Disneyland's 'Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance' Ride Worth the Wait

The much-anticipated "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance" ride has officially opened at Disneyland Park (it opened at Disneyworld in December) and one thing can be said: it was well worth the six month wait.

When Disneyland's "Galaxy's Edge" opened in May 2019, there was a slight chorus of disappointment alongside those park attendees who were immediate fans. For one, only one of the two promised rides was open. Yes, we got to ride in the Millennium Falcon in "Smuggler's Run" which is fun, for sure, but that didn't seem like enough to justify a whole new land. The "Black Spire Outpost" (as it is called) looks a little like Mos Eisley Spaceport from the planet Tatooine complete with it's own cantina named "Oga's." There is a marketplace to buy all sorts of trinkets, clothes, stuffed animals, souvenirs, and a few small restaurants that serve cleverly themed (and oftentimes delicious) swift food. And then of course you can build your own droid (for $99+) or a lightsaber (for around $200). So, your enjoyment of "Galaxy's Edge" might depend on if you have money or if you're satisfied with one ride and a photo opp in front of a life-sized Millennium Falcon.

Truth be told, as a huge "Star Wars" fan (I have two tattoos) I was a little disappointment mostly because I wanted to be able to travel to the places I know, not necessarily some newly created planet I have no recognition of. I wanted to trudge through Hoth, look for Yoda on Dagobath, or escape Darth Vader on the Death Star. That part of the magic isn't there and Disney has also chosen to focus their themes on the movies they created with the sequel trilogy.

So, this is why "Rise of the Resistance" is actually a welcome addition to the land. Sure, it takes place during the sequels, but it does something very, very right: it makes you feel like a child again.

When your group is called, you start your wait to get on the ride by navigating the caverns and hallways of a stone/rock base that mimics the surrounding "Galaxy's Edge" look. Once you get through the queue, you walk into a room where you see an active BB-8 and a life-sized hologram of Rey giving you a special secret mission. (Finn and Poe show up, too!)

Then you are led to a transport led by a general that looks an awful lot like Admiral Ackbar from the original trilogy. There you are attacked in mid-flight by a Star Destroyer and pulled inside of it. The doors fly open and you are ordered to get off to be rounded up by the First Order. You pass a huge docking bay that is so expansive you believe you're actually in space surrounded by Stormtroopers and watching Tie Fighters whoosh by.

After that you are forced into a cell where you are eventually rescued and sent on your mission through the Star Destroyer. That's the ride part.

And that's where my 10-year old self was the most joyful and giddy. As our transport spun around the ship, dodging Kylo and Stormtroopers and zipping underneath Walkers, there was a moment where you pass through huge guns firing out at Resistance ships flying around and attacking the ship; and you really feel like you're there. In space. Witnessing a spectacular 3D space battle. Something that kid in me that discovered "Star Wars" for the first time in 1977 always wanted to be a part of. And there I was – in the thick of it – in a life-sized version that I could never mimic with my bed-forts back home. I can't deny that I got a tear in my eye.

In total the experience takes about 25-minutes to go through and it's seriously an awe-inspiring thrill. From the details of the set design to the technology used, it's masterful. Next to the "Avatar: Flights of Passage" ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom, this is the ride to set aside time to experience.

Note: Currently, the only way to get into the ride is to be at the park the moment they open. You then immediately join the queue for the ride on the Disneyland app to get randomly assigned a boarding group. Then you can enjoy the park until your group is called. To be fair, I was in a "backup" group that only gets on if time allows. We were group 93 and on by 5:30. Just be warned, boarding groups were maxed out literally 2 minutes after the park opened.

For more information about "Rise of the Resistance" visit visit the Disneyland website.