Star Wars Disneyland -- Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars Disneyland -- Rise of the Resistance

I got the chance to go on the new Star Wars Ride -- RISE OF THE RESISTANCE!! I vlogged my entire trip for you to enjoy it right along with me!

Even though we were boarding group 116 and the ride was grounded for an hour, we still made it on!! So incredible, so worth it! I also got to build my own Lightsaber, try the Jabba Juice, and see Disney's new laser light show. I just heard that Disneyland is closed for the rest of the month so sit back and enjoy my Vlog until you can experience it for yourself. 

Tips For Getting on the New Star Wars Ride, Rise of the Resistance

  • Before Your Park Day. Download the Disneyland App, buy your tickets and link everyone's tickets in your party. 
  • On Your Park Day. Make sure EVERYONE in your party is checked in and INSIDE the park BEFORE it opens. We went on a Sunday and it opened at 8 am. Expect that the lines for security and the lines to get in will take 30 minutes.  Familiarize yourself with the app, how to get to Rise of the Resistance Ride and button for "Access My Boarding Group" which will not be activated until the park opens.
  • When The Park Opens. We were counting down the seconds to 8 am. Exactly at 8:00, we clicked the button: Access My Boarding Group. It didn't actually work, so we closed the app, opened the app, went back to the button, and finally at 8:02 we were able to click the button. We got boarding group 116, and only boarding groups up to 80 were guaranteed. People who got really low numbers were screaming and yelling like they had just won the lottery. The truth is Disney is getting more efficient with getting more people through the ride. The day before they got to boarding group 136 and the day we were there, they got to 150 (and the ride even broke down for an hour, which is a pretty normal occurrence).
  • Make sure you have your push notifications on. Wait for the notification to tell you that you're eligible to return to the attraction and ride. You should also be checking on your own every hour to see how fast they're getting through the boarding numbers.  We were notified at 4pm. We got to the attraction and sped through the line. We couldn't believe we were actually getting on! But then . . . we heard the announcement that the ride had been grounded . . . indefinitely. We were free to leave but would have no chance of getting back on since we were already checked in. We waited in the tunnel, and after an hour, the ride resumed and we got on pretty quickly.
  • The ride was incredible. Even with the crowds, the glitchy app, the grounding of the ride and all the uncertainty of whether we'd actually get on, it was worth it in the end. Probably because we made it on. We would have been furious had we not, and it's a complete lottery system so even if you follow all of these steps, you may not even get on.

More Tips for Visiting Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

  • Make Reservations for the Lightsaber. You can make reservations for the Build Your Own Lightsaber and Build Your Own Droid. We did for the lightsaber. It's a really high quality lightsaber, fully customizable light, hilt, everything. Much better than the one they sell at the store! 
  • Make Reservations for Oga's Cantina. You can also make reservations to Oga's Cantina ahead of time. The lines are super long so I highly recommend. We reserved a week before and the best time we could get was 10 pm on Sunday night. Jabba Juice is really yummy! But make sure you're really going to go because the no show fee is $10 per person.
  • Don't Miss the New Light Show. The new laser light show down main street and the castle is even better than the old fireworks show and it can't be canceled due to high winds. It starts at 9:30 pm. Don't miss it!
  • Don't Go Home After the Light Show. Stick around after the light show when the crowds are gone and you can practically get on any ride you want. We went on Millennium Falcon a second time and the wait was even shorter than it was earlier in the day with the Fast Pass. We got to be Pilots and Gunners our second time. Such a fun ride!!

General Disneyland California Adventure Tips

  • Get The Fast Pass in the Morning. You're already spending so much money, may as well get the Fast Pass for an extra $20 per ticket. Use it early in the day for the high demand rides like Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, Indiana Jones, Guardians of the Galaxy, Incredicoaster, Cars Radiator Springs Racer. Note that Guardians, Incredicoaster, Cars Ride, and Toy Story are in California Adventure.
  • Get The Park Hopper. Like I said, you're already paying so much money, may as well experience both parks if you plan on being there all day from 8 to 11. If you have your Fast Pass, reservations, and boarding group, there is plenty of time to hit both parks in one day. We normally take a break and go back to the hotel in the middle of the day so that we can bundle up for the nighttime to see the Light Show and go on more rides after the crowds have thinned out.
  • Stay Overnight The Night Before and Night Of. Having a hotel nearby is really the only way to get there early enough in the morning to get your boarding pass and stay until closing.