All your questions answered! We’ve got Rise of the Resistance Ride Details with Photos Advice Video and VIP Access info! Rise of the Resistance is officially a total MUST DO DISNEY attraction. This ride will absolutely WOW all guests no matter how big or small of a STAR WARS fan they might be. Read on to hear the inside scoop as this post is literally Everything Rise of the Resistance with Photos Advice Video and VIP Access info.
Is Rise of the Resistance Worth the Hype?
Yes. Yes. Yes! It really is worth the hype and beyond incredible. Disney has outdone themselves at Galaxy’s Edge with the technology and immersive experience of Rise of the Resistance. Disney utilizes multiple rides systems to weave together a seamless story on a cinematic scale.
It’s honestly like stepping foot into the middle of a Star Wars film! It’s a 360 degree experience with action happening EVERYWHERE around you.
The scope of the ride is enormous. It’s one of the largest show buildings ever created at Disney for an attraction and so much technology is incorporated – holograms, simulators, trackless ride systems and so much more!
Disney has said that Rise of the Resistance is “one of the most ambitious, technologically advanced and immersive experiences in Disney history.”
We the privilege of riding Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance several times during the media preview last week and I can’t rave enough about this ride. It is fabulous and just about blew my mind! I rode the ride 3 times and my husband was able to catch 1 ride. Both of us wanted to ride it over and over! I can’t wait to return to Galaxy’s Edge to experience it again!
My Fave Highlights on Rise of the Resistance
So obviously compiling this entire experience from the queue to the final physical “ride” twas phenomenal. The queue is essentially part of the ride as the journey begins aboard a full-size transport shuttle. Then, you’ll end up on a nearby Star Destroyer and eventual board an escape pod!
It’s all INCREDIBLE. However, the 2 moments when I was most WOWED are described below with some photos. Be prepared for these moments.
Truly, be prepared to just take a mental snapshot as the experience of riding Rise of the Resistance will just stay with you long after you are off the ride. You’ll want to remember it and relive it again and again in your mind…. and I think being prepared for some of the spectacular sights you will see during Rise of the Resistance isn’t really just a “Spoiler” but instead will help you enjoy it and absorb it all even more! hen you step off the transport onto the Star
Arriving on the Star Destroyer
When you step off the transporter and are “greeted” on the Star Destroyer. OMG! You’ll feel like you are on board a spaceship. As you enter the giant hanger, you’ll have a view of the universe along with 50+ Stormtroopers keeping watch. This is INSANE! Some of them are actually real too and rumor has it are not just animatronic. And apparently, Disney says they mix it all up each day!
Next, as you prepare to go on your Escape Pod the engineers from the Dark Side are serious! They mean business and the Disney cast members shuttling guests to their “escape pods” are totally playing their roles and are working for the Dark Side.
Life Size AT-AT
Need I say more than Life Size AT-AT? CRAZY! Coming face to face with the gigantic life size AT-AT walkers is NUTS. As your escape pod maneuvers, you’ll can actually see Stormtroopers working inside the AT-AT to operate it!
Spectacular moment on #RiseOfTheResistance life size AT-AT ! This ride is EVERYTHING! Incredible experience at #GalaxysEdge #StarWars #RiseofSkywalker pic.twitter.com/BM57HhS0yI
— Colleen Padilla (@classymommy) December 5, 2019
There also appears to be 2 tracks and each track has 2 pods – you may end up with your pod facing directly at the AT-AT and another time I rode, my pod lifted up horizantally next both AT-AT’s.
Rise of the Resistance Ride Details with Photos Advice Video and VIP Access Info
Rise of the Resistance is AMAZING and unlike any theme park attraction I’ve ever experienced. It’s difficult to put it all into words because this ride is TOTALLY immersive. It’s like being cast in a Star Wars movie and find yourself on set during live action scenes as you come face to face with Kylo Ren, BB8, and more!
Is Rise of the Resistance Scary with Big Roller Coaster Thrills?
NOPE! There is one mini “drop” that I would compare to size of the drop on Pirates of the Caribbean. The virtual reality of flying in space might make the sensation of this drop feel bigger but I promise it’s super minor and over in a blip. I’d allow my 74 year old Mom to ride this and she won’t go on any kind of mini baby roller coaster and she’d be fine on this attraction.
How Long is the Rise of the Resistance Ride?
