Punch It, Chewie! Your Complete Guide to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney World and Disneyland

Ready to climb aboard the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy? Tucked inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at both Disneyland Park and Disney's Hollywood Studios, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run puts you directly inside the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon for an interactive mission. It's part simulator, part video game (and part comedic disaster, depending on who your pilots are!). And as of May 22, 2026, the Mandalorian and Grogu update has made the ride even more dynamic, with branching missions, a choice of destinations and expanded roles for every position in the cockpit. Here’s everything you need to know about Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run before taking off from Batuu.

Hop To

• Overview
• Updates
• New Destinations
• Scoring and Results
• Pilot Guide
• Gunner Guide
• Engineer Guide
• Grogu Mode
• FAQs
• Tips

FAQs

• What is Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run? It's an interactive "Star Wars" flight simulator ride in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, where guests help complete a smuggling mission aboard the Millennium Falcon as pilots, gunners or engineers.
• Is Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run included with Lightning Lane? Yes, the ride is available through Lightning Lane Multi Pass at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
• What are the new changes for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run? The new Mandalorian and Grogu update adds branching missions, new destinations, expanded engineer gameplay and randomized cargo crate rewards. Plus some interaction with Din and Grogu!

Ride Overview

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is one of Disney's most ambitious attractions ever created. Since its opening alongside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland Park in Anaheim and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, this immersive, flight simulator ride has been a go-to for all park-goers. Because in this ride, you're not just watching the Millennium Falcon be flown, you're flying it.

Step into a flight deck, where Hondo Ohnaka recruits you as his flight crew on an important smuggling mission. Hondo is a crafty space pirate from the "Star Wars" animated series, who always seems to have access to very illegal but very exciting business opportunities.

In the original version of the ride, Hondo borrows the Falcon from Chewbacca for what he claims to be a perfectly legitimate smuggling operation. It is, of course, not. In the new updated version, Hondo tells Chewbacca he may store the Falcon with Hondo and that it will be perfectly safe. He then proceeds to use the Falcon for his smuggling operation. Whether or not he's stealing the Falcon is up for interpretation. (He definitely is).

You and five other riders are recruited to the crew, each with a role assigned. The three roles (two of each) are pilot, gunner and engineer. Every crew member contributes to the mission, and your team's performance directly affects ship damage, cargo recovery, final score, mission dialogue and overall ride smoothness. We'll go over which position does what below.

Once inside the Millennium Falcon cockpit, the doors close, the control panels light up and the ship is officially yours for the duration of the mission. Hondo and The Mandalorian communicate with your crew throughout the experience, guiding the operation from a distance while occasionally commenting on your performance.

The result of a performance-based mission is a different ride each time. And as of May 22, 2026, a brand-new Mandalorian and Grogu update has expanded Hondo's original smuggling plan into something much larger. The new ride experience involves bounty hunting, shifting destinations and unexpected encounters that tie into a broader "Star Wars" timeline.

But at its core, this experience still comes back to this simple premise: Hondo has borrowed the Millennium Falcon, and you are the crew hired to make sure it doesn't get destroyed before he gives it back. Or at least try to.

The Queue Is an Attraction by Itself

The queue winds through some of the most iconic areas of the Millennium Falcon before even boarding the ride. You'll pass the holochess table lounge, engine corridors, smuggling compartments, maintenance bays, the famous circular hallways and even the Dejarik table. The queue eventually leads guests into the cockpit itself.

Look out for a special spot in one of the corridors marked with an XO. This is the exact spot Han and Leia shared their first kiss.

When you exit the cockpit, you may notice damage and hissing sounds that are in relation to the condition you returned the ship. Let's just say some of my missions have gone better than others. The more I ride, the better I get.

Height Requirement

Guests must be at least 38 inches tall to ride Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run.

Disneyland versus Disney World

Both Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Disneyland and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Disney World are essentially identical, including the Mandalorian and Grogu update. Disneyland's version is located inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park, while the Walt Disney World version is located inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

At Disneyland, you are allowed to wander the holding room inside the Falcon and take a quick picture at the Dejarik table. At Walt Disney World, you are directed to a certain waiting location by a Cast Member.

