Tips For Boarding Rise of the Resistance

Plus Other Galaxy’s Edge Insights!

Wondering how to get on Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Our latest podcasts offers the best insights under the “suns”. Definitely check out our podcast as well as our show notes page below, as both offer valuable insights for getting on Rise and enjoying your entire stay at Galaxy’s Edge.

Getting on Rise of the Resistance shouldn’t be as hard as getting on a Star Destroyer, but then again, that’s essentially what you’re trying to do. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

You can find the podcast here on Podbean and here at iTunes. You can also type in “Disney at Work & Play Podcast” when you visit Spotify. Be sure to subscribe. They go into details on the following tips:

Stay on Disney Property? There are always many advantages for staying on Disney property, but Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is not really a main driver for doing so. Extra Magic Hours in the morning are not currently happening, and those for the evening state that Rise of the Resistance is not operating (though that could change). Booking a hotel in advance does allow you to book a dining reservation at Oga’s Cantina in advance, as well as Savi’s and Droid Depot (though you could walk on either of those retail experiences later in the day). If getting great Fast Passes and easy access to this park and others is important, then stay on property. But don’t do it as an advantage for visiting Galaxy’s Edge.

On our podcast, we talk about how soon you may be able to book a trip on a Star Cruiser, and what advantages that will give you in getting onto Rise of the Resistance. Image by Disney.

Download My Disney Experience App. Don’t wait until you get into the park to download this app. Do it in advance, and make sure everyone’s ticket is registered on the app. That means that you should buy the ticket prior to entry, so you can link your ticket to your account on the app. Become familiar with the app, especially the section on Galaxy’s Edge. Re-start your device before you arrive the morning of your visit, so that you have no hiccups accessing the app and its features.

Plan Your Transportation. If you are driving, it takes time to fight traffic, to get through toll booths for parking, for getting parked and then getting through security. Give yourself plenty of time if you’re managing your own transportation. If you are staying on property, or a nearby hotel that offers complimentary transportation, we would suggest that you NOT rely on these modes of transportation. Rather, get an Uber, Lyft, Taxi or Minnie Van, or simply plan on a car to drive yourself. There may be scores of others waiting for the same vehicle, and there may be unexpected delays in getting to your location.

Get Into to the Park Prior to Opening! We cannot emphasize this enough. Doing so not only more guarantees getting on the attraction sooner, but guarantees that in the event of ride breakdowns, you will more likely ride than others. NOTE: There is no Standby! Don’t assume that you can just arrive later and stand in a longer line. There is no standby line at this time.

Waiting to enter the park on one of the heaviest days of the year. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Make a Boarding Pass. At the designated opening time of the park, immediately make a boarding pass on your My Disney Experience App. It will put you into a boarding group for a later return time that is a two hour window rather than 1 hour, as usually happens on FastPass. Then return when your number is called. Because you have two hours to return, you could go to another park or even go back to your hotel. You have the flexibility. Note: You cannot make a boarding pass if you are outside the park. That’s why you need to be in the park prior to opening.

The screen on the left is what you should see prior to booking your boarding group. A successful booking should look like the screen on the right.

We mention that you can see the pattern of how quickly boarding groups are grabbed at Touring Plans. They’ve done a great job monitoring this. Check it out.

Find the Guest Experience Team. Having a problem with the app? Have a question or you’re uncertain. Find the Guest Experience Team. They are working hard to help people out. You will find them in blue shirts early in the morning lined up at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, and the rest of the day in key places throughout the park.

Enjoy The Rest of Your Stay. When your boarding group for Rise of the Resistance isn’t being called, visit the other great attractions in the park. Unless you have a FastPass to return later, I would consider riding them in the order shown below. Note that Smuggler’s Run is later than other attractions listed. That’s because it’s more capable of boarding more people per hour than Slinky Dog Dash or Client Swirling Saucers. And the extended queue is interesting to study–at least the first time you board.

Lines stretched long getting into particular attractions on the heaviest days of the holidays. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Join a Backup Boarding Group. Didn’t get there early enough? There are no guarantees, but joining a backup boarding group may give you a chance to join Rise of the Resistance should they successfully go through all the assigned boarding groups. No guarantees, but there are no guarantees for anyone. This is a complex ride, and things could go down for extended periods.

Use Single Rider. There is no Single Rider line currently at Rise of the Resistance, but there is one for Smuggler’s Run. I wouldn’t recommend it for the first time through, as there is little thematic detail. But as a repeat visitation option it’s great as you will head directly to the Millennium Falcon for boarding.

Single Rider queue for Smuggler’s Run is to the left. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Use the Special Needs Pass. You can’t use it to access a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance. The guest with special needs will have to be in the park, and as we mentioned earlier, that means at the opening of the park. But once that individual has a pass, they can go anywhere–including their hotel, until its time to board. Once you do board, you will go right on through what is traditionally referred to as the FastPass line. You do not have to go through the standby line, which can at times be up to an hour in length holding boarding groups. On Smuggler’s Run, you can use the pass to access a return time any time during the day, and the guest does not have to be present to get that pass. That group will also use their FastPass line to enter.

Use Mobile Ordering. Docking Bay 7, Ronto Roasters and Milk Stand all utilize mobile ordering. Take advantage of that. I’ve even ordered items on Mobile Ordering for one member of my family, then gone immediately over to another facility and grabbed items quickly through Mobile Ordering. Using the app I’ve even picked up items from all three locations within a 5-7 minute window.

A quiet moment not commonly found at Ronto Roasters. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Go Through All Doors. There is really a lot to see, but you may miss it unless you step through the doors of the buildings of Black Spire Outpost. Dok Ondar’s is just one example of this. You would have no idea what lies inside unless you stepped through the door, because the signage is not conducive to such.

Dok Ondar’s is just one amazing location you must seek out. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Buy a Gift Card. It’s not just any Disney gift card but a special Spira medallion. You must purchase at least $100, but when you do, you get this beautiful souvenir coin. It’s a definite keepsake and it’s free when purchase the gift card. It’s only sold in Droid Depot, but that’s ideal, because the build-a-droid activity is around $100.

Spira medallion. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

Look out for Kylo Ren & Others. Several Star Wars characters are out and about throughout the day and night, but Kylo Sen makes his appearances via the Tie Echelon at the start of every hour through 4:00 pm. Be on the look out for this unique character appearance.

Tie Echelon Fighter. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.

In the podcast we talk about Chewie joining David’s boys in a game of Sabacc. Like the checkerboards in Magic Kingdom, sometimes the smallest moments become your core memories. Make sure to stop and enjoy those moments as well.

Come Back at Night. It’s a different experience at night–and a beautiful one at that. And get your camera ready, because it’s simply beautiful. Also, you can step on the queue for Smuggler’s Run just a minute or two before closing and be free of any longer waits during the day. As you exit the park at the end, you’ll see it with few guests inside. Again, have your camera ready.

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge: A Complete Guide

There’s so much more of what we shared in this podcast when you visit the Complete Guide to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. It has a comprehensive view, with scores of photos, videos and interactive maps.