Expect to spend about 18-25 minutes on this attraction. You’ll be shuffled from various areas during the queue process which truly feels like part of the ride.
Getting a message from Rey and BB8, Traveling on a Transporter, Boarding the Star Destroyer, being sent to an Interrogation Room, and finally boarding your 5 minute ride on the Escape Pod.
Is there Rise of the Resistance VIP Access ?
Disney will NOT confirm that a VIP tour guide can get you on Rise of the Resistance. Right now, every guest simply needs a boarding pass to ride.
However, we know that Disney always makes magic so I suspect if you are on a VIP Tour, your VIP Guide might be able to add a little pixie dust to help you get a boarding pass and get on this Must Do attraction. Disney will not promise that a VIP Guided Tour will provide back door entrance to this attraction but VIP tours are amazing and those guides work all kinds of magic!
Within a year of Pandora opening, my friend and her family were able to ride Flight of the Passage and Slinky Dog Dash thanks to their VIP Guide without any booked fast passes. They hit 3 parks in one day with their VIP tour to do all their “must do” prime attractions in 1 day. She said it was a marvelous strategy!
Boarding Pass Required for Rise of the Resistance!
This is really important info. If you want to ride Rise of the Resistance, everyone requires a boarding pass to board this attraction. You must be in the park – Hollywood Studios – to request your boarding pass. You can do this via the My Disney Experience App. Then, you’ll be given a group # and contacted with a time to return and ride.
I think it’s a fabulous strategy Disney is using to eliminate what could potentially be 3-6 hours lines of people and crazy crowds in Galaxy’s Edge. Guests and enjoy Galaxy’s Edge and all of Hollywood Studios and then come back when it’s time to join the Resistance!
Also, Disney is limiting each person to only 1 Boarding pass and “ride” on Rise of the Resistance each day.
Important Rise of the Resistance Boarding Pass Info
- You must be in the park (Hollywood Studios) to request a Boarding Pass
- Everyone in your party must be in the park when you make the request for all of you.
- Only 1 Boarding Pass per day per guest (as of 12/11/19)
How Many People Fit in each Escape Pod?
Each ride vehicle (aka the Escape Pod) has 2 rows of 4 seats. When you enter the room with the ride vehicles, there are 2 vehicles in each room. As this trackless system takes off, each pod will move in various directions and have some minor differences in perspective and views during the 5 minute ride.
Familiar Star Wars Characters on Rise of the Resistance
I promise you’ll see SOOO many friendly Star Wars faces in the Rise of the Resistance Queue experience. Sometimes they’ll appear “real” as animatronics and other times these beloved Star Wars characters might pop up as a hologram or chatting with you on a video screen!
Think Rey, Poe, Finn, BB8 and more!
New Characters on Rise of the Resistance
Lieutenant Bek is an original character created just for the attraction and is an ally of the Resistance. He’s from the fishy-faced Mon Calamari species and is tasked with helping guests escape the First Order.
Rise of the Resistance POV Ride Video
Spoiler alert! This video clip essentially includes the last 5 minutes of the attraction after you board the Escape Pod to try to leave the Star Destroyer and return to Batuu (aka Galaxy’s Edge!).
Is there Fast Pass for Rise of the Resistance ?
As of now there are NO Fast Passes. However, as you can tell from the entrance to the ride, I’m sure they will eventually move to Fast Passes. And before that happens, maybe Disney will do the occasional single rider line which they are currently doing intermittently on Smuggler’s Run Millennium Falcon.
Check out the entrance to the attraction in this photo below.
This is photo below is the view after you land back on Batuu and prepare to exit your escape pod. As you can tell each pod is operated by a droid, First Order astromech-turned-ally, R5 who helps you escape the Star Destroyer.
MUST DO DISNEY: Rise of the Resistance!
If you hadn’t previously heard about Rise of the Resistance at Galaxy’s Edge, now you realize it’s obviously MUST DO DISNEY at it’s best.
Are you ready to join the Resistance in a climactic battle with the First Order, including a faceoff with Kylo Ren? Who wouldn’t want to join the Resistance to battle the First Order??
Are you planning a visit to Galaxy’s Edge? If so, take a peek at a few of our other videos and suggestions!
Galaxy’s Edge – What to Eat Drink and Skip!
Exclusive Galaxy’s Edge Merchandise Interview
Note: Disney paid my travel expenses and provided me with park tickets for the Rise of the Resistance media event. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.