The Mandalorian & Grogu Update

Originally, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run centered around Hondo Ohnaka recruiting guests to steal coaxium for the Resistance. While that original structure still forms the foundation of the attraction, the new update expands the story significantly.

As of May 22, 2026, before takeoff, Hondo has negotiated a deal with the New Republic to track several high-value bounties across the galaxy. In exchange, whatever cargo you recover during the mission becomes your reward. You are no longer just stealing fuel. You are navigating a galaxy-wide scavenger hunt with consequences that branch and evolve in real time.

Begin your mission on Tatooine, where your crew is sent to intercept an illegal transaction involving contraband cargo. But, if you've got a bad feeling about this, you're right. It doesn't take long before things spiral out of control. The Falcon is forced into hyperspace and through a series of unpredictable destinations tied to the broader bounty hunt involving Din Djarin and Grogu.

What makes this update especially important is not just the new story, but the structure behind it. The ride is no longer strictly linear. Instead, it introduces branching mission logic, meaning different crews can experience different sequences, different outcomes and even different objectives depending on in-ride performance and real-time decisions.

New Smugglers Run Destinations

The updated version of Smugglers Run introduces new mission environments for entirely different gameplay spaces. And fans of both the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy will be thrilled to see where the mission ends up!

While on Tatooine (where every mission begins), pilots quickly move through canyons that are reminiscent of both Luke and Anakin's stomping grounds. Pilots also have the option of going up over the bluffs. If you're lucky, you might find a tunnel made of the skeleton of a Krayt dragon, deep down in the canyons.

Bespin

As the Millennium Falcon drops out of hyperspace near the legendary Cloud City, your crew is immediately thrown into a fast-moving chase through the skies of Bespin. The mission centers on tracking an Imperial officer aboard a Zeta-class Shuttle while weaving through crowded airspace packed with tug ships and freighters hauling massive containers of valuable Tibanna gas.

This sequence quickly becomes one of the most chaotic portions of the ride. TIE fighters swarm around the Falcon from every direction, forcing gunners into nonstop combat while pilots work to avoid collisions within Bespin’s highly destructible environment. Between incoming fire, tight flight paths and heavy traffic floating through the clouds, the mission demands serious coordination from the entire cockpit if your crew hopes to escape with both the Falcon and your hard-earned credits still in one piece.

Your inclination might be to fly across the rim and try your best to avoid oncoming traffic. But you also have the option of flying underneath Cloud City. You'll have to avoid the trash shoots, but you'll see the iconic spot where Luke made his escape and hung below the floating city.

Coruscant

Your crew is thrown into a high-speed pursuit through one of the busiest skylines in the galaxy – Coruscant’s glowing Uscru Entertainment District. The mission centers on tracking an Imperial officer aboard a Sentinel Assault Shuttle while navigating through dense streams of civilian air traffic beneath the neon-lit cityscape.

The chase sends the Falcon weaving between towering skyscrapers, diving through narrow tunnels and dodging constant attacks from pursuing TIE fighters. Pilots work to maneuver through the crowded city and gunners handle incoming threats. Engineers take on an even bigger role during this sequence, using the Falcon’s systems to recover cargo crates directly from the target ship while simultaneously managing repairs inside the cockpit.

As the pursuit escalates, the mission becomes increasingly unpredictable, with key ship systems requiring emergency reboots mid-chase. Crews will need to stay coordinated and pay close attention to guidance from Mando and Grogu if they hope to make it safely back to Batuu with their cargo intact.

There are four enormous tunnels to choose from while flying at high speed through the city. One of them is with traffic. Another is against it. One of them is even under construction. You never know what you might get.

Towards the end of your stint on Coruscant, the ship loses power and falls down a ventilation shaft. You might recognize where you end up as the infamous Level 1313. This Coruscant underworld, controlled by gangs and bounty hunters is a call-out to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and a few other original George Lucas ideas.

Endor

Near the forest moon of Endor, your crew arrives at the massive debris field surrounding the shattered remains of the second Death Star, where twisted wreckage and drifting ship fragments create one of the most dangerous flight paths in the entire mission. Hidden somewhere within the debris is a Transdoshan pirate bounty, forcing the Falcon deep into the remains of the once-powerful battle station.

