star tours rise of the resistance

Could You Handle Disney’s Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride?

Matt Stroshane, Disney

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

It is the featured attraction of  Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge  at both Disneyland in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World in Florida. And it just may be the best park attraction in the world. But here's the thing: As with many rides, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance includes some thrills. Would you be able to handle them? Would you want to?

Unlike a roller coaster or any amusement park ride that is outdoors and easily viewed from the midway, visitors at the Disney parks have no visual cues to observe Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in action and gauge its intensity. That’s because the attraction takes place inside an enormous show building nestled in a wooded area. So, we will do our best to explain what occurs during Rise. That way, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether you (or the people who will be among your theme park posse) would be up to giving it a whirl.

What Kind of Ride Is It?

First of all, it’s important to note that Rise is not a single ride experience. Unlike, say, Mission: Space at Epcot, which uses centrifuge technology to simulate space travel, or Soarin’ Around the World  at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, which uses (and pioneered) the concept of a flying theater to take guests on an “airborne” hang gliding journey to famous locales across the globe, the Star Wars attraction uses multiple ride systems and unfolds across a series of acts to engage guests in its narrative. It therefore takes some unpacking to describe what happens.

The entire experience lasts about 17 minutes. The sheer length of Rise, which is considerably longer than the more typical four-minute-or-so theme park attraction, only begins to hint at its epic scale and sheer wow factor. It is a triumph of park and attraction design, technology, and immersive storytelling. That’s why it is worthy of your careful consideration. If ever there was a must-ride Disney attraction, Rise is it.

But if you fall somewhere along the theme park ride wimp spectrum (and you know who you are), you might be nervous about trying the Star Wars attraction. “What the heck goes on in there?” you might wonder. We will do our best to break it down.

By demystifying Rise and divulging what happens during the experience, we run the risk of ruining the element of surprise for you. Ideally, it would be great if you could try the Star Wars attraction cold, without any prior knowledge. But, if you really want to know what to expect, consider this your spoiler warning–though the focus will be on the thrill-inducing aspects of the attraction, not the plot.

Locating Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands depict Batuu, a planet created for the parks. Batuu is a trading port that attracts eccentric characters from around the galaxy. At its center is Black Spire Outpost, which includes merchants selling wares in bazaar stalls, a cantina, and some eateries. Oh, and the Millennium Falcon just happens to be docked there. The setting is the time of the final Skywalker trilogy (which wrapped up in 2019 and features Kylo Ren, Rey, Poe Dameron, BB8, and Finn). The Resistance (the good guys) have set up a secret encampment in a forested area on the outskirts of the village. This is where Rise is located.

According to the backstory of Galaxy’s Edge, the First Order arrived on Batuu a few weeks ago. A showdown is brewing between the sworn enemies, and you are about to be plopped into the middle of it.

The First Act of Rise of the Resistance

As you make your way through the encampment, you’ll see equipment cabinets and medical supplies stored by the Resistance. For the pre-show that sets the story in motion, you will be led into a briefing room where you will meet a holographic Rey. She will entrust you with some vital information that you cannot divulge to the First Order, or the fate of the galaxy may be doomed.

For the first act of the attraction, you will board an Intersystem Transport Ship. It is supposed to whisk you away for a short journey to rendezvous on a safe planet. In usual theme park fashion, however, things will go horribly wrong.

This part of the attraction uses motion simulator ride technology, like  Despicable Me Minion Mayhem  at the Universal Parks, or one of the earliest attractions to use the concept, Star Tours at the Disney parks . Unlike those attractions, however, you stand aboard Rise’s transport vehicle. To give you a sense of the ride intensity, no safety restraints are used. You will experience a sense of space travel as the motion of the vehicle syncs with the action you can see through the viewing windows in the front and rear of the cabin, but it is quite mild.

Throughout this overview, we will use a scale of 0 to 10 to rate the thrills, where 0 means no thrills and 10 means extreme thrills. We give the first act on the Intersystem Transport Ship a thrill rating of 2.5. For comparison, Minion Mayhem rates a 3.5, and Star Tours rates a 4.5. Nearly everybody should be fine with the thrills delivered here. They are equivalent to the sensations you might experience aboard a fast subway car that navigates some hills and turns.

Among the characters on the ship is Lieutenant Bek, one of many impressive animatronic figures you’ll encounter throughout the attraction. On Bek’s command the ship will depart Batuu, but the First Order will quickly discover it. They will use a tractor beam to capture your ship and draw it onto a Star Destroyer at which point you will become unwitting prisoners of the First Order.

The Second Act of Rise of the Resistance

For the second act of Rise, you’ll be walking through the Star Destroyer. The size and scope of the massive carrier is impressive. When the door of the ship opens, you will be greeted by a phalanx of armed stormtroopers. Through an enormous window behind the stormtroopers, you’ll be able to see activity in the inky darkness of space, including TIE fighters streaking past and a First Order regimen of ships flying in formation.

First Order officers (Disney cast members dressed in the baddies’ crisp uniforms) will bark out orders and corral you and the other prisoners towards interrogation rooms. While you won’t experience any physical thrills here, the menacing stormtroopers and the humorless First Order officers will ramp up the psychological thrills and, likely, your anxiety levels. In the interrogation room, you will have your first encounter with Supreme Leader Kylo Ren before the Resistance busts you out of the detention cell.

The Third Act of Rise of the Resistance

For the third act, which is the heart of the attraction, you will be whisked onto Star Destroyer Fleet Transports. The eight-passenger vehicles are highly sophisticated and use trackless ride technology. Instead of guide tracks, onboard computers determine the path, speed, and motion of the vehicles. An R5-series astromech droid will be perched in your vehicle. Its mission will be to guide your transport through the Star Destroyer, elude the First Order, and reach safety.

Danger will lurk around every bend as your vehicle navigates corridors, infiltrates the bridge of the Star Destroyer, and gets detoured multiple times. Stormtroopers will rain blaster bolts on you. Kylo Ren will pursue you. At one point, enormous AT-AT walkers will lock you in their sights.

The action aboard the Fleet Transports in the Star Destroyer is frenetic, but not overly wild. The vehicles speed up, come to sudden halts, spin a bit, and execute other evasive maneuvers as they try to avoid detection, dodge fire, or otherwise get out of harm’s way. At one point, your vehicle will board an elevator and rise perhaps 25 feet into the air to the upper levels of the Star Destroyer.

We give the third act a thrill rating of 3. It is not as wild as Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland , which uses Disney’s Enhanced Motion Vehicles and rates a 4.5 (or the similar Dinosaur ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom). Like Rise’s first act on the Transport Ship, we think virtually everybody should be able to handle this part of the attraction.

The Finale of Rise of the Resistance

For the fourth and final act of Rise of the Resistance, Disney combines three ride systems. This is where things get a bit hairy. But only a bit.

Alert! Here is a major spoiler : You and your mates aboard the Fleet Transport will, in fact, make it out alive from the Star Destroyer and to safety. But you knew that, right?

Your Fleet Transport will lock down onto an escape pod. The pod is actually a motion base, that, like the Intersystem Transport Ship in the first act, will move in sync with projected action to simulate space travel. Remember how we wrote that you will rise about 25 feet in the air earlier in the attraction? Well, what goes up must come down. To get away from the Star Destroyer, your escape pod will suddenly plummet in space before your droid can regain control and pilot you back to Batuu.

Here is how Disney accomplishes the effect: As we indicated, the trackless ride vehicle is locked down onto a motion base. The motion base is then coupled with a drop tower-like mechanism to deliver a freefall. Think Twilight Zone Tower of Terror , but instead of a 199-foot drop, Rise drops perhaps 25 or 30 feet. It is startling, but not nearly as thrilling as the Tower of Terror. We give that attraction a 7 on the thrill scale.

For the final act in the escape pod, we assign a thrill rating of 4.5. That is the same as the rating for Star Tours. The motion simulator thrills are similar (although the duration of the experience is shorter), and, although it includes a drop, the freefall sensation is not all that intense. If you are okay with Star Tours and similar motion simulator rides, you should be okay with Rise of the Resistance.

Who Can (and Should) Go on Rise of the Resistance?

With a relatively low height restriction of 40 inches (102 centimeters), children as young as 4 might be tall enough to ride. That doesn't necessarily mean they should. The same goes for tweens, teens, and adults. Sure, thrill rides are supposed to be thrilling but regardless of height or age, the thrills that Rise delivers may not be appealing to some people. That should be a personal decision.

Still, Rise is relatively mild when compared to many other park rides and attractions. Some roller coasters, of course, are incredibly extreme. While Disney World does not have any Six Flags-level coasters, it does offer some wild thrills that are considerably more intense than Rise.

Getting on Rise of the Resistance

Okay, you’ve made the decision to brave Rise. But it's not as simple as walking up to the attraction and getting in line. Because it is enormously popular and sometimes suffers from technical glitches and downtime that reduces its capacity, Disney has developed a virtual queue system for the attraction that guests must use at both parks.

In order to board Rise you will need to have a boarding group pass, which you can secure by using Disney World’s My Disney Experience app or the Disneyland app on the day of your visit. You must physically be in the parks to get a pass. Try to score one as early as possible in the day since the supply is limited and the passes frequently sell out. You can learn more about the boarding group process on the Disneyland site and the Disney World site .

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride Review

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is not not the best attraction at Walt Disney World. In this spoiler-free ride review, I’ll explain what I mean by that, offer comparisons, and other thoughts & commentary about this new Hollywood Studios (and upcoming Disneyland) multi-phase attraction.

When I say spoiler-free, I mean it. Aside from one photo of a scene that (unfortunately) has been shared so much by Disney that you couldn’t help avoid it, there are zero spoilers here. Certainly not a scene by scene ride breakdown, no on-ride photos–not even a basic outline of the plot or attraction premise (beyond its name). If you’re here for the photos, you might as well close the browser now. Aside from that one image, everything here is of the queue before the first pre-show or random areas of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

With that said, I won’t be coy about it or bury the lede–Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an excellent, world-class attraction. It’s the home run that this land needed, and clearly the flagship E-Ticket of the two in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Moreover, Rise of the Resistance instantly belongs on any top 10 list for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or even the world…

My reasons for skirting whether Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the best attraction at Walt Disney World are three-fold. First, insufficient experience. There’s a ton to see and let sink in, and it’s thus too early to make a definitive proclamation. This is a sensory overload in the best way possible, and my attention was pulled in multiple directions. There was definitely stuffed I missed for that and other reasons.

Second, and this is something we’ll cover in greater depth in a separate upcoming post offering a Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opening day report, but the attraction experience is presently inconsistent and unreliable. My review is based on a smooth and seamless run-through. I could see my opinion shifting over time if/when I have ‘bumpier’ experiences.

Finally, and to that point, after publishing my Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Ride Review , I found myself second-guessing my first impressions. In doing that attraction countless additional times over the course of many months, there are new things I like, dislike, and no shortage of ways I now disagree with my own review. (And that’s even with my relatively tepid review that didn’t even put it in Disneyland’s top 10!)

This is hardly uncommon for me. On the one hand, I’m almost always coming off of the initial high and excitement of something new, causing “grade inflation.” On the other hand, there’s a certain raw authenticity about a (roughly) contemporaneous review shared shortly thereafter. It’s how the vast majority of the general public will approach a ride–without time to let the cynicism of social media seep in, and without revisiting ad nauseam to find ways to nitpick.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an attraction deserving of multi-ride throughs and some time for reflection. Keep in mind, though, that it’s deserving of more rides and reflection to determine whether it’s the best ride in the world. Don’t let the restrained tone and excessive prefacing of this review thus far fool you–this isn’t a question of whether the attraction is good. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is mind-blowing.

What makes Rise of the Resistance so mind-blowing, in large part, is massive set pieces and a slew of how did they do that moments. I may not be ready to call this Disney’s best attraction, but it’s certainly Imagineering’s most ambitious and most impressive of the modern era. WDI pulled out everything in their proverbial bag of technical tricks, and executed them all flawlessly.

The result with Rise of the Resistance is something epic in scale. (It’s really a shame so many spoilers are out there–with Disney leading the charge–as it’s best to go into Rise of the Resistance with as much of a blank slate as possible.) Everything in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance congeals perfectly, too.

There are a ton of Audio Animatronics–but also a lot of screens. The two, among other effects, are married in such a way that the average guest will never notice. Every piece of bleeding edge tech is seamlessly integrated with practical effects. The end result is that complete suspension of disbelief is achieved in guests.

In fact, due to its multi-phase approach and that sense of grandiosity, Rise of the Resistance feels a bit like being an active participant in a fully-finished, experiential film. By this, I mean that it’s like you’re in the midst of a movie’s action for 18 minutes or whatever, complete with special effects and no peeks behind the curtain.

Don’t get me wrong, this has all of the familiar beats of a theme park attraction, and that’s what it unmistakably is. However, it’s also much more engaging and polished than almost anything you’ve experienced before. It’s interactive but not in the “gamified” sense that’s all the rage right now (including with Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run).

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is still a passive ride, but it’s something engrossing, immersive, and non-viscerally thrilling. From the Cast Members perfectly executing their flaws to the plotting and encounters, the tension, pacing, and suspense are also exceptional. Accordingly, you might walk out having trouble articulating what makes Rise of the Resistance so special. (As I’ve found, a stupefied “wow” will suffice.)

To that end, I have a tough time drawing comparisons between any existing attractions and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. If forced to choose, I’d probably pick attractions with the best conceivable queue and pre-show that you’d never want to skip and pair those with trackless dark rides and thrilling motion simulators.

For everything before you buckle up in the Rise of the Resistance ride vehicle, I’ll go with Haunted Mansion mixed with Tower of Terror mixed with Flight of Passage’s queue (NOT THE INTERMINABLE VIDEOS!) mixed with the Harry Potter rides. For the final ride experience, I’ll go with any of Disney’s major trackless dark rides mixed Indiana Jones Adventure mixed with Transformers: the Ride mixed with just a dash of Shanghai Pirates.

Already, that’s probably sounding like some nonsensical mashups. (Although I think anyone who has been on those and this can at least see where I’m coming from with each of them.) If I had to choose one single, “clean” comparison, it would be Indiana Jones Adventure. From the queue to pre-show to ride experience and the same type of interactivity, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is like Indiana Jones Adventure but with ~25 years of experience, new technology, and a different approach.

Even with that comparison, the problem is that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has no clear analogs. It’s a multi-phase attraction that feels like certain parts were inspired by other things, but only as loose inspiration or on a technical level. Otherwise, Rise of the Resistance is its own thing entirely, and that’s a large reason why guests are going to have trouble putting its essence and quality into words.

I’ve used the term “multi-phase attraction” now a few times, and you’ll probably see that or something like it elsewhere. Admittedly, it’s a bit meaningless–every attraction has at least an entrance, ride, and exit, thus making it multi-phase. Here, what that more or less means is Rise of the Resistance is utilizing different ride systems and approaches in what Imagineering would define in the core attraction experience.

As noted above, this worked for me as my “run” of Rise of the Resistance was fluid and smooth. As such, I’d agree with Imagineering’s statements that the core attraction attraction duration is over 15 minutes. For the sake of being vague to avoid spoilers, I’d count all of the “stuff” beginning in the first room after the queue as an essential component of the attraction, and that’s where I’d start the clock on its runtime.

Unfortunately, the practical reality is that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is not currently running smoothly. I don’t want to fixate on this too much as we’ll have a separate opening report and I’m hopeful all of this is ironed out.

