There are three Star Wars rides at Disney World, and all three are at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Two are inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, while Star Tours sits elsewhere in Hollywood Studios.
If I only had time for one, I would choose Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. But I don’t think the other two are filler. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run has changed significantly with its newer Mandalorian and Grogu mission, and Star Tours is still one of the easiest ways to get another Star Wars experience without committing to one of the longest waits in the park.
My ranking is based less on pure thrill and more on which rides give me the strongest Star Wars experience for the time I spend waiting.
All 3 Star Wars Rides at Disney World
| Ride | Where | Height | Lightning Lane | My Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance | Galaxy’s Edge | 40 in / 102 cm | Single Pass | #1 |
| Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Galaxy’s Edge | 38 in / 97 cm | Multi Pass | #2 |
| Star Tours: The Adventures Continue | Hollywood Studios, outside Galaxy’s Edge | 40 in / 102 cm | Multi Pass | #3 |
So if you’re wondering how many Star Wars rides are at Disney World, the answer is three.
Only Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run are physically inside Galaxy’s Edge.
1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
I still think Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is easily the best Star Wars ride at Disney World.
It’s difficult to describe it as one normal ride because so much happens before I even reach the main ride vehicle.
The experience starts as a Resistance mission, puts me aboard a transport, gets me captured by the First Order and eventually sends me through a Star Destroyer in a trackless ride vehicle.
The scale is what separates Rise from the other Star Wars rides. Cast Members, physical sets, Audio-Animatronics, screens and multiple ride systems all contribute to the same story instead of feeling like separate effects.
If someone told me they were a Star Wars fan but only had time for one attraction at Hollywood Studios, I wouldn’t hesitate. This is the one.
Rise of the Resistance height requirement
Guests must currently be at least 40 inches or 102 centimeters tall to ride.
How I would avoid a long Rise of the Resistance wait
The old advice about Genie+ and an “Individual Lightning Lane” is outdated.
Disney currently offers Lightning Lane Single Pass for Rise of the Resistance. It is not included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
I have three realistic options: standby, Lightning Lane Single Pass or Single Rider.
Single Rider is especially interesting because Disney now officially lists Rise of the Resistance as a participating Single Rider attraction. I would use it when I care more about reducing my wait than riding with my group.
I wouldn’t expect Single Rider to preserve the experience exactly the way riding together does. Disney uses Single Riders to fill available seats, and groups can be separated.
If Rise is one of the main reasons for my Hollywood Studios day, I would either prioritize it early or decide before the trip whether paying for Single Pass is worth the convenience.
2. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Smugglers Run has always had one enormous advantage: I get to walk into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.
For a Star Wars fan, that alone is hard to dismiss.
But the ride itself is more dependent on my crew than Rise of the Resistance. Six Guests share the cockpit as pilots, gunners and engineers, and everyone’s actions influence what happens during the mission.
The pilot positions are still the roles I want most because they give me direct control over the Falcon.
Someone who mostly wants to sit back and watch may actually prefer Rise or Star Tours. Smugglers Run works best when I embrace the fact that I’m supposed to participate.
Smugglers Run has a different mission now
This is one reason I would not rely on an older review of the attraction.
Disney has updated Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run with a mission involving Din Djarin, the Mandalorian, and Grogu.
The crew is tracking ex-Imperial officers, and the experience can take Guests toward different destinations including Bespin, the wreckage of the second Death Star near Endor and Coruscant.
That makes the current ride more interesting to me as a repeat attraction than the original version was.
Smugglers Run height requirement and Lightning Lane
The current minimum height is 38 inches or 97 centimeters.
Smugglers Run is currently part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass. When making initial Hollywood Studios Multi Pass selections, Disney currently places it in the higher-demand group with attractions such as Slinky Dog Dash and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
It also has an official Single Rider line.
I like Single Rider here when I simply want another flight. I would not use it if getting a particular cockpit role or staying together matters more to me.
3. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Star Tours ranks third for me, but I think calling it skippable undersells it.
