Our (Spoiler Free) Rise of the Resistance Story

We absolutely did not want to miss out on an opportunity to experience Rise of the Resistance and had only one morning to work it out. We did it! Here’s how it went…

Note: Currently, to experience this attraction, guests must first enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios park and use the My Disney Experience app to obtain a boarding group number. The numbers have been going fast once they become available for booking. Currently, that booking window begins when the Disney’s Hollywood Studios is officially open for the day. Once a boarding group number has been assigned, guests can use the app (tip: turn on notifications) to see which groups are boarding during the day. Once a guest’s group number has been called, that guest has two hours to return to Rise of the Resistance for entry.

Our (Spoiler Free) Rise of the Resistance Story

Our alarm went off just after 5:00 am on Monday morning and by 6:10 we were in front of the Contemporary waiting for our Lyft driver. Honestly, after four days of the Dopey Challenge – 5:00 am felt like a luxuriously late wake-up time.

Our ride (worth every penny) dropped us off at Disney’s Hollywood Studios just after 6:30 and we quickly made our way into the park. Finding a position to wait on Hollywood Boulevard close to the Trolley Car Cafe put us in the perfect position to grab breakfast once we’d snagged our (hopefully) low boarding group number.

Joseph and I both had our My Disney Experience apps open on our phones and he, Raymond and I stood with hundreds (thousands?) of others waiting for the official park-opening time of 7:00 am. I wish I could accurately describe the atmosphere! In the early morning light, there was an air of anticipation among the park guests surrounding us; all waiting for the exact same moment. A hush fell over the crowd, our phones counted down, and at precisely 7:00 am, we heard a bell chime nearby. Then, happy shouts and cheers began all around as different groups were assigned a boarding group number. We got ours immediately: Number 29.

Boarding group 29 seemed perfect to us. Our plans for the day were originally at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with FastPasses booked for Kilimanjaro Safaris followed by Expedition Everest, a lunch ADR for Yak & Yeti, and Flight of Passage to wrap up the day. If we got on Rise of the Resistance in a decent time, we could head for Animal Kingdom without missing a single thing. We watched our phones as boarding group numbers were added as we enjoyed our coffees and breakfast sandwiches on a bench on Sunset Boulevard.

Navigating the Queue

Before long, it was time! We headed straight for Batuu and entered the line for Rise of the Resistance. A Cast Member holding a sign made the end of the line very easy to find. We moved quickly forward and watched in dismay as the dad in the group in front of us continually pulled, pried, and wiggled any and everything along the way in an attempt to obtain a “souvenir”. I’m happy to report that he was unsuccessful (what a jerk!). Just when it seemed like we must be nearing the actual entrance to the attraction, we stopped moving. Several minutes passed and…nothing. After a few more minutes, we were surprised by Cast Members bearing snacks and water. Raymond and Joseph enjoyed bananas and Joseph snagged a cookie to go with his. While we certainly appreciated the hospitality, the snack/water distribution made us feel like whatever was broken wasn’t going to be fixed any time soon.

And We Were Right

Suddenly, we were moving again and…I promised to be spoiler-free here…we entered Rise of the Resistance and proceeded to be blown away! It was amazing! The level of detail, the sights, sounds, story-line…all absolutely incredible. I had goosebumps! And then…we were evacuated. Clearly we had just gotten to what appeared to be the most fun part of the experience and that part wasn’t operating. So, feeling excited by what we’d seen so far and pretty disappointed by what we were missing, we let a Cast Member scan our Magic Bands with the promise that we could return later in the day and ride any time, once the attraction was back up and running again.

Off to Animal Kingdom

It was still early and we had plenty of time to get to Animal Kingdom. We decided to hop on the Skyliner and ride over to check out the new Riviera Resort where we could catch a bus to Animal Kingdom. By watching the boarding group numbers on our app, we could tell when Rise of the Resistance started operating again. By 2:30 in the afternoon, we’d done all we’d planned and Animal Kingdom and were on our way back to Batuu.

This time, we knew what to expect during the first part of Ride of the Resistance. The knowledge allowed us to position ourselves to better see and hear different aspects and details we’d missed the first time. There’s a lot of detail! Things are easy to overlook because so much is going on all around you. I believe this is what will make us (and other guests) want to experience Ride of the Resistance several times. If you’re on the fence, I say DO IT! This attraction is completely different from anything else at Walt Disney World.

