In Praise of Smugglers Run
During the early days of headlines regarding Star Wars Land, one attraction garnered most of the attention.
Disney emphasized that its Imagineers were constructing a life-sized Millennium Falcon, one guests could drive.
Photo: Disney
At the time, Disney hadn’t announced much about the other attraction, which we’ve since come to know as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Once the airport hangar-sized attraction opened, its sibling became overshadowed, which is tragic because it’s so much fun.
Today, I come to sing the praises of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, the other ride at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, an immersive masterpiece.
The Setting Should Feel Familiar
Image: Star Wars
Believe it or not, what happens during Smugglers Run is canon in the Star Wars universe!
Disney went so far as to liaise with Lucasfilm about the best possible setting for the story.
Everyone settled on a timeframe between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The premise involves the tandem of Rey and Chewbacca, who have come into possession of Han Solo’s starship. It’s in desperate need of repairs, though.
Enter Hondo Ohnaka, the giant Audio-Animatronic you encounter before the ride begins.
According to the backstory, Rey and Chewie have turned to Hondo and, well, a life of crime to pay for their repairs.
Okay, that’s a bit misleading. Ohnaka is the one doing the crimes. He frequently hires rookie bandits to perform tasks for him.
These assignments often involve the retrieval of illicit goods. The criminals-in-training use the Millennium Falcon to perform the missions.
Photo:Comicbook.com
Yes, that’s where you enter the story! You’re one such noob who must steal some Coaxium to get in Ohnaka’s good graces and maybe earn yourself a few credits.
You’re officially on #TeamChewie! Of course, you’re also someone living a bandit lifestyle and risking the wrath of The First Order.
So, you probably shouldn’t think of Rey and Chewie as friends as much as people you know from work.
The Theming Is Everywhere
Remember how I just said that the Millennium Falcon has suffered plenty of danger and needs essential repairs?
Attentive guests should notice this theme throughout the ship as you explore every inch of the Millennium Falcon.
Photo: DIsney
You’ll start outside where Disney has built the real thing, an actual starship.
As you enter the interior part of the line queue, you should pay attention to the sights and sounds.
Photo: Disney
Blaster burns appear throughout the ship, hinting at desperate fights between Star Wars heroes and villains from The First Order and Empire.
Disney’s early marketing for the attraction indicated that “thrusters are gasping to activate.”
Photo: Ziggy Knows Disney
You’ll hear the audio cues akin to a struggling car engine on a cold winter’s morning.
In fact, people with excellent hearing may pick up on engines trying to turn over but struggling to activate…just like that old car you used to love!
Image: Lucasfilm
Folks, you’re not visiting the Millennium Falcon that Han Solo has lovingly kept clean since it’s his home and his pride and joy.
Instead, you’re boarding a wanted vessel currently used for criminal enterprises.
Photo: Disney
This Millennium Falcon has seen some stuff, and it has barely survived the battles.
Fittingly, the ride even ends with Ohnaka kicking you out of the cockpit because it’s in desperate need of repairs.
Photo: Disney
You’ll notice the flashing lights of struggling appliances as you depart the starship!
Lucasfilm Computer-Generated the Visuals
Photo: DIsney
Once you enter the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, you can’t help but notice the photorealistic graphics on display.
Imagineers have augmented the actual Millennium Falcon displays from the Holy Trilogy with unprecedented new technology.
Photo:ILMxLAB
Disney went straight to the source, asking for help from one of its most recent acquisitions, ILMxLAB.
The movie industry leaders in special effects happily embraced the challenge of crafting an attraction that starts and ends on Batuu, the home planet at Galaxy’s Edge.
Photo:Wookiepedia
Even better, ILMxLAB joined Imagineers in a new initiative with NVIDIA, best known as a computer graphics processor manufacturer.
NVIDIA and ILMxLAB created a one-of-a-kind ride film that employs real-time rendering.
Photo: NVIDIA
You can think of this tech as building your starship viewfinder on the fly and adjusting to all your actions as a Pilot, Gunner, or Engineer.
Disney has built an illusion of your entering a cockpit based on another story altogether. Remember the virtual reality systems in Ready Player One?
Photo: Amazon
The Millennium Falcon visuals are basically the same thanks to eight high-end NVIDIA Quadro P6000 GPUs and a Boxx computer workstation.
I apologize for mixing the sci-fi stories here, but you’re on the holodeck, Captain!
The Entire Experience Feels Authentic and Believable
Here’s the main reason I sing the praises of Smugglers Run. I’m unabashedly not a Star Wars guy, yet I love this attraction.
In fact, I may like Smugglers Run more than Star Wars people, and that’s because I’m a Disney immersion fanatic.
Image: Disney
Imagineers outdid themselves in designing the totality of the ride experience. First, you see the Millennium Falcon from a distance.
Later, you enter the vessel and interact with Hondo Ohnaka, who towers above you. It’s a filmmaker’s trick to establish who has all the power.
Photo: Disney
You’re a would-be smuggler working for Ohnaka. He dictates terms, and you’re in no position to push back.
So, you grudgingly accept the offer to perform a heist with the rest of Ohnaka’s crew, whom you may not know.
Are You a Loner or A Team Player?
Something I adore about the Single Rider option on Smugglers Run is how well it plays into this theme.
You’re not part of your own crew now. Instead, you’re a lone wolf working with five strangers.
Photo: ScreenCrush
Their failures are your failures. You can only control one small part of the mission, whether you’re an Engineer, Gunner, or Pilot.
Obviously, the Pilots carry the greatest responsibility. The premise works the same for everyone, though. You’re legitimately living out a space adventure.
Photo: Guide2WDW
The success or failure of the mission depends on your ability to perform your task among a group of strangers.
Conversely, you’ll bring friends and family with you as the crew. That adds an entirely different dynamic, as you’ll expect more from them.
Photo: OC Register
Of course, you’ll also know who to blame if you fail. My first pilot tried to sabotage our mission…and I still haven’t forgiven or forgotten.
That sort of group-bonding exercise should be impossible at a theme park, but Disney has turned it into a reality.
As far as experiential theme park attractions, Smugglers Run claims its spot at the top of the list.
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Feature Photo: Photo: Matt Stroshane, photographer
