The internet’s buzzing not only with Baby Yoda memes, but also with excitement for the latest Disney Parks attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Matt Stroshane, courtesy Disney Parks
Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, called Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, “the most ambitious, immersive, advanced, action-packed attraction we’ve ever created.” At nearly 20 minutes long, the ride lives up to the hype. Rise of the Resistance is an epic movie length for a theme park attraction, and the cinematic action and special effects take place all around totally immersing riders in the experience.
Lieutenant Bek, a Mon Calamari Resistance officer, speaks with guests aboard an Intersystem Transport Ship as they blast off Batuu in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Kent Phillips, courtesy Disney Parks
Similar to a Star Wars movie, Rise of the Resistance takes place in three acts and uses four different ride systems. The queue and pre-show are all integral parts of the attraction where guests are recruited by Rey and BB-8 for a secret mission prior to boarding a transport ship piloted by an alien creature. Before the transport can get away, it’s captured by a First Order Star Destroyer and you’re marched out before an army of menacing Stormtroopers. Surly First Order officers force you into an interrogation cell where Supreme Leader Kylo Ren wields the Force to attempt to mind-probe you.
Fifty menacing First Order Stormtroopers await guests as they arrive in the hangar bay of a Star Destroyer as part of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Matt Stroshane, courtesy Disney Parks
Resistance fighters help you breakout on a re-programmed transport that winds throughout the Star Destroyer past 50-foot-tall AT-AT walkers and huge Turbocannons. During the escape, Stormtroopers fire blaster bolts towards the car, and Kylo Ren continues to pursue the vehicle all along the way. You narrowly escape by freefalling from space to crash land back on the planet surface.
Guests come face to face with First Order Supreme Leader Kylo Ren as they race through a Star Destroyer in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Steven Diaz, courtesy Disney Parks
Disney categorizes Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as a thrill ride with a height requirement of 40 in – putting the ride in the same category as Tower of Terror, Test Track, Splash Mountain, Mission Space, and others. If your child can handle DINOSAUR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, then they would be fine with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The sequence inside the Star Destroyer is fast, dark, disorienting, and intense with loud noises and flashing lights. However, nothing jumps out or directly threatens the vehicle like DINOSAUR. For children frightened by Kylo Ren, he appears multiple times in the attraction, swings his lightsaber, and attempts to catch you – but never gets too close. There is also a small drop at the end of the ride and a simulated fall from outer space. Children that can handle Star Tours, should have no trouble with the drop on Rise of the Resistance. In addition, the uniformed cast playing First Order Officers are loud and stern (adding to the immersion), but they should take it easy on younglings who may look unsettled. Children ages 6 and up should be fine on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, especially if they are familiar with and fans of the Star Wars movies.
Guests dodge huge turbolaser cannons as they attempt to escape a First Order Star Destroyer as part of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Matt Stroshane, courtesy Disney Parks
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is open now at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Walt Disney World, and opens January 17, 2020 in Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland in California.
By Dave Parfitt