However, right now there are a few problems with Rise of the Resistance: downtime, unreliability, and scene back-ups. Downtime and unreliability are obviously bad, but they don’t impact the core attraction experience–just whether you can do it at all.

Scene back-ups, on the other hand, impact it significantly. Based upon our conversations with other guests, these are occurring with regularity, so they’re worth bringing up here. If you experience X scene, then wait 20 minutes in what feels like a line, then Y scene, then wait, then Z…that sure sounds like a queue with pre-show scenes, and not part of the “core attraction experience.” I can’t disagree with that sentiment.

As far as critique, that’s it. Something that can, should, and hopefully will be resolved with a few more months of test and adjust. I could probably nitpick a few more things if forced to do so or once I have another dozen ride-throughs, but the same could be done for Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Ultimately, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance belongs in the conversation with those (and other) greats as one of the best Disney attractions of all-time. Calling it not not the best ride at Walt Disney World means it’s not necessarily the best, but doesn’t foreclosure the possibility that it is–the jury is still out for me. This is everything I wanted it to be and more, elevating the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and (at least partially) helping it to deliver on the promise of being a place for you to ‘live your own Star Wars story.’

Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but Disney would’ve saved itself a lot of media critiques, fan second-guessing and questions as to whether the land is a “failure” if both they waited to open Galaxy’s Edge until both attractions were ready. Unfortunately, the same could probably be said about waiting to open this ride until it was fully tested and working reliably. Those are both other stories for other days, though. Suffice to say, when it’s firing on all cylinders, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an all-time great–maybe the very best.

PSA: If you’re planning on visiting Walt Disney World in the next few weeks (in other words, sometime before 2020 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend), you need to read our Virtual Queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Tips & Inf o post. Showing up at the scheduled opening time of Disney’s Hollywood Studios will not get you on this attraction!

If you’re planning on visiting the new land, you’ll also want to read our Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Guide . This covers a range of topics from basics about the land and its location, to strategically choosing a hotel for your stay, recommended strategy for the land, and how to beat the crowds. It’s a good primer for this huge addition. As for planning the rest of your trip, we have a thorough Walt Disney World Planning Guide .

Your Thoughts

Have you experienced Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance? What did you think of the attraction? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Would you like to see a review with spoilers and photos? What about a Rise of the Resistance strategy & planning post? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments! ( Please avoid spoilers if replying before 2020 .)

Written by Tom Bricker

Seriously: I CANNOT figure what all the hype is about. After a 2 hour q line, it is quite the disappointment. Yes, the theming is very good, Animatronics and atmosphere good as always, but it is the same ride as Mickey’s Runaway Railroad with different theming (or Sea World’s Penguin ride). some cool stuff too look at, but very low in thrills. Spider-Man or Hogwarts at Universal trounces this ride, no contest…seriously.

Very disappointing, we tried to get a boarding group for 8 at 7 am and again at 1 pm and it was full both times. Complete BS!!! This is extremely frustrating and annoying!! Especially when you purchase tickets for your family well in advance and plan out a family vacation. This system is stupid. It should allow you to sign up in the Qurans soon as you purchase your tickets and book your reservation in the park for the day you plan on being at the park.

I finally had a chance to ride this ride in mid March 2021 and it was a complete disaster. We got on the ride, and about halfway through the ride just stopped. Some cast members came to escort us off the ride and gave us recovery passes so we could get back on when the ride was working again. Later that day when it was fixed we went back on the ride, but we didn’t even get on the ship when the ride broke down again. It never reopened for the rest of the day. I was extremely disappointed as I had been excited about this ride for months. Now it will be at least a couple more years before I’ll be able to go back and experience it. From what we’ve seen of the ride it looks very impressive and it could be an amazing attraction, but they really need to get the reliability issues fixed because they are killing the experience. I heard where it was struck by lightning a few months ago and that it’s been plagued ever since; hopefully they get things fixed because it has potential to be a mind blowing attraction.

A total scam been here (including today)at least 4 times different visits to Hollywood studios …the queue is full at 7:00 am … thank goodness I live in Florida and a AP holder.. 7:00am queue was already full. This happens all the time. Not worth the aggravation.

We went the first week of December to Hollywood Studios and rode every ride twice. Slinky Dog, toy Story Mania, the new Mickey Mouse ride, Tower of Terror, Smugglers run, you name it. Also, we got boarding group 41 for Rose of the Resistance and it was amazing. There is a lot to see so it would be good to go on again in the future. Kids loved it, can’t wait to go back in 2022.

Seems like a scam to me. Did the virtual queue right at 7am like the prompt said abd it popped up full already. Who is actually getting into the queue? 600 for tickets and it’s full in 1 second???. Using the queue to entice people to buy tickets for a park where all the shows are closed. Don’t even bother buying tickets.

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance-Our Full Review and What You Need to Know

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is now open inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and at Disneyland Park in California. After years of anticipation for this groundbreaking new attraction, guests will now become heroes of the Resistance in a climactic battle with the First Order. Learn more about this amazing attraction below.

1 – No More Boarding Groups and Virtual Queue (For Now)

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance was the first attraction at Walt Disney World to utilize a Virtual Queue; however, at this time, the Virtual Queue has been “paused.” If you do not want to pay to ride this attraction (see #2), you may now simply enter the stand-by queue and wait for the attraction. Wait times run anywhere from 1.5 – 3+ hours, depending on the time of day. It’s still the most popular attraction at Walt Disney World, so be prepared to wait a long time for this one. We highly recommend that if get to the park as early and line up as possible. Also, be aware that Disney has and will close the regular stand-by queue in order to let those who paid for Lightning Lane access go through the line. These closures usually happen in the afternoon or evening, which is another reason we recommend lining up as early as possible.

2 – Individual Lightning Lane Purchase Option

Some attractions fall into the “Individual Lightning Lane” category at each theme park. These are the most popular attractions.  These attractions are NOT included with your Genie+ purchase and must be purchased separately. Lightning Lane selections for the top-tier individual attractions are made on the same day of your visit and can be made across multiple theme parks (great for those who have the Park Hopper Option). Access to purchase Lightning Lane for the individual top-tier attractions are available to all guests when the park that attraction opens. Guests staying on Disney World property receive the benefit of early access to top-tier reservations and can make their purchases at 7:00 am on the day of their visit. Prices will vary by date, attraction, and park.

The price for Rise of the Resistance has been consistently high, ranging from $15-$25, depending on the date of purchase. It also has been the most popular and almost always “sells out” on any given day. If you are willing to pay for Lightning Lane access for this attraction, your best bet is to be a Disney resort guest and make your purchase right at 7:00 am. If you are not a resort guest, you need to make your purchase as soon as the park opens. 

3 – Timeline and Backstory

The time and backstory of the attraction place you shortly after Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. It is a dark time for the Resistance. Following the devastating Battle of Crait, the freedom fighters have fled with General Leia Organa to an undisclosed location. Meanwhile, hunted by the First Order and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, a band of Resistance supporters have established a temporary outpost on Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu (Galaxy’s Edge), thanks to scouting by Resistance spy Vi Moradi.

Here on the Outer Rim, the Resistance is rebuilding and searching for recruits to join the cause and help save the galaxy from tyranny. When you enter the attraction, you are answering that call to join the Resistance and fight the First Order. Unfortunately, not everything goes to plan. You’ll launch into space aboard a transport shuttle, only to be captured by a Star Destroyer and pursued by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. On the attraction, you’ll frantically search for a way to escape the clutches of the First Order.

4 – Detailed Queue Area

You’ll find the Resistance’s temporary encampment in the forested area along the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost on Batuu. (When you arrive at Galaxy’s Edge from Grand Avenue, you’ll find the attraction to the left). The gateway to the encampment is marked by a large turret. From there, a pathway leads deeper into the forest toward towering cliffs and the crumbling remains of an ancient civilization. While some of the queue is outside, most of it is inside, which will be welcome in the hot summer months. You’ll weave through low stone walls, timeworn pillars, and tight corridors as you progress farther into the base, hearing military communications chatter along the way. The first section of the queue is quite long, with many chambers. (I counted eight in all). I timed myself walking through from the front to BB8, and it was a five-minute walk—that was with an empty queue and walking at a normal pace. They clearly created a space for many, many people to wait for the attraction.

5 – A Briefing with BB8 and Rey

Disney has done a fantastic job creating a seamless, holistic experience full of rich details and excitement on a cinematic scale. The traditional ideas of “queue,” “preshow,” and “ride” have really been blurred as to when the “ride” begins. I feel it’s safest to say that it starts with your briefing with BB8 and Rey. In a makeshift briefing room, Rey – a hero of the cause – appears via holo-transmission alongside the dutiful droid BB-8 to welcome you as a new Resistance recruit. Rey shares a plan to reunite with General Leia Organa at an off-planet location that must be kept a secret from the First Order.

6 – Intersystem Transport Ship

After the briefing with Rey, you are whisked away to a nearby Intersystem Transport Ship (I-TS) and have to make your rendezvous quickly to avoid a First Order Star Destroyer on its way to Batuu. When you board the I-TS, you’ll feel as if you’re lifting off the surface of Batuu and blasting into space alongside Poe Dameron in his signature black-painted X-wing starfighter, Black One. Before the I-TS can make the jump to lightspeed, it’s caught in the tractor beam of a Star Destroyer and pulled into a massive hangar bay.

7 – First Order Hangar Bay

Stepping off the transport and walking into the hangar bay is unbelievable. It’s like stepping into a Star Wars movie. You’ll see ahead of you 50 menacing stormtroopers and a docked TIE fighter. The room is absolutely massive and awe-inspiring. I remember getting chills the first time I was in the room. The nice thing about this area is that you can take as long as you like here. You can take it all in, snap some photos, and look around before you move on to the next phase of the attraction. The first time you’re in the room, be sure to really look around the room before you move on.

8 – First Order Detention

After the hangar bay and a bit of a wait (depending on how crowded it is), you’ll be sorted into groups and put in a detention cell. You’ll be threatened by General Hux and Kylo Ren. Don’t be surprised if some Resistance friends get you out of the cell in a very cool way. You’ll then make your escape from the Star Destroyer aboard eight-passenger First Order Fleet Transports piloted by reprogrammed R5-series astromech droids. You’ll be buckled in here, and the “ride” portion begins.

9 – The Great Escape

The next portion of the attraction is where the real fun begins. At various points, you’ll dodge blaster bolts from stormtroopers and AT-AT walkers, scurry past huge turbolaser cannons, and stumble into the Star Destroyer’s bridge. Throughout your journey, you are hunted by Kylo Ren, who uses the Force in an attempt to pry from your mind the location of General Organa’s secret base. You’ll feel Ren’s tremendous malevolent power as you narrowly avoid his attacks. This part of the attraction is the best yet and has so many twists, turns, and surprises. The more I rode it the more I noticed. There is so much to discover!

Get an idea of the attraction by riding along with me by watching the video below.

Click here to watch a short clip of the AT-ATs!

10 – Cutting-Edge Technology Powers Immersive Storytelling

Walt Disney Imagineering combined multiple ride systems to tell the story of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. In one sequence, a new simulator experience gives the sensation of falling from space to crash land on Batuu. The trackless ride vehicles in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance are some of the most advanced ever used in a Disney attraction, with a sleek, low profile and the ability to move in all directions. Disney A-1000 Audio-Animatronics figures appearing in the attraction provide a deep level of immersive storytelling through their lifelike and dynamic movements. To fully realize this Star Wars story, Imagineers created thousands of special effects, from slashing lightsabers and whizzing blaster bolts to exploding walls and massive star fields – just to name a few.

11 – Authentically Star Wars

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the latest chapter in the collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television, and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987 when the groundbreaking Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland.

Actors from the current Star Wars film trilogy reprise their roles for new scenes and dialogue in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, including Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) and Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux). Many scenes were filmed at the same time “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” were in production.

Poe Dameron’s X-wing is one of several vehicles from the Star Wars galaxy appearing in the attraction.

Disney cast members adopt personalities of First Order and Resistance troops throughout the attraction to further deepen the immersive experience for guests.

Walt Disney Imagineering worked hand in hand with Lucasfilm in writing the attraction’s script, ensuring characters and storylines were properly integrated into the broader Star Wars galaxy.

I had the chance to speak with Doug Chiang, Vice President and Executive Creative Director, Lucasfilm about how the amazing attraction was brought to life. Watch my short interview below:

12 – A Lengthy Experience

One of the best things about this attraction is the length of the experience. During the media preview, I timed how long the entire experience was. As I mentioned earlier, my uninterrupted walk from the start of the queue to BB8 was five minutes. Then from BB8 until the end was an entire 28 minutes. We only had a short 3-5-minute wait from the hangar bay to our detention cell. Waits for most guests will likely be longer due to more people being in the attraction. The time on the transports trying to flee Kylo Ren is nearly five minutes long! There is so much to see and experience. It’s not rushed, and you really feel like you’re connected to the Star Wars Universe, really living out your own Star Wars story.

13 – A Complete Star Wars Experience

When Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in August, the land was a hit, but many felt like something was missing. There were complaints that it didn’t quite feel Star Wars enough because of the lack of connection to a Star Wars film or location. Because Batuu and Black Spire Outpost were new, people had a hard time connecting. With the addition of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, that complaint goes out the window. We already mentioned the actors from Episodes 7-9 in the attraction. Their presence and the storyline bridge the gap between what we see on the big screen and what we experience on Batuu when we visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It’s the perfect blend of new and familiar, and the rest of my time exploring Galaxy’s Edge was heightened by the new connection.

14 – Motion Sickness and Height Requirements

I will admit I was very nervous about riding this attraction. I suffer from motion sickness and can’t ride Flight of Passage, Star Tours, or Mission Space. My days of riding the Tower of Terror are very near an end as I am getting increasingly uncomfortable after riding it. I’m happy to report that not only was I able to enjoy this attraction, but I also found it to be gentler than Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. The entire ride portion is smooth. There is a drop, but it’s much milder than the Tower of Terror. I was so happy that I could enjoy this one because it’s incredible. Keep in mind that everyone reacts to attractions differently. Still, as generally as possible, I think this ride is relatively safe for those that suffer from motion sickness on certain attractions. Also, note that there is a 40-inch height requirement for younglings.

15 – If You Build It, They Will Come

Whether you’ve visited Galaxy’s Edge a number of times or have been waiting for Rise of the Resistance to open, you’ll want to come and experience this attraction. After a few years of operating, the attraction is still a huge hit. This attraction is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced at a Disney Park. They’ve taken it to the next level, and whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, this is an experience not to be missed. I keep saying “experience” because it’s so much more than a ride. It’s an all-immersive experience that I know guests will love and keep coming back for.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.

Cindy E. Nykamp

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

An Attraction in Hollywood Studios

Last updated: April 20, 2024

At a Glance

A mobile Resistance gun turret tucked into a scrubland forest marks the entrance to the most epic indoor dark ride in Disney theme park history. Rise of the Resistance is an innovative attempt to integrate at least four different ride experiences—trackless vehicles, a motion simulator, walk-through environments, and even an elevator drop—into Disney’s longest attraction ever.

The adventure begins as you explore the Resistance military outpost, laser-carved out of ancient stone. An animatronic BB-8 rolls in, accompanied by a hologram of Rey, who recruits you to strike a blow against the First Order. Fifty guests at a time exit the briefing room to board a standing-room- only shuttlecraft piloted by Nien Nunb from Return of the Jedi. As the ship breaks orbit, you can feel the rumble and see Poe Dameron accompanying you in his X-Wing, until a Star Destroyer snags you in its tractor beam and sucks you into its belly.

