DISNEY has announced that a beloved ride will get an upgrade with exciting new roles for riders to explore.
The ride’s new features will debut on a special date that many Disney fans have been anticipating.
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Beginning May 22, 2026, the Disneyland Resort will welcome visitors to a story-based ride with updated fan-favorite characters, as reported by Los Angeles local TV news outlet KTLA.
Disney announced the upcoming changes during Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Next year, Disneyland riders will experience a refreshed Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride.
As an interactive simulator ride, guests are asked to operate the Millennium Falcon, a spaceship from the Star Wars franchise.
The ride consists of a motion simulator seating six people, which is decorated as the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.
The update will allow fans to choose their destination during the interactive intergalactic journey.
The new destinations include gas planet Bespin, the wreckage of the second Death Star around Endor, and the city-planet Coruscant.
Riders can experience the new feature when it debuts on the same day as the release of the feature film The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni said riders should expect a blend of storytelling and exciting innovation that will thrill Star Wars fans.
“The intersection of storytelling and innovation has always been central to Lucasfilm and we’re excited to see where this collaboration will take us next,” Filoni said.
Riders can choose between three demanding roles: pilot, gunner, or engineer.
The pilot must fly the ship, the gunner controls the ship’s blasters, and the engineer has to repair damage to the aircraft.
Whoever chooses to act as engineer is tasked with an extra-special role — looking after Grogu.
Grogu, referred to by some as Baby Yoda, can converse with the engineer during the length of the ride.
Least crowded months at Disney World
If you’re looking to avoid crowds at Disney World, it’s important to plan your trip on slower months.
When to go:
- Blogs dedicated to Disney recommend going to the parks in February, May, August, and September.
- As far as which days to go, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays can be a bit less crowded, according to Magic Guides.
When to avoid:
- Public holidays can be the busiest times at the parks
- The pros recommend avoiding the periods around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, and Spring break
- Memorial Day and Easter weekends are also crowded
- Summer, Thanksgiving week, and Christmas until New Year’s Day should also be avoided if possible
“Just imagine it: you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions,” Filoni added.
The Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction at Disneyland has averaged about 27,000 riders per day, per The Orange County Register.
Disney has timed the ride upgrade with the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, but thrill-seekers can expect a different storyline than the upcoming movie.
The Mandalorian and Grogu reportedly cost $166.4 million to make, according to the California Film Commission.
The film will take place in the New Republic era, around 10-11 ABY, roughly 22 years before the events of The Force Awakens.
The film received a tax credit of roughly $21.75 million from California.
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