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Disney World Shuts Down ‘Star Wars’ Ride After Five Years

A group of stormtroopers stands in formation inside a futuristic spacecraft. One stormtrooper with a red shoulder pad is in the foreground. A large window shows a view of space with stars and a distant spacecraft.
Credit: Disney

Last week, Walt Disney World Resort guests spent over 20 minutes stuck on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance after the Disney’s Hollywood Studios ride abruptly closed. One Disney Park guest shared their experience evacuating the attraction in a video on social media.

Visitors stroll around the Millennium Falcon at Galaxy's Edge

Credit: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in December 2019, and the Disneyland Park version followed one month later. At both parks, the advanced trackless attraction debuted months after the grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run.

In just five years of operation, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has been the source of heated controversy among Disney Parks fans. The attraction often breaks down, both because of advanced special effects and sensitive safety mechanisms that emergency-stop the ride when a guest drops an item. One of the ride’s special effects, the moving cannons, stopped moving soon after it opened. Disneyland Park repaired the cannons on its version of Rise of the Resistance earlier this year, but the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version’s cannons remain motionless.

Daisy Ridley's Rey as a Hologram on Rise of the Resistance

Credit: Inside the Magic

On Friday, Walt Disney World Resort’s version of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance broke down again. Redditor u/Nathan4All was on board the attraction when it stopped moving and posted a video of the motionless Kylo Ren and General Hux animatronics:

full evacuation on rise of the resistance

full evacuation on rise of the resistance
byu/Nathan4All inWaltDisneyWorld

“Got stopped for 20+ minutes,” the Disney Park guest explained. “We were evacuated ‘back stage’ and told we couldn’t take additional photos. Honestly a pretty cool experience.”

An animatronic in the pre-show for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland Park.

Credit: Alex Lue, Inside the Magic

Walt Disney World Resort didn’t make a public statement about this ride breakdown, which isn’t unusual. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance eventually reopened and was operating normally at the time of this article’s publication.

Have you ever been trapped on a ride at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? In the comments, share your story with us! 

About Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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