When the doors to your shuttlecraft reopen, you’ve been convincingly transported into an enormous hangar, complete with 50 Stormtroopers, TIE Fighters, and a 100-foot-wide bay window looking into outer space. Cast members clad as First Order officers brusquely herd captive guests into holding rooms to await their interrogation by blackclad baddie Kylo Ren.

Before long, you’re making a break for it in an eight-passenger (two four-seat rows) troop transport with an animatronic droid as your driver; the car is capable of traveling without a fixed track and simulating movement. The ride blends dozens of robotic characters and enormous sets with video projections to create some of the most overwhelming environments ever seen in an indoor ride. One sequence sends you in between the legs of two towering AT-ATs while dodging laser fire from legions of Stormtroopers, while another puts you face-to-face with the Solo-slaying Ren. In the epic finale, you’ll survive an escape pod’s dramatic crash back to Batuu, a heart-stopping multistory plunge enhanced by digital projections. The drop at the end isn’t quite as intense as the one on the Tower of Terror—but don’t underestimate its ability to loosen your lunch.

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modal#open click->video-modal#modalVideo">Star Wars Rise of the Resistance Full Experience (multi angle)

Touring Tips

To minimize your wait time without paying for Lighting Lane access , be near the front of the pack heading to this attraction when the park opens each morning. This may require arriving more than 60 minutes before park opening. Otherwise, try again in the evening; with no nighttime spectacular currently at the Studios, wait times decrease close to park closing.

Other attractions you might like Users who like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, generally also like:

Space Mountain

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The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

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Here's roughly how many minutes you'll wait for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at each Hollywood Studios Crowd Level.

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How to Ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Without the Wait in 2024

By: Author Leslie Harvey & Joseph Cheung

Posted on Published: February 18, 2024

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The most anticipated Disney attraction of the decade – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – debuted at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in late 2019 and in Disneyland a few weeks later in January 2020. Headliner ride openings at Disney parks mean long lines, some times for years to follow.

Several years have now followed, with some intervening and pretty unforeseeable worldwide upheaval that closed theme parks everywhere. Now that Disney World and Disneyland are fully back in action, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance remains as popular of an attraction as ever, even with several newer rides opening at both resorts.

Over this time, this attraction queue has operated like no other Disney has ever offered. Many of the usual tricks and hacks for shorter Disney lines have never worked. During the last few years, there have been major changes to how to ride the attraction at both resorts. Of course, these changes necessitate new ride strategies. We are certainly always up for that challenge!

Even if you go to Disney parks somewhat regularly, what used to work for Rise of the Resistance on your last Disney trip surely will not work anymore. And what works now at Disney World won’t necessarily work at Disneyland. And vice versa!

Related: Tips for Visiting Walt Disney World During its 50th Anniversary

So, hang in and hold on. Here are all the details you need to know to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance on either Disney coast.

And… keep checking back here as we continue to update this post as we have been doing regularly for over 4 years now.

Last updated : February 18, 2024.

Table of Contents

• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride Basics

Tips for Riding Rise of the Resistance at Disney World

• Tips for Riding Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland
• All the Rise of the Resistance Spoilers

(Trips With Tykes uses affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through links in this post. See our full disclosure policy linked in the menu at the bottom of this site.)

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Ride Basics (No Spoilers)

Before we dive into the details about how you can best ride Rise of the Resistance, let’s talk ride basics. Don’t worry… there are no spoilers here! Although if you want those, scroll to the end of this post for all the details.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the headline attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge . It’s the second and final of two attractions in the land, joining Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. The ride opened at Walt Disney World on December 5, 2019 in Galaxy’s Edge within Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It opened January 17, 2020 in California in Disneyland park in the mostly identical Galaxy’s Edge located there.

The attraction has a 40 inch minimum to ride. This is a height that average kids will probably hit somewhere between their 4th and 5th birthdays. The ride physically is no more intense than a combination of Alien Swirling Saucers and Star Tours.

Parents should consider carefully, however, whether younger kids can handle a ride that prominently features the Dark Side. The physical thrill of the attraction won’t scare most kids away. The emotional intensity of being caught in the middle of a conflict between the Resistance and the First Order potentially could.

Depending on who you talk to, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance might just go down in history as the best of Disney Imagineering. The attraction is more than just a thrill ride. It takes guests through multiple scenes all with very difference experiences. Many guests proclaim it to be even better than Disney’s previous best, Avatar Flight of Passage . That’s high praise.

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• Disneyland – Southern California Resident Offer : SoCal residents can get three day tickets for as low as $75 per day for visits on weekdays from January 2 -June 2, 2024. Can be used on non-consecutive days.

Disney World’s Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue: Gone Forever!

When the ride opened, the ONLY way to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios in Orlando was by securing a place (“boarding group”) in a virtual queue. Effective September 23, 2021, Disney World completely eliminated the use of a virtual queue.

Change can be scary, but the end of the virtual queue was good news for most everyone. The process for getting aboard the ride now is a lot more equitable. And there are currently several methods to use to get aboard with shorter wait times!

(If you got good at virtual queues, all those skills are not for naught. Disney has been using virtual queues for some time for other new ride openings like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle/Run).

Two Ways to Ride Rise of the Resistance at Disney World in 2024

Now that the virtual queue is long gone, what are the current methods for actually getting on the ride? They are actually pretty straightforward and simple: 1) a standby line and 2) the Lightning Lane.

Standby Line. The standby line is exactly what it sounds like and what Disney goers have stood in for many decades. Anyone can get into this line, and everyone gets to ride as long as they are willing to wait. For Rise, that wait is pretty long – usually one of the longest of any line in all four Disney World parks and almost always 1-2 hours long.

Lightning Lane. The Lightning Lane debuted on October 19, 2021 when Disney World released several services to replace Fastpass+ of old. What used to be the Fastpass line for attractions has been rebranded into the Lightning Lane and is a way to access many rides with much shorter waits.

There are now two different ways to access Lightning Lanes, depending on what attraction you are planning to ride. Most rides are part of a service called Disney Genie+ where guests pay an additional daily fee to be able to book return times to many popular attractions.

Related: Tips & Tricks for Maximizing Genie+ at Walt Disney World

There are a few very popular rides that are not on Disney Genie+. Instead, guests can only use the Lightning Lane for these attractions by paying a separate a la carte fee. These attractions are sometimes called Individual Attraction Selection or paid/individual Lightning Lane.

As you might guess (since it’s one of the most popular rides in the parks!), Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the paid individual Lightning Lane selections. In fact, until Cosmic Rewind debuted, it was the most expensive selection of them all. The price at Walt Disney World for Rise of the Resistance in 2024 ranges from $20-25 per person.

Ways to Ride Rise of the Resistance without a Long Wait

If you are anything like us, you probably don’t want to stand in the longest line at Walt Disney World. So what are your options for hacking your way to a shorter wait to ride Star Wars: Rises of the Resistance?

Lightning Lane

As is pretty obvious from the above details, you don’t necessarily need to hack it at all. There is now a way simply to pay your way out of a long standby line for Rise with paid individual Lightning Lane.

Guests should be aware, however, that even paid Lightning Lane times often run out very quickly for Rise of the Resistance. So you still need a booking strategy in addition to extra cash!

Thankfully, with park reservations a thing of the past for most Disney World guests in 2024, you likely won’t have to worry with this step of the process anymore. (Annual Passholders will, however, need a park reservation for Hollywood Studios if they plan to ride the attraction early in the day.)

You can make your booking for Rise of the Resistance only on the same day you plan to ride. Paid Lightning Lane offerings like Rise open for purchase on the My Disney Experience app at 7:00am each morning. Note, however, that only guests staying in select on-property and partner hotels can book at that hour. Those hotels include: all Disney-owned hotels, Shades of Green, and the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin.

If you are staying in one of these hotels and act quickly right at 7:00am, you should be able to make a booking for Rise of the Resistance without issue. The return windows offered are one hour long. At Disney World, you can even choose your own one hour time window throughout the day. (Note: if you are also purchasing Genie+ and hope to ride Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios that day, the best strategy is usually to quickly book Slinky Dog Dash then go right to your Rise of the Resistance purchase.)

If you are staying off-site, however, you can only purchase paid Lightning Lane selections at park opening. Park opening is most often at 9:00am for Hollywood Studios. There may be limited paid Lightning Lane windows left to purchase at that time for Rise of the Resistance. If you are going during a high crowd time, there may be no Lightning Lane times available to you.

If times do remain at 9:00am, they will usually be later in the evening. If you are in this boat and times are still available, dust off your fastest finger and be ready to purchase the moment the clock ticks over because they usually sell out for the whole day in a matter of minutes. You can’t be picky about the time of day either. Just get anything.

The bottom line? If getting on Rise of the Resistance via the paid Lightning Lane is a must-do, I highly recommend an on-property hotel stay unless you are going during a guaranteed lower crowd time. Of course, you’ll be paying a premium for that on-property hotel, so the costs add up.

But for guests on a budget or who don’t want to pay for this upsell, there are thankfully a few other ways to hack the line for Rise of the Resistance.

Early Theme Park Entry

In September 2021, Disney World began offering Early Theme Park Entry. Similar to the Extra Magic Hours from 2020 and earlier, this service gives select on-property and partner hotel guests early access to the theme parks before other guests where lines are much shorter.

Early theme park entry at Disney World is offered at every park for every day – but only for 30 minutes. That means that eligible guests can make a beeline for Rise of the Resistance right at the start of this early entry period, usually finding very short waits.

That said, Disney sometimes opens the Hollywood Studios gates before the appointed 30 minutes before park opening time. This offers a real opportunity for early risers. If you can get into the front of the crowds on a day when the park opens more than 30 minutes in advance, you can often complete Rise with plenty of time to squeeze in another popular attraction before the rest of the guests are admitted to the park. (H/T to theme park journalist Brooke McDonald who has talked about using this hack on our Disney Deciphered podcast .)

Two major caveats to consider if you are contemplating this strategy:

• If you are staying at a hotel along the Disney Skyliner , it isn’t always a reliable transportation option in the early morning for getting you to Hollywood Studios at the front of the early theme park entry crowd. Check out this Complete Guide to Disney World Transportation for all the options.
• Rise of the Resistance has some major reliability problems and isn’t always open during Early Theme Park entry even though it’s advertised to be at Walt Disney World. You could well waste the full half hour of early admission standing in line for a ride that is ultimately down the whole time. Decide carefully whether that’s worth the risk.

Finally, note that you have to be staying at one of the hotels that participates in the program to be eligible. These hotels are not identical to the list of hotels that are eligible to book paid Lightning Lane at 7:00am, which can get confusing. The hotels that are eligible for early theme park entry are a larger list and include: all Disney-owned hotels, Shades of Green, and the Walt Disney World Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin PLUS B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando, Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista, Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, and Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

“Rope dropping” an attraction is a term that is thrown around often in Disney circles as a way to access an attraction with shorter lines first thing in the morning. Now with the addition of early theme park entry, however, guests who participate in the regular rope drop at park opening time are no longer the first to enter the park.

Rope dropping Rise of the Resistance at Walt Disney World is unfortunately not a strategy that works too well for major time savings, as lines are normally already quite long with the early entry guests ahead of the drop. That said, if you are truly at the front of the regular rope drop crowds, you might be able to shave a decent bit of time off of the longer standby waits that will follow the rest of the day.

Advanced Tips & Tricks for Rise of the Resistance Waits at Walt Disney World

Looking for even more ways to hack your approach to Rise and streamline your vacation?

Try on More Than One Phone : Really racing to book both a Rise of the Resistance paid Lightning Lane and an early Genie+ return time to Slinky Dog Dash? Use the two phone method. Have one adult in your party purchase Rise while the other is making the Genie+ booking. You can do this either logged into the same My Disney Experience account or logged into a different account with all tickets linked on both. There are even some services that can help with this strategy, like Standby Skipper which can book your Genie+ Lightning Lane while you manually book the paid Lightning Lane for Rise.

Don’t Pay for an Early Morning LL Return Time : As long as you act quickly at 7:00am for individual selection Lightning Lane purchases, you should have your pick of return time windows for Rise of the Resistance. So, don’t pay for access to this ride first thing in the morning! Why? Many other attraction lines in Hollywood Studios have short standby lines in the morning. It’s a better use of your time to ride them and save Rise for when lines are longer for everything later in the day (11:00am or later at least!).

Big Budget? Go VIP : If your budget is really enormous, going on a VIP tour is another way to ride Rise without standing in a standby queue. More power to you if you can afford that!

Know What To Expect if Rise Breaks Down : Rise of the Resistance has well-known operational troubles and breaks down pretty often. If it is does, and you’ve paid for Lightning Lane, you have a few choices. Disney will automatically convert your Rise return time window into a pass that is good for anytime later that day. When the ride is back again, simply use the return pass at your time of choice. If the ride never returns to service that day, your LL purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ride returns to service but you are unable to return to it (have left the park for the day, have a dining reservation, etc.), you will need to request a refund in person at a Guest Services location.

Know What Won’t Work For Rise : While there are some methods that work for other rides to hack your way to a shorter wait, know that not all of them are available for Rise of the Resistance. Specifically, Rise does not offer a single rider line. Thus far, it also has not been open during most special after hours events (note: it was open only during 2023’s Jollywood Nights holiday party using a virtual queue). Also, on the rare occasions when Hollywood Studios offered extended evening theme park hours for deluxe hotel guests, Rise was not open either (note: there are no extended evening theme park hours in Hollywood Studios on calendar for 2024, as of the date this article was last updated).

Use DAS if Eligible : Disney’s Disability Access Pass (DAS) is available for Rise of the Resistance for guests who qualify. Disney has made changes a few years ago to DAS that make it easier to enroll on the app before your arrival. (Note that in order to ride the attraction, guests must be able to transfer.)

Understand the Rider Switch Rules : If you have a child too small or too scared to ride, Rider Switch is offered for this attraction so adults can trade off with the child. You can’t, however, purchase paid Lightning Lane for Rise for only some members of your party and plan to have other members avoid the LL charge by using Rider Switch and returning in the second group. Everyone who plans to ride via the paid Lightning Lane needs to pay for it. Of course, if you don’t want to pay, the first group can wait in the standby line. Your second group at least will be sent through the Lightning Lane – a Rider Switch perk!

How to Ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland

Now let’s head over to California to talk Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland. Disneyland added Disney Genie+ and paid individual Lightning Lane to match Walt Disney World at the very end of 2021, so the systems are now more harmonized on both Disney coasts. Of course, there are some key differences between the resorts that guests need to know about.

Disneyland’s Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue: Also Gone!

Disneyland held onto its virtual queue system longer than Walt Disney World. But as of November 22, 2021 the virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance is gone now in California too.

That means that Disneyland guests have new strategies to put into play in order to ride this popular attraction.

Related: Guide to Visiting Disneyland in 2024

Two Ways to Ride Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland in 2024

Now that the virtual queue is gone, what are the current methods for actually getting on the ride? They pretty straightforward and simple and the same options that are at Walt Disney World: 1) a standby line and 2) the Lightning Lane.

Standby Line. The standby line is exactly what it sounds like and what Disney goers have stood in for many decades. Anyone can get into this line, and everyone gets to ride as long as they are willing to wait. For Rise, that wait is pretty long – usually one of the longest waits for any ride in the Disneyland Resort.

