Disney World vacations have become increasingly dependent on strategy. Families now spend months planning ride priorities, restaurant reservations, transportation routes, and Lightning Lane selections long before their trips begin.
A lot of that preparation centers around Disney Resort hotel perks. While Disney still offers benefits for hotel guests, many longtime fans continue comparing today’s offerings to perks that disappeared years ago, including free FastPasses, Magical Express, complimentary MagicBands, and broader Extra Magic Hours.
Now, another popular advantage for Disney Resort guests is starting to frustrate visitors at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Why Early Entry Matters So Much
Disney Resort guests still receive several exclusive benefits that can make vacations easier.
During summer 2026, one of the biggest additions is free water park admission on check-in day. From May 26 through September 8, 2026, hotel guests can visit a Disney water park on arrival day without paying an additional admission fee.
Guests also receive Early Entry at all four Disney World theme parks every morning. That extra half hour before regular park opening gives visitors a chance to ride major attractions before crowds fully build.
Transportation remains another important perk. Disney buses, Friendship Boats, monorails, and the Skyliner help guests move around the property quickly without having to drive or pay for parking constantly. For guests staying along the Skyliner route, getting to Hollywood Studios early becomes much easier.
Disney Resort visitors also gain earlier access to dining reservations and Lightning Lane selections, helping them secure hard-to-get experiences before many offsite guests.
For Hollywood Studios visitors, though, Early Entry usually revolves around one attraction.
Guests Build Entire Mornings Around Rise of the Resistance
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has become one of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World.
The attraction blends practical sets, motion simulation, trackless vehicles, and live storytelling into one massive experience inside Galaxy’s Edge. Because of that, standby waits often climb well beyond an hour later in the day.
That is why many resort guests treat the attraction as their top priority for open drop
Guests staying at Skyliner resorts often arrive before sunrise so they can head directly toward Galaxy’s Edge during Early Entry. If the attraction opens on time, many visitors can avoid the extremely long waits that form later.
Unfortunately, the ride’s reliability issues continue disrupting that strategy.
When Rise of the Resistance Goes Down, Everybody Feels It
Rise of the Resistance continues experiencing downtime and delayed openings throughout the day. In some cases, guests have reported that the attraction did not open at all during Early Entry.
For visitors who planned their entire morning around that ride, it can feel like the resort perk suddenly loses much of its value.
The closures also create crowd problems across Hollywood Studios.
Instead of funneling into Galaxy’s Edge, large groups suddenly rush toward attractions like Slinky Dog Dash, Tower of Terror, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Guests who intentionally avoid Rise of the Resistance often end up dealing with bigger crowds anyway because everyone changes plans at the same time.
That ripple effect can quickly throw off an entire park strategy.
Backup Plans for Guests
Visitors still have a few options if Rise of the Resistance stays closed during Early Entry.
Many guests try riding during lunch or dinner when crowds shift toward dining locations. Others save the attraction for the final hour before park closing, when waits sometimes drop.
There is still risk involved, though. If the attraction shuts down again late at night, guests may lose their final chance to ride.
Lightning Lane Single Pass remains another option for guests hoping to reduce wait times. However, downtime can still create backups in the Lightning Lane queue itself, especially when large numbers of return times overlap after operational delays.
For many Disney Resort guests, that uncertainty is becoming one of the biggest frustrations at Hollywood Studios.
