Galaxy's Edge hasn't received rave reviews since opening in both Disneyland and Disney World and having now been to the latter, it's easy to see why. Visually, it's a jaw-dropping area to walk through and seeing a life-sized Millennium Falcon will never not be, well, awesome.
However, it is mostly made up of stores selling tat and Smuggler's Run is only okay (it's basically Star Tours with buttons but is still pretty good fun). Thankfully, cast members have mostly stopped being completely in character so you won't have to walk around saying "Bright Suns!" every fight minutes and are unlikely to get confused by being asked to pay in "credits" rather than dollars.
Rise of the Resistance, however, is an absolute game-changer for Galaxy's Edge and more of an experience than a theme park ride. Set between the events of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, it vaguely ties into the latter and explains why General Hux and Kylo Ren's relationship has changed since the last time we saw them. Ultimately, though, that doesn't really matter.
What will truly blow your mind is standing there watching a holographic Rey give you your mission before travelling on a Resistance freighter which is then captured by the First Order, a twist which results in you being walked through an actual Star Destroyer where you'll come face to face with an entire legion of Stormtroopers. Oh, and if that sounds amazing, then the ride itself (which sees you pursued by Kylo Ren, AT-ATs, and more) will leave you truly breathless.
It feels like you're in a Star Wars movie and you'll get a completely different experience depending on which of the transports you end up sitting in. The front one is definitely better when it comes to the aforementioned AT-ATs and other memorable surprises so keep your fingers crossed for that one.
There's a lot to love about Galaxy's Edge; the Ronto Wraps in Ronto Roasters are delicious, the atmosphere is incredible (it really does feel like you're on another planet or a film set), and the Legacy Lightsabers in Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities are phenomenal...my wife and I came back with Kylo Ren, the Reforged Skywalker Saber, Ben Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Maul, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader! Oga's Cantina is also well worth a visit but Rise of the Resistance is the experience that will really stick with you.
Right now, Disney World is using Boarding Groups to decide who gets to go on. That means you need to get there early and use the "My Disney Experience" app the second Hollywood Studios officially opens and you've tapped your Magic Band to come through the gates. It's not as bad as it sounds as we ended up in Boarding Groups 6 and 24 respectively and even got to ride it a third time after it broke down shortly before we boarded (you're given a Fast Pass to return later in the day). This meant getting to experience the "pre-ride" areas an extra time and spending more time in the hangar of the Star Destroyer...still, there's nothing that takes you out of the moment more than leaving a spaceship via some stairs and passing the staff room!
Hopefully, this has given you a better idea of what to expect from Galaxy's Edge now it's been open for a while and both rides are finally available to check out. Pandora in Animal Kingdom (based on James Cameron's Avatar) definitely has a rival in Galaxy's Edge and Rise of the Resistance is easily up there with the immersive and visually stunning Flight of Passage. Is it worth making a visit to Disney World solely for this new attraction? In many respects, yes, but there's an awful lot to check out beyond it, including Toy Story Land and classic attractions like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Splash Mountain, and Expedition Everest.
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Star Wars fans, though, Rise of the Resistance is something you need to add to your bucket list and experience ASAP.
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