Lightning Lane. The Lightning Lane is brand new at Disneyland as of December 8, 2021. Lightning Lane is one of several offerings that replace Disneyland’s previous cut-the-line services, Fastpass and MaxPass . What used to be the Fastpass line for attractions has been rebranded into the Lightning Lane and is a way to access many rides with much shorter waits.

There are now two different ways to access Lightning Lanes, depending on what attraction you are planning to ride. Most rides at Disneyland are part of a service called Disney Genie+ where guests pay $30+ per day to be able to book return times to a number of popular attractions.

There are a few very popular rides (as of early 2024, two in total in two parks at Disneyland) that are not on Disney Genie+. Instead, guests can only use the Lightning Lane for these attractions by paying a separate a la carte fee. These attractions are called a few different names, including paid Lightning Lane, Individual Attraction Selections, or individual Lightning Lane.

Related: Genie+ & Lightning Lane at Disneyland: 17 Top Questions Answered

As you might guess by its popularity, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the paid individual Lightning Lane selections at Disneyland. In fact, it’s the most expensive selection of them all. Its price is variable and averages $20-28 per person to ride in recent months.

Ways to Ride Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland without a Long Wait

If you are anything like us, you probably don’t want to stand in a very long queue to ride this attraction, even if it is a ride that is more worth the wait! So what are your options for hacking your way to a shorter wait to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland?

As is pretty obvious from the above details, you don’t necessarily need to hack it at all. There is now a way simply to pay your way out of a long standby line for Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland with paid Lightning Lane – at a very expensive cost of course.

First, you’ll need a park reservation. That park reservation must be for Disneyland park if you want to ride the attraction before the current 11:00am park hopping start time (see this guide to making Disneyland park reservations for all the details). If you are starting in Disney California Adventure and plan to hop to Disneyland, you won’t be able to purchase until later (more on that below).

Just how fast do you need to book a paid Lightning Lane before they sell out for the day? Unlike at Walt Disney World where guests can start making bookings as early as 7am, guests at Disneyland can only make a purchase for the Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lane once they have scanned their ticket and actually entered a park each morning.

And also unlike at Walt Disney World, guests cannot choose any time for their Lightning Lane return time. The system at Disneyland works similar to Disney Genie+ where guests are offered only the next available return time.

These two differences mean that Rise of the Resistance Lightning Lanes don’t sell out right away at Disneyland because not as many people compete for them as early. But Rise of the Resistance is almost always the first paid Lightning Lane to run out for the day at Disneyland. In addition, it can sell out before most attractions on Genie+ are booked up for the day. So you still need a booking strategy in addition to extra cash.

The essentials you need to know to make a reservation in time are as follows:

• Historically, Rise of the Resistance usually runs out slots for the day in the late afternoon or early evening on low crowd days and often around mid-afternoon on medium crowd days. On the highest crowd days (like Christmas week), a morning sell-out (even before 10am) is possible. If you sleep in and don’t get to the parks early, the ride could well be sold out before you scan in and are eligible to book.
• Want to ride Rise of the Resistance in the morning (only available to those with Disneyland park reservations for the day)? Book it once you scan into the park for the morning – the earlier you enter the parks, the earlier the return times will be that are offered to you. If you are also purchasing Genie+, I recommend making your Genie+ purchase and first ride booking first and then purchasing Rise’s paid Lightning Lane – but there’s really no hurry on either like at Walt Disney World.
• Starting your morning at Disney California Adventure and planning to park hop? You used to be able to book a paid Lightning Lane for Rise early in the morning, and it would automatically give you a return time for after the park hopping start. But no longer. You now need to wait to book until the return times being distributed for the ride are 11:00am or later (the current time that park hopping is permitted in 2024). So check the Tip Board in the official Disneyland app a few times as the morning goes along to watch when post-11:00am times start being offered. On busy days, that may well be not long after park opening. On low crowd days, that may not be until just before 11:00am. Yes, that unfortunately means more time refreshing on your phone than before.
• Want to ride Rise of the Resistance later in the afternoon or evening? You need to keep an eye on how quickly Lightning Lanes are booking. Plan to book one when afternoon or evening return times are offered (but before the slots sell out). Again, more phone refreshing is required.
• Rise of the Resistance is still plagued by regular breakdowns. Booking a Lightning Lane earlier in the day is always safer, as a breakdown may cause Lightning Lane sales to be suspended early for the day.
• Refresh, refresh, refresh. Because of Rise’s lack of reliability, Disneyland is cautious in the number of paid Lightning Lanes it sells. When the ride is successfully operating and processing guests well, Disney will drop additional (earlier timed) Lightning Lanes for sale as the day goes along. If you refresh, you may well be able to snag one of those better times. But once you pay and book for a time, you can’t change it later like you can with Genie+ attractions.

The website Thrill Data tracks just how quickly Lightning Lanes for Rise of the Resistance run out for the day. Give it a peek in the couple of days leading up to your trip. You should also keep an eye on the official Disneyland app in the days prior to your travels. Go to the Tip Board and scroll down to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to see what Lightning Lane return times are being offered at a given time of day.

Paying for individual Lightning Lane is a pricey proposition at $20-28 per person per ride! So is the cost ultimately worth it? The cost will simply be out of reach for many travelers, especially families who would need to purchase for 4, 5 or more people.

But if the cost is within your budget, Disneyland runs paid Lightning Lane quite well most of the time. The paid Lightning Lane return times are usually short (except right after a ride breakdown when extra guests whose return times were paused will be entering). Every time I have ridden, it was almost like a VIP experience. I was escorted into the first pre-show room of the attraction within a matter of 5 minutes or less. It was faster than most other Lightning Lanes in the park available on Genie+. So at least you get something extra for the large extra cost. Most of the time.

Early Entry

Disneyland also offers an early entry benefit, replacing the old pre-2020 systems called Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning. Unlike Walt Disney World’s version, Disneyland’s Early Entry in 2024 is only available in one park daily for 30 minutes before park opening.

Early entry is only available to guests of the three on-property hotels: Disney’s Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Pixar Place – formerly Paradise Pier. The current schedule in 2024 is that early entry is offered in Disneyland on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and in DCA on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Related: Comparing Disney’s Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel: Which Hotel is Right for Your Family?

But here’s the catch when it comes to Rise of the Resistance. Unlike at Walt Disney World, Rise of the Resistance isn’t one of the rides open during Early Entry hours! So if you were hoping for that hack on the West Coast, I’m sorry to disappoint.

The one advantage early entry gives (on days when it’s offered in Disneyland park) is that it can position you in a better spot to get to Rise of the Resistance for the mad dash of Disneyland rope drop (see below). Many early entry guests queue at the left side of Fantasyland to head into the Galaxy’s Edge entrance there to beat the crowds coming from the hub which is farther away.

But unless you are at the front of the Fantasyland crowd, there’s not much of an advantage. And being at the front of that crowd means sacrificing the chance to ride other attractions during early entry with super short lines. As a result, this isn’t my favorite strategy (and certainly isn’t enough of an advantage to justify high on-property hotel costs).

Speaking of rope drop, it’s still the best way to ride Rise of the Resistance with the shortest standby lines of the day if you don’t want to shell out the big bucks for Lightning Lane. The challenge is making sure you are in the front of the mad dash into Galaxy’s Edge so that you get there before the many other guests trying this strategy do.

On days when there isn’t early entry offered, all guests are on an even playing field for the rush to Rise. So this is the day to rope drop it! To improve your chances, I recommend arriving to the parks about an hour before official park opening time (earlier on holidays). This gives you time to pass through security and be near the front of the queue at the turnstiles to enter Disneyland park. Cast members usually begin scanning guests into the park 30 minutes before official park opening.

Once you enter, do not stop for photos or to make other in-app purchases. Proceed directly down Main Street and look for the rope set up to the left of the hub in front of the castle. That is where guests headed toward Galaxy’s Edge will line up for rope drop. When the cast members drop that rope at official park opening time, it’s time to make a mad dash to Rise of the Resistance. The speedy will be rewarded with the shortest waits.

Rise of the Resistance, however, is a very long walk in the very back of the park. Slow moving guests (especially families with strollers or younger kids who can’t keep up a sustained brisk pace) likely won’t be able to get to the ride quickly enough to take advantage of short waits at park opening, even if you arrive very early and are right near the front of the rope.

I also don’t recommend doing this if you plan to take advantage of Rider Switch because many fellow guests will pass you while a cast member tries to load the Rider Switch allocation onto your tickets. Consider other strategies!

(On early entry days at Disneyland, rope drop isn’t as rewarding but can still be a strategy worth considering. Because Rise is not open during early entry and only three hotels worth of guests are eligible for early entry, there aren’t that many people “ahead” of regular rope drop. At the very least, regular guests who don’t have early entry privileges aren’t at the same disadvantage that they would be in Walt Disney World.)

Finding Shorter Standby Waits Other Times of Day

If rope dropping and Lightning Lane aren’t for you, the other best strategy is to find times of day when the standby line is shortest. Of course, the line is never truly short for Rise of the Resistance, but waiting in line for an hour is a whole lot more reasonable than two hours or more!

The bottom line is that if you see a short wait time posted in the app (anything 60 minutes or less is short for Rise of the Resistance) and are close by, make a beeline for the attraction.

If you are thinking about waiting until park closure, which is a great time to jump in line for one last attraction with a shorter wait, think again! Rise of the Resistance does not stay open as late as Disneyland park does. It closes earlier than the park (10:00pm currently but this may change) even if the park is open many hours later.

That said, the lines do get shorter later in the evening before the ride’s closure time, as guests start to head home or camp out for fireworks. So staying late can pay off!

Advanced Tips & Tricks for Rise of the Resistance Waits at Disneyland

Related: Advanced Strategies for Genie+ and Lightning Lane at Disneyland

Use Multiple Phones : Visiting on a very busy park day? Having more than one person working the Disneyland app on separate phones can make sense. If you are trying to book a Rise of the Resistance paid Lightning Lane as well as make a Genie+ purchase and booking, use the two phone method. You can do this either logged into the same Disney account or logged into a different account with all tickets linked on both.

Don’t Pay for an Early Morning LL Return Time : The early mornings are when standby lines all over Disneyland park are the shortest. For that reason, it doesn’t make sense to book a paid Lightning Lane for anything at that hour – especially an attraction so physically far away from much of the rest of the park like Rise. You can be riding so much else! I therefore recommend waiting to book Rise until the return window is at least 11am or later so you can make the most of the morning otherwise. That may mean you need to wait to book Rise a bit later than when you enter the parks. Set an alarm on your phone to check back so you don’t miss the ideal hour!

Know What To Expect if Rise Breaks Down : Rise of the Resistance has well-known operational troubles and breaks down pretty often. If it is does, and you’ve paid for Lightning Lane, you have a few choices. Disney will automatically convert your Rise return time window into a pass that is good for anytime later that day. When the ride is back again, simply use the return pass at your time of choice. If the ride never returns to service that day, your LL purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ride returns to service but you are unable to return to it (have left the park for the day, have a dining reservation, etc.), you will likely need to request a refund in person at a Guest Services location (look for the green umbrellas).

Know What Won’t Work For Rise : While there are some methods that work for other rides to hack your way to a shorter wait, know that not all of them are available for Rise of the Resistance. Specifically, Rise does not offer a single rider line. Thus far, it also has not been open during special events like after hours parties.

Use DAS if Eligible : Disney’s Disability Access Pass (DAS) is available for Rise of the Resistance for guests who qualify. Disney recently unveiled changes to DAS that make it easier to enroll on the app before your arrival. (Note that in order to ride the attraction, guests must be able to transfer.)

Use Rider Switch with Little Ones : If you have a child too small or too scared to ride, Rider Switch is offered for this attraction so adults can trade off with the child (plus one additional person can ride twice). While some cast members at Disneyland only required that the first group of riders in your party purchase paid Lightning Lane when using Rider Switch, this is not the case anymore. Everyone who intends to ride needs to purchase it or risk being turned away.

All the Spoilers for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

*****Spoilers Start Here! Proceed at Your Own Risk! *****

If you haven’t gone to the Disney parks in the last 4 years to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for yourself and want to avoid spoilers, stop here. But if you want all the details or simply want to re-live the attraction if you’ve already experienced it, here’s a complete spoiler filled play-by-play. We’ve broken the attraction up into sections, starting with the queue.

You enter the “hidden” rebel base via an entrance marked by a large turret, which seems quite conspicuous. The queue winds around outside a bit until you enter a series of caves that feel carved out in a rush. As you wind your way through the caves you pass by familiar looking navigational maps, lockers containing Resistance jumpsuits, and assorted weapons caches (presumably there in case of a sudden First Order attack). The queue is understated in a good way. It feels like you’re entered a lived in but hastily constructed Resistance base.

The queue ends with a cast member asking you how many in your party. You are then invited to enter the next phase of the attraction, the briefing room.

The Briefing Room

The next room you enter is the briefing room. While it’s technically a pre-show room, it feels much more immersive than that, although describing it doesn’t quite capture the feeling. Again, the room is a cut out cave. A hologram of Rey that looks straight out of the movies briefs you that you need to make a quick escape from Batuu and warns you not to give up the location of the secret Resistance base. But it won’t be easy!

During the briefing you receive some extra intel from Finn, Poe Dameron (who will be escorting your transport), and Lieutenant Bek, a Mon Calamari Resistance fighter who will be with you on your transport. After the briefing is over, you’re rushed outside – and you actually go outside! We felt a huge sense of urgency as we were rushed outside, across a small clearing, and into a fully realized Resistance transport waiting for us.

And just for kicks, Poe’s X-wing is hanging out in the clearing, ready to escort your transport. With good cast members, you really feel a sense of urgency to get into that transport, which really starts ramping up the narrative tension of the attraction.

The Transport

When you enter the transport, the first thing you’ll notice are two life-size audio animatronics at the front of the transport – the aforementioned Lieutenant Bek and Nien Nunb who you might recognize as having flown the Millennium Falcon with Lando Calrissian in Return of the Jedi.

You quickly take off from Batuu but are attacked by TIE fighters and eventually surrounded and trapped by Star Destroyers. As you are pulled in by a tractor beam, Lieutenant Bek reminds you not to give up the location of the secret Resistance base.

Some people will experience the transport portion of the ride and mistake it for the actual ride. You definitely feel the transport moving and shaking, though obviously it’s nothing too drastic since you don’t need to get strapped in or anything. One tip: if there isn’t room at the front, there is a porthole out the back with a view out the transport window that is as good as the forward view.

After the tractor beam pulls you into the Star Destroyer, your transport is boarded by First Order officers who bark at you to get out and prepare for interrogation!

If you weren’t wowed by the Rey hologram or the Bek animatronic, you’ll be finally wowed when you step into the hangar of a Star Destroyer. Pictures don’t do this room justice – the sheer scale of the hangar bay is mind boggling. You see ships flying outside the hangar and a full platoon of stormtroopers that you’re not quite sure aren’t real. Be sure to take pictures of the TIE fighter and the stormtroopers if the First Order officers don’t bark at you for taking “useless scans.”

This is a good place to note the quality of the First Order officers we experienced when we rode this attraction. They strike the perfect balance of making you feel nervous and doing their actual jobs (moving you along and keeping you safe). They allowed enough time for pictures but still kept the sense of urgency in the attraction alive.

