Over the weekend, Freeform gave viewers a sneak peek at the new ‘Rise of the Resistance’ attraction in a television special called ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Adventure Awaits.’ The attraction is coming to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on December 5 and Disneyland on January 17. It is being billed as 4 rides in 1 will be at least 15 minutes long from start to finish, according to Disney theme park officials.
“Imagine being chased for 15 minutes by Kylo Ren and the First Order. Stormtroopers everywhere. Lightsabers coming at you,” Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said of Rise of the Resistance during a new TV special. “It’s going to be fantastic.”
The new attraction will have guests playing the part of new recruits in the middle of a battle between the villainous First Order and the heroic Resistance in a dangerous off-planet mission. Along the way, the recruits will be captured aboard a Star Destroyer, break out of a First Order detention cell, elude the clutches of Kylo Ren, and escape back to a secret base on the Star Wars planet of Batuu.
The attraction will feature videotaped, holographic and audio-animatronic appearances by some of the characters from the latest Star Wars trilogy. The TV special showed scenes being filmed for ‘Rise of the Resistance’ featuring Daisy Ridley (who plays Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Issac (Poe Dameron), and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren).
While filming ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,’ scenes for ‘Rise of the Resistance’ were filmed as well. Oscar Isaac said that filming for the attraction “felt like just an extension of the film and an extension of the story. Because we were on the set when I was in the X-wing already and we were shooting scenes. It just felt like a continuation of the saga.”
Rey, the Star Wars heroine played by Ridley, will be the first Resistance member riders meet in the new Galaxy’s Edge attraction. She will welcome new recruits via a hologram message.
“A covert Resistance team led by my friend Finn has infiltrated the First Order Star Destroyer that is now headed to this system,” Ridley said while filming a green-screen scene as Rey for the attraction.
Issac also filmed green screen scenes for the attraction as Poe Dameron aboard an X-wing motion simulator at Pinewood Studios outside London where many recent “Star Wars” movies have been filmed.
The TV special also offered a look of the Rise of the Resistance ride vehicle load stations located just outside the First Order detention cells. One load station was flanked by armed stormtrooper figures. Each 8-seat ride vehicle will be piloted by an R5 droid.
Actors in motion capture suits were also seen performing stormtrooper stunts in a soundstage studio. Stormtroopers are expected to fire blasters at riders from an upper level in the Rise of the Resistance attraction.
“When its our darkest moment and we don’t know how we’re going to get out of the situation that we’re in, Finn shows up and gives us special instructions on how to get down to the bottom of the Star Destroyer and get off before the whole place goes sky high,” Walt Disney Imagineering executive creative director John Larena said during the special.
‘Rise of the Resistance’ opens December 5 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and January 17 at Disneyland. Share on Facebook or Twitter what you are most excited about regarding this attraction.
