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Credit: Paul Hudson, FlickrWalt Disney World Resort is undergoing a new operational exam testing something new, ultimately separating families who vacation at this particular Disney World park.
Disney World Testing Single Rider Line on Rise of the Resistance; Backlash Begins as Families To Be Separate More Than Usual
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has introduced a Single Rider line for the popular Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction, offering a potentially quicker way to experience the ride, though with several caveats. This new feature is part of a limited-time test, and the company has not yet responded to requests for more information on the trial. According to Cast Members, the test is expected to run for one to two weeks before a decision is made on its future.
Previously, a similar Single-Rider test was conducted at EPCOT’s Soarin’ Around the World, but it was discontinued after a brief period. The Rise of the Resistance test has brought some challenges, prompting questions about its effectiveness. The Single-Rider line does not always guarantee a shorter wait time. During a recent visit, the standby queue’s posted wait time was 90 minutes for the first ride and 85 minutes for the second ride, while the single-rider wait times were 14 and 30 minutes, respectively.
Walt Disney World is testing a single rider line for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Here’s a look at the path the guests take. The test is expected to last a couple of weeks. We hope it sticks around after the test. It’s a great way to ride if you’ve ridden before. We don’t… pic.twitter.com/7q7XV3TURd
— Attractions Magazine (@Attractions) July 15, 2024
Walt Disney World is testing a single rider line for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Here’s a look at the path the guests take. The test is expected to last a couple of weeks. We hope it sticks around after the test. It’s a great way to ride if you’ve ridden before. We don’t recommend it for your first ride, as it skips part of the show.
One significant caveat is that guests using the Single-Rider line will likely not ride with their companions. The Single-Rider line is intended to fill empty spots in groups from the standby line, prioritizing higher guest throughput. Cast Members often seek to match parties of two from the standby line before considering Single Riders.
Additionally, Single Riders will miss essential pre-show experiences, entering through unthemed, immersion-breaking areas originally designed as backstage. This means skipping the Rey pre-show-ready room and the Intersystem Transport Ship (I-TS) experience, both crucial for first-time visitors. Disney has not restricted photography or video in these areas during the test, indicating they are not considered backstage during this period.
Despite these drawbacks, the Single Rider option does allow guests to bypass a significant portion of the wait, making it an appealing choice for those familiar with the attraction. Guests enter the Single Rider line near the main entrance, where a cast member will brief them on the truncated experience before leading them to a queue typically reserved for Cast Members. Single Riders eventually join the main queue at the IT-S courtyard, bypassing the traditional standby line.
In the Star Destroyer hangar, Single Riders wait until directed by a cast member to enter the queue reserved for Single Riders, which was previously used to sort even-numbered or odd-numbered parties. This change suggests Disney is testing the Single Rider system’s efficiency compared to the previous sorting method. The test’s outcome remains uncertain, but if successful, the Single Rider line could become a permanent feature, offering a faster, though less immersive, option for experiencing one of Disney’s most popular attractions.
Why and How Families Will Be Separated
Families opting for the Single Rider line will enter a separate queue from the traditional standby line. As a result, even if they enter the Single Rider line together, they will be assigned to different ride vehicles based on availability. Ride operators will pull individuals from the Single Rider line to fill empty seats in ride vehicles otherwise occupied by groups from the standby line.
Families looking to enjoy the attraction together, from the pre-show to the ride, will need to use the traditional standby line. The Single-Rider line compromises this shared experience for the sake of efficiency. Families must decide whether the time saved using the Single-Rider line is worth the trade-off of experiencing the ride separately.
The single rider insertion point is a distance in travel and time before boarding the ride vehicle. Considerable separation for families or groups when compared to other single rider lines in Disney parks. pic.twitter.com/5v6RxqxNoa
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) July 15, 2024
The single rider insertion point is a distance in travel and time before boarding the ride vehicle. Considerable separation for families or groups when compared to other single rider lines in Disney parks.
The Single Rider line for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance offers a faster, albeit less immersive, way to experience the attraction. While it can significantly reduce wait times, it prioritizes efficiency over group cohesion, leading to the separation of families during the ride. Guests must weigh these factors when deciding how to experience one of Disney’s most popular attractions.