

Here's what it's like flying the Millennium Falcon ride at Disney's new Star Wars land

Scott Craven
The Republic | azcentral.com

ANAHEIM, California — For anyone who has ever dreamed of piloting the Millennium Falcon, the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, here are two things to know about the new ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland.

First, the Falcon is a finicky ship, crashing into to this and colliding with that when not dodging incoming fire. Second, it's impossible to destroy, no matter the grave shortcomings of the pilots.

The iconic ship is the heart of Disneyland's new Star Wars land, as well as the star of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — the only ride at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge until the formidable Rise of the Resistance opens later this year.

Don’t confuse this motion-based ride with the older Star Tours, where riders watch passively as their craft bumps and turns in sync with the film.

Riding the Millennium Falcon 

In Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests take the controls of the ship, attempting to steal a precious resource for the local pirate. Riders must be at least 38 inches tall.

The adventure plays out on the curved screen that is the craft’s cockpit window, following a linear path with plenty of obstacles in the way as foes try to shoot the Falcon out of the sky.

Six riders are busy piloting, shooting or fixing the Falcon as it soars, the cockpit tilting and shaking in sync with the screen. There are roughly 200 buttons and switches to mind, but the two joysticks at the front of the cockpit are the most fun to manipulate.

But let’s step back to the beginning, when the start of the queue sets off the pleasure centers in the brain of every fan.

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Guests learn that a desperate Chewbacca flew Han Solo’s cherished ship to the outskirts of the galaxy in hopes of scoring vital supplies on Batuu. Soon after landing in the Black Spire Outpost, the Wookiee reluctantly lent the Millennium Falcon to resident pirate Hondo Ohnaka, who was looking for volunteers to take the ship on smuggling runs.

Backstory in place, guests enter Ohnaka Transport Solutions, a warehouse clearly run by someone who can’t afford competent help. Conversations overheard on the intercom tell of a business in disarray, as if seeking inexperienced pilots isn’t evidence enough.

This Disney queue is one of the best

This is the start of one of the most enjoyable Disney queues, one that enhances the ride. Anticipation builds as you walk through the warehouse, meeting the put-upon RF-P8, an astromech droid that deserves better. Even with the visual delights as you make your way through the warehouse (you’ll glimpse Chewbacca working on the Falcon), Hondo’s presence is singular.

He is the second-most advanced audio-animatronic figure ever created by Disney Imagineers, bested only by the Shaman of Songs in the Na’vi river Journey at Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World.

The notorious Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka gives guests their mission prior to boarding Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

With 50 separate movements, Hondo swerves and gestures in human-like fashion. Note how his shoulders shake when he belly-laughs, a subtle movement that gives the illusion Hondo is real.

Hondo explains that he needs you to steal some coaxium, the hypermatter that fuels light speed (just go with it). From there you step into the Falcon and, if at first you were anxious to get started, now you’re happy to relax and take in the surroundings.

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This is the Falcon you saw on the big screen, boasting the sorts of details that only Imagineers could love (and labor over, making sure each light and wire and switch is just right).

Here is the mechanical closet where Han and Princess Leia lip-locked. There’s the dimensional chess set where we first learned Wookiees are bad losers. A few cuddly Porgs have made nests in the wires.

Guests are issued colored boarding passes, allowing them to roam this mini-museum until their flight is ready.

What happens when it's your turn

Six people at a time enter the cockpit, taking seats at the front (pilots), center (gunners) and rear (engineers). Parents, prepare to make yet another sacrifice for your children as you sit in the back, pushing blinking buttons or flipping a lighted switch that apparently keeps the ship flying. If you ignore them, the Falcon flies on, but you may not earn the galactic credits you were hoping for (more on that in a bit).

Each pilot handles a joystick, one that controls the vertical, another that controls the horizontal. (Insider tip: The pilot on the right controls the vertical and also pulls the sticks to launch the Falcon to light speed.)

The duties of the engineers and the gunners are essentially the same — press the buttons that blink. The gunner is more of a button masher, pressing as quickly as possible. The engineers aren't quite as busy, but they also have switches to flip.

Essentially, it's a large-scale video game with impressive special effects, especially when the cockpit rumbles with every collision. While the shaking may encourage younger pilots to hit everything in their path, know that damage counts against your score.

This is where galactic credits come in.

If you score the maximum number of coaxium canisters (which is two, a rather low bar even for rookie pilots), and do little damage to the ship, the higher your score and the more galactic credits you'll earn. You can spend the credits on digital rewards such as schematics or maps on the Play Disney Parks app. Rewards that, quite honestly, may not be enough to dissuade some pilots from trying to turn the Falcon into a crushed tin can.

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So? Is the Millennium Falcon ride great?

While the visuals are solid and the ride is a lot of fun, it doesn't have that "wow" factor many fans will be expecting, especially those who don't get to pilot. Pushing buttons may keep many riders entertained, but it also takes eyes off the action.

Taken as a whole, with a remarkably detailed queue and the ability to step into the Falcon as seen on the big screen, Smugglers Run is must-see, and will likely draw lines two or three hours long. 

But it's not the kind of attraction that demands repeated visits, like old favorites Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean that overwhelm you with details.

Unless, of course, you're determined to pilot the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, even if it means begging your 9-year-old to let you drive. 


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