Eventually you are shuttled into a queue to “await processing” and after a few minutes you are lined up to be shot….I mean shuttled into an interrogation room. Again, the quality of the cast members makes it feel like you’re really in trouble – adding to the magic and immersion of the attraction.

The Interrogation

When you enter the interrogation room, you’re given a real sense that you’re in trouble. There are stormtroopers looking down on you as if you’re in a cage and eventually Kylo Ren and General Hux come and begin demanding the location of the secret Resistance base.

Kylo Ren even begins using the force on you before thankfully he’s called to the bridge. Once he leaves – someone carves a hole in the wall and breaks into your cell – it’s the Resistance! You’re quickly ushered into escape transports that the Resistance has commandeered as Finn himself tells you the escape plan.

It’s all pretty exciting and, again, the sense of urgency to the whole affair is something that has to be experienced. Don’t forget to “supervise your children” as Lieutenant Bek says (how did the kids get caught up in this mess!?).

The escape vehicles are trackless vehicles similar to Mystic Manor in Hong Kong Disneyland or Ratatouille at Disneyland Paris and Epcot. As stated above, the actual movement of the vehicles isn’t super intense, but as you might imagine, the escape gets pretty intense. So let’s get to that escape!

So to make your escape you board a trackless vehicle that can hold up to eight people. Ostensibly, your escape should be simple: you make your way down a turbo lift to some escape pods and you’re home free. But that’d be a pretty boring escape!

So instead of a simple straightforward escape, you run up against everything that could go wrong: stormtroopers, probe droids, even Kylo Ren himself. The pace is frantic and things get pretty intense, but luckily stormtroopers continue to have the worst aim in history. What’s amazing about the ride is how immersive it is – you feel like you’re being chased.

Laser blasts create damage in the walls around you, you dodge and weave everyone who’s chasing you, and you even move vertically to avoid your captors. The effects combined with audio animatronics make you feel like you’re in the middle of a Star Wars battle.

And make no mistake, you are in the middle of a battle. Halfway through the ride you see the Resistance fleet jump out of hyperspace and engage the First Order Star Destroyers and from that point on the ride’s intensity ramps up to a whole new level. Instead of seeing damage from mere blaster fire you now see and feel the damage of this epic space battle going on around you.

Ultimately, you make your way to the escape pods and quickly drop your way back down to Batuu, a combination of Tower of Terror and Star Tours type action that somehow feels both less scary motion wise but more intense thrill wise than either of those individual attractions. Don’t worry, the drop really isn’t in the same ballpark as Tower of Terror, it’s just the easiest way to describe it.

By the time you exit your escape pod on Batuu, you will have experienced one of the most epic attractions ever created. Again, Rise of the Resistance is something that must be experienced firsthand – it’s a culmination of so much of the amazing storytelling that Disney has done throughout its theme parks for decades. Star Wars fans will surely not be able to get enough of it, but even those unfamiliar with the Star Wars stories will be impressed.

Trust us when we say this – use our tips to get yourself onto this ride. You won’t regret it!

About the author : Contributing writer Joe Cheung loves traveling with his wife and three children. He has been writing about using miles and points to reduce the cost of family travel since his wife was pregnant with their first child. He loves traveling all around the world with a special place in his heart for travel to Asia and all things Disney. When he’s not writing, you can find Joe chatting about Disney World on the Disney planning podcast Disney Deciphered that he and Leslie co-host or working as a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations. You can contact him by e-mail at [email protected] .

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Wednesday 8th of March 2023

I just went to Disneyland and rode Rise of the Resistance twice. First time, I refused to pay the premium and waited in line for 100 minutes. It was awesome. We decided to ride again, but then I was willing to pay the premium to get to head of the line. My legs thanked me for paying that extra $. If you can afford it then the premium is worth it. I hate that it's an inequitable way of handling it, but that's how the system works right now.

Monday 5th of September 2022

This was very helpful as I haven’t been on RotR since the boarding group queue.

I haven’t used LL yet but how would it work if we only want to buy LL for Rise for only part of the group? Does everyone need to buy their own or only one person in the group need to make the purchase? In the latter case, would we need to assign who wants to ride at the time of purchase, or can we buy LL for 10 out of 15 and assign them later? Hope that wasn’t too confusing. Thanks!

Denise C Cummings

Monday 20th of September 2021

We are coming jan 2022. If RotR is a regular que does that mean DAS can get a waiting pass for it? How is that going to qork? Do.you know.

Monday 2nd of November 2020

So can we be anywhere for this time change? We live about 2 hours away but can we still reserve the 7 am on the way down even if we’re not close?

Thursday 30th of January 2020

How do you work it if you have one child who’s too young to ride? Does one parent enter at the start of the boarding group and hope they get back in time for the other to ride?

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Disneyland Park

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Guests Must Be

102cm or Taller

Age Interest

Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Thrill Level

Small Drops, Thrill Rides, Dark, Loud

Join the Resistance in an epic battle against the First Order on this exciting ride.

An Attraction on a Scale That Is Impressive, Most Impressive Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a massive attraction with multiple ride systems that is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced at the Disneyland Resort… or anywhere else in the galaxy!

With the First Order desperate to extinguish the spark of the Resistance, the mission is bound to have unexpected twists and turns. When your transport is captured by an imposing First Order Star Destroyer filled with legions of stormtroopers—and even Kylo Ren!—you’re going to need all the help you can get. Fortunately, a covert team of Resistance fighters—including Rey and BB-8—is at the ready to give you a fighting chance to escape… and a chance for the Resistance to rise.

Get ready for a thrilling, first-of-its-kind adventure.

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We Tested Disney’s New Star Wars Ride — and It’s Unlike Anything You’ve Ever Experienced (Video)

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is now open at Disneyland — here's everything to know before you ride.

Star Wars : Rise of the Resistance, the banner attraction that opened today at Disneyland after opening last month at Walt Disney World Resort , isn’t a ride at all. With four ride systems, two ships, a battalion of Stormtroopers, and multiple Kylo Ren encounters, it’s an experiential journey to space and back; an ace in the hole of Disney storytelling that is as close as any of us will ever come to being inside a Star Wars film.

In other words, if you weren’t planning on making a trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort next year, shift those travel plans into hyperdrive immediately.

This state-of-the-art attraction, which opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Dec. 5, 2019 and Disneyland Park on Jan. 17, 2020, sees passengers recruited to join the Resistance, only to find themselves trapped aboard a Star Destroyer in desperate need of a way out. With the help of Poe Dameron, Finn, and a reprogrammed First Order R5-Series droid, riders will encounter numerous threats along the way — including over 50 Stormtroopers, 60-foot AT-ATs, and frightful First Order officers — as they attempt to reach safety.

By breaking the structure of traditional theme park rides, Disney developed Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance into an extended experience that plays out with a cinematic storyline in lieu of traditional queues, pre-shows, and exits. There is no other attraction like this in Disney parks or beyond, and you’ll feel it from the moment you step aboard the first transport ship, piloted by a bug-eyed creature of the same species as Admiral Ackbar. (And yes — there are more vehicles where that came from.) Rise of the Resistance is a behemoth so massive in scale that you’ll feel delightfully overwhelmed, whether you’re being tractor beamed into a hangar bay or traveling so deep within the depths of a Star Destroyer, you start wondering if you’ll ever make it out. Clocking in around 15 minutes from start to finish, it’s both lengthy and utterly transportive, leaving passengers somewhat bewildered after disembarkation, as though they really, truly may have spent the last quarter-hour in space.

Like the Star Wars film franchise as a whole, it’s not perfect; Rise of the Resistance lacks the high-stakes thrills on par with the life-or-death storylines that often comes within its space operatic storytelling. But, what it’s missing in errant speed or traditional frights it makes up in accessibility, providing a uniquely inclusive experience for thrill-averse guests who can’t ride coasters, 3-D attractions, or drop rides like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, allowing nearly everybody to take part. (There is a short motion simulator portion at the end with a singular drop, but it is significantly less intense than Star Tours, lasting under thirty seconds.)

Delayed a few months into both Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge openings, Rise of the Resistance rounds out every missing component of the theme park land, packing droids, audio-animatronics, and new trilogy stars like Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8, and General Hux into its storyline, elevating Batuu as a whole to incredible new heights. A few ride segments appear strangely low-tech, leaving much to the imagination — particularly in a selection of scenes near the end featuring Kylo Ren — but all-in-all, the attraction remains an unparalleled triumph that cements Disney as a must-visit destination for any and all movie fans.

So much of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has never been attempted before, and with an entire face-off between the Resistance and First Order packed into the experience, repeat rides only enhance the attraction. The middle section — a high-tech trackless ride with no discernable direction — whirls you and seven other stowaways through Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer, providing a different perspective and path depending on where you sit each time.

Encompassing the timeless magic of all three trilogies, each moment of Rise of the Resistance plays out like a classic Star Wars movie, both familiar and ineffably exciting, resulting in relief and jubilation. It’s an experience — one with many components, characters, and storylines — that provides boundless entertainment, and will do so for years, making it an absolute triumph.

10 Secrets of Disney’s Impressive Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Ride

Rebels, the Resistance needs your help! In the heart of the planet Batuu lies a ride that quite literally kidnaps you to a galaxy far far away. March into the shoes of a Resistance recruit and join the battle against the First Order in a storyline that unfolds in a spectacular cinematic spectacle. Find out what secrets lie beneath the surface of this awe-inspiring attraction!

Perhaps Disney's most complex attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, is an immersive experience that combines multiple ride systems and groundbreaking technology.

In this article:

Secrets of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog.

From groundbreaking ride technology to the meticulous attention to detail in every nook and cranny, we'll peel back the pod bay doors on the little-known facts, engineering marvels, and creative wizardry that make Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance a must-do ride in Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Whether you're a Star Wars fanatic or simply a lover of immersive experiences, this journey into the making of Rise of the Resistance (ROTR) promises to deepen your appreciation for the artistry and innovation that define the magic of Disney's Imagineers.

Inspiration Behind the Humble Aesthetic

Photo Credit: Disney Dose.

Disney Imagineers drew inspiration from different parts of the world to craft the enchanting planet of Batuu and its bustling Black Spire Outpost. With the vast array of planets within the Star Wars universe, the Imagineers aimed for a unique approach, ensuring guests could immerse themselves in any storyline they desired. Hence the creation of Batuu, a new planet where guests could choose a storyline for whatever adventure they sought. “We wanted it to be your Star Wars story. Not Luke's story, or Han's or any other Star Wars character, ” Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Creative Director Scott Mallwitz explained to Travel + Leisure . “It takes you away from trying to follow a story that's already been told and takes you into living out your own story with your friends and family.”

In the pursuit of bringing Batuu's distinct ambiance to life, Imagineers traveled to Turkey and Morocco for inspiration. These vibrant locations served as a fountain of ideas, providing valuable references for the creation of street markets, intricate stonework, pavement cracks, exposed electrical wiring, and a rich palette of earthy tones. Imagineers also tried to use pre-1980s props wherever they could to give an authentic feeling to the planet, as the Star Wars universe hasn’t strayed too far from the late 1970s technological aesthetic.

Fun Fact: creating Galaxy's Edge was the largest single-themed land expansion for Walt Disney World and Disneyland to date!

The X-Wing Outside the Ride Makes an Important Cameo 

I had the incredible opportunity to chat with one of the VIP Tour Guides at Walt Disney World recently, delving into the captivating behind-the-scenes secrets of Rise of the Resistance.

To my nerdy delight, they revealed that the X-Wing situated next to the attraction was not just any replica–it was an authentic screen-used prop from none other than Season 1, Episode 6 of the Mandalorian show! To add to the excitement, it's the very X-wing that features Dave Filoni's cameo!

In the show Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni tell the story of how they “hijacked” the X-wing just as it was on the brink of being shipped to Orlando for placement in Batuu. Some modifications were necessary, considering it was originally constructed as a full-size X-wing, not initially intended for on-screen use.

It's worth noting that this information pertains specifically to the X-wing at the Walt Disney World location, as the Disneyland version is, in fact, a meticulously crafted replica.

Where Does the Adventure Begin?

The setting of Rise of the Resistance takes place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker . The ride itself is meant to serve as a bridge between the two films.

One of the leaders behind this galactic endeavor, Doug Chiang, the vice president and executive creative director of Lucasfilm, shed light on the collaborative masterpiece crafted by the Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Imagineering design teams. He explained, “The Lucasfilm design team and the Walt Disney Imagineering design team worked together seamlessly as one team, essentially.” This way, the story of Rise of the Resistance fits perfectly into the timeline of the Star Wars films.

The Actors Came Back During Filming

Much to everyone's joy, Disney collaborated with the sequel trilogy's iconic actors to reprise their roles for Rise of the Resistance. The galaxy's beloved characters—Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe, and General Hux—were brought back to life by the very actors who made them household names. Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Domhnall Gleeson respectively, all reprised their roles in new scenes exclusively crafted for this groundbreaking attraction.

What makes this reunion particularly thrilling is the foresight of filming these scenes simultaneously with the production of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Just as the setting of the ride is between the two movies, the actors filmed their attraction scenes during those corresponding movies. The decision to capture these moments during the making of the films adds an authentic touch to Rise of the Resistance, providing guests with an unparalleled opportunity to step into the cinematic universe seamlessly.

How the Tables Have Turned

Have you ever found yourself wondering how on earth (or I guess, Batuu) the Intersystem Transport Ship  (I-TS) seamlessly whisks you away to the depths of the Star Destroyer on Rise of the Resistance? Well, the Imagineering team ingeniously employs a sophisticated turntable system—think of it as a remarkably advanced Lazy Susan.

Here's the ingenious mechanics at play: three transport vehicles are situated on the turntable simultaneously. One is loading at the Rebel Base, another is actively engaging guests in the immersive experience, and the third is unloading at the foreboding Star Destroyer. The initial movement of the pod, similar to a spaceship taking off, and the subsequent stop mimics the sensation of landing in the hangar of the Star Destroyer. It's a seamless orchestration of technology and creativity, where the turntable becomes the stage for a truly mind-blowing journey from one galactic destination to another.

A Stormtrooper Spectacle That Does Not Miss

Every time I step out of the Intersystem Transport Ship into the vast Star Destroyer hangar, my jaw always drops—it's a true cinematic spectacle. The sight of a legion of Stormtroopers, their heads pivoting with a realistic, military precision is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The atmosphere exudes an undeniable sense of intimidation as you find yourself surrounded by 50 Stormtroopers. Personally, I had always wondered just how many Stormtroopers were in the room but was always whisked back into line before I could count. With blasters poised and ready, they create an immersive precursor to your impending interrogation.

A 360 Experience

Have you ever found yourself curious about the number of scenes flawlessly integrated into Rise of the Resistance? Brace yourselves – a grand total of 18 distinct scenes unfold throughout the ride. Yet, what truly grabs your attention is the seamless transition from one immersive setting to the next, creating an uninterrupted journey that transports you into the belly of a genuine Star Destroyer.

The real magic lies in the meticulous design that ensures a continuous 360-degree experience. No matter where your gaze wanders, the awe-inspiring presence of the Star Destroyer surrounds you, leaving no room for backstage projections or visible wiring to disrupt the illusion.

Doug Chiang touched on this subject in a YouTube interview with DIS Unlimited , explaining, “(…)we were trying to make this so immersive because we knew the guests were going to look at places we wouldn’t expect, and so we had to make sure that all the details were spot on. So, I would say, as you’re standing in the queue, look around, look up and down, because I think you’ll find some nice treats.”

