ANAHEIM, Calif. – Flying the Millennium Falcon is no longer a dream for “Star Wars” fans, it's a reality. You can show Han Solo how it is done on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
You start your mission meeting with Hondo, a Weequay pirate from “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels.”
Chewbacca has loaned the Falcon to Hondo.
He now needs extra flight crews to transport cargo, that’s where visitors come in.
When you first walk through the hatch of the ship you can sit at the Dejarik chess table or check out some of the equipment.
“I got pumped up,” News 6 photojournalist Robert Breuer said when he entered the ride.
Visitors go in groups of six and will be assigned to one of three roles:
Pilots: In this role you get to control the Falcon and avoid obstacles that could cause damage to the ship. This is your chance to jump to lightspeed.
“That was the first moment I felt like I was in the movies,” News 6 Anchor Kirstin O’Connor said.
Gunners: Visitors use blastsers and missiles to protect the cargo onboard. At the end of the ride Hondo gives you a performance report on how well you shot.
“It feels like you are on the Millennium Falcon,” Breuer said.
Flight Engineers: This position is critical, because the engineers help keep the Falcon afloat by making repairs to the damage sustained from transporting the cargo. How well you repair the ship impacts on how smooth the ride will be.
With three roles on the ship, this will make visitors eager to go on the Falcon again to get a different experience.