Disney's Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort has introduced a new mission themed around 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,' debuting on May 22.
Collaboration with Star Wars Creators
Walt Disney Imagineers collaborated with Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni to create this new adventure. Asa Kalama, executive creative and interactive experiences lead at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained that the idea began with discussions on adapting the film's storyline for a theme park setting.
New Missions and Enhanced Roles
The updated ride offers three distinct missions, allowing visitors to join the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and Grogu. Players track ex-Imperial officers across the galaxy, with roles for pilots, gunners, and enhanced responsibilities for engineers, who now choose between destinations: Bespin, Coruscant, or Endor.
On Bespin, crews navigate Cloud City; on Coruscant, they pursue a Sentinel Assault Shuttle; and on Endor, they search for a Trandoshan pirate in the Death Star debris.
Interactive Experience and Technology
Matt Martin, senior creative executive at Lucasfilm, emphasized the importance of guest agency in the ride. The updated Unreal Engine technology enhances the visual experience, making environments richer.
Character Appearances at Galaxy's Edge
Alongside ride updates, Galaxy's Edge now features Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker. Michael Serna, executive creative director at Disney Live Entertainment, highlighted the collaboration with Lucasfilm to ensure that fan-favorite characters have a backstory, enhancing visitor engagement.
Serna elaborated, 'Our story is Darth Vader is really here to hunt Luke Skywalker down, and that brings in Leia Organa and Han Solo, who want to make sure Luke's going to be okay.'
The concurrent release of the ride and the movie marks a first for Disney parks, blending cinematic and theme park experiences.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/disney-parks-millennium-falcon-smugglers-run-ride-update-1236755892/
