Disney World is currently offering limited park capacity, and one of the biggest differences we’ve seen in the parks is shorter wait times across the board! Prior to the park openings, limited capacity and the other major changes we’ve seen at Disney World caused many to wonder how the Boarding Group process for Disney’s newest attraction, Rise of the Resistance, would be impacted.
Rise of the Resistance
What we’ve experienced, however, is a whole lot more of the same when it comes to snagging a Boarding Group. So with access to this attraction being nearly as tricky as it was pre-closure, here are tips and tricks to guarantee yourself that elusive Rise of the Resistance boarding group.
Don’t forget to make a Park Pass Reservation!
Disney World’s new Park Pass Reservation System is an added requirement to be able to enter the theme parks during their limited capacity reopening. Simply having valid park admission, like an Annual Pass or a Single Day Ticket, is NOT enough! In addition, everyone in your travel party NEEDS to secure a Park Pass Reservation.
Disney Park Pass Availability Screenshot from June 24
Depending on your ticket type, you might have an easier or more difficult time securing a Park Pass Reservation ahead of your visit to Hollywood Studios. Since the system rolled out, Hollywood Studios is definitely the most popular park when it comes to these reservations, so the MOMENT you know what days you want to visit, get those reservations!
DPP Screenshot
Once you have your valid park admission and your Park Pass Reservation, you’re all set to head to Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Click here to learn more about Disney World’s Park Pass Reservation System!
Wake Up EARLY!
UPDATE:Â Beginning December 20th, 2020, Boarding Group distribution times will change to be 7AM and 1PM each day.
Currently, Rise of the Resistance has two Boarding Group distribution times each day: 7AM and 2PM. This is a big shift from before the closures, when all of the Boarding Groups were assigned right at rope drop. So while you have more than one opportunity to get a Group, our biggest piece of advice is to try for that 7AM slot first.
GROUP 1!
This is one of the factors you actually have control over when trying to secure a Boarding Group, so be sure to double-check those alarms! Thankfully, the recent change allows you to try for a Group from anywhere at 7AM (yes, anywhere), so you won’t need to stress about getting ready and getting into the park right at opening. (Remember when people showed up to Hollywood Studios at 6AM?)
Hollywood Studios
Keep in mind, if you’re trying for the 2PM slot (or 1PM slot after December 20th), you will need your ENTIRE party to be scanned into the park, so make sure everyone is ready to go if you all want the same Boarding Group (more tips on riding together below!).
What’s up with “rope drop” at a reopened Disney World? Find out by clicking here!
Keep in mind those NEW distribution times
As we previously mentioned, Rise of the Resistance is no longer handing out all of the Boarding Groups at rope drop as they previously did. Now, you have TWO chances to score a Group, at 7AM and later in the day at 2PM.
Don’t mix these up with the ride’s distribution times when the park first reopened, which were 10AM, 1PM, and 4PM. The ONLY times where Boarding Groups are now distributed are 7AM and 2PM (or 1PM after December 20th).
Stormtroopers
In our experience, we have not seen either time fill up more quickly or slowly than the other time. They both go very, very fast. So, do NOT assume that you’ll have an easier time getting a Boarding Group at 2PM! Consider the 2PM distribution time your Plan B in the event you don’t score at 7AM.
Rise of the Resistance Ride Vehicle
Rise of the Resistance is also notorious for experiencing technical difficulties, so aiming for that 7AM time is the best way to give yourself the most chance of actually riding on any given day.Â
Read more about Rise of the Resistance’s NEW Boarding Group distribution times here!
Be ready to snag a Boarding Group QUICKLY
Let’s break the whole process down step-by-step when it comes to actually getting a Boarding Group. The last thing you want to see happen is to put all that time and energy into waking up early, only to experience some technical snafus on your phone!