It doesn’t have the physical scale of Rise or the Millennium Falcon cockpit, but it does something neither Galaxy’s Edge ride does as well: it jumps freely around the larger Star Wars universe.
The randomized simulator can send me through different locations and encounters, which is why I don’t mind riding it more than once.
Disney currently says Star Tours has more than 250 storyline variations, with characters that can include Ahsoka Tano, Cassian Andor, the Mandalorian and Grogu alongside characters from earlier parts of the saga.
That’s a lot more variety than I associated with Star Tours when Galaxy’s Edge first opened.
Star Tours is not inside Galaxy’s Edge
This trips people up when they search for Star Wars rides at Disney World.
Star Tours is at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but it is outside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
That means there are three Star Wars rides at Hollywood Studios but only two rides in Galaxy’s Edge itself.
Star Tours height requirement and Lightning Lane
Guests must currently be at least 40 inches or 102 centimeters tall.
Star Tours is also currently included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass, in the second Hollywood Studios selection group.
I generally wouldn’t make it my most valuable advance Lightning Lane choice unless I had a specific reason. I usually save my higher-priority planning for attractions that are more difficult to ride efficiently.
One warning: Star Tours is a motion simulator. Disney specifically warns that it may affect Guests who are sensitive to motion.
Which Star Wars Ride Is the Most Intense?
I don’t think any of the three belongs in the same physical-thrill category as Disney World’s biggest roller coasters.
Rise of the Resistance feels the most dramatic because of its scale, drops, darkness and story tension.
Smugglers Run can feel more chaotic because the cockpit moves while the crew is actively controlling the simulator.
Star Tours can actually be the one I’d approach most carefully if motion simulators make me nauseous. The entire experience depends heavily on simulated movement and 3D visuals.
So my personal intensity order isn’t as simple as ranking them by speed. The type of movement matters.
Which Star Wars Ride Is Best for Kids?
The first thing I would check is height.
Smugglers Run has the lowest requirement at 38 inches. Rise of the Resistance and Star Tours both require 40 inches.
For a child who meets the requirements and likes interactive rides, I think Smugglers Run can be the most immediately fun because they may get to push buttons, fire weapons or help fly the Falcon.
Rise is the better choice for a child who loves the larger Star Wars story and isn’t bothered by darker scenes, First Order characters and a brief drop.
Star Tours is straightforward, but I would be more cautious with a child who dislikes motion simulators.
If I Only Had Time for Two Star Wars Rides
I would ride Rise of the Resistance first and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run second.
Those two create the strongest sense that I’m physically inside Star Wars because both are embedded in Galaxy’s Edge.
If I had more time, I would absolutely add Star Tours rather than treating it as an outdated attraction. The randomized scenes make it surprisingly repeatable, and it gives me characters and locations that aren’t limited to Batuu.
What Else Is There in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
The two Galaxy’s Edge rides are only part of the land.
I can also build a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop, construct a droid at Droid Depot, visit Oga’s Cantina, walk through the marketplace and encounter Star Wars characters throughout Batuu.
Disney recommends advance reservations for experiences such as Savi’s Workshop, Droid Depot and Oga’s Cantina, although limited walk-up availability may sometimes exist.
I wouldn’t pack all of those into the day just because I’m a Star Wars fan. The land is more enjoyable to me when I leave some time to walk through it instead of moving from reservation to reservation.
How I Would Plan the Three Rides
If Rise of the Resistance is essential, I solve that ride first.
I either plan to use standby at a time I’m comfortable with, consider its Lightning Lane Single Pass, or use Single Rider if riding separately works for me.
If I’m purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Smugglers Run is the Star Wars attraction I would consider among my higher-priority advance selections. Star Tours is the easier ride for me to fit around the rest of the day.
I also don’t assume wait times will behave the same every trip. I check the My Disney Experience app on the day I’m there and adjust instead of following an old touring plan minute by minute.
If you’re planning the rest of Hollywood Studios around these attractions, my best rides at Disney World guide can help you compare them with the biggest attractions in the other parks.
And if you’re visiting the West Coast instead, I keep the California version separate in my guide to Star Wars at Disneyland.
