OPINION
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the new hit ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that opened last month. Since opening, it has been a tremendous success, with many on social media calling it one of the best experiences in Orlando. However, the force hasn’t always been strong with this attraction. Its queuing system has led to long lines, especially when combined with occasional technical issues.
Lately, Disney has taken a different approach to Rise of the Resistance breakdowns. In instances where only the preshow is not working properly, Disney has kept the attraction open. Rather than closing the ride, guests are escorted past the malfunctioning preshow elements, through some backstage areas, and straight to the hangar scene.
Oh boy, has this caused an uproar.
For those of you who have never ridden ROTR (spoiler alert!), the skipped elements set up the backstory that is necessary to understand the plot of the ride. The skipped preshow is also sort of a ride in itself, complete with large scale set pieces, animatronics, and a (tame) screen ride. Many argue the preshow is so integral to the ride that missing it ruins the experience.
We agree with all of that, but…
Think of all the visitors to the park who saved up all year for their one trip to Orlando, perhaps from a far away state, or even another country. They may have set aside just one day at Hollywood Studios so they can visit other parks. For them, it’s now or never. It would seem cruel for Disney to deny these guests the opportunity to ride ROTR, even in its imperfect state that is not nearly as coherent and impressive as the complete ride experience.
The official Jotter take is that Disney is doing the right thing (mostly). Keep the ride open for as many riders as possible, even if they don’t get the full experience. If it’s now or never for these guests, we vote “now”. Let them ride. If their only choice is riding without the preshow or not riding at all, then let them ride without the preshow if they so chose.
The caveat is that Disney needs to keep the riders informed so they can best decide for themselves. If Disney doesn’t tell riders they will be experiencing an abridged version of ROTR, the opposite could happen. Guests could get stuck in line for an attraction they would rather not ride, wasting time that could be better spent, like waiting in the line of a ride they do want to ride. It works both ways.
So, Disney, please keep the ride open when the preshow is down, but keep guests informed so they can make decisions about how they want to spend their time in your parks.
That’s our opinion, anyway.