Hollywood Studios has always been my LEAST favorite park. It still is. Although Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is extremely well-done and includes every single minute detail you can imagine — from the ability to choose your side (First Order or the Resistance) and the Black Spire Outpost shops to the unique food and drink offerings — it’s still lacking.
Hollywood Studios was so very busy that for us, the “Disney experience” was non-existent. Even Olga’s Cantina, a watering hole with exotic concoctions, was booked solid 3 months in advance with no reservation to be had.
Rise of Resistance ride…
On our first day, we were IN THE PARK by 6:30 AM in an attempt to get a boarding pass to ride ‘Rise of the Resistance,’ a combined trackless dark ride, walk-through, motion simulator, and drop ride system. By 7:00 AM, 10 bajillion people all began refreshing the Disney app to hopefully get a required boarding pass. We secured boarding group 40 which was AMAZING! One couple we met were in group 176 and didn’t even get to do the ride.
The ride is 3 acts long. After waiting in line about an hour (even with the boarding pass), and getting through parts 1 & 2, the ride broke down. (We noticed this happened SEVERAL times throughout the week.) We were provided a fast pass and the opportunity to come back once it was operational again.
It’s a great ride and a great ride experience. But it was NOT a Disney-like experience from start to finish.
So let’s build a robot!
After standing in line for a photo, we all made a droid. 3 of us made R2’s and Coco built a BB8. We picked out parts and used a power screwdriver in a rushed process (it was a cluster *!%*) packed with cross-selling of additional personality chips, backpacks and more. No photos because cows being rushed along can’t use cameras — but cows can shell out around $600 bucks to do it.
Next… light sabers…
The process to make a light saber was much better (at $200 per, it should be). The guys made them — the girls watched. The experience could not have been better and both Ben and Perry were happy with their new toy.
The shopping outposts were overflowing with people. We never even got in the door of the majority of them. We ate a bronto roaster and drank that nasty blue milk, went back a different day for a short time to ride the Tower of Terror and we were done with that park. DONE!
Now that we’re home, word has it that Perry is securing a resistance base in southern Indiana…
