It's a classic Star Wars moment. A hologram flickers into life and the heroine appears, pleading for help. We are surely her last hope.
But it’s not Princess Leia. It’s Rey, last of the Jedi. And this is the Rise of the Resistance.
No, it’s not the new movie. Nor is it the latest animated TV series. This is a Star Wars adventure with a hero you’ll know well. Someone close to home. It’s you. Yes, you.
Because you’ve just joined the cast of a 20-minute adventure alongside Rey, Poe, Finn and evil Kylo Ren. And did I mention the 50 stormtroopers?
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the talk of the galaxy, the new attraction that opens on Thursday 5th December at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
Fevered anticipation has swirled around the launch of the new ride. And it has all been wide of the mark.
Because this isn’t just a ride. It’s so much more than that; it’s the next best thing to starring in a movie.
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First look at Walt Disney World's new Star Wars ride Rise of the Resistance
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Disney has spent the GDP of a small planet on what will become the signature attraction at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the 14-acre theme park within a theme park.
It is, quite simply, jaw-dropping – the most advanced adventure of its kind, blending holograms, special effects, animatronics and state of the art simulation.
It starts well, then just gets better and better, and bigger and bigger, as it goes along. I was among the first in the world to ride it this week – and it earned an impromptu ovation from my fellow resistance fighters.
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We’ve always known that Disney does pre-rides, simulators, vehicle rides and storylines well, with impeccable attention to detail. This time they do it all in one.
The First Order’s kitchen sink must be in there somewhere.
It starts with a briefing from hologram Rey, animatronic BB8 and filmed fighter pilot Poe, their voices specially recorded by the stars of the final franchise trilogy.
At all costs you must keep the location of the rebels’ Bakura base secret or it’s curtains for the resistance.
You’re rushed from there to a waiting shuttle piloted by one of Admiral Ackbar’s fishy friends. But as you leave the planet of Batuu, way out on the galaxy’s edge, things start to unravel fast.
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Well, this is Star Wars, after all. You have a bad feeling about this, just as the heroes of the series have had ever since the very first Episode IV: A New Hope back in 1977.
Ambushed by two First Order Star Destroyers, your ship is inexorably drawn in by a tractor beam. There is no escape. So far, so good. A cut above most simulators.
What happens next will take your breath away.
The shuttle doors open and live actor First Order forces swarm in, guiding you out into a cavernous hangar, seemingly cut from solid rock, and filled with those 50 animatronic Stormtroopers.
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You’re taken from there to an interrogation cell – again by live actors who do not drop their stern-faced act for a single second. Once behind bars, you’re taunted by Kylo Ren and General Hux. Things look bleak.
Until, that is, a remarkable rescue. Just how, I’m not saying because it will spoil the surprise, one of many OMG moments that follow once you clamber into your escape pod.
Using clever trackless trickery with lessons learned from Disneyland Paris’ Ratatouille ride (a sister of which will open in Orlando next year), the pod runs you into the heart of a battle with plasma-blasting Stormtroopers.
Kylo Ren reappears several times – once cutting through the roof above your very head with his red crystal lightsaber – and you’ll spot Finn and others in animatronic form worthy of the Terminator T2000 series.
You dodge giant life-sized AT-ATs, plasma cannons and failing systems as the Star Destroyer succumbs to an onslaught by the Rebel Alliance, eventually making a final, shocking, exit that comes almost without warning.
(I’m not going to spoil the surprise there either. Suffice it to say it’s a down to earth affair).
We’re told that more than five million lines of code were written to choreograph the carefully managed chaos. That’s impressive but by the by.
What matters is the sheer exhilaration you feel at the end of your adventure. This is every kids’ Star Wars dream come true. You’ll want to ride again. Straight away. Then again and again. And each time you’ll spot something you missed before.
Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said: "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the most ambitious, immersive, advanced, action-packed attraction we’ve ever created. We threw out the rulebook to deliver experiential storytelling on a massive, cinematic scale. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance sets a new standard for what a theme park experience can be."
It’s set to get even better, Chapek announced during a presentation at the resort’s Epcot on Tuesday night. Coming next year is Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser, in which guests can stay two nights amid perfect sets and characters.
Every window will have a view – of deep space. There’ll be lightsaber training for adults and children, plus the chance to help navigate on the bridge.
But, of course, it being Star Wars, there’ll be surprises along the way.
You may well find yourself in the middle of another space battle. In fact, I think it’s a dead cert. Like Rise of the Resistance, the force is strong in this one.
Want to book the holiday?
Seven nights at Walt Disney World in Florida from £1,024pp.
Includes scheduled Virgin Atlantic flights from London Gatwick direct to Orlando, room only accommodation at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort with car hire included, as well as a 14 day Ultimate Ticket to Walt Disney World theme parks (for the price of 7 days).
Price is based on two adults and two children aged 3-9 years old, travelling and sharing a standard room.
Book on the Virgin Holidays website , call 0344 557 3859 or visit one of the stores nationwide.
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