Rise of the Resistance Disneyland is a blockbuster attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Guests need a virtual boarding pass to ride, obtained via the Disneyland app. Boarding passes are issued at specific times and are essential for access. The attraction offers an immersive Star Wars experience, making it a must-visit for fans.
No Disneyland fan wants to see this or the sandwich board stating that there are no more passes today!
(The Ultimate Guide to Disneyland)
Introduction to the Rise of the Resistance Disneyland
Disneyland is a special place and the resort’s additions in recent years from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to 2021’s Avenger’s Campus at Disney California Adventure have only added to the magic.
Not even the Park Reservation System can dampen the enthusiasm of Disney loyalists. If you cannot get into the park, it makes it really difficult to experience Rise of the Resistance Disneyland!
Disneyland’s blockbuster attraction is a blast!
Review this UPDATED step-by-step guide of how to secure a boarding pass and ride Rise of the Resistance Disneyland in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
A little history, the rules, being prepared and some FAQ
- Currently, virtual boarding passes are issued at 7am and 12pm
- You must have a virtual boarding pass to ride, there is no standby line and there is no Lightening Lane/Genie availability (even when these new programs launch)
- You must have a Theme Park Reservation for Disneyland. If Park Hopping, Disneyland must be your “Starting” park.
- You must have the Disneyland app and be logged in. Technically, there are some ways around this, but why make it difficult?
Step 1 – Download the Disneyland app and log into your account
Easy, right? In fact you probably already did this! Navigate to the “hamburger” menu in the lower right and select Virtual Queues. It’s good to explore this area a bit and work out a few of the kinks prior to “go time”. Don’t worry, you are not going to mess anything up.
Step 2 – Secure Your Park Reservation
Ensure everyone in your party who is hoping to experience Rise of the Resistance Disneyland has a park reservation at Disneyland. If park hopping, Disneyland must be your “starting park”. Without this, those without a reservation will be unable to join the virtual queue and not be permitted entry to the park. We’ve checked – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is impossible to ride without being in queue and without being the park. See? We’ve got your back and go the extra distance so you don’t have to wonder!
Step 3 – Ensure everyone’s tickets are linked to one account
If your purchased tickets through one Disneyland account or through the app, your entire party should have their tickets noted in the app. Click the hamburger menu in the lower right of the app and select Tickets and Passes to verify. If anyone is missing, select the plus button in the upper right and follow the instructions to add their ticket.
Because Rise of the Resistance Disneyland is “all or nothing” and you either get a ticket or you don’t, the Nerds recommend all tickets are on one app lest you risk one party securing tickets while the other is left out in the cold.
NERDY SIDE NOTE: If this happens, you can ask very, very nicely when you check in for your Boarding Group
Step 4 – Confirm Your Party
In a stroke of genius, the folks at Disneyland now allow users of the Disneyland app to confirm their party in the hour before virtual queue passes are issued. This is a great way to confirm that you have all the tickets in your account, that everyone has the right park reservation and to select those who will be part of your party.
For users who have had extra tickets linked to their account, this eliminates having to select who is in your party at the moment the virtual queue is live – a huge stress saver and it allows users to fix any issues or link additional tickets with time to spare!
Step 5 – Set an alarm so you are fully alert and ready by 6:55am Pacific
7am is early on vacation – but this still beats getting up, getting dressed, being through the turnstiles by 630a and standing around for 90 minutes to maybe get in the virtual queue.
Once you are ready navigate to the hamburger button and select Virtual Queues.
Ensure you have a strong connection via your cellular network or WiFi and double check that your phone is synced properly to the global clock (okay, this is overkill, but do be sure you didn’t manually set your clock).
Do not click “join virtual queue….yet. But you are getting close to your Rise of the Resistance Disneyland adventure!
Step 6 – At precisely 7am Pacific, push “join virtual queue”
As the digital numbers on your device switch from 6:59am to 7:00am, click “join virtual queue” and follow the instructions to join the Rise of the Resistance Disneyland virtual queue. The app will automatically select the tickets on your account with a valid park registration for the day and once you push the button to confirm….you’ll instantly know whether you are “in” or whether you are “out”.
HINT: if you are already in the Confirm Your Party spot, you can pull the refresh the screen precisely at 7am and join the virtual queue from there.
If you made it – party time!!
Take a screen shot and let your party how awesome you are (I did!) and get ready for your glorious day.
With Rise of the Resistance Disneyland’s “up time” improving, the virtual queue now provides an estimated return time.
In this case, ours was in two hours because the park was not scheduled to open until 9am.
If you did not secure a virtual boarding pass, you have some decisions to make.
- Option 1: Go to Disneyland and have a great day! In order to have a chance to join the virtual boarding groups at 12pm, you must have already entered the park and have already scanned your ticket for the day. Although Rise of the Resistance Disneyland is a show-stopper, you will still have plenty of headliner attractions to keep you busy.
- Option 2: Change your park reservation to a California Adventure and attempt your Rise of the Resistance virtual queue another day. Don’t get any Park Hopping ideas – we know you were thinking it! Currently, park hopping is not available until 1pm and the second round of Rise of the Resistance Disneyland virtual queue slots are issued at 12pm and only available to people who began their day at Disneyland.
Additional reading: Galaxy’s Edge Lightsaber Types
Step 7 – Strut around Disneyland…you are part of the Resistance!
Seriously, go enjoy yourself knowing you will soon be called upon to defeat the dark forces of The Empire.
If you’ve previously experienced this attraction, you know you are in for an incredible treat.
If this is your first time, you’ll not soon forget it (the Nerd wishes he could experience this attraction again for the first time).
These green lines are what every guests is excited to see – time to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Disneyland!
BONUS Step if attempting to join the Rise of the Resistance virtual queue at 12pm
If you did not secure your spot in the Rise of the Resistance virtual queue at 7am and you opted to visit the park hoping for another shot, here are some details to keep in mind.
We spoke with several Cast Members about the best strategy (because we missed our early chance one morning and found ourselves at pining for a second shot in the afternoon):
- Turn off WiFi and use your cellular service
- Close the Disneyland app fully until about three minutes prior to the release of the spots
- Have only one person in your party attempt to secure passes as multiple attempts on different devices can cancel out one another
Some other stuff you should know
There are a few Rise of the Resistance Disneyland rules that are not particularly well known, but could save you a lot of frustration:
- Once, we secured our boarding group in the afternoon allotment and it was way, way, way back. Group 102. The park was scheduled to close fairly early and our boarding group was called 3 minutes prior to the park’s official closing time. We were given 30 minutes to return…so don’t be dismayed if it doesn’t look good. Disney does what they can to accommodate as many guests as possible.
- If you miss your window, still head to the attraction and talk to a Cast Member. They are very forgiving about those who miss their time slot, but they do not allow early arrivals to experience Rise of the Resistance. If for some reason it does not go smoothly, wait a beat and try a different Cast Member.
- If you and your party are on different apps/accounts and one of you secures a boarding group and they other does not, go see someone at Rise of the Resistance Disneyland when the party with the virtual queue is able to board. While not guaranteed, Cast Members do their best to help parties experience the attraction together. If you strike out with one person, don’t fret. Turn on the charm and ask someone else. Chances are, your party will be able to ride together.
That’s all you need to know in order to have an amazing time on the most technologically advanced attraction on the planet. May the Force be with you!