As the search unfolds, pilots must carefully maneuver through tight corridors of floating wreckage, weaving past enormous pieces of destroyed ships, including fragments of a fallen Star Destroyer. The sequence is heavily inspired by the iconic trench runs from the original trilogy, with split-second steering becoming essential as the Falcon races through the cluttered environment in pursuit of the escaping target.

Things escalate even further when Mando and Grogu become trapped by a rogue tractor beam hidden within the wreckage. Suddenly, the pressure shifts to the gunners, who must time a torpedo launch perfectly in order to destroy the source of the beam and free both the Falcon and the duo before the mission ends in disaster.

There are multiple routes to choose from around the Death Star as well.

This is the roughest and most intense destination of the three. Mommy Frog did get a little green on our ride!

Scores and Final Results

No matter how chaotic your mission becomes, every crew aboard Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run receives a final score once the Falcon returns to Batuu and Hondo Ohnaka evaluates the success of your operation. And yes, Hondo absolutely notices everything.

Your final results are shaped by how well your crew performed throughout the mission. Smooth piloting, successful cargo recovery, accurate blaster fire and efficient repairs all contribute to a stronger outcome. Excessive collisions and missed objectives can leave the Falcon looking a little worse-for-wear by the time you land back on Batuu.

The Mandalorian and Grogu update expands this ending sequence significantly by tying your final score directly to the cargo your crew manages to recover during the mission. Throughout each destination, engineers can use the Falcon’s tractor beam systems to target floating cargo crates, though only one crate can be selected during each collection opportunity. Because the crate system is randomized, crews may uncover completely different rewards from ride to ride.

Some recovered shipments contain valuable galactic credits or rare coaxium, while others may reveal kyber crystals, contraband or even baby rancors hidden inside the cargo.

One of the most fun additions comes during the final moments of the mission. Pay close attention to Mando and Grogu as the story wraps up. Depending on how your adventure has unfolded, the duo may return alongside your crew with captured bounties, recovered cargo or additional surprises tied to the outcome of the chase.

If your crew performs especially well, you may even receive special recognition from Hondo himself, including “Employee of the Month” honors for particularly successful runs. But if the Falcon returns heavily damaged after smashing through half the galaxy, expect Hondo to sound significantly less enthusiastic about your future employment opportunities. Honestly, that post-mission commentary is half the fun.

Pilot Guide

If there is one truth about Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, it is this: Everyone in the queue wants to be a pilot, and everyone in the cockpit immediately realizes why that job comes with consequences. Pilots are responsible for flying the Falcon, and they sit in the front two seats where every movement is translated directly into the ship’s trajectory.

Left Pilot

The left pilot handles horizontal movement, brakes and boost activations. Turning left and right sounds simple until you realize the Falcon does not respond like a gentle vehicle. It responds like a massive, slightly angry freight ship that was not designed for subtlety. Every overcorrection, every late reaction and every moment of hesitation becomes visible instantly in how the ship physically moves through space. In fact, overcorrecting often causes the Falcon to slam into walls, buildings and enemy ships repeatedly. Smooth movements are key.

Right Pilot

The right pilot handles vertical movement and hyperspace control. Pushing forward dips the ship downward, pulling back lifts it upward. It is intuitive in theory and slightly chaotic in practice. Especially when combined with environmental obstacles flying toward the cockpit at high-speed.

Being the one to activate the Falcon's jump to hyperspace is truly an out-of-body experience for all major "Star Wars" fans.

Best Pilot Strategies

Communication matters A LOT here. A coordinated pilot team can dramatically reduce ship damage while improving cargo collection opportunities. At key moments in the mission, the pilots must also coordinate boosts and hyperspace jumps. These transitions are not just visual effects. Timing matters. A poorly executed jump or missed cue can affect performance and damage the ship's overall condition.

Quick Pilot Tips

• Avoid jerky movements.
• Watch upcoming obstacles early.
• Coordinate turns together.
• Don't oversteer.
• Time boosts carefully.

