A Few Questions and Answers About Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has only been open for a few days here in Florida, and I have already seen countless questions about the new ride. I’ve compiled a list of some of the most common. I’ve touched on a couple of the subjects before, but I thought it might be a good idea to have everything in one place. If you have a question that I didn’t answer, feel free to ask! I can be reached through Facebook or Instagram, or you can email me.

How does the Virtual Queue work?

I addressed this question here, so this is the Cliff Notes version. Show up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, scan your ticket or MagicBand, then open the app and join the queue. You’ll get a notification when it’s your turn to ride. It’s really easy.

Can I grab spots for my whole party?

You can grab spots for everyone in the Virtual Queue if they are on your friends and family list, but everyone needs to be in the park when you do. One person can’t arrive early, and sign up the entire group while everyone else sleeps in.

What time should I arrive at the park?

Right now you’ll want to arrive as early as possible. Since opening day I have seen plenty of Facebook posts about people arriving as early as 4:30 or 5:00. All of the spots for the day have been gone each day within minutes of the park opening. This is the definition of “you snooze, you lose”.

What about Extra Magic Hours?

From what I understand, Rise of the Resistance is not operating during Extra Magic Hours. The Virtual Queue does not open until the park is open for all. Don’t quote me on this, I haven’t seen any official information.

Is Disney’s Hollywood Studios still opening early?

The first few days of operation, Disney opened the gates early. There is no word on if this will continue. It looks like opening hours have been adjusted somewhat, the Walt Disney World website has the park opening to the general public at 8:00am daily through January 5. The exception is on Sundays, where there is an Extra Magic Hour at 8:00, and then it opens to everyone else at 9:00. Starting on January 6 the park is currently scheduled to open at 9:00am, but that could change. An update about hours can be found here.

How long will Disney continue to use the Virtual Queue?

No information has been released about this. For the most part the system seems to be working well so far (except when the ride breaks down, which happens with any new ride). I think that this will be in place for the foreseeable future. It’s a great idea. You’ll be able to ride, but you also don’t have to wait for hours in the line.

Are they going to use a Virtual Queue in California?

My guess is that there will also be a Virtual Queue when Rise of the Resistance opens in California in January. The system is already in place in the Disneyland App. My thought is that they will use it at first, and then play it by ear. That’s how it worked for the Virtual Queue when Galaxy’s Edge first opened.

Can I join two Virtual Queues in one day?

From what I’ve heard, people were able to do this the first couple of days if they got into an early enough boarding group. I have also heard that Disney is now limiting guests to one boarding group per day. This is rumor, but I’ve heard it in more than one place.

When will FastPass+ be available?

Both Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run have spots and lines for FastPass+. Disney is at this time choosing to not make it available, unless it’s a paper pass given to someone who was in line when the ride broke down. For the most part the lines have been manageable for Smugglers Run, plus there is a Single Rider line. FastPass+ would make the Virtual Queue system a nightmare. I’ve asked several “in the know” Cast Members, and they’ve told me that nothing official has been decided about when FastPass+ might be available.

I have a problem with motion sickness. Can I ride?

This is one question that I can’t answer for you. I have heard of many people who can’t ride things such as Star Tours and Flight of Passage who have not had a problem with Rise of the Resistance. My guess is that the hardest part will be in the transport ship, which is well before you get in the ride vehicle. There are front and rear “windows” to look out of, and I could see that causing problems for some people. Fortunately, it is easy enough to look away from those windows.

How bad is “the drop”?

There is one place where the ride drops. I worried about that from the moment I heard about it, because I hate drops! Slinky Dog Dash is at the top of my thrill level. I now think about all of the things that I could have been doing instead of worrying. The drop isn’t bad at all, in fact, it really adds to the ride. Don’t fret about the drop, and don’t skip riding out of fear. The drop lasts only one second of the best ride ever.

I’m not a Star Wars fan. Will I be lost?

I can’t answer that for sure, because I’ve been a Star Wars fan since the beginning, and I understood all of what goes on in the ride. That said, it’s a thrilling ride, even if you can’t follow the story. I’ve never seen Avatar and I love Flight of Passage. I’m sure that you’ll still have a great time, even if you don’t quite understand why the Cast Members dressed in black who are assigning your row aren’t smiling. (I hope that George Lucas will forgive me for explaining it that way…)