Walt Disney World Resort has announced that it’s putting an end to a virtual queue program.
Walt Disney World Resort, located in Orlando, Florida, is renowned for providing visitors with unforgettable experiences. One of the strategies Disney has employed to enhance guest satisfaction and manage crowd flow is the introduction of the Virtual Queue System. This innovative solution allows park-goers to secure access to some of the most popular attractions, minimizing wait times and maximizing the magic of their Disney experience.
Disney World is home to four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Each Disney park includes different attractions, parades, character meet and greets, and much more.
With Disney World being such a popular tourist location, guests from all over the world come to experience the wonder of Disney and this can cause line queues to be long and areas to become crowded. One of the ways that guests can “beat the line” is by purchasing Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane.
Guests can purchase Genie + to help lower their wait time by going through the Lightning Lane entry. Genie + prices are no longer at a fixed rate but can vary from day to day. This means that guests may not have a clear idea of how much they need to budget in order to have the opportunity to bypass the standby queue. While this may not be a concern for some rides, Walt Disney World Resort has introduced numerous new attractions recently, making Genie+, and Lightning Lane a valuable resource, especially for families with limited time to explore the park.
Lightning Lane allows guests to purchase a certain attraction for a certain time. Guests use Lighting Lane for attractions such as TRON LightCycle/Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind due to the amount of guests wanting to experience this attraction.
Disney World’s Virtual Queue System is a high-tech, time-saving tool that’s designed to minimize the time guests spend waiting in line for some of the most popular attractions and shows in the park. It’s a part of Disney’s ongoing effort to enhance the overall guest experience and reduce the stress associated with waiting in long queues.
So far, Disney’s newest attractions use the virtual queue system, like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and TRON Lightcycle / Run, which allows guests to get a boarding pass number that tells them when it is their time to join the line. The virtual queue lines are to help the lines not get backed up and allow more guests to know when it is their turn.
It has now been reported that TRON Lightcycle / Run will have massive changes soon. TRON Lightcycle/Run will soon discontinue its virtual queue system in early 2024. This change is part of the newly introduced ticketed events at Walt Disney World. Disney is reintroducing its After Hours event, available at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney Guests may get excited for the news of the Virtual Queue system for TRON Lightcycle/Run being phased out in the near future due to no longer hoping to get a boarding pass. However, for the time being, guests will still need to use the MyDisneyExperience app to secure their reservations or to purchase a Lighting Lane. Please keep in mind that this does not affect regular hours, in which TRON Lightcycle / Run will still operate with a virtual queue, at least for now.
These After Hour Events are available for purchase with a separate park ticket, which allows guests to come into the parks after it has closed to the public. These events are created for fewer guests to be inside the parks which allows guests to experience more attractions and less wait times.
The Disney After Hours event is scheduled between January 11 and April 8, 2024. Disney may add dates, and prices may change. Below are the event dates and prices:
- Thursday, January 11 – $155 for all guests, with a discounted price of $125 for Passholders/DVC members
- Monday, January 15 – $165 for all guests, with a discounted price of $135 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, January 22 – $165 for all guests, with a discounted price of $135 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Thursday, February 1 – $165 for all guests, with a discounted price of $135 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, February 5 – $165 for all guests, with a discounted price of $135 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, February 12 – $175 for all guests, with a discounted price of $145 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Thursday, February 29 – $175 for all guests, with a discounted price of $145 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, March 4 – $175 for all guests, with a discounted price of $145 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, March 18 – $175 for all guests, with a discounted price of $145 for Passholders/DVC members.
- Monday, April 8 – $175 for all guests, with a discounted price of $145 for Passholders/DVC members.
Are you excited for the changes coming to TRON Lightcycle/Run?