The Officers Stay in Character

First Order Officers don't just enforce galactic law–they do it with a touch of theatrical intensity. Unlike for the majority of rides in Walt Disney World, ROTR has a secret twist: cast members aren't advised to flash those trademark Disney smiles. As a former cast member, we were encouraged to smile and engage guests with a happy disposition at all times. Rise of the Resistance, along with the likes of The Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror, belongs to a select group of attractions designed to keep guests fully enveloped in the mesmerizing “show” by maintaining a more…intense presence.

Why the serious demeanor, you ask? Well, in the Star Wars movies, First Order Officers aren't exactly known for their sunny dispositions. It's all about staying true to the cinematic experience, and that means the cast members here stay in character. But fear not–this commitment to the Star Wars narrative doesn't mean you're in for a stern-faced encounter alone. Prepare for the unexpected, as First Order Officers might just spice up your journey with a fun and sassy interaction.

On our latest adventure, a quick-witted officer commandeered a family's park map, demanding the kids spill the beans on the location of the rebellion's secret base. When met with spirited resistance and an adorably emphatic “NO!” from the kids, the officer playfully declared triumph, insisting he'd not only found the base but memorized the map before returning it with a mischievous grin. It's these spontaneous, character-driven moments that add an extra layer of excitement to the secrets concealed within Rise of the Resistance.

We're Under Attack, Jar Jar

The heart-pounding sequence of narrowly escaping Kylo Ren's clutches and lightsaber fury is a dazzling display of Imagineering ingenuity that always leaves me utterly astonished. Witnessing it for the first time, I was completely captivated by the seemingly impossible effect crafted by the Imagineers. After a bit of digging, the secret behind this mind-boggling illusion is finally out!

Enter the “lightsaber,” a cleverly designed plastic prop that spins at a rapid pace, which creates the mesmerizing glow associated with these iconic weapons. What's truly remarkable is that, as the lightsaber whirls, a pre-cut section strategically emerges from behind a concealed panel, giving the illusion that the lightsaber is slicing through the ceiling.

• According to a Disney VIP Tour Guide, in this room, there’s a light switch panel in the back behind the transport vehicle that has “Jar Jar was here” written on it.

Three for the Price of One

The finale to Rise of the Resistance ingeniously melds three cutting-edge ride systems into one seamless adventure. The trackless system intertwines with a motion base reminiscent of the pods from Star Tours on a drop shaft similar to the iconic Tower of Terror.

This harmonious fusion not only propels your vehicle into the escape pod but also simulates a gravity-defying drop into space, before skillfully guiding you to a “crash landing” back to the world of Batuu.

No (Jedi-mind) tricks, here are some stellar additional fun facts about ROTR and Batuu according to a Disney VIP Tour Guide:

• In the last room of the queue before the pre-show, there's a room of Resistance pilot gear. One of the helmets is metal and made to resemble Iron Man's helmet.
• There are three scooters on the wall in the Black Spire Outpost marketplace area. The scooter in the middle has handles from the old Lights, Motors, Action! live show's jet skis.
• Near the droid depot there are droid tracks on the ground. Imagineers used costumes from 1977's A New Hope to create the droid tracks.

As we wrap up our journey into the hidden corners of Rise of the Resistance, it's clear that Disney's Imagineers have once again showcased their expertise in theme park storytelling. The nitty-gritty details, whether it's the schematics of the I-TS, the Mandalorian's repurposed X-wing, or those unexpected nods to underrated characters, those details reveal a ride crafted not just for thrills but to envelop visitors in an immersive experience beyond the norm, a true living movie.

Rise of the Resistance is more than a tour through the Star Wars universe and a Star Destroyer; it stands as a testament to Disney's commitment to artistry and dedication to innovating experiences that break the mold. So, the next time you're zipping through the escape pod, taking that gravity-defying drop, and returning to Batuu, don’t forget the meticulous blend of tech and creativity that breathes life into this adventure. May the Force be with you upon your next expedition on Rise of the Resistance! And make sure you don't give away the location of General Organa's secret base along the way!

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Replay Join a Mission for the Resistance

• 40in (102cm) or taller
• Thrill Ride
• Small Drops

An Attraction on a Scale That Is Impressive, Most Impressive

Accept a mission from the resistance.

The Resistance needs your help! Hidden in the forest outside Black Spire Outpost, the Resistance is gathering recruits for a secret mission.

With the First Order desperate to extinguish the spark of the Resistance, the mission is bound to have unexpected twists and turns. When your transport is captured by an imposing First Order Star Destroyer filled with legions of stormtroopers—and even Kylo Ren!—you’re going to need all the help you can get. Fortunately, a covert team of Resistance fighters—including Rey and BB-8—is at the ready to give you a fighting chance to escape… and a chance for the Resistance to rise.

Prepare for a thrilling, first-of-its-kind adventure!

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Even more magic – as you wish, star wars: galaxy’s edge.

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30 best Disney World rides ranked for 2024

With four iconic theme parks, more than five decades of history, innovation and nostalgia to consider, and over 50 rides to choose from, naming anything the "best" at Walt Disney World is no easy task ... but we gave it a try anyway.

The best rides at the Most Magical Place on Earth are the ones that deliver incredible thrills, groundbreaking technology and mind-blowingly immersive theming — so this ranking — in order starting with our top pick — is based on a combination of storytelling, thrill factor, innovation, emotional response and old-fashioned nostalgia.

So buckle up, tug on the yellow strap and enjoy your tour of the best rides at Walt Disney World.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• Location: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Height requirement: 40 inches

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — the centerpiece attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge — is such an epic, visceral experience that it feels reductive to call it merely a ride. During the nearly 20-minute adventure in a galaxy far, far away, guests become recruits, enlisted to join the Resistance in the fight against Kylo Ren and the First Order.

There's no other Disney attraction that can compete with the scale of Rise of the Resistance and its four different ride systems, vast cinematic sets, upward of 65 Audio-Animatronics, original score by John Williams, and audio and visual media featuring the original "Star Wars" cast.

The queue, pre-show and ride experience blend seamlessly, forming a cohesive narrative journey that is enhanced by technology but never overpowered by it. The attraction makes you forget the real world — but not because you're stuck in a dark space staring at a screen. In fact, Disney cast members doubling as Resistance heroes or First Order captors appear at key moments during the attraction, bringing a tangible reality to the experience that deepens the immersion.

Rise of the Resistance is a fully realized attraction that also still feels aspirational — new rides have opened since, but none have been quite so ambitious or delivered as Rise does. The bar has been set, and Rise is holding strong.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

• Location: World Discovery, Epcot
• Height requirement: 42 inches

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind — Epcot's first-ever roller coaster and Walt Disney World's first Marvel ride — definitely wins the "most fun" award. The fact that it's still using a virtual queue nearly two years after opening is a testament to its popularity.

The galaxy's fate is at stake, and the Guardians need help. Coming to their aid, guests board a "starjumper," a 360-degree rotating ride vehicle that reverse-launches into a high-speed indoor roller coaster journey through time and space.

One of six randomized '70s and '80s pop-rock classics provides the soundtrack for the silky smooth ride that feels like a swinging, soaring dance party through space. Like Space Mountain, the ride is in near darkness but enhanced with elaborate projections and some physical set pieces.

Everyone has a favorite song, and predicting which one you'll get adds to the fun, making the ride even more repeatable.

Bonus points go to the physical queue, which winds through the Wonders of Xandar pavilion, formerly "Universe of Energy," and tells a story that feels like classic Epcot but with plenty of Guardians banter.

Ride vehicles rotate to direct attention to a mix of screens and physical set pieces, and though it's a controlled rotation, those prone to motion sickness are likely to be affected by this ride. The negative effects can be minimized by avoiding looking at the screens and keeping your eyes pointed in the direction of the track.

Avatar Flight of Passage

• Location: Pandora – The World of Avatar, Disney's Animal Kingdom
• Height requirement: 44 inches

You don't even need to see an "Avatar" film to be wowed by your first ride on Avatar — Flight of Passage.

The breathtaking 4D experience simulates a flight over Pandora's Valley of Moara. A motorcycle-like ride vehicle creates the sensations of soaring, swooping and diving on the back of a banshee, which you can feel breathing and flapping its wings beneath you.

The stunning score, gorgeous visuals and effects like scents, mist and wind combine to make this one a top must-do, but it also comes with one of the heftiest wait times — still regularly clocking in at two or more hours, nearly seven years after opening.

Luckily, the standby queue is one of Walt Disney World's best, winding through alien flora, mysterious caves, an RDA bunker and a bioluminescent forest before entering an ACE laboratory that includes a stunning full-size Avatar moving inside a tank.

Interesting though the queue is, we still only recommend waiting in it when wait times are manageable, typically at rope drop or as late as possible in the evening.

For most Walt Disney World guests, time is money, so purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane is a smart way to skip the line.

Haunted Mansion

• Location: Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: None

An opening-day attraction that never gets old, Haunted Mansion adds more fans to its cult following every year. 2023 brought the debut of a new film inspired by the ride and the announcement that the mansion's 999 happy haunts would soon be hitting the high seas in Haunted Mansion Parlor, opening when the Disney Treasure sets sail this December.

This Ghost Host-led tour aboard a Doom Buggy weaves through the cavernous mansion and its grounds. It's spooky but not too scary for most kiddos — just remind timid little ones that these grim-grinning ghosts are having a big party, and everyone's invited to the swinging wake.

You don't need a new reason to keep this one high on the list, but last November, the Walt Disney World ride did get a long-awaited addition of the legendary Hatbox Ghost, already part of Disneyland's version.

Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

• Location: Asia, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a great roller coaster on its own, but like the other top rides on this list, its immersive theming is as strong as its thrills.

From Serka Zong village in the Himalayan foothills, an old steam-engine tea train operated by a tour and expedition company brings climbers to Mount Everest base camp — if they're brave enough to ignore the warnings that a mysterious yeti stalks the mountain, that is.

The tallest "mountain" of any Disney park at 199 feet, this is definitely one of Walt Disney World's more intense rides. There's a sizable drop and some big surprises, but there are no inversions, and it's well paced, giving you time to catch your breath during the scenic ascent and dramatic pauses.

This is one of the better picks at Animal Kingdom if you have to do the standby line — it moves quickly, and the immersive queue sets the stage for the adventure, passing through the village tourism office, the Yeti Museum, and even an internet cafe and inn for trekkers.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Location: Frontierland, Magic Kingdom

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness combines family-friendly thrills, nostalgia and immersive theming. Hold on to your hats and glasses as you take off on a runaway mine train, weaving among the iconic towering buttes that reach 197 feet at the highest point.

The bumpy ride is laugh-inducing, sending riders sliding into each other as the train rounds tight turns. A fan favorite since it opened in 1980, the oldie-but-goodie still stands up to Disney's newer coasters in both theming and fun, and at nearly 3 1/2 minutes, it provides a much more satisfying length than many of the newbies.

Three main ascents are followed by gentle drops and thrilling turns that aren't overly stomach-churning. For the wildest ride, sit in Row 15 in the back of the train.

An enhanced backstory and new character, Barnabas T. Bullion, were introduced to the ride in 2013, along with an updated interactive queue. Owner and president of the Big Thunder Mining Company, Bullion is also a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, a fictional mythology spanning stories and attractions across Disney parks worldwide.

Pirates of the Caribbean

• Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom

Constructed in just 15 months after guests expressed disappointment when Magic Kingdom opened without the popular Disneyland attraction in 1971, Florida's version of the (mostly) slow-moving, dark boat ride absolutely deserves a top spot on this list.

Housed behind the facade of an old Spanish fort, El Castillo del Morro, the entrance and queue take their design inspiration from a fortress in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Many people would argue Disneyland's version is better, but Walt Disney World's queue is far more immersive. Depending on whether you use the standby queue or Lightning Lane, you'll pass through either the soldiers' quarters or the dungeon, where a famous scene dreamed up by famed Walt Disney Imagineer Marc Davis shows two skeletons frozen for eternity staring at a chessboard stuck in a no-win configuration.

The ride includes one gentle but exciting plunge in the darkness, followed by some of the most iconic scenes, music and Audio-Animatronics on any Disney ride.

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

• Location: Sunset Boulevard, Disney's Hollywood Studios

It's hard to imagine Disney's Hollywood Studios without the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but the attraction didn't open until 1994, along with the Sunset Boulevard area of the park.

Once the site of a glamorous Tinseltown hotel, the ominous 199-foot-tall tower casts an aura of foreboding over the decaying grounds. Overgrown landscaping and eerie big-band jazzy tunes help set the stage in the immersive queue, which becomes even more impressive upon entering the abandoned, cobweb-covered lobby.

As the story goes, on a fateful night in 1939, five hotel quests disappeared when lightning struck the hotel elevator. Today, guests visit the abandoned site — riding in a still-functioning service elevator that enters the fifth dimension, launching riders on a series of dramatic drop sequences.

Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), this ride is both scary and nausea-inducing for some, but a runaway fan-favorite thrill ride for many. Even if you hate the freefall sensation, it's worth trying to experience some of Disney's best-ever ride theming and storytelling.

Tron Lightcycle / Run

• Location: Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
• Height requirement: 48 inches

A must for thrill-seekers, Tron Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom is now the fastest roller coaster at Walt Disney World. Inspired by the 1982 "Tron" and 2010 "Tron: Legacy" films, the indoor-outdoor coaster adds more thrills and gorgeous nighttime lighting to Tomorrowland.

We love the unique body positioning that really makes you feel like you're on a bike (especially in the front row!) and the silky smooth ride.

Many Tron fans will tell you night rides are superior — and with lighting after dark, they're not wrong — but unless you're willing to pay for a timed Individual Lightning Lane after sunset or are eligible for the 6 p.m. virtual queue drop during extended evening hours for Deluxe Resort guests, you'll have to settle for the virtual queue return time you're assigned.

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

• Location: Hollywood Boulevard, Disney's Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World took nearly 50 years to open its first ride starring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, so it had to be good. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opened March 4, 2020, at Disney's Hollywood Studios, replacing The Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theatre.

The innovative dark ride blends a little bit of everything — trackless ride technology, digital projections, Audio-Animatronics, a catchy original theme song and original animation based on the newest generation of Mickey Mouse shorts.

The pre-show features an original Mickey Mouse short called "Perfect Picnic," after which guests find themselves on a train ride driven by Engineer Goofy through Runnamuck Park.

The ride is packed with hidden Mickeys and Easter eggs. For example, the original whistle used in Disney's 1928 animated short film "Steamboat Willie" was used to create the train whistle sound on Runaway Railway.

Each "train" comprises four trackless ride vehicles, which split apart and shuffle positions during the attraction, with each car providing a slightly different ride experience.

Pro tip: Keep your eyes peeled. In addition to a secondary storyline involving poor Pluto's desperate attempt to reunite himself — and a picnic basket — with his owners, a curious little crab appears in each scene, giving you even more to look for during repeat rides.

Spaceship Earth

• Location: World Celebration, Epcot

Housed in a geodesic sphere that's arguably as iconic to Walt Disney World as Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth opened with Epcot on Oct. 1, 1982.

Related: Why Epcot is now Disney World's must-do park

The 16-minute, slow-moving dark ride follows the development of human communication from prehistoric times to the computer age and beyond. From the invention of the alphabet to classical Greece to the Industrial Revolution, key periods and moments are represented with detailed sets, animatronic figures and narration by Dame Judi Dench.

