A virtual queue—also known as an online queue, digital queue, digital line, or virtual line— is a queue of website or app visitors that exists within a virtual waiting room. Website managers use virtual queuing to control the flow of visitors arriving to a web page or website.

A digital queue (or virtual line) works by replacing a physical "stand-in-line" wait with a digital reservation managed via a smartphone app or on-site kiosk. When you "join" a digital queue in 2026—common at theme parks like Disney (Virtual Queues) or at busy retailers—the system assigns you a Boarding Group or a specific return time based on the attraction's real-time capacity and current throughput. Instead of standing in a switchback line, you are free to roam the park, eat, or shop. The app provides a live countdown or a "Current Groups Boarding" notification. When it is your turn, you receive a push notification or SMS alerting you to head to the attraction entrance within a specific window (usually 30–60 minutes). At the entrance, you scan your digital "token" (a QR code or MagicBand) to enter a much shorter physical holding area. This system uses complex algorithms to balance guest flow across the park, reducing "bottlenecks" and allowing businesses to capture more revenue as guests spend their "waiting" time in shops and restaurants rather than standing idle.