Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance vs Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run share Disney's Hollywood Studios, but they fill different roles in a touring plan. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a story-driven dark ride; Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an immersive simulator. This comparison focuses on the choice guests actually face: intensity, audience fit, queue value and where each belongs in the day.
Quick verdict
Choose Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for story-focused groups and guests who prefer immersion over sustained thrills. Choose Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run for fans of immersive media attractions and the featured franchise. Neither is an automatic first priority solely from ride type; use the live waits and your group's preferences to break the tie.
Star Wars: Rise of the ResistanceDisney's Hollywood StudiosStar Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a story-driven dark ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is strongest for story-focused groups and guests who prefer immersion over sustained thrills. Its central tradeoff: Darkness and startling effects can still concern young children even without major drops.Wait times and best time to ride →
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers RunDisney's Hollywood StudiosMillennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an immersive simulator at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is strongest for fans of immersive media attractions and the featured franchise. Its central tradeoff: Screen motion can be more challenging than the ride vehicle's physical movement suggests.Wait times and best time to ride →
Side by side
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Location
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Experience
a story-driven dark ride
an immersive simulator
Intensity
Low to moderate: story scenes with possible darkness, noise or brief motion (database thrill rating: 4/5)
Moderate to high: screen-based motion and sensory effects (database thrill rating: 4/5)
Height requirement
40 in (102 cm) or taller
38 in (97 cm) or taller
Best for
story-focused groups and guests who prefer immersion over sustained thrills
fans of immersive media attractions and the featured franchise
Main caution
Darkness and startling effects can still concern young children even without major drops.
Screen motion can be more challenging than the ride vehicle's physical movement suggests.
Typical wait signal
Extreme Demand (60+ mins)
Often moderate, but day-of demand varies
Choose Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance if…
✓Your group wants a story-driven dark ride
✓This audience fits your party: story-focused groups and guests who prefer immersion over sustained thrills
✓You are comfortable with this tradeoff: Darkness and startling effects can still concern young children even without major drops.
Choose Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run if…
✓Your group wants an immersive simulator
✓This audience fits your party: fans of immersive media attractions and the featured franchise
✓You are comfortable with this tradeoff: Screen motion can be more challenging than the ride vehicle's physical movement suggests.
How the experiences actually differ
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance delivers a story-driven dark ride, with an intensity profile of “Low to moderate: story scenes with possible darkness, noise or brief motion (database thrill rating: 4/5).” Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run instead delivers an immersive simulator, with “Moderate to high: screen-based motion and sensory effects (database thrill rating: 4/5).” That difference is more important than a single average-wait number: a short wait is not a bargain if the ride's motion, soak level or format does not suit the people in your party.
How to fit each into your day
Neither is an automatic first priority solely from ride type; use the live waits and your group's preferences to break the tie. For Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: Use it as a flexible middle-of-day option unless it is a park headliner with persistently high demand. For Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: Ride before a large meal and use a wait alert if its queue builds faster than nearby physical rides. Do not lock both into fixed times unless they are true must-dos; monitoring both waits gives you room to take whichever reaches a favorable window first.
Can you realistically do both?
Yes. Both are in Disney's Hollywood Studios, so doing both is realistic without changing parks. The efficient approach is to protect the less flexible queue first and treat the other as a live-wait decision. If your group splits on intensity, use Rider Switch or a nearby lower-intensity experience where available rather than forcing everyone into the same choice.
Final recommendationStar Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the better use of time when your party wants a story-driven dark ride. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run wins when the group instead wants an immersive simulator. Track both and take the first genuinely useful wait window.
Watch both wait times
Get a text when Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run reaches a wait worth walking over for.
Which is better, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run?
Choose Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance if you want a story-driven dark ride and are planning around Disney's Hollywood Studios. Choose Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run if an immersive simulator is the better fit and Disney's Hollywood Studios is in your itinerary. “Better” depends primarily on motion tolerance, audience fit and park logistics.
Which should I prioritize first?
Neither is an automatic first priority solely from ride type; use the live waits and your group's preferences to break the tie. Recheck the live wait on your actual visit because operations, weather and downtime can outweigh historical patterns.
Can I experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in one day?
Yes. Both are in Disney's Hollywood Studios, so doing both is realistic without changing parks. The efficient approach is to protect the less flexible queue first and treat the other as a live-wait decision. If your group splits on intensity, use Rider Switch or a nearby lower-intensity experience where available rather than forcing everyone into the same choice.
Which is better for motion-sensitive guests?
Compare the formats before the thrill labels. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a story-driven dark ride; Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an immersive simulator. The safer choice is the one whose specific motion—not merely its speed—matches the guest's tolerance.
