The BEST Trick for Riding Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run – And It’s Not Disney Genie

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has proven to be a popular addition to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World.

With its outpost-theming, amazing food (we’re looking at you, Ronto Wraps), and thrilling attractions, Guests have continually flocked to Batuu to have an experience in a galaxy far, far away.

But with huge crowds heading to this area of the theme parks, many Guests can expect long wait times for both Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. 

On a recent visit to Walt Disney World, Disney Tips found the ultimate trick to riding Smugglers Run with little to no wait time – and we didn’t use the costly Disney Genie+ service!

The Outer Rim planet of Batuu opened to Disney Park Guests on May 31, 2019 at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and on August 29, 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park in Orlando, Florida to mixed reviews from diehard Star Wars fans.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge replaced the majority of the Park’s former beloved Streets of America area, including the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure attractions.

Credit: Disney TipsThe Star Wars-themed land is set between Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) in the Star Wars timeline, and features two attractions – Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run and the continually popular Rise of the Resistance.

The Force is strong with Disney’s popular new attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, with wait times consistently high since the virtual queue was removed last year.

Disney Guests look forward in their masses to joining the Resistance in an epic battle against the First Order, in the high-tech, immersive experience like Disney fans had never seen before.

The other attraction at Black Spire Outpost is Star Wars: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – a simulator ride in which Guests get to actually pilot the Millennium Falcon like Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca!

During our visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this weekend, the wait times were consistently over 40 minutes for Smugglers Run, sometimes reaching 90 minutes at the peak of the day.

With just two of us in our party, we decided to chance the Single Rider queue, and what a hidden gem this is!

The Single Rider line for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had no wait time every time we tried it, and a couple of times we actually ended up in the same cockpit!

This is not guaranteed, of course, and most times we were put in separate groups to ride the attraction.

The Single Rider line does not provide you with an option on which role you are – pilot, gunner, or engineer – or let you ride together, but it does allow you to skip the long line if you are in a rush and don’t mind just riding alone.

Another top tip is to go left up the stairs when you reach the Hangar split during the Single Rider queue, as no one realizes there are two lanes!

We ended up being both gunner and engineer during our experiences on the Falcon, and didn’t mind not being together. When we exited the ride, it was fun to discuss the varying pilot skill levels in each other’s cockpit.

There’s a lot for Star Wars fans to be excited about this year. From the current release of The Book of Boba Fett ON Disney+, to Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Disney’s brand new, one-of-a-kind hotel launching in March 2022.

The eagerly-awaited Galactic Starcruiser hotel will take Guests on a (simulated) two-night voyage through a galaxy far, far away. While aboard the Galactic Starcruiser, Guests will be fully immersed in the Star Wars story, as each decision they make will shape the outcome of their journey.

Disney fans have been treated lately to numerous sneak peek looks onboard the Halcyon, but it seems Star Wars fans are not impressed by what they see.

Lately, Disney Tips has been seeing a lot of openings for stays aboard the Galactic Starcruiser, which indicates many Guests are canceling their reservations.