That said, completely chaotic pilots can also create some of the funniest ride experiences imaginable. Nothing brings strangers together faster than collectively screaming after crashing directly into every wall in the galaxy.

Pilots Can Make Choices

Even though an Engineer decides where you are going, there are variations of where pilots can fly in those locations:

• Tatooine: Pilots can fly down the left or right canyons, soar up over the rock bluffs or dive down into a Krayt dragon tunnel.
• Bespin: Fly across the rim, dodging cross traffic, or fly underneath Cloud City, dodging the trash chutes we saw Luke fall through in "Empire Strikes Back."
• Coruscant: You have a choice of four huge tunnels. Some go with traffic. Some go against it.
• Endor: Pilots can choose from multiple paths.
• These choices mean that you can ride 10 times in a row and have a slightly different experience each time.

Gunner Guide

Gunners sit in the middle row, and at first glance, the role looks straightforward. You shoot things. That is the job. But Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run quietly layers more complexity into this position than most people realize.

Gunners can operate in two distinct modes: automatic and manual.

Automatic Mode

This is the default and the most commonly used setting. In this mode, the system assists with targeting so players can focus on timing shots rather than precision aiming. It feels fast, responsive and accessible, especially for first-time riders who are still adjusting to the motion of the simulator.

Manual Mode

Gunning manually transforms the experience entirely. Before the mission begins, gunners can activate manual targeting through their control interface, switching from assisted aiming to full control. Suddenly, you are responsible for tracking enemy ships yourself, lining up shots and managing timing without system assistance. This turns the gunner role into something closer to a space combat arcade game embedded inside a theme park attraction.

Missile Launches

Combat sequences also include missile systems that fire in more complex patterns than they initially appear. When used correctly, these attacks can clear multiple targets at once, especially during dense enemy encounters where timing becomes critical.

The difference between a high-scoring gunner and a chaotic one usually comes down to restraint. The best gunners do not just fire constantly. They wait for clustered targets, coordinate with their co-gunner and time attacks for maximum impact.

Best Gunner Tips

• Use automatic mode if you're new.
• Watch for clustered enemies.
• Save missiles for larger swarms.
• Focus on timing over button mashing.

In our froggy opinion, the gunner tends to be the most underrated role for guests who love arcade-style gameplay.

Engineer Guide

If pilots are the most visible role and gunners are the most action-heavy, engineers are now arguably the most transformed part of Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. What used to be a background repair role has evolved into a multi-layered gameplay position that directly influences mission flow.

After an intense chase on Tatooine, the three bounties split off to three separate planets. One engineer is randomly selected to choose which bounty to follow, thus deciding where your crew is headed next. That single decision sends the Falcon into completely different mission environments.

Instead of a fixed route, crews may be directed to Bespin, Coruscant or the wreckage surrounding Endor and the second Death Star. Each destination comes with its own combat sequences, environmental hazards and pacing changes.

Engineers are also responsible for managing cargo recovery, which introduces one of the most interesting systems in the entire ride. During each destination segment, floating cargo crates appear in space and can be collected using the Falcon’s tractor beam system. The twist is that each location offers multiple crate options, but the crew can only choose one per opportunity. That means every decision carries weight.

Cargo can include credits, kyber crystals or even unusual creatures pulled straight out of the more chaotic corners of the "Star Wars" galaxy.

On top of all that, engineers can use a special button to call Grogu during the mission.

Even repair duties have been refined. Instead of constantly staring at panels, engineers can rely on environmental audio cues like alarms, pressure bursts and system alerts to know when action is needed, allowing them to watch the mission unfold rather than miss it while focusing on controls.

How to Unlock Grogu Mode on Smugglers Run

We at the frog pond are big fans of fellow green guy, Grogu (how could anyone not be?). Well, great news for all of us, Disney has created a secret "Grogu Mode" on the ride.

Grogu Mode transforms portions of the ride by making the little baby way more active throughout the mission. Instead of only appearing occasionally, he suddenly starts chirping and cooing nonstop as the Falcon barrels through space. He pops up more frequently on cockpit screens and reacts to the crew’s flying. And, of course, he causes the kind of adorable chaos you’d expect from Grogu loose aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Think of it like the Grogu version of the ride’s original fan-favorite “Chewie Mode.” Thankfully, activating Grogu Mode is much easier than the old Chewie Mode sequence, but your entire cockpit has to cooperate before the mission begins. And that means no one can touch ANY buttons before activating the mode.

