We have all heard the stories of new rides and long lines at Walt Disney World parks. When Pandora – The World of Avatar, opened in Animal Kingdom in 2017 guest stood in lines for many hours. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened at Star Wars: #GalaxysEdge at Walt Disney World Resort on Dec. 5 and will open at Disneyland Resort on Jan. 17. Fast Passes are not available at this time for attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Disney has released a new way to manage the riding process with a virtual queue and Boarding Groups. You can check into a virtual queue and get assigned a boarding group, when your boarding group is called you head to the Rise of the Resistance and ride, there is usually a brief wait.

The virtual queue will not be used every day, they will post signage around the park and on the app if it is in use.

How do you join the virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?

1. Enter Hollywood Studios, make sure you have all members of your party who want to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, sorry no sleeping in, no carrying everyone’s magic bands, all guests in the boarding group must be fingerprint scanned and in the park. Check the signage at the park and on the app to make sure the virtual queue is being used during your visit.
2. Pull up your My Disney Experience app or visit a Guest Experience Team location inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios and request to join the virtual queue and you will be assigned a boarding group. Capacity is limited and unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be given a boarding group. Guests can join the virtual queue at the opening time for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
3. If you are one of the lucky ones who got there early and got a boarding group you can then use Fast Passes for other popular rides, you can explore Hollywood Studios, slip out of the park and grab lunch at Epcot. You will have a two hour window to return when your boarding group is active, if you get push notifications on your phone the app will let you know or you will have to check back in to see what boarding groups they are loading. Wait time will depend how quickly people get on and off the ride. This update is as of January 2020, if there are changes we will make a note as sometimes with new rides the procedure will change over time. We would love to hear your experiences with the new Galaxy’s Edge attractions, do you love the Rise of the Resistance?

Happy December! I am a BIG fan of the Christmas season, (my daughter and I actually start in November) Christmas carols are on every station, Hallmark Channel is on our tv 24/7 , every soap is peppermint and cookies count for breakfast if they are oatmeal right? This year we are traveling to the Georgia mountains and could not be more excited. We do have family in the area and are looking forward to visiting them and having a few holiday adventures along the way.

Lodging

We will be stopping by at least 3 of these 8 Small Georgia Towns that do Christmas right, Helen, Blue Ridge and Dahlonega. Check out our Instagram account for pictures of our holiday adventures. We decided a family Christmas had to include our furry members too so we opted to rent a cabin. I was happily surprised to find so many pet-friendly options. If we were going to stay at a hotel I found this beautiful option, Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa. They are having a Breakfast with Santa we don’t want to miss.

Local Food

I found The Sawmill Place on a previous visit but due to our schedule could not try it and I have been dreaming of those homemade biscuits I saw ever since. I think they sum it up the best on their website ” Generational recipes using farm-fresh products is the basis for our kitchen’s concept.   The nostalgically Southern menu changes depending on the season and harvest.  We support our local farmers and purveyors and believe you’ll taste the difference in the bounty of our mountain farmlands. “

North Georgia is a beautiful part of the state with mountains, forests and waterfalls to explore. There are wineries, orchards, history, nature, antiquing and so many different things to see and do. We are hoping we just might see a little snow too.

Magic is everywhere in Orlando during the holiday season. From the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal to the amazing Polar Express ICE at Gaylord Palms and of course Walt Disney World Resort has Christmas magic everywhere ready to be discovered.

Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort™

The halls are decked and ready for your visit, holiday fun will end Jan. 5. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ as Hogsmeade™ and Diagon Alley™ are full of holiday decorations and special treats. Watch the live retelling of Dr. Seuss’s classic holiday tale starring The Grinch™ in the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular. Don’t miss the Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and some beloved characters. There is so much to do at the Universal Orlando Resort during the holidays. Get a quote for your family trip now!

ICE! is a fun family experience at Gaylord Palms with an all-new theme featuring THE POLAR EXPRESS™. Experience the spirit of Christmas with the holiday story, THE POLAR EXPRESS™ , as you walk through hand-carved ice sculptures and displays. Over 2 million pounds of ice are used. Many more activities are available, view acres of decorations with over 2 million lights, you can also take a snow tube ride!

A Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom & Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays will keep your family very busy and creating some amazing holiday memories. Check out our Pixie Dust Division Facebook Page for more pictures and information about these fun events.

How can we help you create amazing memories with your family or group of friends? Text us (1-800-873-1561) your dates and we can send you a quote and a questionnaire to get the process started!

Happy Holidays!