Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run REVIEW | Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

BRIGHT SUNS and get ready to blast off to a galaxy far far away! It’s day 4 of our countdown to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and we’re here to review Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run! Get ready for the ride of your life in this entirely immersive experience, appearing August 29th, 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. (Haven’t read our last blog yet? Make sure you check that out here! Hint: Chewbacca, Stormtroopers, AND Kylo Ren?)

Overview

Chewbacca has landed and has decided to bring his Millennium Falcon to the Black Spire Outpost. In the midst of everything, he has decided to lend his ship to Hondo Ohnaka. This is where you come in to take on the ship and fulfill the duties needed across the galaxy. To give you a quick rundown on what you’re about to experience, this ride brings you into the cockpit of Millennium Falcon. Once you’re in, you and your flight crew of six will go through hyperspace and take on the galaxy’s challenges, hurdles, and adventure. Keep reading and we’ll show you the step-by-step process for boarding this thrilling ride.

The Queue

Upon entering the queue, you’ll walk past the Millennium Falcon, a popular sight in Batuu. Once in line, you will have the opportunity to get “on-the-job training” prior to your flight.

Play Disney Parks App

We’re pretty sure that you, just like us, have never flown a starship before. Not to worry! Open your Play Disney Parks App where you’ll learn everything you need to know before you take on your spacecraft. Keep your eyes peeled for QR codes you’ll be asked to scan the further you walk into the queue. Toward the middle of the queue, you’ll even help the empire by finding out further details about the falcon. Once you’re nearing the end, you are asked various questions to show that you can prove yourself to be a spy. This is a great way to pass time until you reach the attraction. Here are a couple of screenshots to give you an idea, but we will leave the rest to your imagination.

Reaching the Falcon

Shortly before we arrived at the attraction, we were greeted by Hondo Ohnaka, a Weequay male pirate who is the captain of the Ohnaka Gang.   Above, you’ll see how Ohnaka explains the concept of the flight and how your crew will control the ship, Millennium Falcon. With your crew of six, you’ll have:

• Two pilots, to navigate the ship
• Two engineers, to operate the ship AND
• Two gunners, to defend the ship

This combination will either make or break your flight across the galaxy, (depending on how you fly, of course). The cards pictured above are some samples of where you will be stationed. Once you receive these, your positions and duties are explained to you. You are then sent off to your ship (and the moment you’ve all been waiting for), the Millennium Falcon!

Ready For Hyperspace

Step into the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon, where you will find a seat for each crew member (pilots in the front, gunners in the middle, and engineers in the back). When we stepped on board, our jaws dropped as we noticed all of the buttons, levers, and the view through the cockpit windows. Everything onboard is so perfectly themed, that you actually believe it’s all real. Design and accuracy to the movies are undoubtedly taken seriously, and it adds the extra spark to the experience. Once the ride begins, all of the cockpit overhead lights will shut off. Your only source of light is now your controls, the pilot screen, and whatever you can see through the cockpit windows. You’re ready to take flight and zoom through hyperspace on a journey entirely determined by your actions. We were able to catch a quick video of our wild ride through the galaxy and how realistic it is once you’re in the middle of the action.   We have to be honest, this is one of the most immersive attractions in all of Walt Disney World® Resort. The illusion of flying through space beautifully mimicked reality, being computer-animated so well that it takes your imagination to the next level. While we had a short wait in line during the preview event, we would DEFINITELY wait hours to experience this again. It’s a flight that changes with each time you take off, for you are the decision-makers creating your own galactic journey. We think that makes this ride a clear stand-out amongst many. It’s truly unlike anything we have ever expected! TIP: Make your galactic journey a smooth and successful flight (this goes out to future pilots of the ride)! When flying left and right, focus on subtle motions rather than sharp turns. The controls to the ship are VERY sensitive. Turning left or right drastically can make for quite the bumpy ride for you and your crew.

Post-Travel

This tip actually comes to play upon exiting the cockpit. Once the ride comes to an end, you will walk through the exit hall that is said to be connected to the flight you just completed. See a bunch of flickering lights? It probably means you weren’t the best fliers. Don’t worry, though, this small detail is just a fun addition to the endlessly immersive experience. If the exit hall seems fine, however, that means your crew is the best in ALL of the galaxy, and that your flight skills are (quite literally) out-of-this-world!

Til The Spire

Have we convinced you yet? We’ve convinced ourselves to travel back to the galaxy, so it’s time for you all to take your first flight! Prepare for the journey that is unlike any other by booking your Disney Theme Park tickets. Land in the world of Batuu and discover what it’s like to take on the galaxy. Once your travels through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge comes to an end, head on back to your own vacation villa with Magical Vacation Homes! Our galactic getaways are located just minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort and are perfect for families of all sizes. Stay tuned for tomorrow where we show you all of the best photo spots inside of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! Until next time, Til the Spire, and have a Magical day!