GOTG virtual queue - have I got this right?
 

I just want to make sure I understand this before we go so...

7am - anyone can join the virtual queue from anywhere (offsite and onsite) provided you have a park reservation

1pm - anyone can join the virtual queue but you have to be in the park

6pm - anyone can join the virtual queue from anywhere, no reservation needed?

I wanted to try and get a spot for our first evening but I'm not sure how best to approach it. If I try at 7am we might get a booking but it will be too early in the day and we won't be in the park at 1pm. So am I just limited to trying at 6? Have people had much luck with this time?

Almost correct. The 6pm one is only for Disney deluxe hotel and DVC guests on a Monday for extra magic hours.

Ah ok, thanks.

Also, does everyone in the party have to be in the park at 1pm to join the queue?

Yes - it won’t let you select the people in the party unless they are in the park, think it pops up an error message

Good to know thank you!

I managed 3 of our recent trip - 2 at 7am, we were staying at Universal so I was just on the ball on the dot of 7am, log into MDE a few minutes before so you've selected your party, then refresh it just before 7 (I started around 30 seconds before constantly refreshing) then as soon as it's 7am it should give you a boarding group.

1pm I didn't try as if you're successful at 7am you can't try again at 1pm but apparently these are much easier to get as it's only people in the park who didn't get one at 7am, you can't park hop until 2pm so it's also only people with Epcot bookings.

Our last was the 6pm slot - these are only for anyone staying in an onsite Deluxe resort, either on cash or DVC points, we were in MK that day and I did exactly the same as I did at 7am.

There is leeway if you turn up late, how long this will go on for is anyone's guess, I'd been told in the WDW AP groups that you can turn up anytime after your slot and just swipe through, and this was certainly our experience, our first morning BG we were called around 1pm but had no intentions of going to Epcot until much later in the day, lots of the local AP holders do this, we were around 4-5 hours late, wasn't an issue at all, we just swiped straight through.

I don't know if this is something they're 'allowing' as it does disappear from MDE after your hour has expired, or if it's because there's no way to select your time, therefore they're ruling out anyone who doesn't want to go until later in the day.

Good luck :)

That's not quite right. They only have to have been in (i.e. have tapped in to) the park that morning.

We stayed at the Beach Club and on of a couple of occasions walked to the International Gateway entrance to Epcot, tapped in and then immediately turned round and headed back out and off to do malls, Typhoon Lagoon etc. Then at 1pm we were able to join the virtual queue.

Those staying offsite joining the virtual queue at 7am, is that the paid one or the free one?

We’ve just got in the virtual line at 7am and been given 3.30pm return.

Interesting to know that there are other options including DVC

There aren't any DVC options, there were DVC previews before general release.

There's a 6pm option for Deluxe resort guests during nights with EEH (Monday), this can be if you're staying on either cash or DVC points, but it's the resort stay that qualifies for the 6pm booking.

One nice perk of this is that you can still try for it even if you were successful at 7am or 1pm.