by We have all the tips you need before riding Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World!
UPDATE (December 11, 2019): Disney’s Hollywood Studios has changed its hours again. Beginning December 12, 2019, the park will open at 7AM daily through December 21, 2019. Extra Magic Hours have also been pushed into the evening after the park closes.
A LOT has changed since Rise of the Resistance opened at Walt Disney World last week. Since the attraction isn’t fully ready to host mass crowds, Disney had to implement a very special procedure to host guests.
Yes, we said that right: the ride isn’t fully operational. It’s not that Disney doesn’t deliver—because it does! Rise of the Resistance is getting RAVE reviews from guests. However, like any other new ride, this one has to be tweaked before running at max capacity.
With that said, we’re keeping this post spoiler free. Meaning, we won’t post photos from inside of the ride or tell you any details about what it’s like to experience. Instead, we’ll just give you these Rise of The Resistance tips:
Plan for an Early Arrival
For now, FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours don’t work for this attraction. Instead, you’ll need to join a virtual boarding group. To do this, you’ll need to be at the park before opening. We recommend arriving no later than 1 hour before the park opens. If you’re arriving on the weekend, you might want to be there a little earlier than that just to be safe. Recently, all boarding pass groups have been booked within an hour of park opening.
Download My Disney Experience
To get in a boarding group, you’ll need Walt Disney World’s free My Disney Experience mobile app (download it on your device’s app store). Disney says, “Once you enter the park, open the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge section and go to “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Access by Boarding Group.” Click on “Find Out More.'” You’ll need to be inside of the park to do this. Your boarding group will be assigned and Disney will alert you when it’s your time. You’ll have 2 hours to return to Hollywood Studios and get to the ride. However, boarding groups do not have a specific times like FastPass+ reservations. So, you’ll just have to wait it out until you’re called.
Skip Morning Extra Magic Hour Dates
Disney’s Hollywood Studios hosts resort hotel guests an hour early on Sundays. Avoid Sundays. Why? Well, all of the hotel guests will have access to that park much earlier, which makes things messy. Even if you are a hotel guest, we recommend going on a day when everyone gets in at the same time.
Plan for Something Else
It’s a virtual queue, meaning you don’t have to wait in line. You can ride other attractions or leave Hollywood Studios altogether. Disney gives you 2 hours to return which is plenty of time from anywhere in the resort. Just check the boarding group portion of the My Disney Experience app to see how close your group is. However, you should receive a pop up alert when its your turn.
Expect Changes
As Walt Disney World tweaks its Rise of the Resistance to hold more guests, anticipate that change will come. If you’re not planning a trip until the spring, take note of this list, but check back with us for updates.
More Tips
- You won’t be able to get more than one boarding group per person, per day. However, you can go each day of your visit.
- Everyone in your party must be with you to access the boarding group. Meaning, you can’t just have one person in the park to represent your group because you need to “tap” in to join the virtual queue.
- Don’t travel by Disney transport if you can help it. Instead, we recommend using a ridesharing app like Lyft or driving yourself.
- It gets chilly in the morning, so wear proper attire. Also bring an umbrella just in case!
Finally, don’t be afraid of this! Yes, it’s tricky to understand at first, but explore the app now to see how it works before you go. Also remember that other guests are in the same boat—this is new to everyone and Disney has it streamlined. We hope these Rise of The Resistance tips you have an amazing time!
Read more of our Galaxy’s Edge tips here!
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