Putting guests in the middle of a movie isn’t a new concept for theme park attractions. Whether it is a simple “book report” attraction like Peter Pan’s Flight, or something more complex that puts guests into the universe of a film using a new narrative like Avatar: Flight of Passage, its no secret that guests love experiencing the excitement of seeing their favorite worlds and characters in theme park attractions.
However, though there have been plenty of leaps forward in technology and theming over the years to make rides more immersive and “real” feeling, at the end of the day, guests always know they’re on a ride. Though you are supposed to be riding a Magical Motorbike at Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, you can see the ride track from the queue, and though the theming is fun, at no point do you not know you are on a roller coaster.
But Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is different. We won’t get in to spoilers (yet), but this is the first ride that doesn’t feel like a ride. It is an experience. There are several parts of the attraction that will see guests riding, standing, running, and yes, even riding their way through an adventure on a scale that simply didn’t seem possible before now.
At no point do you see attraction track. Cast Members are an integral part of the attraction and help to tell the story in unanticipated ways. Parts of the experience are genuinely surprising. You may think you know where something is going, and then your expectations are completely upended. The experience is especially thrilling for frequent theme park-goers, who likely have some pre-conceived notions about the limits of what is possible at a theme park attraction, that will all be shattered once this 20-minute adventure has concluded.
Trust me when I say this attraction has no peer at Walt Disney World, or even in Orlando. It is the first attraction of its kind, and points to a future of theme park rides where anything is possible.
Now if you want to go in to this attraction blind (and we suggest that you do), you can stop reading here with this hearty endorsement: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is an excellent attraction, and if you can experience it this winter, do it!
Now, for those who have already experienced this ride (or those who enjoy spoilers), read on to the next page for more details about this unique, one-of-a-kind attraction.
Pulling off the ultimate Star Wars Adventure
One of the reasons other attractions based on films can feel so lifeless at times is that they don’t really encompass the full spirit of the property they are representing. There is way more to Harry Potter than sitting on a flying Bench or riding in a runaway mine cart in a bank. Though we of course love these attractions, riding them doesn’t really make you feel like you’re a part of the Harry Potter universe, or that you are really joining your favorite heroes on an actual adventure.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance absolutely does.
Your adventure begins is a pretty standard pre-show room, where Rey, BB-8 and Poe tell you that Batuu has been compromised, and you need to fly off-world to a new Rebel base. So far, it’s a pretty standard setup, right? However, as soon as the short briefing ends, a door opens to reveal: the outside!
Cast Members are telling you to run on to a giant shuttle, as there is no time to waste. You have to get to the new base before the First Order catches you! Once everyone is safely aboard, a life-sized Lieutenant Bek is waiting for you. The shuttle takes off quickly, with Poe Dameron and other resistance fighters guarding your transport along the way. But of course, something goes terribly wrong! The First Order have found you, and your ship is being confiscated.
And here’s where thing get really interesting. The doors to your transport fly open, and First Order soldiers board your ship. Everyone is now a prisoner! Guests are then separated into small groups and led through a series of hallways that look exactly like something out of a Star Wars film and then are told to wait for an “interrogation” from none other than Kylo Ren himself.
And just as things are getting really scary, a member of the resistance blasts through the door! He’s here to save you! It’s from here that you’ll board the special “Prison transport vehicles” (along with droid R-5), through the Star Destroyer as you try and escape from General Hux, and the powerful Kylo Ren. The attraction features several setpieces that don’t even feel like setpieces, where your vehicle will whip around through doors, up and down elevators, around AT-ATs, giant guns, and more, and then finally into a starcraft shuttle where you will fly through space, back to Batuu before your ride ends outside as you “land” back on the planet”
One thing that is really striking about this attraction is how unpredictable it is. You never know where you (or your vehicle) are going next, and there are some truly jaw-on-the-floor moments where something happens that there was no way to see coming. This attraction also relies heavily on Cast Members being in character, and we have to say that every single Cast Member we encountered on opening day absolutely knocked it out of the park. From the terrifying First Order Cast Members daring prisoners to step out of line to the Resistance cast rushing us into a shuttle or safely away from Kylo Ren, there is a huge amount of live actors that make this attraction work, so much so that parts of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance honestly feel like live interactive theater.
With a total of four different ride systems, over 100 different animatronics (some of which are so lifelike you’ll be doing a double take), and an unpredictable storyline that truly allows you to live out a Star Wars-inspired adventure, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the experience that Star Wars fans have been waiting for. This attraction has more than exceeded expectations, and will definitely be a tough act to follow.
