Star Wars Experiences Enhanced by Disney's Imagineering and Live Entertainment at Celebration

At Star Wars Celebration, fans were treated to a glimpse of the future of Disney Parks experiences, with IGN having the opportunity to speak with Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama and Disney Live Entertainment's Michael Serna. They shared exciting details about the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu-themed update for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the introduction of the adorable BDX droids across Disney Parks worldwide.

Kalama and Serna not only revealed these thrilling new additions but also provided insights into the creative process behind bringing Disney magic to life. They discussed how they craft experiences that allow guests to immerse themselves in beloved stories and characters, creating memorable moments that last a lifetime.

The Mandalorian and Grogu-Themed Update to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Will Let Engineers Take Care of Grogu

A major highlight from Star Wars Celebration was the announcement that the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run attraction will receive a The Mandalorian and Grogu-themed update, set to launch alongside the film on May 22, 2026. While the attraction's storyline will diverge from the film, it will feature guests teaming up with Mando and Grogu. Notably, the Engineer role offers a unique opportunity to interact with Grogu and make crucial decisions that determine the mission's destination.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Mission Concept Art for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

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"Throughout the mission, we're going to be giving the engineers the opportunity to actually get to communicate with Grogu," Kalama explained. "So, we think it's going to be a ton of fun. There may be times when Mando has to deboard the Razor Crest and Grogu, left to his own devices, might get a little happy on the control panel. So, we love the idea of there being these fun little vignettes and moments where you're sort of on the comm with Grogu."

The interactive aspect includes a choose-your-own-adventure element, where guests face a critical moment requiring a swift decision on which bounty to pursue. This choice influences the mission's path, potentially leading to destinations like Bespin, the Death Star wreckage above Endor, or the newly-announced Coruscant. The new story revolves around Hondo Ohnaka discovering a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase across the galaxy with Mando and Grogu.

The BDX Droids Will Be Traveling From Disney Parks Around the World Right Into Your Heart

The charming BDX Droids, beloved by Star Wars fans, are set to appear at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney. These droids, also featured in The Mandalorian & Grogu, are designed to enhance guest experiences by bringing beloved stories to life in new ways.

Image Credit: Disney

"The goal of the BDX Droids was to look at how we bring characters to life in our parks in different ways, and this is really technology merging with this piece of entertainment and a backstory we created specifically for the parks," Kalama stated. "They've appeared in games and other places, but we created an original story just for us and we've sort of evolved that as we've moved on to sites all over the world."

Serna added, "And they have a lot of fun childlike qualities and do all sorts of cute things that people would do. So, we realized we kind of needed to identify each one of them with a personality. It made it much more interesting to engage with them and allowed us a lot of flexibility and a lot of ways to continue to expand that world. So, in the same way we love R2-D2 and other droids that we become connected to, we think you'll become connected to certain colors of the BDX droids. Each color is really a unique personality."

The introduction of these droids represents just one of the ways Disney is enhancing park experiences. Kalama and Serna discussed how technological advancements in animatronics and robotics are being utilized to create more engaging and immersive character experiences throughout the parks.

From Peter Pan and Star Tours to Creating the Future

Kalama and Serna shared their personal journeys, inspired by iconic Disney attractions like Peter Pan and Star Tours. These experiences not only fueled their passion for theme parks but also drive their work in creating new, immersive experiences for future generations.

"As a little kid, riding Peter Pan was most exciting for me," Serna reminisced. "To fly in this vehicle... I think it really blew my mind. I had no idea how it worked. I just thought, 'Oh my God, we're flying!' And then, as I got a little older and became a huge Star Wars fan, Star Tours was really the ride that changed my life as far as what I thought theme parks can do."

Kalama shared a similar sentiment, "I only had the opportunity to visit the park one time before I became a cast member, and I was probably eight years old and I was so obsessed with all things science fiction. I literally refused to leave Tomorrowland. So, the first time I ever encountered any of the other lands was as an adult. But again, for me, as Michael said, I have one vivid memory and it was Star Tours."

Both emphasized the importance of creating experiences that transport guests into fantasy worlds, appealing to audiences of all ages.

Serna highlighted his contribution to "Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga" at Disneyland, a projection show at Galaxy's Edge that enhances the daily fireworks with a Star Wars narrative.

Image Credit: Disney

"That was actually about a two-year process of looking at something that was happening in the parks daily, which was fireworks. People would sit in Batuu and watch the fireworks, but there was no music or anything. You were just sitting there in silence watching fireworks. So, we sort of looked at that as an opportunity to say, well, maybe we need to create something here and create it in the world of Star Wars."

Kalama emphasized the meticulous attention to detail that goes into every aspect of the park's design, from the type of screws used to the authenticity of the environment, ensuring guests feel fully immersed in the Star Wars universe.