On Friday January 17, 2020 Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will open at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at the Disneyland Resort. With its arrival, the largest land expansion at Disneyland will be completely open. It will join Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge being completely open and available to be experienced by the public.
In Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, guests get to join the Resistance and go on an adventure that pits them in an epic battle between the Resistance and the First Order. As a simple mission turns complicated, guests get to be right in the midst of the action fitting to be in a Star Wars movie.
Storyline
Without going into details, the storyline for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is incredibly well done. The progression is logical and at times unexpected. The result is that it pulls guests into the story that is happening on the attraction but also the story happening around the attraction in the land. From the moment guests enter the queue, this story is building. It continues on through the exit of the attraction. It is one that has great repeatability as well as they pick up more things that are going on. The story then carries on into the land outside.
The Attraction
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an attraction like no other. Really, it is like multiple cutting edge attractions crammed together to create an incredible Star Wars experience. The result is an attraction that keeps the guest on their toes and truly is magical in a way that really will blow people away! The scale and scope of the attraction and the elements found in it are lifelike and make guests feel like they are in a Star Wars film. Without going into any details, it can be said that the effects do the same thing. The result is an attraction that takes everything to the next level. A couple of years ago I wrote about how I was blown away riding Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The experience of riding Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance far surpasses that.
Experience
The story and the attraction itself are part of a bigger experience that is had by guests visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and also riding Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Immediately upon exiting the attraction I had this thought that “it all makes sense!” I have absolutely loved Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge since it opened last year at both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance added an element to the land that I didn’t even realize was missing. It adds depth to the land and an element of risk that goes to the next level as guests experience the attraction.
Walking off the attraction, suddenly there is a bigger context to what is going on at Batuu. There isn’t just things happening at Black Spire Outpost, there are also things happening up in space above it! And with all those things happening, they are with characters that are familiar. All of this brings guests right into the middle of the Skywalker Saga and heightens the level of immersion happening in the land.
Final Thoughts
The arrival of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland continues to build upon the story that began to be told last year when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This is an attraction that is simply epic. Guests will love it and want to return to experience it multiple times. It really does make Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge come even more alive and feel even more “Star Wars” for the guests who experience it. Quite simply, it throws guests into the middle of a Star Wars movie. When Disney representatives have talked about living “your own Star Wars story,” this attraction completely makes that happen. It is an incredible experience that isn’t just awesome while guests ride it, that feeling will follow them out into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge once they exit it.
It is very possible that this is a once in a generation attraction that people will talk about riding for the first time for years to come. As we rode the attraction I found myself gasping, cheering, yelling, smiling, laughing, and thoroughly enjoying myself. Upon exiting I gasped “wow, that was a heck of a thing!” And that is completely true. This is a wow attraction. It is one I can’t wait to experience over and over again in the coming months and years! I have to give a big hat tip to everyone who has been a part of bringing this attraction to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland. This is the next level of Disney magic!
Full Ride Through of Star Wars: Rise fo the Resistance (don’t watch if you don’t want spoilers)
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