Disney World Alters Highly Anticipated ‘Star Wars’ Update With Strict New Rules for Park Guests

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is heading into one of its busiest stretches of the year, and the timing could create major pressure inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Over the next several days, Walt Disney World will roll out a new Smugglers Run experience, debut limited-edition collectibles, and welcome Annual Passholders for previews of Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.

That combination alone would bring heavy crowds. Add in the upcoming release of The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, and Disney suddenly has thousands of additional fans planning trips to the park at the same time.

Disney already appears to be preparing for the possibility that Hollywood Studios could become difficult to manage during peak hours.

The Mandalorian Arrives at Smugglers Run

The biggest addition coming to Galaxy’s Edge is the updated mission for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Disney is adding a new adventure themed to Din Djarin and Grogu, giving guests a fresh reason to board the Millennium Falcon again.

The timing is not accidental. Disney is clearly using the excitement surrounding The Mandalorian and Grogu to drive interest inside the parks as the movie prepares to hit theaters.

Fans have wanted stronger connections between the Disney+ era of Star Wars and Galaxy’s Edge for years. This mission update marks one of the clearest examples yet of Disney bringing those newer characters directly into a major attraction.

And Disney knows demand will be high.

Smugglers Run already attracts long waits during normal operating days. Once the new mission launches, crowds could spike almost immediately, especially during rope drop and evening hours.

Hollywood Studios Could Feel Packed

The challenge for Disney is that this attraction update does not arrive on its own.

Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is also holding Annual Passholder previews on May 21, 22, and 23 before officially reopening May 26. That means huge numbers of Passholders may already be inside Hollywood Studios while Galaxy’s Edge experiences increased demand from Star Wars fans.

At the same time, the Memorial Day travel season is beginning, and summer crowds are starting to build across Walt Disney World.

Hollywood Studios has struggled with congestion during major launches before, particularly inside Galaxy’s Edge, where walkways tighten quickly once lines begin spilling outward from the Millennium Falcon courtyard.

That is why many fans believe Disney may need operational changes to keep things manageable.

Virtual Queue Concerns Continue

Disney has not announced a virtual queue for the new Smugglers Run mission, but longtime park fans know the company could pivot quickly if standby lines become too overwhelming.

Disney relied heavily on virtual queues during several major attraction launches over the past few years. While the company has moved away from using them as frequently, Galaxy’s Edge creates unique crowd-control issues because traffic becomes so concentrated inside the land.

Overflow lines could also become part of the strategy.

Disney may expand queue areas outside the normal Smugglers Run entrance to avoid blocking nearby pathways around Docking Bay 7 and the marketplace section of Galaxy’s Edge.

Operational shifts like that are common whenever Disney expects unusually large attendance surges.

New Collectibles May Create Even More Lines

The attraction update is not the only thing drawing attention this week.

Disney is also launching new Mandalorian and Grogu collectibles, including the BDX Droid Bucket and a new Mandalorian and Grogu Jetpack Sipper.

The BDX Droid Bucket celebrates the roaming droids that Imagineering has developed in recent years, while the Jetpack Sipper is already generating major buzz among collectors online.

Limited-edition popcorn buckets and drink sippers regularly create massive lines at Disney parks, and Disney appears to know demand could get intense this time around.

To help control crowds, Disney is spreading collectible sales across multiple locations inside Hollywood Studios, including Backlot Express, Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, ABC Commissary, Fairfax Fare, Hollywood Hills Amphitheater Refreshments near Fantasmic!, and a cart near the park entrance.

The BDX Droid Bucket will also appear at select popcorn carts and locations around Galaxy’s Edge.

Disney is additionally limiting purchases to two collectibles per person, per transaction, while supplies last.

Guests Should Expect Operational Changes

The next week could become an early test for how Disney plans to handle future Star Wars expansions and high-demand entertainment launches.

Between the new Smugglers Run mission, Passholder previews, merchandise demand, and the movie release, Hollywood Studios may experience some of its heaviest crowds of the summer so far.

Guests visiting the park should prepare for longer waits, packed walkways, and possible operational adjustments throughout Galaxy’s Edge.

Disney clearly expects a major wave of Star Wars fans to arrive. The only real question now is how quickly the crowds build once everything officially launches.