We were very pleased with how the day turned out. We got to ride Rise of the Resistance one-and-a-half times, didn’t miss any of our plans in Animal Kingdom and saw a bit of the Riviera Resort. We even had plenty of time to go back to Bay Lake Tower, change for dinner, and stop by Enchanted Rose (Grand Floridian) for a cocktail before enjoying dinner at Shula’s Steakhouse (Dolphin Resort). Don’t you love it when a plan comes together this well?

So? Have you experienced Rise of the Resistance? Want to? What are your thoughts about it?

Toy Story Land First Impressions

My first thought upon entering Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios was that pictures don’t do it justice.  My second thought was yikes!  I expected crowds like those we first encountered after Pandora opened, but the close quarters in Toy Story Land felt much, much worse. I’m not usually quite so claustrophobic, so maybe the addition of tons of colorful toys contributed to the feeling of being penned in. 

What we loved

The bright colors and clever theming did not disappoint.  Packed with details, Toy Story fans are sure to be pleased.  As we’ve come to expect from Disney, everywhere you turn or look offers something new to discover.  We visited twice, once in the morning and again at night to get the full effect.  Due to scheduling constraints we were only able to enjoy two attractions: Toy Story Midway Mania (always a must-do) and Slinky Dog Dash – which was charming and worthy of a FastPass or (maybe) a 30 minute wait.  We also enjoyed breakfast at Woody’s Lunchbox (review coming soon).

The Green Army Men

These guys are always fun.  When on maneuvers, they’re adorable!  Being entertained by the Green Army Men is an added dose of Disney magic.  We were delighted to see characters out and about.  The crowds though!  Which brings me to…

What we didn’t love

Toy Story Land is new, so we were expecting crowds.  We weren’t expecting crowds at a standstill.  The land’s layout does not ease crowd movement and instead seems to exacerbate the problem.  There’s only one way in and out.  There’s no gift shop or indoor restaurant seating to provide any kind of relief.  For sure, this is not the place to hang out when a summer storm blows in.  At 11 acres, this land covers just one acre less than Pandora, but feels much smaller to me.  Again, maybe it’s all the toys.

There’s no doubt the two new rides will continue to attract families in the long run.  The height requirements are 32” (Alien Swirling Saucers) and 38 inches (Slinky Dog Dash) which earn high marks on kid-friendliness.  My recommendation is heavy FastPass usage and plan to visit this area either early or late in the day.  Again, with no indoor spaces available, the heat’s going to be brutal. 

Have you visited Toy Story Land? What were your initial thoughts? Planning to visit? What are you most looking forward to?   

Visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom

Yesterday I shared some highlights from our last trek on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.  Today, staying with the Animal Kingdom theme, I want to give a shout-out to Rafiki’s Planet Watch.  Our family once tended to ignore this section of the park, but lately rumors have been swirling about possible changes (including the potential  demise of Rafiki’s area) which prompted us to give it another visit.  Turns out, there’s a lot to love!  If you’ve never been or if it’s been a while, here are five great reasons to…Rafiki's Planet Watch

Visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom

Relaxing Train Ride – Getting to Rafiki’s Planet Watch involves one of the coolest modes of transportation at Walt Disney World.  The Wildlife Express offers an open-air train ride in outward-facing seats which makes for a relaxing and scenic ride to and from this area of the park.  Since this section typically opens later in the morning, mid-morning and mid-afternoon are great times to visit (between FastPasses).Wildlife Express to Rafiki's Planet Watch

Rafiki Himself – Sometimes there’s a queue to meet this wise sage of Africa and sometimes you can have your picture made with Rafiki with no wait at all.  He’s one of the more entertaining and playful characters in Animal Kingdom and will gladly teach you the art of meditation or give you an autograph.Rafiki's Planet Watch - Meeting Rafiki

