Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, a once-promising addition to Disneyland Resort’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, continues to face challenges that highlight its ongoing decline. Last week, a technical malfunction temporarily shut down the five-year-old ride, leaving fans questioning its future.
Photos shared on social media showed Disney cast members blocking access to the attraction after an unexpected breakdown. In a Reddit post, u/VIDGuide shared their experience of being evacuated just before boarding the ride. “Just got evacuated about 1 group from the ride, and now it’s ‘closed until further notice,'” they wrote.
Smugglers Run: closed temporarily
In the photo, dozens of Disney cast members were seen standing in a line, keeping guests far from the ride’s entrance. Disney Parks fans found this unusual.
“Looking at the photo and seeing so many cast keeping people so far back seems more than the usual breakdown, where there’s just a couple right at the entrance,” u/Meatloaf_Smeatloaf replied.
From Hopeful Launch to Waning Popularity
When Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run opened in 2019, it was hailed as a groundbreaking addition to the Star Wars land universe. Offering guests the chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon, the ride initially attracted massive crowds. However, enthusiasm for the attraction quickly waned due to its repetitive storyline and the divisive role assignment system, which disappointed many guests who didn’t get to play pilot.
In contrast, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Batuu’s other ride, continues to be a theme park guest favorite despite its own technical difficulties. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run’s declining wait times and guest interest have made it the less popular sibling in the Lucasfilm land’s lineup.
The Future of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Disney is aware of these challenges and has announced plans to revitalize Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. At the D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering revealed that a new storyline featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu would debut at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026, aiming to breathe new life into the interactive simulator.
Still, some fans wonder if a new storyline will be enough. Last week’s unexpected shutdown raises concerns about whether the ride’s technical foundation can support its planned updates. The reason for last week’s breakdown remains unclear, but the sight of Disney cast members cordoning off the area suggests something beyond a routine malfunction.
Technical Issues and Fan Frustration
Ride breakdowns are not uncommon at Disneyland Resort, but the scale of this incident puzzled many Disney Parks fans. Guests shared their theories online, with some speculating that the breakdown was tied to safety concerns rather than routine maintenance. Fortunately, the ride reopened and was operating normally by the time of this article’s publication.
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