The way I think SE is running this (coupled with my friend's observations) is that they're watching the servers closely, and when they see fit, they'll open up the queue, and allow the first X people into the game. Then everything gets closed off, beginning the 1017 cycle again, even to the people who were right behind those in the queue. I got into the queue pretty much around the same time that he got in (but I didn't make it through the door), and he reported seeing several other people getting in at the same time that he did.

Again, this is just a guess.