Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to join the Resistance and fight back against the First Order? The new Rise of the Resistance attraction at Hollywood Studios transports you directly into the action with the largest, most immersive attraction our family has ever experienced.
As huge Star Wars fans, we couldn’t wait to try out this 20+ minute, interactive ride/ experience with some of our favorite stories and characters.
Since the ride opened on December 5, 2019, I’ve snagged boarding groups to ride Rise of the Resistance 3 times, and I highly recommend going to Hollywood Studios before Disney discontinues using boarding groups because I imagine the lines will be backed up to a galaxy far, far away!
What are Boarding Groups?
If you aren’t sure what boarding groups are or how to use them, we’ve got you covered. Boarding groups are essentially a placeholder for you in line…kinda like the take-a-number system at the deli or DMV. You take your virtual place in line and track the progress toward your boarding group throughout the day on your My Disney Experience app.
Once your boarding group is called, you have an hour to make your way to the ride entrance. Disney used to provide a two-hour return window once your boarding group was called, but they recently cut this back to one hour, so stay on track of your group’s progress.
If you choose to stay in Hollywood Studios while you are waiting for your group to be called, there are signs throughout the park displaying the current boarding group number. But you can check the My Disney Experience app at any time.
During two of my three Rise of the Resistance trips, I park hopped to other parks while waiting for my boarding group. The boarding group system is completely separate from the Fastpass system, and using Fastpasses, even in other parks, does not affect your boarding group in any way.
Getting a Boarding Group
Okay, let’s talk about how to get one of these coveted boarding groups. Even two months in, people are still confused about how it works. There are a few key points you have to know in order to get a boarding group…and a few bonus things you can try but may or may not increase your chances.
1. You and your entire party must be scanned into Hollywood Studios before park opening to have a shot at getting a boarding group.
Hollywood Studios starts letting people into the park at least 1 hour before park opening, and you need to be scanned in at the gate before opening. It doesn’t matter how early you scan in, it just needs to be at least a few minutes before park opening.
People scanning in an hour before opening don’t get a better boarding group, they just get peace of mind knowing they are definitely in position to get a group.
2. Refresh your My Disney Experience app once you get into the park.
Refreshing the app updates your location and lets the app know you are eligible to join a boarding group. Once you’ve done this, I suggest closing out the app completely and not opening it again until park opening. That way when the park opens, you will open the app, and it will automatically refresh again as it is opening. This is the tricky part. At 7 a.m. (if that’s when the park opens), open the app and start trying to join a boarding group.
You should have already scouted out the part of the app dealing with all things Star Wars. It’s very prominent on the home screen and you shouldn’t miss it. I like watching the progress of the boarding groups on days when I’m not even riding Rise. I know, I’m weird.
3. You may need to visit Customer Service once you get a group.
On two of my visits, my group needed to stop by customer service because our group members were put into different boarding groups. This happened even when I was managing all the people joining the group. Four of us ended up in group 46 and my oldest son was put in group 99. The cast members took care of it for us and added him to our lower group.
4. To Disney WiFi or Not to Disney WiFi?
I’ve managed to snag a boarding group 3 times while using Disney’s WiFi. My phone automatically logs into it when I’m on Disney property and I never thought to turn it off. But I’ve heard convincing reports that people get better (lower number) boarding groups when they turn off their WiFi before joining a boarding group. They just use their normal service provider. The Disney WiFi is slammed at opening so this could be a helpful tip.
But I’ve heard convincing reports that people get better (lower number) boarding groups when they turn off their WiFi before joining a boarding group. They just use their normal service provider. The Disney WiFi is slammed at opening so this could be a helpful tip.
5. Finally…Don’t sweat it!
Yes, this is a fun new experience at Disney. Yes, it’s pretty unique and worth rope dropping the park to try and ride. No, it’s not worth ruining your day if you don’t get a boarding group for some reason.
Galaxy’s Edge has so many fun things to experience, and this is just one of them. Build a droid or lightsaber, visit Oga’s Cantina, eat a Ronto Wrap, ride Smuggler’s Run, do all the cool Magic Shots or just shop the Marketplace.
You will have a blast!
Have you experienced the Rise of the Resistance ride yet? Let us know in the comments below!
