Guests End up in Empty Field While Riding Disney World Attraction, Cast Members Make Call
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, change is everywhere. The park is adding The Magic of Disney Animation experience and preparing to welcome the Monsters of Monstropolis. Meanwhile, beloved areas like Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge continue to draw visitors daily.
But for one recent crew of the Millennium Falcon, their voyage through the galaxy didn’t end with a daring escape or triumphant docking. Instead, it concluded with a view rarely—if ever—seen by guests: an empty, digital field.
Nestled in the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is one of Galaxy’s Edge’s centerpiece attractions, alongside Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The adventure begins with a walk past a life-size Falcon, then into a detailed queue where the charismatic space pirate Hondo Ohnaka briefs guests on their smuggling mission.
Once onboard, each rider takes on the role of pilot, gunner, or engineer, working together to deliver cargo and outmaneuver enemies. The ride’s outcome shifts based on performance, making each mission feel different. Guests can enter via standby, Lightning Lane, or single-rider.
This time, however, the crew found themselves stranded after a malfunction, prompting one guest to share their experience online.
On the Walt Disney World Reddit, user CaptainGibb’s post—complete with a photo taken from the Falcon’s cockpit—quickly gained over 1,600 upvotes. The unusual sight showed nothing but an empty terrain stretching beyond the windows. “It was at the very end so it didn’t matter too much,” they explained. “But [we] never got [our] scores and the cast member looked very confused and immediately called someone on the phone.”
Replies soon speculated on the cause. One commenter, citing two decades in simulator research, explained that such rides often have a background environment visible during boot-up or after a crash. “Chances are it crashed and restarted,” they wrote, likening it to the rare moment when Space Mountain’s lights turn on mid-ride.
While an empty field may not be on the official itinerary, the Falcon will soon gain new destinations. Beginning May 22, 2026, Smuggler’s Run will launch a Mandalorian-themed mission in celebration of Jon Favreau’s upcoming film, The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026).
Disney Parks Blog describes the update: “In this new thrilling storyline, Hondo Ohnaka has gotten wind of a deal going down on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and a band of pirates. There’s a generous bounty for their capture, so you’ll borrow the iconic ship and team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and explore the galaxy.” The new adventure will introduce locations such as Coruscant and Endor to the ride’s roster.
From Batuu’s bustling streets to unexpected detours, Smuggler’s Run continues to offer guests moments worth remembering—whether they’re carefully scripted or the result of a glitch in the system.