The attraction has received a few updates through the years, but if you love the current version, thank the Phoenicians it's still around. While it might not be a physically thrilling ride, it's quite the thrill to make the "rounds" inside such a legendary structure.

Jungle Cruise

This opening-day attraction is always a good time; if you don't believe me, you're in de-Nile.

The "10-minute, 10,000-mile" boat ride down the rivers of Asia, Africa and South America first debuted on Disneyland's opening day in 1955 as a straightforward, educational attraction. It took shape as the joke-filled version we know today in 1960, when Walt Disney Imagineer Marc Davis stepped aboard to skipper the story in the comedic direction that made it the "World Famous Jungle Cruise" it is today.

A 2021 reimagining to address cultural insensitivities in certain scenes introduced new characters, animals and scenes to the ride and established a more elaborate backstory that deepens the ride's connections to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

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Pro tip: We love pairing a ride on Jungle Cruise with a meal at the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen restaurant across from the ride. This Easter egg-packed restaurant serves some of the best table-service food in Magic Kingdom (along with plenty of puns courtesy of Skipper servers).

Kilimanjaro Safaris

• Location: Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom

The next best thing to a real African safari, Kilimanjaro Safaris is in many ways the realization of Walt Disney's original vision for Jungle Cruise, which was to have wild animals in true-to-nature environments. You can spot more than 30 different animal species during the 18-minute open-air drive across 110 acres of savanna — nearly as much space as all of Magic Kingdom park.

Given the unpredictability of live animals, no two rides are the same. Through the years, we've experienced so many memorable moments, from a giraffe coming right up to our vehicle and keeping us there until he was ready to move along, to watching a 2-month-old baby elephant run around on her first day on the savanna.

Pro tip: Many of the animals are most active early in the morning and at sundown, so aim for those times. And don't shy away from a rainy ride — some animals seem to love it, and you'll stay (mostly) undercover.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

• Height requirement: 38 inches

"Star Wars" fans simply can't pass on the chance to take the controls in the cockpit of the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy by joining Hondo Ohnaka's flight crew for an important smuggling mission aboard the Millennium Falcon.

For "Star Wars" fans, the queue is as bucket list-worthy as actually taking a seat at the controls. After first passing the life-size Millennium Falcon from the front as you enter the queue, you'll get to see it from additional angles and from multiple levels, getting a closer look at the iconic ship from different perspectives as you wind through the Easter egg-packed queue.

Flight crews of six are assigned the positions of pilot, gunner or engineer and get a few minutes to explore the main hold and take a seat at the centerpiece dejarik table before heading to the cockpit.

Once in your seats at the controls, it's time to work as a team to put the bucket of bolts to the test and see if you can complete your mission — and get back to Batuu with the Falcon in one piece. Pilots steer, gunners defend and engineers perform repairs, and at the end of your mission, Hondo will let you know how well you've done — and what your cut of the credits will be.

Pro tip: Young riders who just make the 38-inch flight requirement often struggle to reach all of the controls in the pilot position. If they have their heart set on piloting, consider putting the longest-armed adult in the other pilot position so they can reach over and help.

Slinky Dog Dash

• Location: Toy Story Land, Disney's Hollywood Studios

When guests enter Toy Story Land, they "shrink" to the size of one of Andy's toys from the films. It's easy to look at Slinky Dog Dash, which Andy has "built" in his backyard by combining his Slinky Dog toy with a Mega Coaster Kit, and assume it's a coaster for little kids a la Magic Kingdom's The Barnstormer.

But this coaster is tons of fun and worth the ride, even without kids. The ride vehicle mimics Slinky Dog's springy body — launching then seemingly springing along, bobbing up and down over gentle but exhilarating hills, and winding among Andy's toys. You'll also glimpse some wonderful vistas across the theme park. A second, more thrilling launch, narrated by Slinky Dog, sends riders seemingly straight up into the sky, giving a brief feeling of weightlessness.

Grown-ups will get a nostalgic kick out of the classic toy boxes used to construct portions of the queue and load area too.

Pro tip: Slinky Dog Dash is the most popular Genie+ Lightning Lane at Disney's Hollywood Studios, so make sure to grab this one first at 7 a.m. The ride also frequently goes down due to weather, so if you're opting for the standby queue and only have one day to ride it, make sure you don't save it until the end of the night if the sky looks threatening.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

• Location: Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom

Like Slinky Dog Dash, this is another true family coaster that's not just for kids. Opened in 2014 as part of Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland expansion, this gentle but exciting coaster ups the thrill factor just enough to engage adults and bigger kids without scaring less daring littles.

The ride vehicles are modeled after mine carts and sway back and forth along the otherwise smooth track, which ventures into the diamond mine where the seven dwarfs famously whistle while they work.

Bright, reflective gemstones (look out for the Hidden Mickey !); cheerful, singing dwarf animatronics; and an earworm rendition of "Heigh-Ho" as you make your ascent up the main hill make it impossible not to smile on this ride.

One drawback — there's only one main show scene and a second brief final scene, making the ride feel over a little too quickly given its consistently long wait times.

The ride is available via standby queue (an interactive queue helps keep kids busy) or Individual Lightning Lane. The price may not be worth the cost for thrill-seekers, but it could definitely be worth it with antsy younger kids.

Star Tours — The Adventures Continue

• Location: Echo Lake, Disney's Hollywood Studios

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge might get more of the attention lately, but Walt Disney World's first "Star Wars" ride has been going strong since 1989.

Opened first as Star Tours and later updated to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue in 2011, this 3D flight simulator ride takes guests on an unpredictable adventure across a galaxy far, far away in a Starspeeder 1000 ship helmed by reluctant pilot C-3PO and trusty navigator R2-D2.

Every adventure includes four randomized main scenes, introducing potential variability of characters, including classic original trilogy characters like Princess Leia and Darth Vader and destinations like the planets Tatooine and Hoth.

Updates through the years have added new characters and destinations as new "Star Wars" films have been released and ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. On April 5, 2024, Star Tours got its latest galactic glow-up — new scenes and characters from the Disney+ series "Ahsoka," "Andor" and "The Mandalorian." Now, guests could get an urgent transmission from Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor or the Mandalorian and Grogu.

For a limited time, all guests will visit a new destination, the planet Seatos from "Ahsoka," where the Starspeeder joins Ahsoka's T-6 Jedi Shuttle in a dogfight amid a pod of purrgil, massive space whales first introduced in the animated series "Star Wars Rebels." After this phase of introduction to the new characters and scenes, the ride will reenter a "random play" mode, as Walt Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald called the ride's eventual fully randomized sequencing, and will increase the ride's total potential storyline variations to more than 250.

Peter Pan's Flight

One of Disney's most nostalgic and iconic dark rides, with a soundtrack that can instantly unlock childhood memories, Peter Pan's Flight opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971 and to this day remains one of the park's most popular Genie+ Lightning Lane attractions — with a correspondingly hefty standby wait.

Board a pirate ship and take off from the Darling family nursery, flying over the rooftops of London then off to Neverland. Fly past scenes like a miniature Mermaid Lagoon below and a life-size swordfight between Peter Pan and Captain Hook overhead.

If you do end up in the standby line, the interactive queue through the Darling family home helps pass the time. Look out for twinkling signs of Tinkerbell's trail of pixie dust, and you might spot her rattling around and even getting stuck in tiny places around the house.

Space Mountain

This Walt Disney World original, which opened Jan. 15, 1975, was so popular that it inspired new versions in four more parks worldwide. Fitting for Tomorrowland, it was the first roller coaster ever to be controlled by a computer.

The iconic structure encloses two almost identical tracks, Alpha and Omega, which each launch spaceship-themed ride vehicles on their ride through space. The nearly total darkness makes the coaster feel much faster as it makes sudden sharp turns and drops.

An attraction that definitely feels its age, this coaster doesn't have any inversions or extreme drops, but it's definitely one of Walt Disney World's rougher rides.

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

• Location: World Showcase, Epcot

Pixar meets Paris in a whimsical extension of Epcot's France pavilion that gently transitions from the real-world architectural grandeur of the City of Light to Pixar's more playful and exaggerated animated version, setting the stage for Remy's Ratatouille Adventure.

You'll shrink down to rat size and board rat-shaped trackless vehicles for a 4D dark ride that has you scurrying through Gusteau's restaurant.

The multisensory ride combines screens and physical sets, enhanced with scents and some other surprise effects we won't spoil, and makes wonderful use of the film's excellent soundtrack.

Located at the opposite end of Epcot from most of the park's other rides, Remy's is a welcome reward for kids who lose steam making their way around Epcot's World Showcase.

The ride is equally enjoyable for adults and kids, but it may bother some guests prone to motion sickness.

Frozen Ever After

A reskin of the Viking-themed Maelstrom boat ride attraction in Epcot's Norway pavilion, Frozen Ever After takes guests on a cruise through Arendelle past scenes inspired by the original "Frozen" film.

Related: How Disney brought animated mega-hit 'Frozen' to life at Hong Kong Disneyland

Audio-Animatronic characters sing abridged versions of songs from the film, modified to support the ride's storyline. Light thrills include a gentle reverse drift during "Let It Go" and one thrilling drop that's not too scary to keep little kids off the ride — but just nerve-wracking enough to generate some hilarious expressions on the Disney PhotoPass ride photos.

This ride continues to be extremely popular and breaks down a lot, so if it's a top priority, try to pick up an early Genie+ Lightning Lane or rope drop it.

Toy Story Mania

Toy Story Mania opened in 2008, long predating the opening of Toy Story Land, which better established the ride within the world of Andy's toys. The 3D carnival game-inspired attraction remains extremely popular, is endlessly rerideable (that is, until your arm gets too tired) and the game aspect of the ride even edges out newer game-focused rides like Web Slingers at Disneyland.

Ride vehicles seat two passengers side by side at spring-action shooters and whip and spin players from game to game.

Toy Story characters, including Woody and Jessie, Rex and Trixie, and the Green Army Men, host a series of five carnival-style 3D games on screens. Players ultimately compete against each other, but can also work together to unlock secret targets worth more points.

• Location: DinoLand U.S.A., Disney's Animal Kingdom

You either love or hate this rough, dark and downright terrifying (for some) blast to the past. Guests board a Time Rover with a mission to travel back to the Cretaceous period to retrieve an iguanodon and bring it back for research before the extinction-causing meteor strikes.

The fan-favorite preshow features Dr. Marsh (Phylicia Rashad), director of the Dino Institute, and Dr. Grant Seeker, a goofy, passionate scientist who briefs guests on the mission and frantically narrates during the harrowing attraction.

Loosely based on the 2000 film "Dinosaur," this attraction parallels Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure with respect to ride vehicle and layout. Unlike Indy, however, Dinosaur relies more on extreme darkness and jump scares than cinematic sets and impressive effects.

Kids who love dinosaurs and don't scare easily love this ride.

Dinosaur fans should get their rides in while they can. While no official retheme has been confirmed, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro began teasing potential rethemes of DinoLand, first in 2022 at D23 Expo, then again in 2023 at Destination D23, by playing "Indiana Jones" theme music, teasing a possible "Indiana Jones"-themed update in the area. More recently, D'Amaro confirmed that work is "well underway" for this project , with teams already going on research trips to Mexico.

Living with the Land

• Location: World Nature, Epcot

A prime example of Epcot edutainment, this "voyage of discovery and awareness" aboard slow-moving boats is part dark ride, part greenhouse tour.

Situated in Epcot's The Land pavilion, the dark ride portion showcases a variety of ecosystems — the tropical rainforest, desert and American prairie — before cruising through the pavilion's four working greenhouses.

It might sound dull, but guests of all ages will find themselves captivated by the array of different edible crops growing on display — from familiar tomatoes, cucumbers, salad greens and strawberries, to the more exotic banana trees and giant melons, to cacao and peanuts. Fish farms and hydroponic and aquaponic farming methods are also showcased.

Get a taste of the end products by dining at Sunshine Seasons or Garden Grill Restaurant, also in the Land pavilion. Both restaurants use produce and seafood farmed in the greenhouses in some of their dishes.

If you visit Epcot during the holiday season, be sure to wait until after dark to ride, when a holiday overlay bathes the greenhouses in the warm glow of festive colored lights.

Pro tip: Want to learn more? Book a Behind the Seeds walking tour — a one-hour tour of the fish farm and greenhouses.

Soarin' Around the World

• Height Requirement: 40 inches

This flight simulator attraction gives riders a hang gliding sensation as they "soar," feet dangling up to 40 feet above the ground, through screen-based scenes.

The ride originally debuted as "Soarin' Over California" in 2005. In 2016, it was replaced with the current "Around the World" version, which visits some of the world's most famous natural wonders and manmade landmarks, including the American Southwest, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower and the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

Recognizing fans' love for the original "Over California" attraction, Disney has begun bringing it back for limited runs. At Walt Disney World, it returned during the Disney100 celebration, and at Disney California Adventure, it's been making an annual return during the park's yearly Food & Wine Festival.

Pro tip: The farther you sit from the center of the screen, the more distorted some images appear — the Eiffel Tower in particular appears dramatically curved for guests sitting on the far sides. The best section and row for the least distorted image and no feet hanging in your view is B1.

Navi River Journey

• Location: Pandora — The World of Avatar, Disney's Animal Kingdom

Navi River Journey can't compete with Flight of Passage in the thrill department, but it does fully immerse guests in a beautiful, tangible Pandoran setting.

During the slow-moving (indoor) nighttime journey in Pandora's bioluminescent rainforest, boats float through the lush jungle, seemingly alive with the glowing sights and sounds of the planet's otherworldly creatures. Screens and projections are combined with physical sets, motion and sound to create impressively realistic effects, like alien creatures hopping from giant leaf to leaf overhead.

Ethereal music swells during the journey, reaching a crescendo as the boat approaches the massive Navi Shaman of Songs, a lifelike animatronic that is the most advanced Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created.

Navi River Journey gives those who don't meet the height requirement or are unable to ride Flight of Passage a great opportunity to experience Pandora's beautiful theming and detail.

"It's a small world"

Who wouldn't want to hop aboard "the happiest cruise that ever sailed"? An opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom following a successful debut at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, then at Disneyland in 1966, this nostalgic classic celebrates a message of peace, understanding and friendship by sharing a look at the world through the eyes of a child.

Different countries and cultures worldwide are represented by costumed Audio-Animatronic dolls designed to look as though they've been created by a child using papier-mache and other craft materials.

The lyrics to the timeless theme song by Robert and Richard Sherman, sung in the native languages of the represented regions, have become synonymous with calls for peace, empathy and acceptance. In an ongoing effort to honor the ride's message of inclusivity, a doll in a wheelchair was added to the ride last March.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

An oldie but goodie that's enjoyed a new wave of appreciation and popularity in recent years, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover takes guests on an elevated, narrated tour of Tomorrowland.

The magnetically powered tram takes passengers behind the scenes for a different perspective of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and travels right through Space Mountain. The ride also provides stunning views of Cinderella Castle, the canopy of Tron Lightcycle / Run and an overhead look at Tomorrowland Speedway.

There's no Lightning Lane but the standby queue moves quickly and is rarely longer than 20 minutes.

The current iteration of Test Track gets high marks for thrills but lands this low spot for seriously lackluster theming, especially when compared to a sister ride at Disney California Adventure Park. Radiator Springs Racers uses the same ride vehicles and mechanisms but adds the stunning backdrop of Ornament Valley, a heartwarming dark ride component, and a head-to-head race at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour to the finish for extra fun.

