Today’s Walt Disney World is a whole new world. Gone are the days of walking up to a ticket window the day of, purchasing your ticket, skipping through the gates, and enjoying any ride you would like.
To ensure your time is maximized at any of the Disney parks these days, you MUST be Internet savvy. You SHOULD have a smart phone/device. Securing FastPasses, getting dining reservations, booking character experiences, and more are best done using Disney’s app, My Disney Experience. And, Disney encourages you to use it — even when you approach Customer Service Specialists inside the parks, the first question they ask is whether you’ve tried the app.
When preparing for our Disney adventures, we Google a crowd calendar for that day, make lunch reservations via the app, research what guests are saying about the newest rides, look up park hours vs. what time they actually let you in the park (it’s always earlier), and check out any new tips on current happenings. You probably do the same thing. However, when it comes to Hollywood Studios’ new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge where attractions like Rise of the Resistance (ROR) and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run are drawing record crowds, I was surprised at what is required if you’d like to guarantee to ride both of these on the same day. We had a successful day at Hollywood Studios recently, experiencing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and securing spots on both attractions, but it didn’t come without some serious prep work.
Hope you like early wake-ups!
True to form, my husband researched our pending visit. We spent the night before in Orlando because we planned to arrive at the Hollywood Studios gates at 5 a.m. which meant 4 a.m. wake-ups (3:45 a.m. for me, because you know, hair). Posted hours open at 7 a.m., but we are experienced guests and know gates always open 30 minutes to an hour early. We walked up at 4.53 a.m. and lines were already well-formed.
Get on Disney’s WiFi
You’ll need to download the My Disney Experience app and use it to join the virtual queue to book a boarding group if you want to experience Rise of the Resistance. Friends suggested hopping on the WiFi instead of using data because the app response time is faster. As predicted, the gates opened at 6:30 a.m. due to the number of guests waiting. Once inside, the crowd was maintained and controlled by the retail shops for a while and then guided closer to Center Stage. Employees lined the perimeter of the crowd, and some were Guest Experience Team Members with iPads, who can help you join the virtual queue if you don’t have a smartphone.
Make sure your phone supports the app
You’ll need to have version 5.6 or later AND have your tickets linked. All members of your party must be scanned into the park in order to add them to your boarding group for ROR. The app does not open and allow you to join the virtual queue until 7 a.m. although you may already have been scanned through the gates. Launch the app at 7 a.m. on the dot, choose Find Out More and then Join Boarding Group. We opened the app precisely at 7 a.m., along with the other hundreds of guests in our controlled crowd, and received boarding group 46. Only 128 boarding groups are guaranteed for the day, and if you don’t get into one, you can join the backup group. I spoke with a Guest Experience Team Member who said they’ve gotten through more than 200 boarding groups some days — it all depends on whether the ride has any mechanical difficulties that may necessitate a temporary shutdown for repair.
No FastPasses available
At 7 a.m. team members maintain crowd control and escort all the interested guests to Galaxy’s Edge and WALK them through the new Star Wars land directly to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. This ride currently does not offer FastPasses, so if you want to experience this attraction on the same day as Rise of the Resistance, this is the reason you get in line super early to enter the park. We were very close to the first guests scanned into the park and guided through Galaxy’s Edge to Millennium Falcon and walked straight on. As soon as we exited the ride, the wait time was already 180 MINUTES! If you’re NOT interested in riding Millennium Falcon and only Rise of the Resistance, then you only need to be through the gates by 7 a.m.
Good job, Disney!
Breakfast in Galaxy’s Edge at Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo was next. After enjoying round eggs and purple potatoes, we discovered secrets of Batuu using the Play Disney Parks app. Launched in 2018, this app helps “game the time away” while enjoying all aspects of Disney parks. It’s intuitive and provides fun specific to your location. This app is especially helpful while waiting in long lines for rides. My boys were impressed with how much fun they had and how quickly the time flew while we were waiting for our boarding group notification.
If you enable push notifications on the My Disney Experience app, you’ll automatically receive one when it’s your time to ride Rise of the Resistance, then you have a two-hour window to do so. If you don’t enable push notifications, just keep checking the app. We received our notification at 10 a.m. and walked straight on the ride, no waiting.
I’m always impressed with Disney and this most recent experience was out of this world (pun intended). I’ll offer zero spoilers, but HIGHLY RECOMMEND you make Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge a priority if you’re even the tiniest fan of the franchise. Here is a quick reference guide if you want to ride both Rise of the Resistance AND Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run on the same visit. May the Force Be with You.
Quick Guide to ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’
- Get there early!
- Download the My Disney Experience app. You must have 5.6 version or later. Enable push notifications so you don’t have to keep checking the app.
- Download the Play Disney Parks app.
- Link all tickets in your group, and get on Disney’s WiFi before entering the gates.
- Be through the gates, tickets scanned by 7 a.m. (earlier the better).
- Join the virtual queue at 7 a.m. to receive your boarding group for ROR. If you don’t get a boarding group, join the backup boarding group for ROR.
- Guest Experience Team Members with iPads can help you join the virtual queue, too.
- Head straight to Millennium Falcon (earlier the better so you’re in the front of the line because there are no FastPasses).
- Enjoy the Play Disney Parks app and nearby attractions while waiting for your boarding group to open.
- Boarding group called! Prepare for an experience like no other and enjoy Rise of the Resistance.
Do you have any tips to share about riding Rise of the Resistance and your experience at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
Hey Meredith! Great write-up! We went in October before ROR was open, but hope to go back and try it out. I would also recommend the Droid Factory – kind of a “build-a-bear” for making your own droid – it was very cool! One other thing we made sure to do was to have a drink at Oga’s Cantina. We made a reservation to make sure we could get in. My son had Blue Bantha (blue milk like in the movie) with a cookie and the adults all had a fun (albeit expensive) alcoholic beverage. The music was great inside but you’re not guaranteed an actual seat (you may have to wait additional time for seating and you will likely share a table with another group).