Virtual queue

[Wandering Oaken]

Keep in mind that you must have a park reservation for DHS to try for a boarding group. You could make park reservations for every day of your trip, but you risk not being able to change your park reservation to another park as they may (will likely) be full.
It’s best to practice, practice, practice before your trip so you know what to expect!

I have tried to practice but the app does not do the same thing as it does when you are actually trying to do it for real.

 

[Pyxie]

I have tried to practice but the app does not do the same thing as it does when you are actually trying to do it for real.

It basically does do the same thing, but the result is different. If you get a message saying that you need a park reservation for the day, then (from my understanding anyway) you would have gotten in. If you get a message saying that all boarding groups are full, you would not have.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

They are making things so complicated. It was much simpler (for me at least) when they had standby lines and FP+. Easy peasy. Now I have to lock my park in stone, choose some FP+ options, and I also have to worry about virtual queues. This is nuts.

 

[gharter]

They are making things so complicated.

For us -
clear the phone memory, storage, turn off wifi.
Open the app, have the screen set to the join button
As soon as the clock show 7, press join, join, join. DO NOT READ ANY OF THE SCREENS.
Good luck

 

[Castlequeen5]

They are making things so complicated. It was much simpler (for me at least) when they had standby lines and FP+. Easy peasy. Now I have to lock my park in stone, choose some FP+ options, and I also have to worry about virtual queues. This is nuts.

Actually right now, you don’t even have to worry about choosing fast passes. I have no clue when they will resume. But until they do, standby is your only option. At least it’s one less thing to worry about!

 

[Wandering Oaken]

For us -
clear the phone memory, storage, turn off wifi.
Open the app, have the screen set to the join button
As soon as the clock show 7, press join, join, join. DO NOT READ ANY OF THE SCREENS.
Good luck

So I don't have to keep refreshing the screen? I already have 2 days set as DHS days. We'll have an extra days ticket and did not plan on going to a park on day one (that would be a DS and off property shopping day) but I may add DHS to Day One so I can try for the 1pm group.

 

[jbish]

So I don't have to keep refreshing the screen? I already have 2 days set as DHS days. We'll have an extra days ticket and did not plan on going to a park on day one (that would be a DS and off property shopping day) but I may add DHS to Day One so I can try for the 1pm group.

I highly recommend you start following the thread that was linked earlier. Do NOT read all 980+ pages of it. Just read post 1, which is still mostly relevant information. Then start reading the last few pages and you will quickly be up on the jargon and the strategy. I have been following that thread since last year - in prep for my April 2020 trip that obviously got cancelled. I was offline from that thread until recently again, where I am now back up to speed on what we need to do to give ourselves the best shot at landing a boarding group. And I have practiced numerous times so that all of it is familiar. I practiced in 2020 and started practicing again starting about a month ago. It is well worth it so that you know what to expect and it's a pretty good indication as to how it will work for you on the actual day. People have differing experiences on how accurate their clocks are, which of the two strategies work best for them, etc. So it won't hurt for you to have done a few practice runs ahead of time. Latest indications are that the boarding groups are going in 3 seconds. That is no joke. I have seen (on practice runs) that they were gone within 7 seconds, so I believe the 3 seconds rumor of late.

As to which strategy, people end up picking a strategy and sticking with it. I do the one where you are on the main screen of the MDE app (referred to as the AT-AT screen), wait until exactly 7:00:00 (using my Apple watch to track it by the second, which is timed exactly to time.gov) and click the Join button three times. Do not pause to read anything. You do not have to pick your party because that is the one thing that will be different on the actual day - everyone in your traveling party with a park pass will be selected for you.

As to your park days, if this is the absolute MUST do for your vacation, I would recommend getting that third park day at HS so that, at the very least, it is an option for you. If you do add that to your Day 1, please note that you MUST have tapped in to the HS entry prior to 1 pm before you can try for the boarding passes at 1 pm.

 

[PanchoX1]

I highly recommend you practice. it helped a lot on our last and (first time riding ROTR) trip. (got boarding group 1). I walked my friends through it and they are there today. got BG 60. its not too hard of a process, you just have to be fast fast fast. I don't know if using multiple devices help or hurt but it sure made me feel better. it was just me and my wife trying.

 

[PanchoX1]

I watched a few you tube vids using the different strategies and picked the one that suited me the best, starting on the main screen. Only took a couple of practice runs to feel pretty comfortable with it. You can do it!

 

[Wandering Oaken]

As to your park days, if this is the absolute MUST do for your vacation, I would recommend getting that third park day at HS so that, at the very least, it is an option for you. If you do add that to your Day 1, please note that you MUST have tapped in to the HS entry prior to 1 pm before you can try for the boarding passes at 1 pm.

Yeah. That is the day we are arriving and the plane should get in around 10:30am or so. We'll go to the resort to check in and then head straight to DHS to check in there. Then I will start tryin the boarding groups right at 1:00pm. We can then go to DS after the ride.

 

[gharter]

So I don't have to keep refreshing the screen? I already have 2 days set as DHS days. We'll have an extra days ticket and did not plan on going to a park on day one (that would be a DS and off property shopping day) but I may add DHS to Day One so I can try for the 1pm group.

No.
This worked for us 2 for 2. My wife and I were logged into our MDE accounts to try for our boarding passes at 7.
You do need to be fast, as they are gone in under 10 seconds.
I found a video taking about this from Disney Food Blog that was helpful as well.
The start of the thread on getting a boarding group was also very helpful.

 

[DVC92]

Can concierge at the hotel get you in the virtual queue? I only have a flip phone and don't take my laptop with me to WDW. Part of the joy of being on vacation is not using the stupid computer.

 

[brightlined]

Can concierge at the hotel get you in the virtual queue? I only have a flip phone and don't take my laptop with me to WDW. Part of the joy of being on vacation is not using the stupid computer.

No. The app is required for more and more things at WDW, and this is one of those things. (I don't believe you can do VQ on a laptop, either.)

The best workaround you'll have is if you can connect your account with a friend on MDE who can do it for you.

 

[1lilspark]

Can concierge at the hotel get you in the virtual queue? I only have a flip phone and don't take my laptop with me to WDW. Part of the joy of being on vacation is not using the stupid computer.

Nope….
And I think to access $$ for Lightning Lane you probably will also need MDE access unfortunately