Commentary — ‘Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance’ Is The Culmination Of Disney Imagineering

Imagineering is what separates a Disney ride from one at any other amusement park. A lot of other park operators focus on thrills. They try to give an exciting experience through speed and movement. Disney rides do this as well, but it also cultivates an experience. They cleverly use all sorts of special effects from screens and animatronics to smells, sounds, and more to create what can only be described as a cinematic live-action tour. This tradition dates back all the way to some of Disneyland’s rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean, which sought to immerse riders in a different era. This trend continued as Disney expanded into the world of Star Wars, and Star Wars: Rise Of The Resistance took that model and exploded it into the most intense ride the parks have offered yet.

The experience begins way before the ride itself as a hologram of Rey (Daisy Ridley) — alongside the droid BB-8 — welcome the soon-to-be riders to the Resistance. The collective audience then boards a flight simulator that is supposedly taken hostage by The First Order. The riders exit out the door they entered, but instead of going back outside, they enter a large Star Destroyer filled with Stormtroopers. Everyone is then shuffled into the actual ride itself, which moves seamlessly on wheels without any track. What follows is an experience similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, but much more intense. It features advanced animatronics of Finn (John Boyega) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the latter of whom uses his Force powers destroy the ride’s surroundings and move the riders around. There’s also two life-size AT-ATs, lightsaber attacks, and too many other effects to name.

There’s a long line connecting Pirates of the Caribbean with Rise of the Resistance. The transition from one to the other didn’t happen overnight, but over the course of decades. Disney fans can see this evolution as technology expanded, allowing Disney’s Imagineering department to stretch the limits of what’s possible. Of course, Rise of the Resistance is just the culmination of what’s possible today. Ten years from now, Imagineering could develop an even more mind-blowing experience.