Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is truly spectacular. It’s one of the coolest rides at any theme park, and it hasn’t gotten any less cool since it first opened at Disney World in 2019 and Disneyland in 2020. Whether you’re a diehard Star Wars fan, casual film watcher, or have never actually seen any of the franchise, it’s so impressive and so immersive from start to finish that you’ll be all-in, no matter what.
All of that considered, it must be absolutely mind-blowing to experience that ride when you were in the films and are actually part of the ride yourself. A lot of actors get to record new dialogue for theme park attractions based on properties they were a part of, but Domhnall Gleeson even has an animatronic of his General Hux likeness inside the ride. During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the star of The Paper revealed that, while he didn’t actually attend the opening of Rise of the Resistance, he did have a pretty incredible experience with the attraction.
There’s, like, people playing Stormtroopers on the ride. It’s massive. When I went, I kind of snuck in, and one of the Stormtroopers came over and said, 'It’s good to see you undercover, General.' Like that – when I was doing the ride. They stayed in character. And when I was leaving, they all saluted me. It was amazing. It was really great.
Now, I will say that with all the times I’ve faced the First Order and joined the other Resistance recruits on that Star Wars attraction, I’ve never experienced people playing Stormtroopers inside of it (although they do walk around in the ever-evolving Galaxy’s Edge). But I wouldn’t be surprised if they sprinkled a little extra Disney magic onto Domhnall Gleeson’s experience to ensure that he has such an incredible story to share. You can check out the Fallon clip here:
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been on Rise of the Resistance since it opened, but there’s still something so special about it every time I ride it. Trackless rides give a sense of unpredictability while also providing a smooth ride. It’s ideal for those of us who are prone to motion sickness but still love the thrills that a theme park offers. It’s also endlessly re-ridable because you never quite know what you’re going to get, depending on where you sit and which vehicle you are in.
In case you’re not familiar with the Harry Potter star’s role in the Star Wars franchise, General Hux is the worst. He’s a true believer who’s up to no good and who’s even willing to be a traitor and sell out Kylo Ren, just to see him fail. Hux ultimately dies in the films without ever redeeming himself.
With the world of Batuu, the planet guests visit when going to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, shining the spotlight brighter on Darth Vader now instead of Kylo Ren, it’s likely we may never see a General Hux character walking around and interacting with guests. However the character does live on within the Disney World and Disneyland ride, where park attendees, Star Wars fans, and Domhnall Gleeson can create memorable experiences in the years to come.
