Disneyland Flexes Its Flexibility for ‘Mando’ Release during ‘Kids Rule Summer’ Event
The magic of the Disneyland experience is partially in what is familiar. Fans and families, or Fan-ilies, return year after year… generation after generation… to share the experience of the familiar, the nostalgic, and occasionally the brand new. The park is frequently updating, growing, and changing, with events, experiences, and attractions that fit the marketing plans for new titles.
That said, it’s never been easy to update a ride. Rides happen in such a way that they are more or less set, and the commitment to the framework is massive. Occasional updates to classics like The Pirates of the Caribbean or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad come at a high cost in terms of time, and changes have to be built to last.
The modern imagineer is less tethered to those restrictions, and what the team has done to update Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run is very much worthy of praise. Timed to the seasonal Kids Rule Summer event, and the release of Disney’s tentpole Star Wars feature film in theaters, there is an all-new, and entirely customizable, experience happening on Han Solo and Chewbacca’s beloved blockade runner.
Choosing Your Own Adventure
When Star Tours relaunched in 2011, they added the shifting narratives, seemingly randomized, for guests. Each portion of each trip could feature different planets, and different heroes and villains along the way. This change, along with some others, was a welcome one after 20+ years of a Death Star trench run that had become pretty familiar.
The new pain point, however, was that you might get the same variant of the ride multiple times. This is what Smuggler’s Run addressed in its update rather brilliantly. Because Smuggler’s Run was designed with fan engagement, using rudders, buttons, and levers to impact events within the ride, it made perfect sense to give fans a chance to decide what planet they wanted to visit.
The Mandalorian now asks fans which planet (and bounty) they want to pursue partway through the ride, and if those in the back are paying attention, they can choose the course by hitting a button. Adding this interactive element in the first place was the genius of the attraction, but putting an even more customizable experience in the hands of the fans is a step further down the direction.
The Future of Rides
Disney has always been best at being immersive. The secret sauce to the whole park experience is the commitment to themes, engagement, and fantasy. Smuggler’s Run’s latest update is perhaps the sign of things to come, that there is even more to do when it comes to putting fans in the stories they love most, and allowing them to dictate how they experience all of the magic.
Head to Disneyland Resort now to experience the updated attraction along with “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” – For Real Life, and Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration.
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