible to buy an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) for Guardians until the park officially opens at 9:00. That will put you two hours behind the "onsite" Disney guests, who will be eligible to buy their ILLs at 7:00. It is possible the ILL will be sold out at that time. It doesn't happen often, but I believe it happened yesterday and today. This is an exceptional weekend. If you do not get a virtual queue boarding group at 7:00, there is another chance to try at 1:00. However, you have to have entered Epcot already to try for the 1:00 VQ. Guardians is available only by VQ or ILL. The other rides at Epcot are either Genie+ or standby line. (I believe all other rides at Epcot have Genie+. Not all other rides at WDW are Genie+. Some, like Astro Orbiter, are standby only.) You cannot buy Genie+ until after midnight and cannot book your first Genie+ lightning lane until 7:00.

The main Disboards thread about Genie+ and ILLs is found here:https://www.disboards.com/threads/e...lightning-lane-please-read-posts-1-7.3856734/

The main Disboards thread about virtual queues is found here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/guardians-virtual-queue-boarding-group.3886917/

The first pages of those threads have valuable information.

 

[have2getaway]

It seems you are confused about some things. I assume you at least have tickets and park reservations for Epcot tomorrow. If so, you will be eligible to try for the virtual queue for Guardians at 7:00 tomorrow morning. You will be given a boarding group if you are fast enough, but they go quickly. You do not need to have entered Epcot to do so (the park won't even be open then). You can do it from your hotel room at Portofino Bay. You will not be eligible to buy an Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) for Guardians until the park officially opens at 9:00. That will put you two hours behind the "onsite" Disney guests, who will be eligible to buy their ILLs at 7:00. It is possible the ILL will be sold out at that time. It doesn't happen often, but I believe it happened yesterday and today. This is an exceptional weekend. If you do not get a virtual queue boarding group at 7:00, there is another chance to try at 1:00. However, you have to have entered Epcot already to try for the 1:00 VQ. Guardians is available only by VQ or ILL. The other rides at Epcot are either Genie+ or standby line. (I believe all other rides at Epcot have Genie+. Not all other rides at WDW are Genie+. Some, like Astro Orbiter, are standby only.) You cannot buy Genie+ until after midnight and cannot book your first Genie+ lightning lane until 7:00.

The main Disboards thread about Genie+ and ILLs is found here:https://www.disboards.com/threads/e...lightning-lane-please-read-posts-1-7.3856734/

The main Disboards thread about virtual queues is found here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/guardians-virtual-queue-boarding-group.3886917/

The first pages of those threads have valuable information.

Thank you for all the helpful information. We are starting to understand the process a bit better. We are planning to buy the genie plus sometime after midnight and make a LL reservation at 7:00. We will try to get in a BG then as well and, if that doesn’t work out, we will buy the ILL at the park if we can. Fingers crossed we won’t have to wait forever to go on the attraction.

 

[Tom_E_D]

Thank you!!! I was slow to follow at first, but I understand the process now. Am I able to see today what the price for GP and ILL will be tomorrow?

Disney does not announce the prices until day-of. However, I suspect the prices won't change this week. It's a very busy week. I expect them to sell at their highest prices.

 

[have2getaway]

Disney does not announce the prices until day-of. However, I suspect the prices won't change this week. It's a very busy week. I expect them to sell at their highest prices.

Thanks so much! I’m assuming that is the $20 you mentioned earlier? Hoping it’s not more!

 

[Skippyboo]

You can do both VQ and paid LL for Guardians. If you don’t get a boarding group at 7am then try again at 1 pm in the park. You can also have everyone in your group trying to get that boarding group. At 630 am, you can create your boarding party and just have to hit the join queue button right at 7am. I find it useful to have a second clock with seconds. I use my kindle to go to Time.gov digital clock webpage.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Just by chance, today's Genie+ was $29, and for the second time ever, actually sold out this afternoon. I don't know what the ILL was today, but someone might have seen that information earlier. It's dynamic pricing based on the crowd expectations - but $20 for ILL probably is a reasonable guesstimate.

 

[Beer Me]

I was just there and stayed off site. We got a virtual queue boarding group from our hotel at 7am. It’s a bit tricky though. We had a phone showing time.gov and another ready to tap for a boarding group. I tapped at exactly 6:59:59 and barely got a boarding group. They’re gone in literally 2 seconds or less. But if you fail have no fear!

At park opening (I’m assuming 9am but make sure) you can buy an individual lightening lane. They can sell quick but should be available for at least a few minutes past 9am. As long as you’re willing to shell out the cash and are on the app at 9am it’s practically guaranteed.

There is another drop of virtual queue boarding groups at 1pm if you didn’t get one at 7am. You have to be in the park but those also last at least a few minutes so should be almost guaranteed. You can ride twice with a paid LL and a virtual queue boarding group.

 

[Skippyboo]

Just by chance, today's Genie+ was $29, and for the second time ever, actually sold out this afternoon. I don't know what the ILL was today, but someone might have seen that information earlier. It's dynamic pricing based on the crowd expectations - but $20 for ILL probably is a reasonable guesstimate.

Today was a holiday probably won’t be as much tomorrow

 

[have2getaway]

You can do both VQ and paid LL for Guardians. If you don’t get a boarding group at 7am then try again at 1 pm in the park. You can also have everyone in your group trying to get that boarding group. At 630 am, you can create your boarding party and just have to hit the join queue button right at 7am. I find it useful to have a second clock with seconds. I use my kindle to go to Time.gov digital clock webpage.

Thank you! Thank you! These are very helpful tips as we have 3 teens who I’m sure would love to help make sure they experience the ride.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

And by the way - in case you're wondering. The ride is amazing and worth the effort!! At least in our opinion!

 

[Skippyboo]

Plus it has multiple songs so it has great ride repeatability because you don’t know which song you’re getting until it launches.

 

[Beer Me]

Thank you for all the helpful information. We are starting to understand the process a bit better. We are planning to buy the genie plus sometime after midnight and make a LL reservation at 7:00. We will try to get in a BG then as well and, if that doesn’t work out, we will buy the ILL at the park if we can. Fingers crossed we won’t have to wait forever to go on the attraction.

FYI you don’t need genie + to get a virtual queue or paid lightening lane for guardians.

It should help with test track, frozen, ratatouille etc though. But don’t buy it if you’re thinking you need it for guardians.

 

[sheilafri]

I’d try for the VQ first. At 7 am Eastern. Use an atomic clock on one electronic device and have everything ready on another electronic device so that all you need do is refresh at EXACTLY 7:00, then immediately join the queue. There are posts out there on exactly what to do. We had no problem last week going much later than when our group was originally called. There is a second chance for a VQ at 1:00 pm but you might want to buy an ILL before that time anyway. It’s worth going on twice!

 

[Tom_E_D]

Thanks so much! I’m assuming that is the $20 you mentioned earlier? Hoping it’s not more!

As someone mentioned, Genie+ was $29 today. The ILL for Guardians was $17. Add tax in both cases. Someone else opined that prices could go down tomorrow since it is no longer the weekend. While that is possible, I expect prices to stay high all week simply because of how busy this week will be. We'll see who is right.