‘Mandalorian’ Theme on Star Wars Ride Rejected at Walt Disney World
When Disney announced a brand-new mission for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, expectations were high.
The company tied the attraction to The Mandalorian and Grogu, introduced multiple destinations, expanded rider interaction, and promoted it as the biggest change to the experience since Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened.
Just weeks later, the attraction is producing one statistic Disney probably didn’t expect.
Smugglers Run is averaging only a 33-minute posted wait this week at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, making it the second-lowest weekly average in the attraction’s history. Only a week during 2021 recorded lower numbers.
Disney Tried to Modernize Smugglers Run
The updated adventure officially debuted on May 22, 2026.
Guests now fly alongside Din Djarin and Grogu while pursuing Imperial Officers across several different planets.
Unlike the original version, every crew chooses its own destination. Pilots face new flight challenges, while Engineers receive an expanded role that lets them interact directly with Grogu during the mission.
Disney hoped the changes would make repeat rides feel fresh.
Guests Aren’t Filling the Queue
While the attraction certainly offers more variety today, wait times suggest demand hasn’t increased in a meaningful way.
Throughout many days, the posted standby wait falls to around 10 minutes.
For one of Hollywood Studios’ signature attractions, that’s unusually low.
Nearby attractions continue pulling much larger crowds, leaving Smugglers Run with one of the shortest waits among the park’s major rides.
Why the Overlay May Not Be Enough
The attraction has always divided Disney fans.
Some love the interactive gameplay and appreciate that every mission feels different.
Others prefer Disney attractions with a more cinematic experience that doesn’t depend on how well strangers operate the controls.
Even with the Mandalorian overlay, those core mechanics remain the same.
Guests still rotate between Pilot, Gunner, and Engineer positions, and many visitors continue hoping for the pilot seat while feeling less excited about the other roles.
Disney improved the experience, but it didn’t completely reinvent it.
Good News for Guests
Ironically, the attraction’s softer demand benefits many visitors.
Shorter waits mean more opportunities to experience the updated mission without sacrificing large portions of the day.
Fans interested in seeing the new Mandalorian storyline can often ride with minimal waiting, something that’s increasingly rare for a major Star Wars attraction.
Still, Disney likely envisioned a much bigger response.
The company delivered branching storylines, new destinations, expanded gameplay, and one of Star Wars’ most popular characters. Yet early wait-time data suggests those additions haven’t significantly changed guest behavior.
For now, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run remains one of the easiest headline attractions to experience at Walt Disney World, despite receiving its biggest update since opening.