Veterinarians at Work – Last month (January, 2018) we had time to spare and decided to either see Festival of the Lion King or visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch.  Raymond, Joseph and I were shocked when Megan piped up in favor of Rafiki’s.  We know how much she loves the Lion King show, but she’d had such a great experience on her last visit to Rafiki’s, she wanted to go again.  Joseph’s always up for anything that involves science and animals and that day, we were not disappointed!Rafiki's Planet Watch - Veterinarians at Work

A warthog was on the operating table when we arrived and a knowledgeable Cast Member was on hand to answer questions about what we were seeing.  The warthog’s immediate need was a broken hoof that needed to be shaved down/reshaped after a mishap cause a piece to break off.  Secondary to this was a known dental issue, so a dentist had been called in to cap a bad tooth.  Rafiki's Planet Watch - Warthog DentistryWe were fascinated and could, thanks to a strategically placed camera, watch the dentist at work.  Not every visit involves such cool veterinary care in action, but we lucked out that day.

Cast Members Have Time to Talk – The Cast Members at Rafiki’s Planet Watch seem to have more time to answer questions and explain scientific displays, animal behaviors, and veterinary treatments than they do in other Animal Kingdom areas.  Outside at the Affection Section, Cast Members can tell you individual animal’s names and histories as well as fun details about a particular animal’s personality.

Science and Live Animals Abound – There are tons of great learning opportunities all over Animal Kingdom, but Rafiki’s Planet Watch offers a unique opportunity to see, hear, and touch live animals while learning about both the animals in Animal Kingdom and those in the wild who benefit from Disney’s conservation and research efforts.

For as long as it lasts, Rafiki’s Planet Watch will remain one of our favorite places in Animal Kingdom.  It’s usually less crowded and much more slow-paced than just about anyplace else in the park.  The interesting displays, animals to pet, and veterinary work make every visit interesting and educational.

Are you a fan of Rafiki’s Planet Watch?  What keeps you coming back?

Who Would Love Disney’s Festival of the Lion King?

One person in our family considers Festival of the Lion King a must-do Animal Kingdom attraction and insists on trying (usually unsuccessfully) to include it on every visit. Poor Megan!  The rest of us are kind of meh about the Lion King show and it’s probably due to getting burned out in the early years when she’d beg to see it twice a day.  (She has powerful persuasion skills and was the sweetest child!)

Who Would Love Disney’s Festival of the Lion King?

Having pretty much shunned the Festival of the Lion King for the past couple-few years (as we say in these parts), I promised Megan when we took our Mother/Daughter Disney trip back in June we could see her favorite show. I was so excited we were going to see Pandora, I think I was unusually agreeable.

So, once we’d ridden Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage (twice), it was time to make good on my promise. We were off to the Harambe Theater, which is conveniently located just past the Dawa Bar (had to stop, Pandora made us thirsty). We didn’t have to wait long outside the theater before we headed in to find a seat (Tip: don’t use a FastPass for this attraction).  It was wonderfully cool and dark as we made our way up the aisle in the closest section to perch on the bleachers.  I’d forgotten about those seats.  Luckily, the women in our family come “standard equipped” with good seat cushions.  Still pretty uncomfortable.  So much for trying to squeeze in a nap.

When the show started, I quickly realized it was much better than I remembered. The Tumble Monkeys had a much smaller role than they’d had in the past and didn’t perform the acrobatics I’d seen them do before, but the singing and dancing was fantastic!  Who Would Love Disney's Festival of the Lion King?This show does an amazing job of including the audience throughout its entire 30 minute duration.  I’d forgotten how great the costumes are and how talented the performers…I owed Megan an apology for a few (slightly) negative comments I’d jokingly made pre-show.

I asked Megan to share her thoughts on why she loves Festival of the Lion King so much and here’s what she had to say…

“I love the stunts like the fire twirler and the monkeys. The dancing is fun to watch and I enjoy the choreography (mainly when the two birds dance).  I love the singing and I think Disney does a really good job of finding people who will sing the songs really well live (like “Be Prepared”) and I’ve always thought the floats with the giant moving and talking animals were a pretty cool touch.”Who Would Love Disney's Festival of the Lion King?

We noticed families with children of all ages enjoying Festival of the Lion King’s clever mix of circus-style performance, musical numbers, characters and audience participation. It’s a winning combination!

Have you seen Festival of the Lion King? How do you feel about it?  Who in your family loves this show?