Hot take ahead! Disney’s Hollywood Studios has some of the BEST rides in all of Disney World. Tower of Terror? 10/10. Toy Story Mania? A classic! Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway? We know — a lot of you have some animosity toward this ride — but we still love this attraction. But the one ride that everyone seems to agree on? The BEST ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. 

What’s so great about this ride? Where to start?! First of all, it’s a trackless ride, so you never really know where you’re going next. Plus, it’s jam-packed with action from start to finish, and the level of detail is INSANE. Let’s just say that this ride is popular for a reason, okay? And after riding this attraction HUNDREDS of times, we’ve come up with some tips. Let’s talk about it! 

Beware — we’ve got some Rise of the Resistance spoilers ahead! Ever wondered which seat/row combination gets you the best seat in the house when you’re jumping into your ride vehicle? Well, after LOTS and LOTS of Rise of the Resistance ride-throughs, we have come to our conclusion. Yes, there are TWO different versions of Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios. And, yes, there is a version we like BETTER. 

If you’re brave enough to confront those evil First Order troops, you can make a seat request when you’re being placed into an interrogation group. Remember when the Cast Member tells you to memorize the color you’re standing on before you’re sent into the interrogation holding chamber? That’s basically your seating chart for the ride! Now, in our humble opinion, the best Rise of the Resistance vehicle is the one with the red and blue rows. If you’re placed in the red or blue group, congratulations! You’ve got the BEST ride-through experience. Blue and red go to the front vehicle, while orange and white go to the back.

While both experiences are still gonna give you a MIND-BLOWING ride-through, here are the THREE reasons we like the FRONT vehicle version BEST.

REASON #1: The Probe Droid targets YOU.

Hmm. That didn’t sound great. Let us explain.

Towards the beginning of the ride, the front car will see the FIRST animatronic of the experience — the Probe Droid — up close and personal. Meanwhile, the back car just passes on by it when the droid is lowered.

REASON #2: The AT-AT room

Once you’re inside the AT-AT room (trust us, you CAN’T miss it), the front car goes through the AT-ATs and turns left, backing into the elevator with a view of Finn in his Stormtrooper gear against a wall. Then, after rising up, the front car is face-to-face with two stormtroopers inside the head of the AT-AT (on a screen) with a red digital haze.

Meanwhile, the back car moves through the AT-ATs and looks like it might actually escape the room through a large door, but the door closes, and the car is whisked backward. This car also sees a Finn animatronic, but he’s sitting behind some crates, avoiding fire from the blasters. When your transport vehicle rises up, you’ll be looking at the side of the AT-AT instead of straight on.

REASON #3: Kylo Ren Encounters

The final difference happens both times that the riders encounter Kylo Ren. In both Kylo scenes, on the bridge and where the ship gets hit near the end, the front car is to Kylo’s left while the back car is to his right.

The experience differs here because Kylo turns in different directions when addressing the riders. But he’ll always speak DIRECTLY to the front-car riders versus the back-car ones. EEP! It’s a thrill!

In short, when you’re in the blue and red car, you really feel like you are part of the action from start to finish. The back car is following the blue and red one, so while still thrilling, it’s not the same as making direct eye contact with Kylo Ren. Trust us.

 

Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.

In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

 

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What’s your favorite ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments!