Even if theme parks were open, there’s no telling when you’d get to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The ride opened earlier this year, and right up until Disneyland and Disney World closed due to covid-19, it was the hottest ticket in the parks, with fans arriving way before opening to secure their spot in line.
Plus, let’s face it. Not everyone can just pick up and go to Disney if they want. So lots and lots of people had not yet experienced what’s probably Disney’s most innovative and ambitious ride ever. Though plenty of YouTubers filmed videos in the three months the ride was open, Disney has now released its own virtual ride recreating Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. It’s one of the best looks you can find of the ride, especially since it takes a 15-plus minute experience and edits it down to three of the best minutes, spoilers and all. Check it out.
A few things to point out here, as per this fine, fine article, if I do say so myself.
- This video skips the first room where you meet Rey.
- It also doesn’t explain the transport that gets captured by the Star Destroyer has multiple experiences on it as well. (Read and watch a video about that in our article.)
- The detention cell mention fails to note that Hux and Kylo Ren are in there.
- At 1:18 you see that this ride is on what I called “The Probe Droid Path,” which is one of two slightly different versions.
- At 1:31, when the AT-AT text is on, look on the left. You’ll see one of the hidden Finn animatronics.
- At 1:35, though the text blocks it, you can see down inside the AT-AT. Those two moments are the highlight of the superior “Probe Droid Path.”
- At 1:48, look in the top right corner of the frame to see the Kylo and Hux animatronics.
- 1:55 is probably my favorite part of the ride. It’s when “Rey’s Theme” by John Williams plays and you truly feel like you’re in Star Wars.
- At 2:24, between the first two blasters on the left, you can see the random, hidden transport sitting there for some reason.
- At 2:43, during the final Kylo Ren encounter, watch the screen on the right. There’s an explosion and if you follow the TIE debris, it’s what triggers the hole in the ride. This is probably the best Easter egg in the entire ride.
So while this video probably shows only about 80 percent of the entire experience, skipping some of the slower early portions, it really shows the best bits of the four-minute “actual” ride, which is the escape from the Star Destroyer. Very cool stuff.
There’s no word on when Disneyland or Walt Disney World will reopen, offering Galaxy’s Edge visitors a chance to take in Rise of the Resistance firsthand. But if you do go eventually, now you’ll know what to look for.
For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom.