In 2016 Disney delighted fans when they gave us our first real look at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. And though details have been coming in slower than a drunken bantha, thanks to a new DVD special feature on the new Solo: A Star Wars Story film we’ve gotten a few small details about what to expect from the Millennium Falcon ride (which still doesn’t have a name) and more! If you’re excited for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, here are the latest updates you need to know about!
1. Cockpits will feel “real” but capacity will be low
Image: Disney
Last year Disney shared the first real details about the Millennium Falcon ride, confirming that guests who board this signature attraction will actually be piloting the Millennium Falcon themselves, instead of just tagging along for an adventure the way they do in Star Tours. Though we already knew that guests would be able to turn, bank and even fire weapons in this upcoming simulation-style experience, Disney confirmed late last year that guests will not just be boarding a simulator the way that they do on other attractions like Mission: Space, but will instead be able to go through a truly accurate experience where they can climb through the hatch of this infamous spacecraft, walk through screen-accurate hallways, sit inside the cockpit, and power her up before their adventure. And while this all already sounds incredibly exciting, some additional details about the technology going into this new attraction have been revealed as well that should get guests even more excited about this new ride!
According to the DVD special features, guests will be able to climb into one of seven pods that seat six riders each. Each pod will be able to rotate 360 degrees, and there will be a LOT of interactive elements all around riders that will affect the riders. According to one of the attraction’s creative directors, there will be 200 buttons, knobs and switches on the inside of the cockpit, each with a specific function.
Image: Disney
And interestingly, many of these interactive elements will be specific to different “jobs” riders will have on the ride, similar to the format for Mission: Space. So, for instance, gunners in the center will have weapons controls while engineers in the back will have buttons and levers related to keeping the ship flying.
This all sounds really exciting, but it looks like there will be one big issue with this attraction when it opens: wait times are going to be crazy. With seven pods that seat 6 each, you’re looking at an attraction that can only handle 42 guests per ride cycle, which is very low for an attraction that will undoubtedly be extremely popular when it opens next year.
2. The ride’s story will tie back to animated Star Wars series
Image: Disney
While Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge doesn’t seem rooted in any specific time period, the story of the ride will give guests a mission from Hondo Ohnaka, who is a character from the Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels animated series. Though specifics have not been shared just yet, the mission will involve bringing back some kind of bounty, and guests will have a very good reason to try their best to accomplish this goal…
3. Your performance will affect your experience in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Image: Disney
According to an Imagineer interviewed on the DVD, guests who bring back their bounty and fly the ship expertly without a lot of damage will be able to earn extra Galactic Credits, which will change the way characters in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge interact with them. Conversely, guests who lose the bounty or damage the ship will end up owing money, which will also produce different interactions with characters.
As mentioned previously, guests who visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will essentially be starring in their own Star Wars adventure, and this attraction seems like it will be a key facet of building each guest’s land-wide story.
Though we still don’t have an official name for this new attraction, we definitely know a lot about what this new ride will be like, and it sounds like it is definitely worthy of anchoring this immersive new land. With tons of interactive elements and the ability to extend the ride experience into the larger Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge experience, this is definitely going to be an amazing experience when it opens in just over a year. Are you excited for this new attraction?
