Everything to know about Disney’s huge new Millennium Falcon ride update

At a glance:

• New Mandalorian and Grogu-themed overlay debuts on May 22 at Disneyland and Disney World.
• Ride now visits four Star Wars locations: Tatooine, Bespin (Cloud City), Endor, and Coruscant.
• Up to six guests can ride: two pilots, two gunners, two engineers; engineers pick the destination.

Crew roles and decision mechanics

The cockpit can accommodate up to six guests, filling two pilot seats, two gunner stations, and two engineer consoles. Engineers hold the decisive power: after a brief maneuver from Batuu to Tatooine, they are given a five‑second countdown to choose between Cloud City, Endor, or Coruscant, and the selected location determines the next segment of the journey. If only one engineer is present they make the choice themselves, while with two engineers the decision is random, and if no engineers are aboard the system randomly picks a destination.

During the flight the engineers use a tractor beam to steal cargo from the target ships, and the amount of cargo collected directly influences the final score and rank earned at the end of the mission. The countdown creates a tense moment that can vary each ride, adding replay value as the chosen destination changes the visual and combat challenges that follow. This mechanic also explains why many riders now prefer the engineer role, since it offers the most direct impact on the outcome.

Locations and branching paths

The updated ride transports guests to four distinct Star Wars worlds: Tatooine, Bespin (Cloud City), Endor, and Coruscant, each rendered with unique visual details and narrative beats. According to senior Lucasfilm creative executive Matt Martin, a detailed spreadsheet was used to evaluate the verticality, scale, and thematic fit of each planet before the final selection was made, with Jon Favreau championing Coruscant for its iconic urban density. The ride’s designers also emphasized that within each planet there are multiple branching paths — such as cutting left or right through a canyon on Tatooine or flying high over rockwork — ensuring that no two experiences are identical.

Kalama from Walt Disney Imagineering explained that the combinatorial possibilities multiply when the different paths on each world are considered, creating a near‑infinite set of ride variations that encourage repeat visits. The branching design also allows the attraction to weave in Easter eggs and location‑specific music cues, such as the distinct soundtrack for Cloud City or the Imperial wreckage ambience on Endor. By mapping each path to a separate story thread, the ride deepens immersion while preserving the core Smuggler’s Run gameplay loop.

Scoring, Easter eggs and fan reception

The scoring system rewards players for stealing cargo from enemy vessels, with each crate adding points and influencing the final rank awarded at the conclusion of the mission. Ranks such as Privateer, Pirate, and Smuggler are assigned based on total haul, and the article notes that the new version places less emphasis on the original coaxium‑delivery directive, making the experience more flexible. Engineers can also trigger special actions, like using an ion cannon on Coruscant to shoot advertising signs, which can produce visual effects and extra points.

Fans have uncovered a variety of hidden details, including a baby rancor that appears in a crate when a certain number of items are collected, a Halcyon reference sign on Coruscant, and a “Grogu Mode” that unlocks when gunners perform a specific action. The ride also features a hidden Han Solo voice line that plays under particular circumstances, a nod that was confirmed by Lucasfilm’s Matt Martin. Compared to the original Smuggler’s Run, reviewers found the Mandalorian overlay to be a night‑and‑day upgrade, offering richer scenery, more varied missions, and a higher re‑rideability rating, though many still consider it just shy of the groundbreaking experience delivered by Rise of the Resistance.