Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicChanges are coming to the Black Spire Outpost! Walt Disney World Resort recently filed a construction permit for one of the two popular attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run opened alongside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in August 2019. The other Star Wars land attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opened a few months later, in December 2019. Disneyland Resort experienced a similar delay–Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened at Disneyland Park in January 2020, while Batuu opened in May 2019.
The wildly popular Lucasfilm attractions frequently boast hours-long wait times, but they’re not as beloved as they once were. Many Disney Park guests report that the once-impressive special effects on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance are barely functional.
Others say Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, which invites guests to pilot the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy,” has lost its novelty now that the storyline is five years old.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t ignored complaints about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Walt Disney Imagineers have attempted to fix Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance with multiple lengthy refurbishment periods. Now, it seems that changes are coming to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Walt Disney World Resort’s in-house contractors, Buena Vista Construction Company, recently filed a construction permit for the simulator attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The document provided little detail on planned work other than a request to “provide labor, material, and/or electrical for construction.”
In August, Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro announced that a new version of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run would debut at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort in 2026. The updated ride will premiere alongside The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) film.
D’Amaro said Disney plans to create the new storyline alongside Epic Games. The company invested $1.5 billion in the video game giant earlier this year. Lucasfilm previously used Epic’s Unreal Engine to create some virtual sets for the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
“The intersection of storytelling and innovation has always been central to Lucasfilm and we’re excited to see where this collaboration will take us next,” Star Wars creative executive Dave Filoni said. “Just imagine it: you’ll be able to fly alongside Mando and Grogu on thrilling, and dangerous, missions.”
It’s unclear if the recently filed construction permit is related to the 2026 retheme of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. Walt Disney World Resort could simply be repairing worn down ride elements or fixing wear-and-tear on the show building.
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Which Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park attraction is most in need of an update? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments.