Somehow, Rise of the Resistance single rider has returned. After a short test period back in July and August, the Single Rider line has returned to one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World. We documented the Single Rider line and queue route changes back in August, so we decided to head back out to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this past weekend to check out what has changed and what might be the same now that the Single Rider option has returned.

Rise of the Resistance Single Rider Returns

Just like last time, there will be a Cast Member holding a Single Rider sign near the entrance to Rise of the Resistance to indicate that it is an option. During the test this past Summer, the Single Rider process was a little bit more structured than it was when we visited this weekend. Previously, guests would need to gather next to the Cast Member with the sign while a second Cast Member walked groups to the attraction’s entrance to join the Single Rider queue proper. When we visited this weekend, there was no Cast Member chaperone, and guests were simply directed to the Single Rider entrance.

So, where is the Single Rider entrance? Just like the test this Summer, guests looking to join the Single Rider line will head toward the attraction’s exit to the right of the entrance and stroller parking area.

One change that we noticed for the current implementation of Single Rider vs the test this summer is that there is a height check stick and attraction notice board here at the Single Rider attraction entrance. There is a Cast Member stationed here to answer any questions that you might have about the process.

Just like this summer, the queue that is in use is completely separate from the regular standby queue and completely different from the Lightning Lane queue. When not in use for the Single Rider offering, this is a Cast Member walkway, connecting the I-TS (Intersystem Transport Ship) experience and the front of the attraction.

I couldn’t tell if Single Rider was a popular option or if operations were terrible at first, but the line was a bit longer than what I was used to experiencing during multiple visits during the summer test. Eventually, it would become clear that operations were less than ideal. In fact, the Single Rider line was a whopping 45 minutes (!!!) when we visited. This is 3x as long as what Disney is aiming for and the poor operations were evident once the line got to the interior portion of the queue. The posted standby wait time was 60 minutes.

One huge positive from our Single Rider experience this weekend is that we were sent through the “good” backstage corridor. During the summer test, we saw operations use two different hallways to get the Single Rider queue from the outdoor queue to the indoor queue. Basically, there is a route to the left of the I-TS and a route to the right. The route to the right is far more immersion-breaking than the route to the left even though both utilize backstage hallways.

It seems like the route to the left of the I-TS is less of a concern for Walt Disney World too as there were no verbal or written instructions about photography. When using the route to the right of the I-TS, Cast Members offered verbal instructions on not taking photos during most of our visits. Either way, I contend that this is not a backstage route once they decide to make it a part of standard operations. I ranted about it a bit during an earlier article, so I’m not going to rehash it here. Here’s a look at the short hallway Single Riders are sent down that connects the I-TS loading area outdoors and the First Order ship hangar indoors.

Once inside the hangar, there is a Cast Member managing the Single Rider line, sending groups of guests across the hangar in between arrivals of standby guests via the I-TS. By keeping the Single Rider guests to the side of the hangar, the experience for regular standby guests isn’t impacted too much.

As we were sent across, the door to the I-TS opened and another wave of standby guests were being briefed about their arrival to the First Order ship.

As was the case during the summer test, Single Rider and standby queues are kept separate, with Single Rider taking the lefthand side of the next corridor and standby guests taking the right lane. Unfortunately, operations here were quite bad, and we spent most of the time looking at an empty standby queue lane with little to no movement of the Single Rider queue.

As you may know, the I-TS delivers waves of standby guests to the First Order ship, which means that there are ebbs and flows in crowds. In the photo below, you can see that the Single Rider line was not moving, but that guests via the standby line were zooming right onto the ride. Let’s break down what I observed, and why it likely led to the 45-minute wait that I experienced in the Single Rider line.

Ok, to better understand what’s going on, we should take a look at what normal operations look like without a Single Rider line. In our file photo below, you can see two staging areas past where the current Single Rider/standby merge area is. Essentially, Cast Members put together groups of 8 guests and have them stand in this initial room to start. Then, another Cast Member from the hallway in the distance takes the groups of 8 guests and assigns them to smaller groups that will eventually be used to board the ride. In the past, Rise of the Resistance operations have tried using even/odd group lines to try and create the most efficient grouping process, but the return of the Single Rider line likely means that Single Rider is the best option for maximum efficiency.

Ok, back to our experience this weekend and the 45-minute wait for Single Rider. What I observed is that the Cast Member who was grouping Single Riders with standby would only pull from the Single Rider line when there was a group in the standby line for the Single Rider to join. Going back to the concept of the standby line arriving in waves thanks to the I-TS experience, that meant that there was plenty of time when there was nobody from the standby line to group a Single Rider with. Instead of just sending groups of Single Riders to the ride experience, everything would grind to a halt until the next wave of standby guests arrived.

Eventually, that Cast Member was replaced by another Cast Member as the shift change occurred, and then the Single Rider line started moving wonderfully. In fact, the group that we eventually rode with was comprised of 8 Single Riders due to there being no standby guests at the time. The question then becomes: what is the correct operational procedure? Is it procedure to send Single Riders onto the attraction if there are no standby guests to pair them with, or is it required to have standby guests to pair Single Riders with? If it’s the latter, expect long waits from the Single Rider line.

Just like anything, your mileage may vary and your experience could be a 5-minute wait compared to the 45-minute wait I experienced. Hopefully, the operational issues that I experienced are not the norm, but we’ll have to return multiple times to get a better feel for what the typical experience is like.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on the Single Rider option to see if operations have improved and if Disney continues to use the “good” backstage route.

It’s unclear if the return of Single Rider is another “test” or if this can be considered a “permanent” offering. Logically, it would stand to reason that this is a permanent offering. There isn’t enough of a difference this time from the two-week test this summer to argue that Disney is testing something new that they didn’t already have plenty of data for from last time. That said, I hesitate to say that Single Rider is something that you can count on being available during your next visit. I have reached out to Walt Disney World multiple times, and they have not returned requests for more information.

As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!