Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance officially opened recently at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to positive reviews from guests, but the method for reserving your place in line came as a surprise to most visitors.

The new attraction is utilizing a virtual queuing system. All guests that want to ride Rise of the Resistance in the first weeks of the new attraction’s operation are required to reserve a boarding pass. Here are some of the basics for this system, as well as a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about it. I will attempt to keep this post updated as changes happen, so check back before your next visit in case things have changed. UPDATED 01/26/2020

UPDATE 12/18/2019: Starting today Boarding Passes will not become available until scheduled park opening time, regardless of how early guests are let into the park. As of now this means that arriving earlier than scheduled park opening time will have no advantage in reserving passes. Make sure you are inside the park by scheduled opening time and open the app to reserve your Boarding Pass exactly at scheduled open time. Check out the new TIPS section below for more details!

We’ll start with the official description from Walt Disney World on what the Boarding Pass system is, and then we’ll get into how it actually works, and finally we’ll delve into some tips and tricks. Disney has not officially announced how long they will use this system for the new attraction, but it has been reported that they only intend to use it for the “first few weeks of operation.” After that, the ride will move to regular standby line status.

Virtual Queue Official Description:

We are currently using a virtual queue system to experience our newest attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, allowing you to enjoy the other offerings in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the rest of Disney’s Hollywood Studios while you wait. Check the My Disney Experience app or digital status boards throughout the Park to see the current boarding group status. You must use virtual queue and obtain a boarding group to ride the attraction. There will be no standby line. However, capacity is limited and obtaining a boarding group does not guarantee the ability to experience the attraction.





How to Use Virtual Queue

IMPORTANT: All members of your party must be inside of Disney’s Hollywood Studios before you can reserve your Boarding Pass. The system knows if your park ticket or MagicBand has been scanned to enter the park.

You will need the My Disney Experience Walt Disney World app to create your Boarding Pass reservation. If you do not use the mobile app, you will need to visit a Guest Experience Team kiosk (guest service Cast Members wearing blue shirts) and they will be able to book your Boarding Pass for you.

STEP 1:

Open the My Disney Experience app after entering Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Click on the “Rise of the Resistance – Access by Boarding Group” banner on the main screen of the app. Note: If it does not recognize that you are inside the theme park, try restarting the app so it can refresh.

STEP 2:

Select the JOIN BOARDING GROUP button. (It should appear as orange if there are Boarding Passes available. If it is shaded out gray then there is no more Boarding Passes available for the day.)

STEP 3:

Select all of the members in your party that you would like to add to the Boarding Group. All members of your party must be in the theme park currently -AND- must have their tickets connected to your My Disney Experience account.

You will then be assigned to a Boarding Group. You can click on MY STATUS anytime from the Boarding Group screen to see the status of your group. The Boarding Group screen will display the current groups that are allowed to load. You can also see the current Boarding Groups loading on digital status boards around the park.

When it is time for your Boarding Group to ride you will be sent a push notification (be sure this option is enabled for your mobile device). You can also check MY STATUS any time and it will display when it is time to ride as well. You will have two hours from the time your group is called to ride. After that your Boarding Pass will expire.

There are a limited number of Boarding Groups available every day, and they seem to run out very quickly. If the attraction runs smoothly for the day it is possible that they may add additional Boarding Groups later, so keep checking the app in the late afternoon/evening just in case.

UPDATE 12/16/2019: A new type of Boarding Pass, called a Backup Boarding Pass has become available beginning today. Essentially this is a Boarding Pass you can reserve if they have run out of the regular Boarding Passes for the day. However, there is an even less chance that Backup Boarding Groups will get onto the ride, as they will only be called if and when all of the regular boarding groups have ridden for the day. Backup Boarding Groups are available immediately following the regular Boarding Groups, and will also run out fairly quickly.

UPDATE 12/18/2019: Starting today Boarding Passes will not become available until scheduled park opening time, regardless of how early guests are let into the park. As of now this means that arriving earlier than scheduled park opening time will have no advantage in reserving passes. Make sure you are inside the park by scheduled opening time and open the app to reserve your Boarding Pass exactly at scheduled open time. Check out the new TIPS section below for more details.





