Rise Of The Resistance: Spoiler Free ride review

Nadia Harman, Writer

The first order Star Killer and being yelled at by a First Order Guard

In 2015 at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA, Disney announced that in mid 2019 they would be opening a new land based around the fictional planet of  Batu in the Star Wars universe. Many fans were excited to hear about the expansion of both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios park in Florida. The land started construction in early 2016 closing down many attractions to make way for the long awaited new land. 

  The land was themed to be a trading port on the planet Batuu in the trade city Black Spire Outpost. The land was going to be filled with everything to themed restaurants to making your own light saber to even driving the Millennium Falcon. Disney announced that there would be a second ride that would be in the land called Rise of the Resistance.

The ride opened in Florida on December 5, 2019 and on Friday January 17, 2020 in California. Fans showed up to Disneyland on 17 January to line up for a chance to ride the new addition at 12:30 A.M. Disney let guests come in at around 6 A.M. to fill in the park and wait until 8 A.M. were they where able to go to their Disneyland app and get a reservation for a boarding group. The spots were limited and very few for a chance to get a ride on the Rise of the Resistance. 

Dirk Libbey

  I was able to go on Monday, 20 January to get a chance to ride this new attraction. We arrived and were able to get inside the park at 7:50 where we waited anxiously for 10 minutes to see if we could get a boarding group. Finally at 8 A.M. I refreshed the Disneyland park app were I secured a boarding group 105. It was going to take all day but as a very big Star Wars fan, it was worth it in the end. At around 8:40 P.M. boarding group 105 was called. Needless to say everyone in group 105 was very excited after waiting all day.

  The queue for the ride was themed very well with things to look at. One of the biggest parts of the line everyone was excited about was the benches placed throughout the line. After a long day at Disneyland, most people’s feet hurt and want to sit during the lines of rides, so this was a perfect addition to the line. Once closer to the ride, you are told you are a new recruit for the Resistance and need to be transported to a ship where you will fight the First Order and Kylo Ren. 

Jessica Figueroa
Kylo Ren Animatronic

  The ride vehicle was amazing. It was trackless, instead being pulled by magnets under the floor for a smooth ride experience. Each room was mind blowing with how realistic they looked. It was very immersive and felt as if you were placed inside the Star Wars universe. Each Animatronic looked like a real person and made it feel so real. If you have motion sickness, this ride wouldn’t be good for you as it moves rapidly and there is one free fall towards the end. There is also loud noises and flashes of light throughout the ride as well. 

I’d say this ride was well worth the wait. It lived up to the hype and was not at all what I was expecting. As a very big Star Wars fan for almost all my life, I cried at how beautiful this ride was. Disney really knocked this one out of the park and if you have the chance to ride it, even if you’re not a Star Wars fan it still is something amazing to experience. It feels like the equivalent to riding something like Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time in 1967 and being blown away by the new technology.