What a fascinating attraction. It was at times spectacular and amazing. It’s easily one of the most impressive attractions Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created. Bob Chapek described it as the most “ambitious” attraction ever crafted for a Disney Park. I would be inclined to agree. What this ride intended to do was nothing short of mind-blowing. Yet the ride was not without its shortcomings.
The ride shines in its technological prowess. It was a marvel to see what these Imagineers crafted. The opening show was very neat. Very very clever. The unusual boarding system and scope was exciting. I feel that the use of the trackless ride system was well justified in Rise of the Resistance. There was always some cool new trick that was in the wings waiting to wow the audience.
Another strength of Rise of the Resistance is its scale. While the rooms were not the cavernous spaces of Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, the ride’s length was remarkable. It kept going and going and deploying more and more surprises. The ride felt like it began when we went outdoors to load onto the spacecraft. The experience never stopped until I was “back.”
The attraction also successfully surprised me several times. It was willing to do things that I was not expecting to happen. It felt exciting and unpredictable. If this attraction was supposed to be “ambitious,” it lived up to its creator’s intent. This was in part because of the trackless ride system. It felt like anything was possible.
I also think the visual storytelling deserves some mention. The queue in particular was very cleverly done. There are several tricks that they use to convey some themes. Notice the Resistance is closely connected to natural surroundings. Its base is an extension of nature and life. It also is built on ruins of some old structure, representing the connection the Resistance has to the past. Our journey to the Resistance base takes us literally underground. Contrast this with the First Order, which is lifeless and cold. It’s new and technology obsessed. The Star Destroyer is distant and disconnected from the planet and its inhabitants.
Some people have brought up compelling criticisms or suggestions for the ride. Namely, my few pages of scanning manifested calls for more practical effects. I also saw multiple mentions of the Star Destroyer’s “plastic” feel. That was a definite issue that I noticed myself. Other issues with screens and figures can be hashed out. Ultimately, they got much more right than they did wrong in terms of execution.
My biggest issues with this attraction were somewhat surprising to me. First, the environments of this ride are some of the most visually unappealing and uninteresting ever created for an E-Ticket. From the cartoon whimsy of Splash Mountain, the majestic beauty of the Forbidden Mountain, to the spooky elegance of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, most every E-Ticket has visual appeal. The same cannot be said for this attraction. Its utilitarian spaces provide little color or variety. Never has Walt Disney Imagineering spent so much on something so ugly. Flight of Passage, Radiator Springs Racers, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure feature some of the most beautiful images I’ve ever seen. This is a weird one-off.
The tone also felt unnecessarily heavy. There was none of the Star Wars humor or upbeatness. Instead, we were being hunted by a masked mass-murderer. This may be a preference thing, but it was surprisingly without heart. They wanted you to know this was SERIOUS and life or death. If this is an attraction where we are supposed to “play,” where was the joy?
Additionally, certain story beats were just off. Kylo Ren’s reveal in the interrogation room was premature. He is this attraction’s yeti. He walks in and uses the force briefly before “being needed on the bridge.” A more elegant and ominous way of handling that same scene would be to say something to the effect of “Kylo Ren will be down shortly.” Then being left in the dark right before being rescued. Our first sighting of Kylo should have been more impactful.
This attraction blurred the boundaries between theme park and reality. The effects and ride system proved astonishing. Certain moments were incredible and exciting. I specifically avoided spoilers, and I’m glad I did. While I had heard a trickle of rumors since 2015, I still found myself surprised. The “shock value” was great.
With incredible special effects and ride system, this ride will be successful for years to come. What I’m less certain about is whether this ride was the right approach. With a dull setting and little character, there is neither depth to the story or beauty. Much like the blockbusters of today, it’s a visual spectacle rather than emotional journey or art piece. It felt like a successful engineering feat rather than a successful artistic or storytelling one. Walt Disney Imagineering proved that it can transport its guests to another world, but that’s different from telling a great story. I’m not sure if I ascribe to the Trowbridge school of Imagineering. As Joe Rohde opined “Total illusion is deception... Audiences take joy in the fact that artists have created something seemingly real, like a puppet. Immersion is a form of play. Play only exists if we know that we can step out of the game... Both the imagination and the engineering are meant to be appreciated simultaneously.” I’m not sure the right balance was struck on Rise of the Resistance.
But say what you will about it, it’s unforgettable. Unlike its DOA sibling Smuggler’s Run, it’s exciting. It’s also very “ambitious...”
