Riding on a great theme park attraction is like going to a magic show. We know that a magician isn’t really making something disappear in a puff of smoke or transporting something across a room, but the fact that it so seamlessly appears that’s what’s happening is no less incredible. Such is the case with a great theme park ride, making you feel like you’re on an incredible adventure, but the best trick of all is the one you don't even realize is happening.
Rise of the Resistance is the best ride at Disneyland. It’s also the best ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It’s in fact the best theme park attraction I’ve ever experienced, though some of the best rides at Epic Universe give it a run for its money. It’s an incredible attraction in scope and scale, just like Galaxy's Edge itself. It has some quite impressive set pieces like massive AT-AT walkers and cool effects, like Kylo Ren attempting to cut through a ceiling with a lightsaber.
However, YouTuber Zach Wally recently made me aware of one effect that may be better than any other, not because it’s particularly massive or complex, but it’s actually quite simple. It’s so simple, I had never actually realized it was there.
Rise Of The Resistance’s Transports Are Not As Big As They Appear
The effect in question happens during one of the multiple Rise of the Resistance pre-shows. After getting their mission from Rey, guests board a transport that’s supposed to take them off Batuu. It’s being commanded by Lt. Bek and piloted by Nien Nunb. The popular Star Wars sidekick can be seen on video screens, and guests who look past Lt. Bek see the back of his head as he’s flying the transport.
However, it turns out Nien Nunb isn’t actually where you think he is. There’s actually a mirror behind the Bek audio-animatronic, that’s reflecting the ship’s cockpit, which is at a 90-degree angle to the rest of the ship. I’ve looked at that setup quite a few times, but it never even crossed my mind that it could be happening.
Sometimes, The Creativity Of Walt Disney Imagineering Is In Its Simplicity
This wasn’t done for any particular impressive reason. It simply allows the transport model to be slightly smaller than it appears, allowing three of them to fit on the turntable that rotates guests between the pre-show area and the First Order ship portion of the attraction. It’s a creative way to fix a functionality issue. Check out Zach Wally’s video for a complete look at how it works.
After learning about this, I am certainly going to be taking a closer look the next time I ride Rise of the Resistance. Not only that, I’ll be taking a closer look at all my favorite rides. I wonder what other cool effects I’ve never noticed before.
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