Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Overview

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the crown-jewel attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios — a ~18-minute, multi-part experience that blends an elaborate preshow with a trackless dark ride through the interior of a First Order Star Destroyer. You come face to face with a life-size AT-AT, rows of realistic stormtroopers, Kylo Ren, and set pieces on a scale most rides never attempt. It’s widely called one of the best rides Disney has ever built, and it’s a Lightning Lane Single Pass attraction — bought à la carte, not part of Multi Pass.

Is it worth it?

Yes for most people, with eyes open. If you’re even mildly into Star Wars, this is a must-do; even guests who don’t care about the franchise tend to walk off floored by the technology, the scale, and the sheer length. The standout is immersion — it genuinely feels like you got captured mid-escape-sequence, not like you sat in a ride vehicle. The catch is demand and reliability: Rise is one of the highest-demand attractions at Hollywood Studios, and its complexity means it goes down more than the average ride. That makes it easy to lose your whole day gambling on standby. Who should skip: very young kids who scare easily (loud effects, villains, a brief drop-style moment), and anyone who won’t clear the 102cm / 40in height requirement. Everyone else: prioritize it and don’t leave it to chance.

Insider tips

• First ride? Ask for the front row. When you reach the final trackless ride vehicle at the loading zone, politely ask the Cast Member for the front row. Rise is built on scale, sudden turns, and big reveals designed to hit when nothing blocks your view — the front row gives you clean, unobstructed sightlines so the story beats land the way they’re meant to. Requests are never guaranteed and Cast Members load for capacity, so ask once, be polite, and ride wherever they place you.
• Front row is also the family-friendly pick. For shorter or nervous kids, the front means adult heads don’t block the eye-level action, and being able to see what’s coming helps anxious riders far more than reacting to chaos from behind someone’s shoulder. Seat a hesitant child next to the calmest adult in the group.
• Repeat rider? Try the back row. It’s not a downgrade — because the vehicles are trackless, from farther back you can better appreciate the choreography: how your vehicle and the paired one turn, pause, and near-miss through each scene. Great once you already know the story beats.
• Don’t obsess over left vs. right vehicle. Rise splits guests into paired transports, so people fixate on which side is ‘better.’ In reality your row matters more than your side, and your timing matters more than both — both vehicles get all the major scenes.
• Best time to ride: rope drop with Early Theme Park Entry. Rise is open during Early Entry, so on-site guests entering 30 minutes early can knock it out before the standby line explodes. Be through security and ready to move the moment the park opens.
• Lightning Lane strategy: Rise is Single Pass, meaning it is NOT included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass — you buy it separately in My Disney Experience when available. If it’s a must-do and you don’t want to rope-drop, Single Pass is the low-stress insurance. The move: get on early or buy the pass rather than betting your day on standby ‘calming down later’ — it usually doesn’t.
• Watch for downtime. Because it’s so technically complex, Rise goes down more than most rides. Don’t save it for the end of the day; if it’s operating and you have an opening, take it.
• Use Single Rider and Rider Switch when they fit. Single Rider can cut your wait if your group is willing to split up. Rider Switch lets one adult wait with a too-short or unwilling child while the other rides, then swaps — so nobody misses out.

Who can ride

Riders must be at least 102cm (40in) tall. Thrill level is moderate (about 3/5) — there’s no big coaster drop, but it’s intense in its own way: loud effects, dark scenes, menacing villains including Kylo Ren, sudden trackless vehicle movement, and a brief drop-style moment. Motion sensitivity is generally mild since it’s not a spinning or high-speed ride, but the constant movement, turns, and simulator-style segment can bother the very sensitive. It can genuinely frighten young or timid kids — the ‘captured by the First Order’ storyline plus the volume and darkness are the real intensity here, more than any physical force. If your child meets the height requirement but scares easily, prep them as an adventure, seat them by a calm adult, and use Rider Switch if they’d rather sit it out.