As you can probably tell by the theme of this blog; with my many video game articles, I am a member of the nerd community. The one thing I love more than video games is Star Wars. I have been a die hard Star Wars fan since I saw the original film on the Sunday movie matinee on our local Fox television channel. The adventure of a young farm boy leaving everything he knows with a space wizard on a mission to save a beautiful princess. It immediately captivated my younger self and I became a lifetime fan of the series. So, when we made the decision to go to Walt Disney World for our upcoming family vacation I knew I NEEDED to check out the new Star Wars themed section of Hollywood Studios. We just got back from our week in Florida and I thought it would be a cool idea to do a blog post on the two newer Star Wars rides “Smugglers Run” and “Rise of the Resistance”
The Star Wars themed zone of Hollywood Studios is called Galaxy's Edge and is built to look like you walked into one of the films. I have to say it is very immersive and the attention to details is spectacular. There are star ships docked, Astromech droids waiting to be serviced, and vendors selling refreshing blue milk. You could take a picture with Rey and learn how you can support the resistance while dodging Kylo Ren and his Stormtrooper escort. They have shops where you could build your own lightsabre with all these different parts to make your hilt unique. You could also build your own little remote control droid like BB8 and Chopper. Both those super cool experiences are crazy expensive so this Jedi left the park without a lightsabre or a droid companion. Another interesting detail is they sold pop; like Coke or Sprite, in these round sphere bottles. I do not think you can purchase those items anywhere else except Galaxy's Edge. This whole section of the park felt like you where on the set of the next Star Wars film.
The first ride we got in line for was “Smugglers Run”. The rides at Disney are more of an experience than just an amusement ride. They have a story that you become the main character of. In “Smugglers Run” you are working for infamous pirate Hondo Ohnaka who has been contracted by the Resistance to commandeer First Order supplies and bring them to the hidden resistance base. We waited about 40 minutes inline for this ride. The lines for most rides at Disney are very immersive and these ones where no different. You first walk past this amazing to scale Millennium Falcon. It is beautifully breathtaking. Every little detail is perfect from the cockpit to the sequel era satellite. There is also an animatronic of Hando outlining the mission at hand. Eventually, the line is the interior of the Millennium Falcon. The white corridors leading to the lounge with the infamous holochess table where C3P0 infamously said to let the Wookie win. The ride itself is the cockpit of the Falcon that you pilot through a digital adventure. It seats six people: two pilots in front, two gunners, and two engineers. The pilot job is to control the direction of the Falcon. Moving the controls on the console moves the ship in the ride. The gunners are able to shoot incoming enemies and the engineers repair the Falcons shields. The ride is awe-inspiring as you really feel like you are in one of the Star Wars films. There are parts where you need to jump to hyper space and you actually pull the lever on the dashboard just like the movies. I was totally geeking out from the minute I got in line until the simulation ended. As most of the rides in Disney you exit via the gift shop with so much tantalizing Star Wars merch to spend your credits on.
Rise of the Resistance was never less than a 60 minute wait while we where at the park and after we experienced the ride we understood why. It is probably the best ride in all of Disney World. Calling it a ride is actually an insult. It was an immersive experience that kept you engaged and entertained. The line was an underground resistance base set in a cavern with pilot uniforms and blasters on display. Then there is this amazing hologram of Daisy Ridley as Rey giving you the mission to rendez-vous with General Organa. When you get to board the ride first you file into a transport ship while it takes off with x-wing escort with Oscar Isaac reprising his role as Poe Dameron. Your transport gets intercepted by the First Order and you get boarded by a First Order boarding party. Officers bark orders at you as you get off the ride and are now inside a Star Destroyer filled with animatronic Stormtroopers to add to the immersion. The officers split you up into groups and put you in your detention cell to await interrogation. Next the wall heats up and explodes to show the resistance has come to rescue you. Johnny Boyega reprises his role as Finn and he is there to help you escape. You then get into a cart controlled by a droid and go on a crazy ride through the Star Destroyer. Stormtroopers shoot at you while you dodge Kylo Ren while the Resistance star fleet has engaged the Star Destroyer and an epic battle rages. You eventually find an escape pod and are ejected and recovered by the resistance. I was speechless. As a Star Wars fan it was the next best thing to actually being in the movies. The special effects, ride mechanics, acting, immersion, it was just perfect.
Overall the best part of the Disney World experience are these rides at Galaxy's Edge. If you find yourself in the Florida sector of our star system you need to do yourself a favor and check it out.
Thanks for stopping by and always stay safe out there gamers.
Star Wars, Galaxy's Edge, and Walt Disney World Resort are the intellectual property of the Walt Disney Company.
This article is subject to Fair Use (US Law) and Fair Dealing (Canadian Law) as it is informational in purpose and is a critique of the product. All rights and credits go directly to the owners. No copyright infringement is intended
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