Okay Disney fans, we need to talk about what’s happening at Galaxy’s Edge right now because it’s HUGE. Rise of the Resistance, literally the best and most popular ride in Star Wars land, just went dark on January 20 with absolutely NO reopening date announced. And we’re not talking about a quick overnight maintenance thing here. Fresh Baked and other content creators are posting photos showing the ENTIRE ride building surrounded by construction walls.
Like, full-on construction barriers completely encasing the whole thing. This is serious business, you guys. When Disney puts up walls like that, it means they’re doing major work, not just fixing a broken animatronic or tweaking some lighting. And the timing? It’s all connected to that massive Galaxy’s Edge overhaul Disney announced where they’re splitting the land between original trilogy and sequel trilogy timelines. We’ve been waiting YEARS for Disney to bring back the good Star Wars characters, and it’s finally happening on April 29, but apparently Rise of the Resistance needs some serious work before that can go down. So let’s break down everything we know about this closure, what’s changing across all of Galaxy’s Edge, and what this means if you’ve got a Disneyland trip coming up.
The Ride Is Completely Walled Off
So here’s what we’re seeing from people documenting the parks right now. Rise of the Resistance closed on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and Disney immediately started putting up construction walls. Not just little barriers around the entrance. We’re talking full construction screening that completely surrounds the entire attraction building. You can’t see the ride at all from the guest areas.
oh! They REALLY closed Rise of the Resistance. pic.twitter.com/xR9pttAbqx
— Fresh Baked! (@FrshBakedDisney) January 21, 2026
When Disney does this level of construction blocking, it’s because they’re either doing extensive technical work, replacing major show elements, or in this case, probably making changes for the whole timeline shift thing. Quick maintenance closures don’t require hiding the entire building from view. This is big renovation energy.
And get this: Disney’s official website just says to “check back” for updates. No reopening date. No timeline. Just “check back later lol.” Which honestly could mean they don’t know how long it’ll take, or it could mean they’re keeping it closed all the way until the April 29 Galaxy’s Edge relaunch and don’t want to commit to a specific date yet.
Either way, if you’re planning a Disneyland trip anytime soon, Rise of the Resistance is OFF the table. Plan accordingly.
The Galaxy’s Edge Timeline Split Is Actually Happening
In case you missed the announcement from earlier this month, Disney’s doing something that honestly should have happened from day one: they’re splitting Galaxy’s Edge between the GOOD Star Wars era (original trilogy) and the sequel trilogy that nobody asked for.
Starting April 29, 2026, half of Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland will be set during the original trilogy with the Empire, the Rebellion, and all the characters we actually care about. The other half stays in sequel trilogy land with the First Order and Resistance stuff. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is getting the same treatment but they haven’t announced when yet, probably because they want to test it at Disneyland first and work out any issues.
This is a MASSIVE change from the original vision for Galaxy’s Edge, which was super strict about being set in one specific moment between The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. Cast members had to stay in character as Batuu residents, everything had a backstory, it was this whole immersive thing. Which was cool in theory but meant we couldn’t see Luke, Leia, Han, or Vader because they weren’t alive or relevant during that time period.
The problem? Most Star Wars fans don’t care about the sequel trilogy as much as Disney hoped they would. People want the CLASSIC characters. They want original trilogy vibes. So Disney’s finally giving the people what they want by letting both eras exist in the same land.
Everything Else That’s Changing Too
Rise of the Resistance isn’t the only thing getting worked on right now. Oga’s Cantina also closed on January 20 for renovations, and when it reopens in early March, it’s getting some serious upgrades.
The bar is going to look newer and fresher instead of all worn down, but MORE IMPORTANTLY, they’re adding the Cantina Band music from the original 1977 Star Wars movie. You know the one. The iconic song from the Mos Eisley cantina scene that literally everyone recognizes even if they’ve never seen Star Wars. That alone is going to make Oga’s so much better and give it that original trilogy connection people have been begging for.
Then there’s the shops. First Order Cargo, which currently sells sequel trilogy merch that nobody really wants, is getting completely replaced by Black Spire Surplus. The new store is going to be a “military salvage operation” selling stuff from across Star Wars history, especially original trilogy era gear. Translation: Disney finally realized that people want to buy Darth Vader and Stormtrooper stuff, not Kylo Ren merchandise that doesn’t sell.