With the right theming, this could be a top-tier ride like Radiator Springs Racers — and the good news is, a retheme is in the works. Test Track will close June 17, 2024, for its reimagining, which will take inspiration from the original World of Motion. We can't wait to see how it turns out!

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is a high-speed roller coaster ride in the near darkness, save for neon signs, with Aerosmith music blasting the whole time.

The premise: After meeting Aerosmith in the recording studio, guests are invited to the band's concert on the other side of town and have to get through LA traffic in a super-stretch limo to get there.

This ride can be rough, but that doesn't stop it from being perpetually popular.

Note: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is currently closed for refurbishment, with plans to reopen in summer 2024.

Related reading:

• 'For the first time in forever,' Disney World feels like the good old days
• The 17 best Disney World hotels for your 2024 stay
• Save big bucks on Disney World tickets, hotel stays and dining with these discounts
• Tips for visiting Disney World in 2024: 19 ways to save money and have more fun

Countdown to Magic

Is Rise of the Resistance Scary? – Speed, Drops & Intensity

Located inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is already one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World. In a park filled with famously scary rides like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster , guests might be apprehensive about the level of intensity of this attraction. And this raises the question: is Rise of the Resistance scary?  Well, let’s analyze this ride and find out.

How Scary is Rise of the Resistance?

While Rise of the Resistance is intensely immersive and themed, it falls right in the middle of the “scary scale” in comparison to the other rides in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Let’s explore various aspects of this ride on a “scary scale” of 1 to 10, with a 10 being the absolute scariest.

Theming : Most of the story is set inside Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer, with plenty of other villains and Stormtroopers to be found. The lighting is dark and there are “bad guys” everywhere. It’s quite detailed and looks just like the movies it’s based on. 8/10

Story: The basic plot of this ride is that you are helping Rey and the Resistance on a mission, but you get captured by Kylo Ren and the First Order along the way. Good eventually wins out over evil, but the First Order tries really hard to pry information out of you in the meantime. 7/10

Speed: The main ride vehicle is a trackless dark ride system. It doesn’t go very fast, but it does make a few quick turns. Other portions of this experience involve walking and standing around. 3/10

Drops: There is only one drop on this ride, from a height of about 20 feet. It lasts for about one second and it happens right before the end of the ride. 4/10

“Jump Scares”: Nothing jumps out at you to startle you on this ride. Everything is on a huge, life-sized scale, and you will see things before they approach you. 0/10

Age Appropriate: Very young children will not be able to ride; Rise of the Resistance has a minimum height requirement of 40 inches. It should be appropriate for children ages 5 and up . If they can watch Star Wars movies without fear, Rise of the Resistance probably won’t scare them.

• You Might Also Lik e: Is Splash Mountain Scary?

Rise of the Resistance Theming and Premise

Rise of the Resistance is an original Star Wars storyline and doesn’t recreate any existing scene from a movie. Instead, like the rest of the land it’s set in, it takes place between the stories of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker . The entire attraction lasts about 18 minutes, with the actual “ride” only a portion of the overall experience.

After the Battle of Crait, depicted in The Last Jedi , most of Resistance members fled to an unknown location, led by General Leia Organa. A smaller group of Resistance supporters created a temporary outpost on Batuu, searching for new recruits. This is where you come in!

Rise of the Resistance Queue

You enter the queue at the Resistance base on Batuu, the planet Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is set in. The first section of the queue winds through an outdoor area with a lot of greenery and a small waterfall. You then enter a cavern and will start to see evidence that the Resistance is working there. There are props such as stacked supply boxes and tools scattered throughout this area, and you’ll hear an occasional overhead announcement providing Resistance members with instructions. 

Each room of the queue takes you deeper into the cavern, and there are benches built into the walls to allow you a moment to rest your tired feet. There are a few exits throughout the queue, should you change your mind about riding.

You’ll eventually find yourself in the center of the Resistance base, with more props to further the story. Blasters, flight suits, and helmets are all on display, giving Star Wars fans plenty to look at while they wait. At the end of the queue, guests are gathered in large groups to enter the first part of the experience, the pre-show room.

• You Might Also Like: Is Tower of Terror Scary?

Rise of the Resistance Pre-Show

In the pre-show room, you’ll receive your mission briefing. An animatronic of BB-8 appears, rolling around trying to get things ready. You are then greeted by a hologram of Rey, who asks you to join the Resistance in their fight against the First Order. She explains that the base on Batuu is no longer safe and they have transports ready to take you to General Leia Organa’s secret base on the planet Pacara. It is vitally important that you keep this base’s location a secret.

Lieutenant Bek and Nein Nunb appear on nearby screens, confirming that they will be transporting you. Rey thanks you for joining the cause and the hologram disappears. Commander Poe Dameron then appears, explaining that he and his X-Wing squadron will be escorting you on your journey. The doors of the pre-show room open and you are ushered to the next part of the experience.

Rise of the Resistance Transport Ship Experience

You enter a courtyard where the transport shuttle is waiting to take you on your mission. Poe’s X-Wing is also parked nearby. Boarding the transport ship, you will see that there are no seats. This part of the experience is standing room only. There are no restraints, but there are bars for you to hold on to in several spots. Animatronic figures of Lieutenant Bek and Nein Nunb sit in the front of the ship, getting ready to take off and communicating with Poe.

The transport ship simulates space travel. The floor rumbles beneath you and there are realistic scenes of space out of the ship’s windows. Many people will not notice that the ship is actually moving in this part; you are rotating very slowly. You will not have to worry about being thrown around or falling over; you’re bumped around less than you would be standing on a bus or monorail.

During your journey, the transport ship is attacked by a group of TIE fighters and then caught in the Star Destroyer’s tractor beam. First Order officers appear on the screens, telling you to prepare for the ship to be boarded – they know that it’s full of Resistance sympathizers! Lieutenant Bek reminds you not to tell the First Order about the secret base you were headed to. The doors open and First Order officers instruct you to exit into the Star Destroyer hangar.

Rise of the Resistance Star Destroyer Experience

Inside the Star Destroyer’s hangar, you will immediately see over 50 animatronic Stormtroopers standing guard, as well as a life size TIE fighter. The scale of everything in this area is enormous. There’s a giant screen simulating the view into space behind the Stormtroopers. You will typically have a moment to take pictures and video in this room before being escorted into the next show space, the detention block.

You are brought down a long hallway and then held for interrogation. Cast Members portraying First Order troops break you off into smaller groups and direct you where to stand. They remain in character for the entire interaction, repeatedly asking you why you were on that transport ship and what you know about the secret Resistance base.

The Cast Members working here are great actors and remain deadly serious. They will play off of the guests’ energy and are more likely to target people that are visibly willing to play along. If you or your child look scared, they will not bother you. Many adults laugh out loud during this part because of how difficult it is to get them to break character. Some kids enjoy “talking back” to these authority figures as well.

Your group is then led into the detention cell. This is a small, dark room shaped like a triangle, with a very high ceiling and no apparent way to escape. Stormtroopers keep watch over you from the catwalk above until Kylo Ren and General Hux arrive. These characters all appear via screen technology, but they are realistic enough to look like actors from the back of the room.

After Kylo Ren and General Hux leave, the lights in the room begin flickering. Someone is cutting a hole into the wall of the cell – the Resistance has blasted their way in to rescue you! This will bring you to the main, traditional “ride” portion of the experience. You’re greeted by Cast Members portraying Resistance members, who hurry you out of the interrogation cell and into a room with two trackless ride vehicles ready for you to board.

Rise of the Resistance Trackless Ride Vehicles

The vehicles consist of two rows with four seats each, with an R5 astromech droid in the front. There are small pouches to hold your loose belongings on the floor by every seat, and they have a decent amount of legroom. You will be restrained by a basic lap seatbelt.

You must be able to transfer from a wheelchair/ECV to experience this part of the attraction. Walt Disney World’s safety guidelines state that expectant mothers should not ride.

Rise of the Resistance Speed and Bumps

The vehicles glide smoothly across the floor; this is not a bumpy ride. They also will not make any sudden “jerky” movements, but will rotate swiftly to make a few quick turns. It is dark throughout this part of the ride, but you will be able to see where you’re going. Nothing will jump out at you, but there will be simulated blasters firing around you. It does not go upside down.

Rise of the Resistance Final Ride Experience

Once you’ve boarded the vehicle, Finn appears to tell you the plan: you’ll be headed to the escape pod bays to return to Batuu. The droids in your vehicles have been re-programmed to bring you to safety. You leave the loading area and ride past empty transport vehicles. Lieutenant Bek instructs your droids to tell the others it’s a prisoner transfer so you can escape undetected.

You enter a hallway where you encounter a First Order probe droid, which almost spots you. Then you turn a corner to head to the turbolifts, but you’re caught by a couple of Stormtroopers on the catwalk above you. They immediately begin shooting their blasters at you, and your vehicle reverses away from them. Lieutenant Bek instructs you to find an alternate route.

You turn another corner and end up in a hangar filled with giant, full-sized AT-ATs. More Stormtroopers appear, firing at your vehicle. An animatronic of Finn tells you to take the lifts down to the escape pods. The droid accidentally sends your vehicle to the upper level, where Stormtroopers aboard the AT-ATs shoot at you.

You travel through the ride with one other vehicle. Sometimes the vehicles will be next to each other but they do eventually split up, creating two slightly different ride experiences. The main difference is that the “front” vehicle comes up close and personal with the probe droid, with the “back” vehicle sees it from a distance. They also go on different elevators on opposite sides of the AT-AT room.

After you get away from the AT-ATs, you find yourself in the Star Destroyer’s bridge, where animatronics of Kylo Ren and General Hux are discussing their plans. They are informed of your escape just as the Resistance fleet arrives and starts to attack the Star Destroyer.

You head down another hallway when Kylo Ren appears again, this time using screen technology. He ignites his lightsaber and starts approaching your vehicle just as the doors to the turbolift close in front of him. He is persistent, though, and jumps onto the roof of the turbolift and starts cutting into it with his lightsaber.

In the next room, you see a few gigantic cannons firing at the Resistance ships outside. You dart around and underneath them, and then Finn orders all Resistance personnel to abandon ship. Kylo Ren catches up with you again. This time, he’s an animatronic. He uses the Force to pull your vehicles closer to him, demanding that you give up the location of the Resistance base. He threatens to destroy you and the Resistance.

Before he can do anything else, a burning TIE Fighter strikes the ship, creating a hole. Kylo Ren is then sucked out into the vacuum of space. A gust of air rushes around you, and you’re able to enter the escape pods. You can see the battle is still in full force outside.

Rise of the Resistance Drops

This is where the one and only drop occurs on Rise of the Resistance. Your escape pod is suddenly “released” from the Star Destroyer so you can return to Batuu safely. You are dropped about 20 feet straight down, and it lasts about one second. Most people will not find this drop overly scary. You are given plenty of warning throughout the storyline that you will be dropped. There is enough warning in the moments immediately before that many people will realize it’s coming.

Many people wonder how intense the drop on Rise of the Resistance is compared to the Tower of Terror, Hollywood Studios’ most famous dropping ride. The two are like night and day – Rise of the Resistance is very tame in comparison.

This last portion of the experience is the most like a traditional motion simulator ride as you make the trip back to Batuu. The technology here is similar to Millennium Falcon – Smuggler’s Run or Star Tours, but less intense. You fly over Black Spire Outpost and crash-land nearby. Your vehicles exit the simulator and drive into a hangar, where you see another crashed escape pod. Lieutenant Bek has also made it safely to Batuu and he congratulates you on a job well done. You are welcomed back to Black Spire Outpost as Resistance heroes as you enter an outdoor unloading area.

With Rise of the Resistance, Disney has created an innovative ride experience unlike any other. Many different parts of the experience come together to make an immersive story. They differ in levels of intensity for the rider. So is Rise of the Resistance scary overall?  Well, in my estimation, Rise of the Resistance receives an overall 5/10 on the “scary scale”. It will be the most scary to young children, those afraid of blasting and other loud noises, and those with an intense fear of drops. It offers an entertaining and somewhat thrilling experience for most theme park and Star Wars fans of all ages to enjoy.

If you enjoyed this article, please “like” our Countdown to Magic Facebook page !

Michael has been visiting Disney World since he was a kid. He's also been to Disneyland and sailed on the Disney Dream. Michael is the owner and editor of Countdown to Magic.

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Disneyland after dark: star wars nite kicks off tonight.

Meet Queen Amidala, sample a Grogu Candy Apple, and get ready for an unforgettable evening of Star Wars fun!

The wait is almost over. Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite is back starting tonight with a celebration fit for a Naboo queen!

Set for the evenings of April 16, April 18, April 23, April 25, and April 30 as well as May 2, May 7, and May 9, the special event encompasses the weeks around Star Wars Day, on May the 4th , with a private party inside Disneyland from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. each night. The adventure begins at Disneyland Park with mix-in starting at 6 p.m., and no theme park reservation required.

Take on the Trade Federation in a meeting with Queen Amidala   from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace or study the philosophy of the Force with Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan from Ahsoka . Galactic encounters abound throughout the park where you can cross paths with Ewoks in Critter Country, BB-8 rolling through Frontierland, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine in Tomorrowland, and a host of other denizens in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge including Hera Syndulla, Chopper, the Mandalorian and Grogu, and more!

Enjoy a tasting menu from around the galaxy as you sample an adorable Grogu Candy Apple, a Galactic Princess Sundae fit for Princess Leia, a Level 1313 Loaded Bowl, Wookiee Funnel Cake, and more!

Join the Resistance at a Lightsaber Meet-up with Rey and watch out for the March of the First Order, led by Captain Phasma and her stormtroopers.

Fly the Millennium Falcon and join the fight against evil with access to ride Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rise of the Resistance, and other attractions.

Learn the ways of the Jedi and the art of defense in the Lightsaber Instructional demonstration.

Forge a custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop or build your own droid counterpart at the Droid Depot.

Shop for other exclusive merchandise including a pullover hoodie and trading pin and the first to market May the 4th collection available for early release.

And finish the evening by taking in a show by the cantina crooners Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes around the Rivers of America.

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite Adult Pullover Fleece Hoodie (front), available while supplies last

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite Adult Pullover Fleece Hoodie (back), available while supplies last

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite Limited Edition Pin, available while supplies last

A limited number of Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite tickets are still available now on Disneyland.com . For more details, visit the official Disney Parks Blog. And see you on Batuu!

Only select attractions, experiences, offerings, and services will be available during the event. Tickets are sold out for 5/2, 5/7, and 5/9.

StarWars.com. All Star Wars, all the time.

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Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

• 40" (102 cm) or Taller
• Small Drops
• Thrill Rides

An Attraction on a Scale That Is Impressive, Most Impressive

Accept a mission from the resistance.

The Resistance needs your help! Hidden in the forest outside Black Spire Outpost, the Resistance is gathering recruits for a secret mission.

With the First Order desperate to extinguish the spark of the Resistance, the mission is bound to have unexpected twists and turns. When your transport is captured by an imposing First Order Star Destroyer filled with legions of stormtroopers—and even Kylo Ren!—you’re going to need all the help you can get. Fortunately, a covert team of Resistance fighters—including Rey and BB-8—is at the ready to give you a fighting chance to escape… and a chance for the Resistance to rise.

Prepare for a thrilling, first-of-its-kind adventure!

Know Before You Go

Related Activities

Star wars: batuu bounty hunters, star wars: galaxy’s edge, millennium falcon: smugglers run, want to take your day to the next level.

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