1. If you’re trying for the afternoon slot, make sure your ENTIRE party is scanned into the park with your tickets linked on My Disney Experience
As we mentioned earlier, My Disney Experience will not allow anyone who is NOT scanned into the park to join a Boarding Group. So if your entire travel party wants to ride together, make sure you are all inside the park gates and ready to go.
Screenshot from the My Disney Experience App
You will also want to make sure everyone’s tickets are linked together on My Disney Experience. Do NOT attempt to get Boarding Groups individually, as each person will get separate Boarding Groups and will, therefore, be unable to ride together!
2. Disconnect from Disney’s WiFi and refresh My Disney Experience BEFORE the hour strikes
Disney World’s complimentary WiFi is spotty at best, therefore, you DON’T want to rely on it when you want to get a Boarding Group! In most circumstances, we have heard that folks have an easier time working off of their regular cell service when joining a Boarding Group. So make sure your WiFi is turned OFF before the hour strikes.
Rise of the Resistance
You will also want to completely close out of My Disney Experience and re-load the app just before the hour. This step is especially useful if you had to link other tickets to your account. You’ll want to make sure My Disney Experience recognizes that all your tickets are hooked up!
3. When the time comes, select “Join Boarding Group”
There are a couple of things you’ll need to do right on the hour to select a Boarding Group. First, you’ll need to select “Join Boarding Group.” Everyone in your travel party can attempt to join a Boarding Group at the same time, so don’t just select one person! Get everyone and their phones involved to try to get a group!
You’ll want to look for a button that says “Join Boarding Group” the moment the hour strikes!
Next, you’ll want to be sure that your entire traveling party is included! Everyone on your friends and family list who is eligible for a boarding group at the time you’re requesting one will be automatically selected as a part of your party, so you won’t have to select each one manually. After confirming your party, you’ll just click on “Join Boarding Group” again, and you will be randomly assigned a Boarding Group!
Screenshot of Boarding Group
A new feature they introduced on My Disney Experience is an estimated wait time for your Boarding Group. Note that this wait time is an approximation and not an exact science, but you should be able to gauge how much time you have to explore the rest of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or Hollywood Studios while you wait!
4. Turn your Push Notifications On
Once you have a group, make sure your Push Notifications are turned ON for My Disney Experience to make sure you know when your Boarding Group is called. The return window is shorter than you think!
We have experienced some glitches in the past when joining a Boarding Group! Here’s what happened!
Be aware: the return to ride window is shorter now!
So you were able to grab a Boarding Group, hooray! We have one final tip that you’ll need to know about in order to actually experience Rise of the Resistance!
This is a notable shift from the process pre-closure, so even if you were a pro before March, you’ll need to know about this change!
Rise Preshow
When your Boarding Group is called, you will have ONE hour to return to the entrance of Rise of the Resistance and check in with your group. In the past, guests have reported two to three hour return windows, so don’t assume you have as much time as you may have before!
Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group
You can keep an eye on what Boarding Groups the ride is currently accepting so you can better assess how much time you have before your group is called throughout the day. But if you get caught up in a Dining Reservation like we did, Cast Members have been more lenient if you happen to miss your return window.
Virtual Queue
But, just like with a traditional FastPass, don’t assume every Cast Member will allow you to miss your window, especially if you arrive super late! If you think you’ll be in a bind, speak with Guest Relations or a Rise of the Resistance Cast Member ahead of time.
Click here to learn more about what happened when we MISSED our Boarding Group return window!
Our biggest tip is to make sure you’re giving yourself and your group as many opportunities as possible to ride Rise of the Resistance. That means showing up to Hollywood Studios early, aim for that 10AM distribution time, and have your My Disney Experience app ready to go! If for whatever reason you don’t succeed at 7AM, follow all the same steps above for the 2PM distribution time.
Good luck!
