The much-awaited Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened earlier this month to a huge buzz and excitement from Disney and Star Wars fans alike.
Disney Imagineers promised that this would be a groundbreaking attraction, including right down to the way that guests queue.
BEWARE: Spoilers ahead
What to expect
The whole experience begins in a forested area on Batuu (the planet where Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is based), just outside of the Black Spire Outpost settlement. Here, the resistance is hiding out, recruiting new members for their cause, which you’ve bravely decided to join.
The real journey starts when you pass under a large cannon turret and then take a pathway through the cave system where the Resistance has their secret base. Rey then appears in the briefing room as a hologram transmission, and updates you on your next move. What’s that, you may ask?
Well, a Star Destroyer is on its way to Batuu, and the hidden based is no longer safe. However, with the assistant of pilot Nien Nnub and Resistance officer Lieutenant Bek, the transport shuttle will evacuate you to General Leia Organa’s secret base.
When the shuttle “takes” off, you will truly believe that you are leaving Batuu, as the windows give you a different view of the land when you jet off into the vastness of space. But, in true Star Wars fashion, there’s trouble ahead, as a squadron of TIE fights appear out of nowhere.
After the epic battle, you’re then caught in a First Order Star Destroyer’s tractor beam, and you soon find yourself on the deck of a Star Destroyer facing not one, not two, but THREE long rows of stormtroopers.
A huge holding bay sets the epic tone of the rest of the adventure, where the new recruits (guests) are taken to a ‘holding cell’, where you first encounter Kylo Ren. But don’t worry, you’ll soon be freed from your prison and embark on a daring escape.
This is the section in the experience where you board a droid-driven, free-roaming ride vehicle and make your way through the ship searching for an escape pod.
The ride vehicles are eight-people, however it’s very easy to imagine your group running through the ship, avoiding those FULL-SIZED AT-ATs, and Kylo Ren too. The special effects are second to none, and really complete the whole, amazing attraction.
While the battle takes place, you’ll see everything unfold behind the ship’s huge windows, and the whole thing takes a spectacular turn too… but it’s not over! When you do finally find the escape pods, one last encounter with Kylo Ren and a thrilling unexpected twist of fate awaits you.
Overall, this is an exciting, family-friendly attraction that even Star Wars novices will enjoy, if just for the sheer size and scale of the experience. It’s also definitely something that guests will want to ride again and again - each time, you’ll discover new things that you hadn’t noticed before, making for a thrilling time.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened to guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on December 5, in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area of the park. The attraction does not currently offer FastPass+.