Virtual Queue Tips and Tricks:

Now that Boarding Passes cannot be reserved until the scheduled park opening time, things are running a bit differently than they were in the first two weeks. Here are our tips for making the best of your day to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to ride the new attraction. Updated 12/20/2019

TIP: You only need to arrive to the park about an hour prior to posted opening time to be among the first to get a Boarding Pass.

Guests may be let in up to a half-hour prior to park opening time, but Boarding Passes will not be able to be reserved until the exact moment the park is scheduled to open. That means there is no benefit to being the first in line to the park when reserving your Boarding Passes. Just try to get to the park before it opens.

TIP: Be sure you have your My Disney Experience Walt Disney World app logged in and all members of your party connected to your account before you arrive.

You can download the app, create and connect your account, and add all of your family’s tickets to your account in the days leading up to your visit. That way you are ready on the day of.

TIP: Close the app BEFORE entering the park.

As soon as the clock strikes the scheduled park opening time, then open the app, and click on the Rise of the Resistance Boarding Pass information button, and then Join Group. Your device may not refresh automatically if the app is already open.

TIP: Turn OFF WiFi on your device.

The in-park free WiFi may get bogged down as the park’s scheduled opening time approaches. It may be safer to use cellular data service on your device for reserving your Boarding Passes.

TIP: If you arrive after all regular Boarding Passes have been given out, there’s a chance Backup Boarding Passes might still be available.

Even if you get to the park and there are signs out front telling you that all Boarding Passes have been handed out for the day, you should still open the app and check for yourself. “Backup” Boarding Passes are usually distributed for several hours AFTER those signs go up around the park. You may not be guaranteed a spot with Backup Boarding Passes, but if the ride runs well all day there is a good chance your group will be called by the end of the day.

We hope these tips help you make the most of your morning! Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section below for even more useful information.





Virtual Queue Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will they use Virtual Queue for Rise of the Resistance?

A: It has been reported that they only intend to use it for the “first few weeks of operation.” After that, the ride will move to regular standby status.

Q: Can I wait in a regular standby line instead of virtual line?

A: No. Only guests with a Boarding Pass can ride Rise of the Resistance during this time.

Q: Can I book a FastPass for Rise of the Resistance?

A: No. Only guests with a Boarding Pass can ride Rise of the Resistance during this time.

Q: Can I still reserve a Boarding Pass even if I already have 3 FastPasses for the day?

A: Yes. Boarding Passes are separate from the FastPass system.

Q: Do I have to be in the park to reserve a Boarding Pass, or can I reserve it from home?

A: Yes. The system knows if you have entered the park based on whether your ticket or MagicBand was scanned in at the turnstiles or not, (it does not use GPS).

Q: Can I reserve a Boarding Pass for me and my family, even though they are not in the park, but I am?

A: All members of your party must be inside the park to reserve your boarding pass. It recognizes who scanned their ticket/MagicBand at turnstiles to enter the park. Connect your family’s tickets to your Disney acct to ensure they can be added too (like for booking FastPass+ passes).

Q: Do I need to walk all the way to Galaxy’s Edge to reserve a Boarding Pass?

A: No, you can book it as soon as you enter the park. You may need to restart the app for it to recognize that you entered though.

Q: After reserving a Boarding Pass, can I leave Disney’s Hollywood Studios and then come back when my Boarding Group has been called?

A: Yes. You may leave the park once your boarding pass has been created. You can view your boarding status in the app by clicking on MY STATUS. It will send you a push notification when your boarding group is ready. You then have two hours to come back and get on the ride (or until park closing time if it is less than two hours away).

Q: How long will it be until my Boarding Group is called? How do I know when it’s getting close to my time?

A: When each group will be called will vary wildly from day to day. If things are running well, it could be within a few hours, if things are not running well, it could be at the end of the day. Pay attention to the app or the digital signs around the park to see which boarding group is currently loading. That will give you an idea of how fast groups are being called, and will help you prepare when you’re number is coming up.

Q: What do I do until my Boarding Group is called to ride?

A: You can do any of the other experiences in the park including other rides, dining, shopping, and entertainment. You can also leave the park and come back after your Boarding Group has been called.