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We were able to get boarding groups on 2 different days last month doing exactly these things! Thank you for putting all the info in one place (I just shared it with other family members going later this year). I would add to make sure you’re standing OUTSIDE watching the time on your phone at least 5 minutes before the distribution time opens because some of the buildings/indoor ride queues don’t get a good cell signal. Not all, but enough that I just wouldn’t chance it trying to squeeze in one more ride before the 2pm window.
My $0.02.
We were there a couple of weeks ago and this is what a cast member told us and we got boarding groups both days in HS.
Before the distribution time go to the “My Queues” page and refresh repeatedly until it’s time. Saves time on navigating to the join boarding group. When available, join boarding group, select party, and hope you get it.
Note: android phones work better than iOS.
We were at HS this past Wednesday. The skyliner started running from our resort at 9am. We were at HS well before 9:30, through security and in the park without any problems. My husband and I were both on at 10am but he was able to snag a boarding pass due to having quicker thumbs. ROR was absolutely amazing! We were able to ride all the rides at HS and never waited for more than 45 minutes to a hour for a ride. To be honest it’s sad to see all the shops not open and the shows not going but we still had a fabulous time.
Pam, I’m so glad you had a great time!
We followed this advice exactly on Monday. We were able to grab a Group 2 Boarding Pass using our cellular (Verizon) signal. Thank you.
Be aware these tips are not guaranteed – today we followed everything above with Verizon and didnt get a 10am boarding pass. We did get group 50 at 2pm, but didn’t get to ride (they only called up to early 40s today). What’s sad is my dad is a huge Star Wars fan, and we’re from out of town so we cant just try again another day like the APs. I really hope they get rid of the lottery system soon.
We were at Hollywood Studios yesterday. We did all of the above:got there early, in the Park by 09:30, freshened My Disney Experience app, and attempted virtual cue entry at exactly 10:00. We were near two groups comprising a total of 20 phones and not one got in, including us. Super disappointing! To top it off so many people were in the park, that essentially every ride was 45 to 80 minutes. There really is not that much to do there, and there were long lines for everything. About half of the shopping opportunities as well as dining is closed. I waited in line at mickey and minnie’s runaway railway twice and gave up both times. Very sun exposed lines, high heat and one time a long breakdown and the other “At least a 15minute delay for cleaning “. It was the worst experience of 20 years of Walt Disney World attendance. We certainly wouldn’t go back during Covid. Unlikely to return to Hollywood studios for a long time.
We were in the Magic Kingdom the day before and it couldn’t have been more different. Quick lines, lighter crowds, and we were able to do essentially everything in the Magic Kingdom despite an explosive thunderstorm starting at 3PM that flooded the park.
Timing is everything to get your car thru the toll plaza first. 3 sheriff’s cars with flashing lights are on the right hand side, pushing all cars to the left to make a U turn and exit.. At 8:40 exactly(10am DHS opening) the sheriffs make a U- turn and head into the toll gates and stop turning people round. You then can drive up to the toll gate and wait until entry at exactly 9:00. You have to time it just right so you are in the left hand lane hoping you aren’t forced to turn. Try to get maybe 30 or 40 cars in front of you. Then watch the sheriff’s cars make the turn around and they’ll make a run for the toll gate. Get out of line and follow behind them to the toll gate. You should be 1st or 2nd in line at the toll gate and waiting until 9 o’clock when they take your money/pass
These instructions do not guarantee a boarding pass, not during school breaks at least We did everything… did not get a boarding group at 10 nor at 2 pm today! So upset! My 11 year old son is in tears.
Was at Hollywood studios last week tried everything you said unable to get boarding pass tried at 1000 and 200 people around us who pushed the join button after us got one has to be another way to get to ride from out of town and won’t be back for a long time
What happens if my wife and I both try for our group? I assume if one of us a gets a BP, it will prevent the other from getting one? Good luck all!
Adam, that’s right — only one person from a group can make a Boarding Pass reservation, but you can both try.
