Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is seeing a new mission hit lightspeed. To go along with the new Star Wars: Mandalorian & Grogu movie out, the new mission will feature the masked bounty hunter and the adorable (internet named) Baby Yoda. Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run has had the same mission since debuting with Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland and Hollywood Studios in 2019. In this post, we’ll share information on the the new mission along with the differences between the seating positions on the ride.

While I’m not a huge fan of The Mandalorian (I enjoyed the first 2 seasons before losing interest in the 3rd, I’m hoping the movie is enjoyable), I am excited for the new mission. Smuggler’s Run has always felt like an upgraded, interactive Star Tours. That means it would benefit from multiple missions. While we aren’t there yet, this will be a step in that direction. We’ll have a review of the new mission in the next week but until then, here is what you can expect from the seating positions.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run hasn’t changed at all in terms of setup. The queue will be the same, as will the sitting positions on the ride – 2 pilots, 2 gunners and 2 engineers. Duties of each seat have stayed largely the same but here’s a rundown of what you can expect from each of them.

Pilots

Each mission relies on two pilots working together to steer the Millennium Falcon through danger, dodging obstacles, evading speedy TIE fighters, and keeping the ship intact as you track down your bounty. While you share the same goal, each pilot plays a distinct role in how the mission unfolds, as flying steady sets up your gunners and engineers for continued success throughout your flight.

The left pilot is in charge of the ship’s side to side movement (left to right). This will be key as you try to maintain a smooth flight path and as your gunners prepare to line up with incoming targets. There’s also a boost button nearby to accelerate past looming danger. Many walls, towers, canyon obstacles, and ships can cause damage to the Falcon and cause your credits to drop, so smooth steering is very important to complete your mission.

The right pilot controls the vertical (up and down) movement of the ship, pushing forward to go down and pulling back to go up. Right pilots are trusted to raise and lower the Falcon, avoid the ground and incoming obstacles, and of course, make the jump to hyperspace. But don’t get cocky, kid. Quick reactions and sharp reflexes are important to succeed in this role, and precise timing can make all the difference.

In the previous iteration of the ride, I’ve always preferred being the right pilot who is in charge of up and down. I’m not sure what that says about me or if that’s the consensus favorite. I’ll let you be the judge!

Gunners

As you prepare to track down your bounty and complete the instructions laid about by Hondo and Mando, your team’s gunner positions will be vital as you face danger along the way.

As you strap in your seatbelt and take your position, riders will be able to choose from an automatic mode or a manual mode by pressing buttons on the pad to your side.

Once the Falcon takes to the skies and has its eyes set on Tatooine, each gunner will be responsible for targets on their half of the cockpit. In automatic mode, targets will be tracked automatically both horizontally and vertically by using one primary button throughout. This button fires the guns in bursts of five, so be sure to keep pressing and time your shots on incoming enemies. For young ones, first-timers, or less-experienced flyers, the automatic mode in this position may be more ideal to allow for auto-locking on targets.

Meanwhile, in manual mode, targets will still be tracked automatically horizontally, but each gunner can select between a high, middle, or low targeting zone (using three different buttons) to fire on incoming enemy ships, all of which have been sent to stop your mission from being completed. This is the more difficult mode, for those looking for a challenge.

Hondo is all about profit, and he wants the Falcon to be in near-perfect shape upon its return so be as accurate as possible when shooting down any enemy TIE fighters. Hondo will certainly be displeased if the Falcon is beat up upon your return to Docking Bay 5.

Engineers

In this new mission aboard the Millennium Falcon, engineers have expanded responsibilities. Positioned in the back row of the cockpit, the left and right engineers are responsible for tracking enemy ships, picking the planet destination, and earning credits for Hondo by collecting cargo. Plus, someone in your crew has to keep an eye on Grogu.

Before taking off, Hondo was able to make a deal with the New Republic to deliver the coordinates of these bounties in exchange for any cargo that the crew may collect. As your crew of six follows Hondo’s precise coordinates to track three high-value bounties on Tatooine, you’ll cross paths with the Mandalorian and Grogu.

Here, our bounties are attempting to complete a deal to trade illegal goods, and it’s your job to swipe these goods for Hondo while Mando focuses on capturing the bounties. From there, as your cover is blown and the mission suddenly shifts, the trio of bounties splits between three different locations and leaves your crew with a key decision. Did you get all of that?

The position will also have a few other choices and responsibilities:

• Call Grogu: Looking for an ally to help out or curious to see what Grogu is up to during your mission? Click the button under the call icon to call Grogu in the Razor Crest.
• Repair the Ship: As the ship takes damage throughout your mission, you may see several buttons light up near you. To fix the ship as soon as possible to allow for a steady flight, help the rest of your crew out and hit the illuminated buttons quickly.