Q: What if members in our group were reserving Passes on a different device and we ended up with two different Boarding Groups? Can we still ride together?

A: You can visit a guest services representative, either at the front of the park, or in one of the blue shirt Guest Experience kiosks around the park. They should be able to combine your Boarding Groups so everyone can ride at the same time. Added 12/20/2019





Q: Does everyone connected to my app have to be on the boarding pass reservation? What if one or more in my party isn’t interested in riding?

A: You can select who you would like to include in the boarding pass during the process, just like reserving a FastPass, not everyone has to be selected.

Q: I don’t use a MagicBand or the app, how does it work for me?

A: Scanning your ticket also proves you’re in the park. If you do not use the app, see a guest services representative or one of the blue shirt cast members near the entrance and they can book it for you.

Q: What do I do if my party is using a Disability Access Service card (DAS), do we still have to make a Boarding Pass reservation?

A: DAS users must still get a boarding pass first, same as other guests. Be sure to let a greeter at the ride entrance know you have it before you enter though. (Let them know as soon as you can, even before your boarding pass is called, as they may need to add additional details to your reservation electronically. This will save you time and trouble later on.)

Q: How long will I have to wait in the queue after entering at my Boarding Pass time?

A: While the average wait after entering the queue was originally around 30 minutes, it has been longer in recent days, lasting between 1 and 2 hours. It could be shorter or longer depending on backups due to technical difficulties. Updated: 01/26/2020

Q: Can I reserve a second Boarding Pass after I ride the attraction once?

A: No. While guests were allowed to reserve a second Boarding Pass in the first few days, as of December 9th, guests are now limited to one Boarding Pass per day each. Updated 12/8/2019 9:00 EST

Q: How early can I arrive to the theme park so I can be first to get a Boarding Pass?

A: As of December 18, 2019, as long as you arrive early enough to enter the park by scheduled opening time you should be among the first to reserve a pass. Boarding Passes are now only available beginning at scheduled opening time, regardless of how early guests are let in. See the Tips section above for more details on how early to arrive. UPDATED 12/18/2019

Q: It says that there are no more Boarding Passes available for the day, but is there a chance they could release more later?

A: If the attraction runs smoothly for the day it is possible that they may add additional Boarding Groups later, so keep checking the app in the late afternoon/evening just in case. Also, check the app to see if any “Backup” Boarding Passes are still available, as they are distributed for some time, even after the signs are posted around the park.

Q: I was able to get a Boarding Pass, but it says it is a “Backup” Boarding Pass. What does that mean?

A: A Backup Boarding Pass group will only be called if and when all of the regular boarding groups have ridden for the day. Backup Boarding Groups are available immediately following the regular Boarding Groups each morning, and are also only available in limited quantities. If you receive one, your ride is not guaranteed, but there’s a chance you may get to ride after all of the boarding groups before yours have ridden. Watch the app or digital signs around the park to see what boarding groups are loading throughout the day. Updated 12/20/2019

Q: What happens if they ride breaks down after I get in

A: If there is an extended downtime they will evacuate and offer everyone that was inside the ride and the queue an anytime FastPass to return after the ride is back up and operational. This will allow you to get back into the attraction without booking another Boarding Pass.

Q: Is the ride any good?

A: It is soooo good, you guys, you don’t even know!





Have a question I didn’t answer above about the Boarding Pass system? Please leave a comment below and I will try my best to find the answer for you and then add it to this page. I will attempt to update this page daily as things change. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is still a very new attraction and there will be downtimes, so be prepared to wait, even if you secure an early Boarding Pass.

Check out our video below of the entire ride experience, and stay tuned for more news and coverage for this new attraction, as well as other theme park news and updates, coming soon! Subscribe to our News Feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update.

For help booking your next vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort, request your free vacation quote from Elizabeth, our vacation planning partner over at Destinations in Florida. She can help you book the best on-site room for your stay, as well as ticket packages and even dining for your whole trip — and the best part is, her services are free to you!

Stay tuned for theme park news and updates! Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email below to never miss an update. Photos by: Alicia Stella

Subscribe to Receive Email Updates

Consider supporting us on Patreon for as little as $1/month. All patrons receive behind the scenes posts and exclusive podcasts. Learn More

Share Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Email

