New details on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride experience and backstory

Dec 04, 2019 in "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance"

Posted: Wednesday December 4, 2019 6:12am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

One of the most anticipated attractions in theme park history opens tomorrow at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the headline experience in the recently opened Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

Disney has released a great overview of the experience and some of the unique elements that make this ride so special.

The Backstory

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …

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 has established a temporary outpost on the remote planet of Batuu, 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 …

Opening Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance sets a new standard for what a Disney theme park experience can be, as guests become heroes of the Resistance in a climactic battle with the First Order. In one of the most immersive, ambitious and technologically advanced attractions ever created for a Disney park, guests launch into space aboard a transport shuttle, only to be captured by a Star Destroyer and pursued by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren as they frantically search for a way to escape the clutches of the First Order.

This new attraction inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge draws guests into a sprawling Star Wars narrative that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality, as jaw-dropping sights brimming with vivid detail create surprises around every turn. In one of the longest Disney attraction experiences ever, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance delivers thrilling action driven by cutting-edge technology and innovative design that gives guests the feeling of stepping inside a Star Wars film.

Join the Resistance

Guests exploring Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge find the Resistance’s temporary encampment in the forested area along the outskirts of Black Spire Outpost on Batuu.

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. Guests weave through low stone walls, timeworn pillars and tight corridors as they progress farther into the base, hearing military communications chatter along the way.

In a makeshift briefing room, Rey – a hero of the cause – appears via holo-transmission alongside dutiful droid BB-8 to welcome the new Resistance recruits. She shares a plan to reunite with General Leia Organa at an off-planet location that must be kept secret from the First Order.
Guests then board a nearby Intersystem Transport Ship (I-TS) and have to make their rendezvous quickly to avoid a First Order Star Destroyer on its way to Batuu. They should have a bad feeling about this …

An All-Encompassing Attraction Experience

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance throws out the rulebook for traditional attraction design, eschewing and/or blending industry notions such as “queue,” “preshow” and “ride” to create a seamless, holistic experience full of rich details and breathtaking excitement on a cinematic scale.

When guests board the I-TS, they’ll feel as if they’re lifting off the surface of Batuu and blasting into space alongside Poe Dameron in his signature black-painted X-wing starfighter, Black One.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

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.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

Guests make their escape from the Star Destroyer aboard eight-passenger First Order Fleet Transports piloted by reprogrammed R5-series astromech droids.

The attraction features grand set pieces – including the hangar bay that is filled with 50 menacing stormtroopers and a docked TIE fighter. At various points, guests dodge blaster bolts from stormtroopers and AT-AT walkers, scurry past huge turbolaser cannons, and stumble into the Star Destroyer’s bridge.

Throughout their journey, guests are hunted by Kylo Ren, who uses the Force in an attempt to pry from their minds the location of General Organa’s secret base. Guests feel Ren’s tremendous malevolent power as they narrowly avoid his attacks.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

Authentically Star Wars

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.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

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

The attraction introduces a new featured character: Lieutenant Bek is a Mon Calamari Resistance officer who helps guide the Resistance recruits through their harrowing journey.

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.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

Disney A-1000 Audio-Animatronicsfigures appearing in the attraction provide a deep level of immersive storytelling through their lifelike and dynamic movements.

Inside the queue and ride of Star Wars Rise of the Resistance

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.

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HoustonHorn5 days ago

Or they could build attractions that work as intended. I think my biggest issue was the first time, I didn't see A-mode Kylo, and from our perspective, we couldn't see ship Kylo, so it was nonsensical. But I see your point. I was fortunate to have ridden Rise when it was fully operational - cannons and all. It was spectacular how many different elements all worked together to make a marvel of an attraction - from the first preshow until the final "landing" back on Batuu. Then the cannons broke, but I had still always seen the Probe Droid working and never had B-mode Kylo. Well, the Probe Droid went down for me in my 2023 trip. Then this year Kylo was down. It's just so frustrating.

