No, I did not expect a 10-hour wait.
If you had told me that was how long it would take for me — along with reporter Todd Martens and photographer Jay L. Clendenin — to get onto Disney’s new Star Wars ride at Disney World, I probably would have walked away and done something normal with my day. Like not wait 10 hours for a ride.
But I stuck it out. Why? Maybe because being a journalist means you sometimes can’t avoid difficult situations.
Maybe because I grew up with “Star Wars” and nothing could stop me.
Maybe I’m an idiot. All these are probably true.
We were lucky that Walt Disney World decided to implement a boarding system where, once in the park, you check in through the Walt Disney World app and get in a boarding group for the ride. We arrived at 7:45 a.m., checked in and received boarding group 89. Our estimated ride time was “evening.”
It was morning. The app said “evening.” Those are two drastically different times of day. Like, one is at the beginning of the day. And one is at the end of the day. I know this is all obvious, but I want you to know that my brain couldn’t immediately comprehend what was happening.
Luckily, Todd knows the Disney’s Hollywood Studios park, inside Walt Disney World, like the back of his hand.
He took us to the Tower of Terror, where I almost vomited.
Then we went on the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, a hilariously dated Aerosmith-themed roller coaster where they sing “Love on a Roller Coaster,” instead of “Love in an Elevator.”
I felt sick (from the ride, I assume).
Later, we went on the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster in Toy Story Land. At the end, I felt queasy (and realized roller coasters make me nauseous).
We ate some food and sat. We walked around, then sat.
The crowds were massive. Galaxy’s Edge was packed.
A man managing the line at Oga’s Cantina, dressed as a member of the First Order, berated me because I was tweeting instead of listening to the instructions, like how long we are allowed to stay in there (45 minutes) and how we will sit with strangers.
I’m sure my wife is on his side. After all, this was the immersion part of the land. He was acting, and it was a lot of fun. But I forgot the joke I was going to tweet and was very upset. I’m sure it would have received at least four likes.
We walked and walked some more. I took more than 17,000 steps. I felt myself fading. It was too much. My feet hurt. My body hurt. My phone battery was dying.
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A Disney cast member dressed as a member of the First Order leads guests into a hangar bay of a Star Destroyer where 50 Stormtroopers greet riders on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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On opening day to the public, a cast member holds a sign at the entrance to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Visitors filled the queues on opening day to the public of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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A cast member portraying Rey from the “Star Wars” series greets a young visitor inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Two SUV-sized x-wing fighter drones are flown nearby, kicking off the dedication ceremony of the ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Bob Chapek, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, is joined by park cast members as he speaks during the dedication of Walt Disney World’s newest ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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James Meyer, 4, from Orlando, wears his Kylo Ren costume and is escorted by storm trooper cast members while walking through Black Spire Outpost, on the planet of Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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A Disney cast member dressed as a member of the First Order directs riders during the ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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On a Star Destroyer, 50 Stormtroopers greet riders on the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Scenes from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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On opening day to the public, cast members are lined up to check groups in at the entrance to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, in Orlando. A virtual ride queue was utilized, which allowed riders using the Walt Disney World app to register for a time and then return to the line queue. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Signs were posted throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios by 8:30 a.m. letting visitors know all virtual queue reservations were distributed for the day for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during the ride’s opening day for the public. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Lieutenant Bek from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A rider records a hologram projection of Daisy Ridley’s Rey with their phone in a scene along the ride queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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The droid BB-8 during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Riders inside a hangar bay of a Star Destroyer where Stormtroopers greet riders on the ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A scene from the ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, during opening day to the public in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Caged weapons are on dislpay for riders as they wait in line for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Florida. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Stormtroopers are in position inside a star destoyer on the ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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A pair of AT-AT’s inside the Star Destroyer that’s part of the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride during opening day to the public in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Views of alien equipment are seen as passengers travel through the line to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Guns point ominously skyward outside as you enter the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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A scene with Kylo Ren, from the ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during opening day inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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A green screen map is seen along the line where visitors wait for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A cast member directs participants at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Stormtroopers inside the Star Destroyer of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance open fire during the ride’s opening day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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The droid BB8 greets riders during the experience of interacting with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A holographic image of Daisy Ridley’s Rey in an early scene from the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Another view of Lieutenant Bek from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Uniforms worn by Star Wars character are caged next to the line where visitors wait for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Visitors can speculate about the purpose of equipment left out while waiting in line for the opportunity to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Along the line where visitors wait for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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A scene with Kylo Ren during Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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After multiple interactive scenes, riders sit in cars which take them through the rest of the ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Lieutenant Bek continues in his role as the action heats up during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Scenes from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Details along the queue of the ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
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Scenes from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance during a press preview at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
But then it happened: Nearly 10 hours later, we got in. We rushed through the physical queue, which only took about 20 minutes, and hopped on the ride. And let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
You can read Todd’s column about the ride and watch the review video we did together, but to reiterate: It’s awesome, it’s inventive and it’s sort of insane.
And then we left, having accomplished what we came for. And it got me thinking about when I was a kid and went to amusement parks with my family.
There weren’t virtual queues. We had to physically wait hours. Thank God for technology!
With virtual queues, I was able to do other things for nine hours and then get in line. Not sit until the lower half of my body went so numb, I had to crawl across the floor to get in the ride.
But it’s also sad.
With virtual queues, kids will never get the thrill of their father sighing as they see the “two hours from here” sign.
Or looking through your soul with such anger as you tell him you have to use the bathroom.
Or, as the Texas sun beats down on the back of your neck and you sweat through your clothes while waiting for the Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, you ask him, “How much longer?” and his response contains words my editors won’t allow on this esteemed website.
Those moments? Well, those are keepers.
Which is why I hope virtual queues remain special things and not a regular perk of all rides. Because I can’t wait until my son is old enough for me to take him on rides — and get angry at him for making me do it.
