The virtual queue is out, standby is in for "Rise of the Resistance."

Walt Disney World (WDW) has just announced that it will be temporarily “pausing” the virtual queue service for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. Instead, there will be the traditional standby line.

This comes as big news as WDW is getting ready to launch its 50th-anniversary celebration with lots of fanfare, new attractions, and special events.

According to a post on WDW’s official blog, "We know our guests love choice and flexibility when planning their time in a theme park. Which is why, starting Sept. 23, we will pause the use of virtual queue for 'Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance,' and guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios may experience this incredible attraction using a traditional standby queue for the first time since it opened in 2019."

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is WDW’s biggest addition in years. Not surprisingly, the area remains popular and gathers large crowds as guests wander around the land and take in views of the Millennium Falcon and the impressive landscape of Batuu.

For the uninitiated, the virtual queue service worked as follows:

  • Park guests had to log into the Walt Disney World app (My Disney Experience) to secure a ride time.
  • There were two times during the day that this could be done, the first at 7 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
  • You would then get a boarding group number and an approximate boarding time.
  • After the time had been called, your group could enter whenever you wanted.

The system was designed to cut down on congestion in line and around the general area. It’s used in other parks, like Universal Orlando.

WDW has stated that it could bring the virtual queue system back to the popular ride in the future. Meanwhile, other WDW rides will continue to use the system, including the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot, which opens on October 1.

There are lots of guesses and conjectures as to the reason for this. WDW has seen drops in attendance, which can be attributed to school being back in session and ongoing uncertainties about COVID-19. Additionally, the Disney Genie service (the park’s paid version of the formerly free FastPass system) will soon be available for guest use.

Have you been to Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments your thoughts on pausing the virtual queue system.