And here’s the best part: CHARACTER MEET AND GREETS. Princess Leia, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and DARTH VADER are all coming to Galaxy’s Edge. This is what people have been screaming about since the land opened in 2019. We finally get to meet the actual iconic Star Wars characters instead of just random Batuu citizens nobody cares about.
What’s Actually Happening to Rise of the Resistance?
So the big question everyone’s asking: what are they doing to the ride behind those walls?
Right now, Rise of the Resistance is 100% sequel trilogy. You’ve got Kylo Ren, General Hux, Resistance fighters, all that stuff. If Disney wants to tie it into the original trilogy timeline, they’d need to change dialogue, video screens, maybe some animatronics, possibly even physical set pieces. That’s a TON of work.
Honestly? I don’t think they’re going to completely retheme the whole ride. That would cost a fortune and take forever. More likely they’re either keeping Rise of the Resistance as the sequel trilogy anchor while everything else around it shifts to original trilogy, or they’re making some smaller updates while leaving the main experience intact.
But here’s the thing: Rise of the Resistance has always had technical problems. The ride is SO complicated with all its different systems that it breaks down constantly. Like, it’s notorious for being unreliable. Last year Disney finally fixed a cannon effect that had been broken for THREE YEARS. Three years! That’s embarrassing.
So this extended closure is probably Disney’s chance to do all the maintenance and repairs they’ve been putting off, upgrade some aging tech, fix things that keep breaking, and generally make the ride more reliable going forward. Which honestly needs to happen because waiting 90 minutes for a ride that might break down halfway through is not a great guest experience.
What This Means for Your Disneyland Trip
If you’ve got Disneyland plans between now and late April, you need to adjust your Galaxy’s Edge strategy immediately. Rise of the Resistance has been THE ride everyone wants to do since it opened. It’s the whole reason most people even go to Galaxy’s Edge. And now it’s just… gone. For months.
That means Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is the ONLY real attraction in Galaxy’s Edge right now. And you know what that means? Wait times are going to be BRUTAL. Everyone who would have been doing Rise of the Resistance is now going to be in the Smugglers Run line instead. If you want to pilot the Falcon, either get there at rope drop or pay for Lightning Lane because standby is going to be a nightmare.
The April 29 date for the full timeline shift suggests Rise of the Resistance will probably reopen around then, but Disney refusing to commit to any date means you shouldn’t count on it. If you’re visiting before late April, just assume the ride won’t be open and you’ll avoid disappointment.
And honestly? Even if you’re going after April 29, maybe wait a few days to let them work out any kinks from the reopening. New ride systems or refreshed attractions always have issues in the first few days of operation.
The Real Tea on All This
Look, I’m actually excited about what Disney’s doing with Galaxy’s Edge even though it took them WAY too long to figure out that people want original trilogy content. The sequel trilogy didn’t land the way Disney hoped, and pretending otherwise was just hurting the land’s appeal.
Bringing in Luke, Leia, Han, and Vader? That’s going to completely change the energy of Galaxy’s Edge. Adding the Cantina Band music? Perfect. Selling original trilogy merch? Should have been there from day one. All of this should make the land WAY more popular with casual fans who don’t care about the deep Star Wars lore but just want to see Darth Vader and hear iconic music.
But losing Rise of the Resistance for potentially three or four months is rough. That ride is genuinely incredible when it works, and not having it available is going to hurt Galaxy’s Edge’s draw in the short term. Disney better make sure whatever they’re doing during this refurbishment is worth the extended closure.
Stay Updated and Plan Smart
Keep obsessively checking Disneyland’s website and social media for updates about Rise of the Resistance reopening. Follow all the Disney content creators who document construction because they’ll spot changes before Disney officially announces anything. And if you’re planning a trip anytime soon, join some Disneyland Facebook groups and ask people who’ve been recently what the current situation is with Galaxy’s Edge.
This timeline shift is going to be the biggest change to Galaxy’s Edge since it opened, and you want to time your visit right. Go too early and you miss everything. Go right when it reopens and you’re dealing with massive crowds and potential technical issues. Maybe aim for May or June if you can swing it, after the initial chaos settles but while everything’s still fresh and exciting.
And if you DO get to experience the refreshed Galaxy’s Edge with all the original trilogy content, come back here and tell us EVERYTHING because we’re dying to know how it all turns out!
