If you’ve been anywhere near Disney news lately, you’ve probably noticed that the company is quietly turning 2026 into one of the busiest transition years the parks have seen in over a decade. And while several expansions and refurbishments have been bubbling under the surface, Disney just pushed one project into the spotlight with an update that’s sending Star Wars fans straight into hyperspace.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, the headliner of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, isn’t just getting a minor refresh, a new clip, or a few edited flight paths. Instead, Disney revealed that the ride is being reworked from the inside out with a brand-new mission starring The Mandalorian and Grogu. This updated storyline—paired with a full suite of visual and hardware upgrades—is scheduled to debut May 22, 2026, right as Disney crowds hit their peak summer surge.
But here’s where things get especially interesting: this attraction update is timed to arrive the exact same day The Mandalorian & Grogu lands in theaters, the first Star Wars movie since 2019. And the way Disney’s talking about this project makes it clear they’re not treating it like a side dish. This is part of the main course. It’s a coordinated push to bring the franchise’s new direction into the parks at the same time it hits the big screen.
To put it simply: Disney World is betting big on Mando and the kid.
Let’s break down what’s actually changing—and why this overhaul is arriving at a moment when Star Wars itself is shifting gears.
A New Falcon Flight With Mando and Grogu
Smugglers Run hasn’t been around long in Disney years, but it’s becoming one of the first modern attractions to get a total narrative replacement this early in its lifespan. And Disney isn’t hiding the reason: they want the ride to reflect where the franchise is going rather than where it has been.
The new mission begins with Hondo Ohnaka catching wind of a suspicious exchange on Tatooine involving pirates and ex-Imperials. Naturally, there’s something valuable tied up in the middle of it, and Hondo sends guests on the Falcon to investigate. From there, the storyline links directly into the world fans know from The Mandalorian, with Din Djarin and Grogu dropping into the mission at key moments.
Instead of the coaxium run you’ve flown for years, the updated experience moves from planet to planet depending on the crew’s performance in the cockpit. Every role—pilot, gunner, and engineer—interacts with the mission differently now, and each job connects directly to the story rather than just functioning as a visual overlay.
And yes, Grogu will actually interact with engineers during certain scenes, giving the most overlooked role in the cockpit a much bigger part in the action.
Real-Time Graphics and a Full Media Replacement
Disney loves to use the phrase “next-generation” anytime they upgrade an attraction, but this time the company isn’t exaggerating. Every cockpit in Smugglers Run has already been fitted with new hardware that uses real-time graphics powered by Unreal Engine—the same technology Lucasfilm uses on The Mandalorian set through its virtual production system.
What does this actually mean for guests?
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The screens respond instantly to pilot and gunner movements
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The projections look sharper and brighter
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Effects don’t “snap” or “skip” the way old footage sometimes did
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The cockpit visuals feel smoother and more natural
Even more impressive: Imagineering confirmed that the update uses the exact same digital models Lucasfilm uses during filming. That includes starships, buildings, sets, props—right down to environmental details. Instead of rebuilding assets from scratch, Imagineers pulled directly from the Lucasfilm vault, ensuring that when guests fly through a location, they’re seeing the same models that appear on screen.
This is the first time a Disney attraction has been built so closely to the franchise’s actual filmmaking pipeline.
Why the Mandalorian Update Matters Now
Lucasfilm is officially shifting away from the original bounty-hunter-driven direction of The Mandalorian series, something fans first started piecing together after Jon Favreau explained that the storyline from the planned fourth season wasn’t simply canceled—it was shelved in favor of a theatrical format with a different focus.
The movie moves Din Djarin into a more traditional heroic role, aligning him with the New Republic and pushing the franchise closer to a larger-scale arc. Several characters from the series aren’t involved, and the story introduces completely new factions and conflicts.
This shift lines up with Disney’s new long-term priorities: fewer streaming-exclusive projects, more theatrical releases, and tighter financial control. The cancellation of The Acolyte and reports of budget trims for upcoming shows confirm that Lucasfilm is consolidating its resources around high-profile releases—many of which need to perform well in theaters.
By launching a Mandalorian-themed mission in the parks the same day the new movie opens, Disney is synchronizing the franchise on every major platform at once. Guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will literally be stepping into the story on the same day they could see the next chapter play out in theaters.
Reworked Gameplay Roles Inside the Cockpit
In addition to new visuals, Imagineering reworked the roles inside the Falcon. Pilots, gunners, and engineers have clearer instructions, more responsive controls, and more narrative weight in the mission.
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Pilots get more precise steering and smoother screen feedback
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Gunners benefit from improved targeting due to reduced input lag
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Engineers now have interactive sequences with Grogu, tying their tasks directly into the storyline
These changes are meant to address a longtime complaint: that the ride rewarded pilots more heavily than any other position. In the new version, every role matters.
A Big Summer for Disney World—and a Big Shift for Star Wars
Disney doesn’t typically schedule an attraction overhaul to hit on the same day as a major film release. That alone signals how much weight this project carries. Smugglers Run’s update represents the new direction of the franchise, the new direction of Disney’s technology strategy, and the new direction of how the parks sync up with Hollywood.
For guests, it simply means this: if you’ve flown the Falcon before, you haven’t flown it like this.
May 22, 2026 is shaping up to be the moment Star Wars storytelling converges across movies, television, and theme parks all at once. And the fact that this all arrives just as Lucasfilm officially abandons its original version of the Mandalorian character only makes the timing more pointed.
The galaxy is shifting. And the Falcon is shifting with it.
