You could say that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance certainly rose… and resisted boarding today, the day of its one-year anniversary at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The ambitious attraction once again failed to open with the rest of the park after a year of technical issues, non-functioning audio-animatronics, and even a lightning bolt (sent by Darth Sidious, probably) which took the attraction down for a number of days.

Rise of the Resistance began boarding for the first time today at 4:19 PM, with just groups 1-5 called and a slew of guests still to go, most of which will likely not make it on before the park’s scheduled 7:00 PM closure. This marks one of the latest start times for the attraction.

While Rise is an incredible attraction—when everything works—and host to an amazing, dedicated cast of Resistance fighters and First Order officers, its first year has been tumultuous, to say the least. Its problems began on day 1, with some of its guests evacuated on opening morning. The extended COVID-19 parks closure did the attraction no favors, as when Disney’s Hollywood Studios began its phased reopening, Rise of the Resistance booted up with seemingly more problems than before—except now guests get to view them from behind glare-filled plexiglass shields which were installed to help the ride’s extremely limited capacity.

Over the past year, Rise of the Resistance has cycled through a number of complex Boarding Group procedures, and we expect to see even more changes to the boarding process in the coming year. Many guests have long yearned for the possibility of a stand-by queue at the attraction, but Disney has given no indication of it becoming an option in the coming future.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance changed Disney’s Hollywood Studios as we once knew it, as well as the way guests view and plan for the park. And with most other upcoming new E-ticket attractions across Walt Disney World stalled for the near future, we can only hope for better days for the beleaguered if not ill-fated Rise of the Resistance… for the sake of guest experience (and to make waking up at 7:00 AM worth it!)

What are your favorite memories of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance? Have you experienced the attraction without any issues? Let us know in the comments, and enjoy a full opening day POV video of the attraction in our YouTube video below: