As you are possibly well aware by now, Galaxy’s Edge will be opening very soon to the public in Disneyland and later in August at Disney World. Nothing is quite as exciting as getting a sneak peek prior to the opening of a huge attraction such as Smuggler’s Run.

In Smuggler’s Run, you are aboard the Millennium Falcon and the rest is history. OK, there is a little more to it than that. Courtesy of Jessica Figueroa of WDW News Today, she gave us a report of a rampant traveler of Batuu who gave them some interesting details of their first impressions of the ride:

Once in the captain’s chair, the sense of nostalgia is almost overwhelming. The rumors and fleeting online glimpses are true. The ride itself takes place within a true-to-life Millennium Falcon flight simulator.

Veteran Walt Disney World guests will immediately recognize similarities with the much-beloved Star Tours. I’d say the two experiences are parallel in terms of thrill level. While many would liken this to Epcot’s Mission: SPACE attraction due to flashing interactivity and scripted expectations, you really are in full control of your flight experience with the Falcon. That being said, if you incur damage on your journey, you will see it… and feel it.

Six guests at a time enter the legendary Millennium Falcon cockpit, adopting one of three roles: pilot, gunner, and engineer, and are then arranged into two rows, accordingly. The assignment is not strictly nominal. Should you choose to––and you ought––each flier has a series of duties to fulfill. The captain has certain flight responsibilities, gunners get to shoot at potential targets, while engineers are charged with fixing damage wrought by the actions of the others.

All the while, beyond the segmented flight screen, a dramatic galactic adventure unfolds. It can be difficult to focus upon and properly appreciate the space age creativity, what with all the button pressing and piloting going on. Try to balance your responsibilities with the available passive enjoyment, or you may come to the end feeling as though you have missed something. For those who want a more hands-off experience, there are autopilot buttons in the cockpit. You have the option of just setting them and simply enjoying the ride.

Smugglers Run fulfills a lifelong dream for many to pilot the Millennium Falcon, and the level of detail is above all that has preceded it. This, combined with the variations in each ride, will make this a highly repeatable experience for guests… despite the fact that it’s really just the world’s largest arcade gaming cockpit.

Now doesn’t that sound like any Star Wars fans dream of piloting the Millennium Falcon? Sounds like it! Here’s some exclusive first footage of Smuggler’s Run to keep this epic space ride in perspective:

Some video has leaked from onboard Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Instagram pic.twitter.com/BTVNt57kVV — WDW News Today (@WDWNT) May 22, 2019

What would do to get a chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon? Will you be visiting Smuggler’s Run? If so, share your thoughts and experiences by starting the discussion by clicking on the link to our Discourse forum below or by checking out our forum by selecting “forum” via the menu bar up top.