Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Is Getting Its Biggest Upgrade Since Opening Day — and the New Mission Changes Everything

Disney doesn’t update its flagship Star Wars attraction lightly. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run has run essentially the same mission since it opened in 2019 — and for seven years, that original Hondo Ohnaka coaxite-mining storyline has been the only experience on offer. That’s about to change in a significant way.

On April 23, Disney officially revealed a new attraction poster and shared full details on an all-new Mandalorian and Grogu mission coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Resort. The update debuts May 22, 2026 — the same day Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters nationwide. According to the Disney Parks Blog, this represents the first major creative overhaul the attraction has received since opening day.

What the New Mission Actually Involves

The storyline picks up in classic Hondo fashion: he’s gotten wind of a deal going down on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and a band of pirates. Guests will borrow the Millennium Falcon, team up with Din Djarin (the Mandalorian) and Grogu, and track down those officers across the galaxy.

The narrative is intentionally separate from the film’s plot — this is a new adventure set in the same corner of the Star Wars universe, not a retelling of anything audiences will see on screen.

What makes this more than a simple character swap is what Disney changed about how the ride actually works.

The Engineer Role Gets a Major Overhaul

Anyone who has ridden Smugglers Run knows the unofficial hierarchy: Pilots control the ship, Gunners fire at targets, and Engineers… push buttons and watch everyone else have more fun. It’s been the least desirable position in the cockpit for seven years.

That changes with this update. Engineers will now have the ability to communicate directly with Grogu during the mission — described by Disney as a “unique” interaction that gives the position a purpose it never really had before. Grogu is one of the most beloved characters in the current Star Wars era, so tying the Engineer experience directly to him is a smart way to make that role feel meaningful rather than like a consolation prize.

Choosing Your Destination

The more structurally interesting change is what Disney is doing with destinations. For the first time, the crew will have control over where the Millennium Falcon actually travels. Depending on the Engineer’s choices, the mission can take guests to:

• Tatooine (the primary setting for the bounty mission)
• Bespin
• The wreckage of the second Death Star near Endor
• Coruscant

This branching mechanic adds genuine replay value. The original mission followed a fixed path — there was no reason to think your ride experience would differ from someone else’s. With destination choice built in, a group can theoretically have a different adventure than the group behind them. That’s a meaningful design shift for a ride that’s been running on one track (figuratively speaking) for seven years.

The Technology Behind It

Disney partnered with Industrial Light and Magic to bring this update to life, using Unreal Engine 5 — the same real-time rendering technology used to create the visual environments in the Disney+ series. That’s a notable technical commitment for an attraction update rather than a ground-up build. It suggests the visual fidelity of the new mission sequences should feel cohesive with what audiences have seen on screen.

Why the Timing Makes Sense

Releasing this on May 22 alongside the film is pure cross-promotion, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Disney has learned — from both successes and stumbles — that park experiences land best when they’re connected to something guests are emotionally invested in right now. The Mandalorian and Grogu are arguably the most popular Star Wars characters of the streaming era. Putting them in the cockpit with guests the same week the movie opens creates a natural throughline between the theater and the park.

For anyone planning a late May Disney trip, it’s also worth knowing that this update rolls out simultaneously at both coasts — Hollywood Studios at Disney World and the original Smugglers Run at Disneyland in California. No waiting for a phased rollout.

What This Means for Your Visit

If you’re heading to either park around or after May 22, Smugglers Run just became a more compelling use of your Lightning Lane or standby time. The new mission mechanics give the attraction a reason to ride more than once — especially if you want to experience different destination outcomes or finally give someone in your group the Engineer position without apology.

The attraction itself isn’t changing physically. Same cockpit layout, same ride vehicle, same six-person crew structure. What’s changing is everything happening on the screens around you, and who’s asking for your help.

Seven years is a long time to run the same mission. The Millennium Falcon just got a new assignment.

Source: Disney Parks Blog (April 23, 2026)