mickEblu5 days ago

I happen to think Kylo Ren B mode is more effective than Kylo Ren A mode

Marc Davis Fan5 days ago

"Kylo is not here today but he'll swing by in his spaceship and say hi through the window"

mergatroid5 days ago

Whilst true the other option could be that whenever there's problems with Kylo they just close the attraction down whilst they try to get him working again. So it's kind of a situation on whether people would prefer to be able to ride it without Kylo or not ride it for x amount of time (or at all depending on the time) when he goes down. Personally I would prefer the attraction open in B mode than shut completely unless in A mode. The only concern with this way of operating would be that they think "Well there's no rush to get him working today because we have B mode". It's kind of like a double edged sword really, ideally the ride would never break down or malfunction but when it does it's kind of good for those who are desperate to see it even though the experience isn't as good. Perhaps if there was a way to find out whether it's in A mode or B mode before riding it would be the best way of operating it? However how would Disney do this without breaking the theming? If there was a sign saying "We're operating Kylo in B mode right now" it wouldn't look right. If they had a sign saying "Kylo is not here today as he's currently on a mission" then most wouldn't understand it either. Perhaps you could ask a CM before joining the queue, however that would only help a small % of the guests as many wouldn't even know there were different modes to begin with.

HoustonHorn5 days ago

When I was there for Thanksgiving, I had my first two experiences with the final Kylo in B mode. The first time, our transport was in the back, and it made no sense whatsoever. The second time, we were in front, so we saw Kylo in his ship in the "window," so there was at least some semblance of what was going on. To me, that isn't B-mode. That's just broken.

Disone5 days ago

You misunderstood the theming and brilliance of the story telling that is going on here. Disney put so much thought into star wars Galaxy's edge to make it their most immersive experience to date... You see General Hux and the first Order took out the shuttle, greatly limiting the Resistance ability to transport their new recruits. It was a fairly genius tactical move on the general's part and is definitely given the first order an advantage. :)

vikescaper5 days ago

Maybe I didn’t word it properly but we did both single rider and standby. We did single rider first and was fully expecting to head down the hallway. We did standby afterwards because the wait wasn’t long. They walked us through the briefing room and straight to the hallway as the shuttle was down.

JohnD5 days ago

Single rider purposely routes down that backstage hallway. If you want to be fully immersed, don't do single rider.

vikescaper5 days ago

I probably had my worst experience on Rise this past Sunday. For the first time, the shuttle was not working so we were routed down the backstage hallway to get to the Star Destroyer. We also got B-mode Kylo Ren at the end. We also decided to try the single riders line and felt that it wasn’t worth it since we save about 8 minutes (we timed it and it was a 42 minute wait compared to 50 for standby).

The Lochness MonstaNov 10, 2024

I wish they would have gone with the Mickey and Minnie seating. Rise has some of the worst in WdW. You are crammed in with strangers and can't reach the front bars. And if you manage to grab the bars it looks really awkward like you're getting on Tron Lightcycles.

networkproOct 31, 2024

It might make it worth riding again. We havent ridden it in the past two years as more than 30ish minutes waiting isn't worth it to us. The only variability in the ride is which vehicle you get assigned to which determines which elevator you go up. That said, its still much better than the button slapping coaxium ride.

JohnDOct 31, 2024

My observations. 1. If you remember anything, if you want to be fully immersed, do NOT ride Single Rider. 2. You go down a walkway by the exit intended for CMs. 3. Your first stop point is by a standard door with a rectangular window. You have a hidden view of the starcruiser. Think C-3PO and R2 waiting to board the Falcon on the Death Star. 4. The wait is counter-intuitive. You're not immediately plugged in to board the cruiser. You wait about every 6 groups from the briefing room to allow the single rider group to collect. Maybe 10 min. 4a. You're figuratively taken "outside" the experience. By that I mean, you only hear the music as the guests exit the briefing until after they have entered the starcruiser and the doors shut. Its like an out of body experience. 5. When enough have collected, you're escorted through the normal door into a normal hallway which connects with the briefing room waiting area. 6. All simgle riders are escorted into the same briefing room then together into the starcruiser. 7. On the FO ship, single riders wait at the same collection point to be dispatched. This is where the single rider portion takes effect. One got put with another group. 10 others were sent to the same meeting room waiting point. Two from the "regular" queue joined. 8. The rest is the same after that. if you don't have single lightning lane, its a good option. Otherwise, I prefer Rise with LL.

JohnDOct 30, 2024

They're still experimenting with it. I jusr rode LL. They told me about single rider as I exited. Will do later today.

PurduevianOct 15, 2024

It all comes down to $$ Does this hurt ILL sales? How much extra does it cost to staff Does this improve the GS enough that they are more likely to buy something now that they aren't stuck in line?