How to Activate Grogu Mode

Once everyone is seated, the entire crew has to buckle their seatbelts first. The two gunners sitting in the middle row need to complete the activation sequence together.

Underneath each gunner’s small video screen sits a row of four white square buttons. Both gunners should press the white square button closest to the back of the cockpit. After that, both gunners need to hit the round gold activation button outlined in green. If everything works correctly, the cockpit lights will suddenly glow green, confirming Grogu Mode is active before takeoff.

And if you forget the sequence? Some Cast Members may even help walk your crew through it before launch. But remember, seatbelts first, and no one in the Falcon can press any buttons before the activation is complete.

FAQs About Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run

Have additional questions about this Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge ride? We've got you covered!

How Do You Access Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run?

Guests can ride using the standby queue, Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Single Rider. Single Rider usually offers the shortest wait, but makes the odds of getting a pilot role very, very low.

Can You Request the Pilot or a Preferred Role?

Politely ask a cast member for a preferred role, though assignments are never guaranteed. Your best odds for Pilot are usually at rope drop, late-night rides or on lower crowd days. With the new version of the ride, the Engineer position has gotten more popular.

Is Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run Scary?

Not necessarily scary, but definitely intense. Expect:

• Loud combat sounds
• Sudden simulator movement
• Heavy screen visuals
• Frequent shaking
• Crash impacts

Bad pilots can make the ride significantly rougher.

Which Role Is Best?

Pilot remains the most immersive and now has some variability. Gunner may be the most skill-based in manual mode (and can activate Grogu mode), but can also be the easiest if you choose automatic mode. But Engineer arguably has the most overall gameplay variety after the Mandalorian and Grogu update. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, we recommend the Engineer position.

Is This Ride Accessible? 

Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run is wheelchair accessible, but riders must be able to transfer from a wheelchair or ECV (either by themselves or with assistance from their party) to the ride vehicle.

Is DAS Accepted?

Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run can accommodate guests with a DAS. Disney's Disability Access Service — or DAS — is a service offered to guests who may need extra assistance. For more information, check out our blog posts: Full List of Disability Access for Disney World Attractions and Overview of Disneyland Disability Access Service. The queue is wheelchair accessible and has a separate accessible ride vehicle that allows people to take the time they need to load and unload.

Is Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run Suitable for All Ages? 

Guests must be at least 38 inches tall to ride Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. Rider Switch is available for families with young tadpoles not tall enough to ride.

Is Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run a Roller Coaster?

Nope! Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run is not a roller coaster. It's an interactive motion simulator ride, where guests control the Falcon in a fast-paced, turbulent mission through space.

Is This Attraction Eligible for Lightning Lane? 

Yes, it is eligible for Lightning Lane Multi Pass at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. This paid system allows expedited access for eligible attractions at the Disney parks by making ride reservations through the My Disney Experience app for Walt Disney World or the Disneyland app for Disneyland Resort.

Tips for Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run

Here are our top tips for riding:

• Ride More Than Once – With branching destinations, randomized cargo and different engineer decisions, you can experience entirely different mission paths across multiple rides.
• Don’t Sleep on Engineer – With the Mandalorian and Grogu update, engineer is no longer the quietest role. In fact, it may honestly be the deepest gameplay position in the entire attraction. Especially if you are a fan of Grogu!
• Automatic Gunner Mode Is Better for Most Guests – Unless you genuinely want a difficult arcade-style challenge, automatic targeting usually creates a smoother first experience.
• Bad Pilots Can Be Hilarious – Some of the funniest Smugglers Run experiences happen when your crew completely destroys the Falcon.
• Lean into the Chaos — Hondo and Grogu certainly will.

Have you tried each position on Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! And make sure to grab your discount Disneyland tickets and discount Walt Disney World tickets from Undercover Tourist to save some green for more out-of-this-galaxy experiences! 

Related: Our Galactic Guide to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney World

Stay cool!