Once your mission takes a turn on Tatooine, one of the engineers will be prompted to launch homing beacons toward each of the bounty ships, while the opposite engineer will be instructed to choose your crew’s next flight destination by following one of the three homing beacons. These meaningful decisions set up the fun to soon follow by determining which bounty your crew will immediately pursue, allowing engineers to have a direct impact on the overall outcome of the pursuit.

Once you’ve jumped to your destination of choice, engineers will work together to grab up to six crates of valuable cargo (three max for the left, and three max for the right) from your bounty. When searching for the loot, an alert may sound and a masher button nearby will glow if potential shipments are in range. To secure the cargo, hit the button and watch as these valued possessions are brought toward the ship via the ship’s tractor beam.

This information does make the new mission sound more complex than the previous one. The new locations should help with the re-rideability. Speaking of those locations, below is some information about each one. They all sound pretty interesting and should appeal to Star Wars fans.

Locations

Bespin – As you arrive just outside of the iconic Cloud City, the chase through the skies of Bespin is on.

Your crew will pursue an Imperial officer in their Zeta-class Shuttle, dodging freighters carrying large Tibanna gas cannisters and navigating around passing tug-ships through the skies. During this portion of the mission, gunners will be especially busy, with a horde of TIE fighters swarming the skies and with a highly destructible environment always surrounding the Falcon.

All too easy? Think again. Bespin is pretty far from Tatooine, demanding focused coordination from your entire crew in order to make it out with the Falcon and your credits still intact.

Coruscant – Arriving above the bustling Uscru Entertainment District on Coruscant at night calls for intense teamwork to track down your prized possession.

Surrounded by dense civilian traffic, your crew will attempt to hunt down an Imperial officer in a Sentinel Assault Shuttle, weaving through an illuminated skyline, ducking in and out of tunnels, and avoiding TIE fighter fire. As you fly through the city and the chase intensifies, engineers will be tasked with grabbing and collecting crates from the target ship while keeping the Falcon running smoothly under the glow of the city’s lights.

This mission can take an unexpected turn, requiring your crew to reboot key systems and stay in sync with Mando and Grogu, so make sure to be alert and look out for any potential allies to help you safely return to Batuu.

Second Death Star Wreckage – On the outskirts of a debris field surrounding the forest moon of Endor, the shattered remains of the second Death Star loom, with twisted metal and wreckage causing a dangerous path forward for your crew and serving as a great hiding spot for a potential bounty on the loose.

As you explore the remains of this once-armed battle station, you’ll look for the Transdoshan pirate hiding amongst the debris before the ship attempts to escape. Along the way, you’ll navigate past massive fragments (including parts of a fallen Star Destroyer) while avoiding collisions in this tight, cluttered environment. Skilled pilots will be necessary as you race through floating ship pieces on the chase for the bounty, creating your very own Trench Run.

The action quickly escalates again as your crew may be called upon to rescue Mando and Grogu from a rogue tractor beam, thrusting the gunners back into the middle of the action as they’ll be tasked with deploying a well-timed torpedo to save your crew and the duo from impending doom.

Mission: Complete

As the right pilot makes the jump to hyperspace and the ship safely touches down back on Batuu, your high-stakes mission comes to an end. Once you return, you’ll see that Mando and Grogu have secured one of their bounties, while your crew may have been skilled enough to return to Batuu with crates full of loot for Hondo.

While the results begin to roll in, be sure to keep an eye out in the hangar bay to spot Mando and Grogu securing their latest prized possession from the pursuit, as carbonite gas spills out from the Razor Crest.

Back inside the hangar, Hondo will tally your crew’s performance, calling out how many crates your team managed to successfully recover during the mission. Once Hondo unloads the crates, several surprises await inside.

While some crews may discover a shipment of galactic credits, others may find a load of Kyber Crystals, or even baby Rancors. Each haul directly impacts your overall cabin score depending on what’s inside each crate, and each seat’s individual performance and skill is added up. The elusive Employee of the Month honor is saved for a select few who can secure the high score on the attraction: does your team of six have what it takes?

No two runs are exactly the same on board the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, making every flight a little different than the last. The chase for a higher score, a smoother flight, or another chance to punch the ship into hyperspace is on. This time it’s with the Mandalorian and Grogu along for the ride. Keep an eye out for a review, coming in a few days! Until then, may the force be with you.

Are you excited for this new mission on Smuggler’s Run? Let us know, along with any questions you have, in the comments below! Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help get you there! Here’s a link to discount tickets at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. If you enjoy what you’re reading here on Wandering in Disney please subscribe to the blog via email or WordPress and like our social media pages. You can find all of those things on the right side of this page. Thank you very much for reading, we appreciate it!