Tips to Get a Boarding Group: Rise of the Resistance

Update: As of September 23, 2021 boarding groups will no longer be in use. This could come back at some point in the future though.

Rise of the Resistance is one of Disney’s most incredible rides and you can find it in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. It is really more than a ride, it’s a whole experience! If you want to ride it, you’re going to need to be prepared and have a game plan because you cannot just walk up to the ride and get in line to wait. You’ll need to access a Boarding Group in order to get on the ride, so let me give you the best tips I know to ensure you are one of the lucky ones!

First and foremost, make sure that you have the My Disney Experience app downloaded and are familiar with using it. You’ll need to have valid park admission linked and a Park Pass Reservation for Hollywood Studios for the day you are attempting to get a Boarding Group. If you need help making a Park Pass Reservation, check out this blog post with some tips. Also, make sure everyone in your travel party is linked and sharing plans through your Friends & Family list.

You will need to use the My Disney Experience app in order to join a Boarding Group (an on-theme term for a virtual queue) and there is not any standby or FastPass+ line to wait in.

So, how do you join a Boarding Group?

The process has changed a few times, but currently (since January 2021) you will need to join a boarding group on the My Disney Experience app at exactly 7:00 am. Boarding Groups will be gone almost instantly, so don’t wait! You’ll need to be ready early. I would suggest having the app open and refreshing a couple of minutes prior to 7:00 am. You no longer need to be inside the park in order to snag a group, you can be in the hotel room, your car, etc. I have had the most success turning off the WiFi when in the park and using my cellular data, but make the choice that is best for you based on what level of service you have. If you aren’t able to get a boarding group at 7:00 am, you’ll have a second shot when the virtual queue opens again at 1:00 pm — you must be inside Hollywood Studios to try to join a boarding group at 1pm.

Here’s the process…

At 7:00 am, on the dot, open or refresh the My Disney Experience app home page. Select join under the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Request Access with Virtual Queue section. The app will show those who are on your Friends & Family list that have a Hollywood Studios park pass reservation. Make sure everyone is included! Click join.

You will see a confirmation screen that will show you a boarding group number along with an estimated wait time. This wait time is not set in stone as sometimes there are delays, so be sure to check in on it.

It’s not overly complicated, however, you just need to have quick fingers to click the join button at exactly the right time.

You will receive a notification once your Boarding Group is called, but you can also see which groups are able to ride on the app and on signs near Galaxy’s Edge. You will have an hour from the time your group is called to scan into the line for the ride.

When your group is called, make your way over to the ride entrance and they will scan everyone in so that you can enter the queue.

About the ride…

Like I mentioned before, this is more than just a ride…it’s an experience. And a pretty amazing one at that! Once your group is called and you go through the line, the attraction in its entirety takes about 25 minutes. There are several different parts of this, but the ride portion is around 5 minutes. This ride has a height requirement of 40″. The ride portion is trackless and is a mostly smooth ride. There is a small drop that you may need to prepare yourself or kids for ahead of time, but it’s over very quickly.

This is definitely a favorite ride of ours. Have you ridden it yet?

You can see all of the latest Disney and Universal updates and my personal adventures over on Instagram @shannondevinetravel. Come say hi!