We did everything DFB suggested and more. Our whole group was in HS by 9:20. We speed tested our phone upload/download speeds. We stayed away from big crowds to get faster service and both days doing this we did not get a 10AM boarding group. The first day we tried was in August and the second in late September. Overall it was way less busy in August. Wait times for September we’re crazy! Mickey and Minnies runaway railway was 120 minutes! The reason I bring this up is because both times, we didn’t get the 10 AM boarding pass despite the crowds being drastically different between the two visits. We did however get the boarding passes both times at the 2PM time. And we’re able to ride it both times. I know everyone says don’t count on the 2 PM slot, but I think a lot of people give up and go. It was totally worth waiting for and trying!
Thank you, visited DHS on 10/15, secured a spot on boarding group 8 for our family of 4 by following your tips despite the crowd level being a bit higher than anticipated. We took the sky liner from CBR to DHS, arriving around 9:15. Were even able to ride M&M Runaway Railway prior to the 10am boarding release!
I’ll have a 2 year old in my friends and family list. Will the queue automatically recognize that or do I need to remove her from the list.
Greg, I’m thinking the system won’t automatically remove the two-year-old from the list because the ride’s only possible age-related restriction is height. You can book your Boarding Pass with the youngster in the group, and he or she just won’t ride due to the height limit.
When you have multiple people in your party attempting to get the boarding pass, do each of them have to have a separate MDE log-in, or can each of them attempt it using the same MDE account?
Carole, you can all be logged into one MDE on different devices.
Thank you for these tips. With them, I was able to snag boarding group 6 on my first try!! Thanks again!!
Seems that distribution times are now 7am and 2pm. We woke up and got ready to start the process, but the mobile app said the distribution time of 7am was closed (we tried at 7:30 am) and the next open time would be 2pm
We visited HS on Monday and Thursday this week (November 9 & 12). We got boarding group 2 on Monday and boarding group 1 on Thursday! Just go to the join page and refresh as soon as you phone hits 7:00. Don’t wait until 7:01, 7:02, etc. We had sweaty palms at 6:58AM, LOL. This is more than a ride. It’s an amazing EXPERIENCE! Good luck! HIt it at 7:00 and you’ll have a great chance! 🙂
We were there in Oct/Nov trip and Dec trip. We tried all the suggestions and did not get a pass. We are coming from Portland and its not a hop skip and a jump. They need a better system and the lotto is not the ticket. No reason not to be able to bring back fast passes on the rides. It would evenly distribute the crowds so you don’t have a huge line to the left and one to the right when you are entering Toy Story Land. To pay so much money and have a lotto experience is not a good thing.
I am going this coming Fri and Sat, 2 day park hopper. We are reserved MK for Friday, HS on Saturday. Will app allow us to go for ROTR on Friday am even if our reservation that day is another park? If we get in Friday, I think I can just switch my reservation over to DHS for that day???
Tom, if you’re trying at 7AM, you need a Disney Park Pass for DHS to qualify. I believe if you try in the afternoon, you do not need the DPP.
Got it, thanks! We have never been to DHS, would it be best to go on Friday or Saturday?
Tom, Friday and Saturday are probably pretty similar in terms of crowd levels. But you may see slightly lower crowds on a weekday, which Friday technically is.
We are going in March on 5-day non-park hopper tickets. I was thinking to reserve multiple days at DHS, and try each day at 7:00am for a boarding pass to ROTR. If we get it great, and change the remainder of the reservations. But if we don’t get it at 7:00am, instead of waiting until 1:00pm, just changing the reservation to a different park for that day, and try the next…repeat. I know there would still have to be reservation spots available at other parks, but DHS seems like it is the only one filling up right now. Would this work?
Jeff, as long as you haven’t scanned into DHS yet, it should be fine. Once you scan in on a Disney Park Pass, you wouldn’t be able to switch the DPP to another park (especially since you wouldn’t have Park Hoppers). If you’re trying at 7AM, you would still be able to find another DPP (assuming they’re not gone for the day).