New Details Revealed for Star Wars Smugglers Run Update Featuring Mando and Grogu

11 days ago in "Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run"

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Mando and Grogu Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Concept Art

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Posted: Sunday April 20, 2025 7:15am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney Imagineering has released new concept art and gameplay details for the upcoming update to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, set to launch May 22, 2026, at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The upgraded experience will introduce new locations, enhanced interactivity, and a fresh storyline featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Mando and Grogu Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Concept Art

Choose Your Own Galactic Destination

For the first time, riders aboard the Millennium Falcon will control not just the ship, but the destination itself. Guests can now set a course to one of several iconic Star Wars locations, including:

Bespin – The cloud-covered city above a gas giant
The wreckage of the second Death Star – Floating above Endor
Coruscant

These selectable destinations are a first for the attraction, giving each mission a new level of replayability and unpredictability.

Mando and Grogu Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Concept Art

New Interactions with Grogu

Another major change impacts the engineer role. Engineers will now be able to communicate with Grogu during the mission, triggering reactions and interactions as the story unfolds. This new feature brings an added layer of immersion and character connection for riders in that position.

A New Storyline Featuring Mando and Grogu

The updated storyline introduces a bounty hunt organized by Hondo Ohnaka, who’s caught wind of a shady deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and a crew of pirates. With a reward on the line, guests join forces with Mando and Grogu to track down the culprits and navigate through various destinations in pursuit.

Disney confirms the attraction’s new plot runs separately from the events of the upcoming The Mandalorian and Grogu feature film, which also premieres on May 22, 2026.

Mando and Grogu Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Concept Art

Built with ILM and Unreal Engine 5

This overhaul was made possible through a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), and Epic Games. The ride’s new visuals and gameplay system run on Unreal Engine 5, the same real-time rendering tech used to create The Mandalorian series on Disney+. This allows for cinematic-quality environments that respond dynamically to rider choices.

Concept Art Previews

Alongside the announcement, Disney shared concept renderings of the updated cockpit visuals, showing off glimpses of the new destinations that will support the interactive storytelling features.

The new experience launches simultaneously with the film The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, 2026, at Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Galaxy’s Edge.

Mando and Grogu Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Concept Art

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DisneyCane8 days ago

Having not kept up with modern Star Wars characters, when I saw this headline I thought it was good to provide whole body deodorant since you are in a small space with other guests.

erasure fan18 days ago

I'd say the biggest thing the land needs is movement. It needs that kinetic energy, it was just so stagnant. A pod race/speeder bike outdoor coaster would work extremely well. They could also resurrect the bantha ride or do a sort of people mover type ride exploring black spire outpost. It's amazing that they spent so much time to make it look so fantastic. All while missing how the land should make people feel.

TheMaxRebo9 days ago

Brining back the Trials of the Temple or similar would be a great easy add But fully agree about the food and the shops - more would be welcome (like adding the table service restaurant,etc) but what they have is pretty darn good (though the blue/green milk is a bit of a miss)

HauntedPirate9 days ago

That's perfect!!! But you're the President of Animal Kingdom, I'm not sure why you care about what happens at DHS. Things going south there means better attendance numbers for you, in all likelihood. 🤔

monothingie9 days ago

Yup, throw in the flavor of the day IP (regardless of canon) and call it fixed for the next 8-10 years.

MisterPenguin9 days ago

"Star Wars is basically a serial for children." -George Lucas

Mr. Sullivan9 days ago

You're saying this as if the ride is not already an IP based attraction

doctornick9 days ago

I think the food in SWGE is generally excellent, especially at Docking Bay 7. In fact, it's probably my favorite quick serve at WDW (though it's tough to compare with some of the Epcot ones). I also think the shops and general vibe of the marketplace is interesting. There definitely needs to be more "life" in GE with walkaround characters and/or shows as was intended. And MFSR needs to be improved, but I like what I am hearing from these changes. The other big thing the land needs to just a third attraction - doesn't even need to be a ride, a high quality show would work well too.

Centauri Space Station9 days ago

Ronto wraps, moof juice, battuan beef, kaadu pork ribs, tip yip, felucian falafel, cold brew black caf…

HauntedPirate10 days ago

Smuggler’s Run is boring after one ride, hopefully improvements are coming there, at least. Rise is entirely skippable after doing both ride paths (and as long as you see A-mode Kylo AA) unless the wait is less than 30 minutes. Retail is a complete disaster. Food is way off the mark, and I didn’t care at all for Oga’s.

Agent H10 days ago

Bright suns!

networkpro10 days ago

The plant based smoothies ? Pork rinds with cinnamon? I'll put up anything from Three Broomsticks or the Leaky Caldron against Starwars land fare. Whomever attempted to make the 'native market' obviously has never been to one outside of Walmart or Target. The forced tired dialog from the cast members grates on the ears.

tissandtully10 days ago

Disagree entirely, except for Oga's on the food and standing room only experience, that's a huge miss.

celluloid10 days ago

This is it in a nutshell. It is interesting but by going for more immersion they ironically created a really awesome movie set in a land thas further taking the park away from it.