5. It primes guests for the immersive aspects of the land
The level of immersion Disney brought to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is definitely unlike anything we’ve seen in theme parks before. While The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has incredibly rich detail to rival Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney took things a step further by having all cast members remain in character as locals during your visit. Everything in the land from food to merchandise to restrooms are designed to feel as if they belong in the Star Wars universe—even the sodas look like thermal detonators. For Star Wars superfans and those comfortable with environments like theater, LARPing, or Renaissance Festivals, the immersiveness of the land is a dream come true.
For some visitors, however, the immersive elements can make prospective guests a little nervous. Galaxy’s Edge pangs as too alien from the expected theme park experience, even with cast members being pretty careful to keep things subtle. I remember bringing a friend to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge who tried to use a Star Wars line (“Republic credits will be fine”) on a drink vendor. The vendor replied that they only take real money here, totally deadpan. I knew what was going on, but when we walked away, our friend was disturbed—he thought the cast member had been rude. When I explained that the cast members are in character all the time, he had trouble grasping that at first. Fortunately, he caught on and had some fun with it later dropping movie lines with the team at Docking Bay 7.
The mega-immersion level at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge can feel like a sudden splash of cold water for guests who aren’t prepared for it—without some background, there’s nothing to indicate everyone is role-playing in a grand story. I even saw a guest walk up to Vi Moradi the other day and start asking for directions. Cast member costumes aren’t enough—after all, cast members everywhere in Walt Disney World wear themed costumes.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance solves this problem, particularly if you manage to get on it before experiencing the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Immersion in a ride is a more familiar concept, and from the moment you enter the queue, you’re slowly primed for the experience ahead. It’s like guests are given time to realize that their role in the ride is as a character in Star Wars. The ride’s pre-show lays out the story in easy to understand terms, and the adventure progresses in a way that allows guests to process the immersion. By the time you leave Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge just makes more sense. You’ve been primed to enjoy it, even if you just do so as a tourist from earth. Priming guests for immersion also serves another important purpose for the land…
6. It’s an attraction with appeal to more than just Star Wars fans
One of the biggest points of criticism we saw when discussing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was that the land seemed to only be made for one type of visitor: Star Wars fans. Even more so, there were many Star Wars fans who felt it was only for the portion of the fanbase who liked the new films. Why should anyone who isn’t into Star Wars care about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance gives guests a reason to care, even if you’ve never seen a Star Wars film.
I am not a particular fan of Avatar or the Harry Potter franchise—they’re just not my thing in terms of fandom. I was extremely skeptical of both The World of Pandora and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter when I first visited. Both lands successfully impressed me and proved enjoyable. The World of Pandora doesn’t rely on the Avatar films for its success—it’s beautiful and offers familiar connections to science fiction tales. It helps that Avatar: Flight of Passage is a great attraction. With The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I may not have been into the story, but I could still admire the land’s incredible detail and the impressive technology behind its rides.
You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance because it relies on the same reliable formula for mass appeal that Star Wars has always been based on: the hero’s journey. On Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, you play the role of the unwitting bystander caught up in world-altering events. You don’t have to know the details because the characters fit familiar archetypes: the heroine, the warrior, the sidekicks, and the cruel antagonists. It’s adventure in its purest form, and it is still enjoyable without emotional connection to the Star Wars saga.
There’s another group who benefits from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. I had a great conversation with a reader recently in regards to the immersive elements of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. For some guests, the role-playing and make-believe elements are a source of discomfort. For these guests, the magic of a Disney vacation surrounds the beauty and awe of spectacle rather than playing make-believe. While Galaxy’s Edge alone may not have held enough appeal for this fanbase originally, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance fills this need. It offers guests the opportunity to just marvel at a brilliantly executed attraction, a piece of storytelling art interweaving animatronics, simulators, mind-boggling effects, and trackless ride technology into one of Disney’s finest achievements yet. If nothing else, every Disney parks fan should at least experience it once.
Are you planning to ride Rise of the Resistance? What other effects do you think this ride will have on Disney parks in the future?
Comments
Does Rise of the Resistance "Fix" Galaxy's Edge? NO IT DOESN'T! There is still too much dead space in Galaxy’s Edge, Its still lacking the overall kinetic energy that was promised from the beginning! Roaming aliens, Roaming Droids, a 3rd attraction etc. Galaxy’s Edge still feels incomplete and I sincerely hope that Disney can address these issues sooner rather than later.