Taking a Toddler on Rise of the Resistance: Height Limits, Rider Switch, and Scares

By · Adult Disney · Wisconsin

Published June 29, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is widely considered the most impressive attraction at Walt Disney World. But if you’re traveling with a toddler, it’s also a logistical minefield. Between a strict height requirement, a long runtime, and some genuinely intimidating moments, this isn’t a simple “hop on and ride” situation.

Here is exactly what you need to know about navigating Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with young kids, and the smart way to handle it if they can’t—or won’t—ride.

The 40-Inch Rule and Rider Switch

First things first: Rise of the Resistance has a strict 40-inch height requirement. For most kids, this means they won’t be tall enough until they are at least four years old. Disney Cast Members check height at the entrance and again before boarding, and they do not make exceptions for “almost there.”

If your toddler is under 40 inches, you will need to use Rider Switch. This system allows one parent to stay back with the child while the other rides, and then swap without waiting in the regular line again.

The smart move: To set up Rider Switch, your entire party must approach the Cast Member at the ride entrance. The riding group goes through the queue (either standby or Lightning Lane), while the waiting parent gets a return entitlement scanned to their My Disney Experience app.

The Scare Factor: Is it Too Intense?

If your toddler does clear the 40-inch mark, you need to seriously evaluate if they should actually ride. Rise of the Resistance is a 15-to-20 minute experience that is highly immersive, which is great for adults but potentially terrifying for a preschooler.

Here is what you need to prepare them for:

The Standby Trap vs. Lightning Lane

Toddlers and 90-minute lines do not mix. If you plan to ride, you should strongly consider purchasing a Lightning Lane Single Pass to skip the standby queue. Because this is a Single Pass attraction (meaning it is not included in your standard Lightning Lane Multi Pass), you buy it à la carte.

If you refuse to pay the upcharge, you need to time your standby wait perfectly. The worst time to get in line is midday or right around the time the nearby Fantasmic! show ends. The crowds in that area can get absolutely feral, and the standby line often swells as the evening entertainment starts pulling people to that side of the park.

Instead, let the data do the work. SupaPark’s real-time alerts can ping you the second the Rise of the Resistance standby line craters to a manageable wait, or if a sold-out Lightning Lane suddenly drops a refill. Just set an alert at supapark.com, and we’ll tell you exactly when to make your move so you can grab the reservation in the Disney app.

The Takeaway

If your toddler is under 40 inches, secure a Rider Switch pass at the entrance and don’t sweat it. If they are tall enough but scare easily, prep them for loud noises and mean-looking stormtroopers. And whatever you do, don’t trap a cranky toddler in a two-hour standby line—buy the Lightning Lane Single Pass or use a SupaPark alert to snipe a low wait time.

Go deeper — the full guides: Will Your Kid Hate Soarin’? How to Decide (And Where to Sit) · Why DINOSAUR Is Disney’s Most Intense Ride for Kids (And How to Know if They’re Ready) · Animal Kingdom Deep Dive: Conquering Pandora, Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safaris & Smart Touring

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.

Go deeper: the full guides