What is the Difference between Virtual Que on the My Disney Experience App & the Fast Pass?

[DisneyNDecember]

First time going back since 2013.. We have a backup Disney Vacation planned for Dec 11-19, 2020, in case our cruise gets cancelled.
I know they are not offering any Fast Passes now, but I keep seeing on the "Here Now & Just Back Thread" of people logging into their phones at 10:00 AM at DHS to get in the Virtual Que for Rise of the Resistance.

Two Questions about that:
1. Why is there a virtual que offered for that ride, isn't that like Fast Pass? Which I thought Fast Pass was not being provided right now. What is the difference between a Virtual Que and Fast Pass.. seems the same to me.
2. Is this Virtual Que Ride option offered for any other ride? Or is it just Rise of the Resistance at DHS? And I am curious about if it is so hard to get a Virtual Que Ride slot for that ride during this slow time, it must be almost impossible to get a ride on that in normal operating hours. That seems like poor planning for a ride that people can't even get on it during a slow time like now.

Thanks for all the help...

 

[karma459]

Id suggest you take a peek at the sub-forum at the top of this forum Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Infor & Planning (sorry, I can't include the link - not enough posts yet, I assume!)

Basically, there are no FP+ currently in any of the parks. It's all stand-by lines, with the exception of RotR in DHS. For this new attraction, you need to use the MDE at announced times (currently 10am & 2pm) on the dot to attempt to get a "boarding group" - then you will get a notification on your phone when your boarding group is being called and you have 1 hour to return to the attraction to ride.

Couple of notes:
1. There are only two opportunites to attempt to get a BG per day.
2. You can only have 1 BG per day (if you get one at 10am, you cant try again at 2pm)
3. You have to be in DHS (band/ticket scanned at gate) to attempt to join the Virtual Queue to get a BG
4. BGs are typically gone immediately (I've seen "within seconds") posted
5. Just having a BG is not a guarantee that you will ride.. you will get a BG# and the attraction has fairly frequent stoppage, and they may not necessarily get through all the assigned BG's.

Hope this helps!

 

[DebbieB]

Fastpass gives you a time to return, for example 1:00 to 2:00. Virtual Queue notifies you when it is your turn, there is no set time. The main reason for this is the ride breaks down frequently, so they can control when people are showing up for the ride.

 

[DisneyNDecember]

I am familiar with Fast Pass... we used it quite frequently for the numerous years we visited Disneyworld yearly until we started cruising for our vacations in 2014.. 2013 was our last time to visit Disneyworld on a yearly basis.

So the "Virtual Que" option that is in the My Disney Experience app is basically just for the Boarding Group requests for ROTR in DHS & nothing else at this time.... Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[auntlynne]

I am familiar with Fast Pass... we used it quite frequently for the numerous years we visited Disneyworld yearly until we started cruising for our vacations in 2014.. 2013 was our last time to visit Disneyworld on a yearly basis.

So the "Virtual Que" option that is in the My Disney Experience app is basically just for the Boarding Group requests for ROTR in DHS & nothing else at this time.... Am I understanding this correctly?

Yes, you are correct. It has been this popular since it opened. I think the boarding group concept has been in operation the whole time.

 

[auntlynne]

From various posts, it looks like the Fast Pass system we know at WDW May become a thing of the past. I am not well versed in this, but it sounds like one of the Tokyo or Shanghai Parks, maybe even DLand have different programs ($ for FO?)

For the purposes of December, just imagine WDW pre-FP, no park hopping, but add on the ability to see estimated wait times on that electronic gadget you carry everywhere.

 

[DisneyNDecember]

Okay. That makes 100% sense to me now. Thank you so much.