Star Wars Celebration: Disney Brings Galaxy to Life

Star Wars Celebration provided a thrilling glimpse into the future of Disney Parks experiences, and IGN had the privilege of speaking with Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama and Disney Live Entertainment's Michael Serna. They shared insights on the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu-themed update for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the adorable BDX droids set to enchant guests at Disney Parks worldwide. Kalama and Serna also discussed their creative process, highlighting how they bring Disney Magic to life, allowing fans to immerse themselves in cherished stories and characters for unforgettable experiences.

The Mandalorian and Grogu-Themed Update to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

One of the most anticipated announcements from Star Wars Celebration was the integration of The Mandalorian and Grogu into Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. Scheduled to launch alongside a new film on May 22, 2026, this update will enable Engineers to take care of Grogu during the mission. Although the attraction's storyline will diverge from the film's narrative, guests will join forces with Mando and Grogu, with Engineers having the unique opportunity to interact with Grogu and make critical decisions that determine the mission's destination.

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

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Kalama emphasized the interactive elements for Engineers, stating, "Throughout the mission, we're going to be giving the engineers the opportunity to actually get to communicate with Grogu. 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."

Additionally, the update introduces a choose-your-own-adventure aspect, where guests must make quick decisions that affect the storyline. Kalama explained, "There will be sort of a critical moment in your adventure where you are strapped for time and have to make a lightning quick decision about which of our particular bounties we want to pursue. And that's going to be the sort of inciting incident that allows us to decide which are the different destinations we go to."

These choices could lead guests to iconic locations like Bespin, the Death Star wreckage above Endor, and the newly announced Coruscant. The narrative centers on Hondo Ohnaka's discovery of a deal on Tatooine involving ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a thrilling 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 make their way to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney. These droids, which will also feature in The Mandalorian & Grogu, have been designed to enhance guest experiences and deepen immersion in beloved stories.

Kalama shared the vision behind the BDX Droids, saying, "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 because these kind of originate with the parks. 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 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 BDX Droids represent just one aspect of how Disney is innovating park experiences. Serna elaborated on the use of technology, saying, "The technology behind the animatronics is influencing how we're looking at robotics and character experiences and these up close experiences that continue to inspire us. So, we see those amazing animatronics in, for example, the Frozen attraction, and we start to think how we bring those out of an attraction and onto a street. I think you're going to see a lot more of those kinds of things in our parks around the world, which means using technology in ways you're not expecting when they are so close to you."

Kalama emphasized the importance of blending technology seamlessly with storytelling, noting, "I think that idea of using technology in both unexpected ways and invisible ways is really important to sort of how we approach all of this stuff. I think we are very much in the business of creating that sense of suspension and disbelief, and oftentimes there's no other way to bring a character to life than through robotics. But one of the things that's incredibly unique to the work that we do, as compared to what you might see in an automotive factory, is we have to figure out how to bring character, emotion, and personality to life. That's an entirely different technical challenge than just getting a robot to be able to balance on its own as a for instance. How do you get it to do that in a way that makes you feel something?"

From Peter Pan and Star Tours to Creating the Future

Kalama and Serna's passion for Disney Parks was ignited by iconic attractions like Peter Pan and Star Tours, which inspired them to contribute to the creation of new experiences for future generations. Their personal stories offer a unique perspective on how Disney's future is shaped by its past.

Serna reminisced, "As a little kid, riding Peter Pan was most exciting for me. 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. Peter Pan was an amazing story, but it was sort of something from the past. However, seeing something that I love from the Star Wars films represented that way... I mean, if you remember back then, we were in an era of no new Star Wars stuff and this was a new adventure and I couldn't believe I was now in a Star Wars story myself."

He continued, "And so I think when we do our jobs well, we invite the entire family, regardless of how old you are right now, to feel truly transported and completely lost in a fantasy. I think that inspires me every day when I think about the work we do. It's not necessarily about what I want to do, but it's mostly what 10-year-old Michael really wanted to do. That's what I want to put out there for our guests. I feel like if 10-year-old Michael will love it, you're probably going to love it too, whatever age you are."

Kalama shared his own story, saying, "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. That was the attraction for me. I mean, the suspension of disbelief was through the roof and I fully believed that I was on a star speeder and that I had traveled through the galaxy. I think that sense of magic of disassociation with reality and entering into this complete fantasy world is powerful, not only for kids, but I think it's just as important for adults. And so I think when we do our jobs well, we invite the entire family, regardless of how old you are right now, to feel truly transported and completely lost in a fantasy."

Both Kalama and Serna are now integral in shaping the future of Disney Parks experiences. Serna highlighted his involvement in creating Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga at Disneyland, a projection show at Galaxy's Edge that enhances the fireworks experience with a Star Wars narrative.

Serna explained, "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. So, we worked really closely with Lucasfilm to sort of look at what would a fireworks type show be in Galaxy's Edge. We created a character that was our storyteller. We created a droid that was part of the experience. We created a whole sort of performative piece around it and that actually led us to our next stage. There are some nights when there aren't fireworks. What are you going to do those nights now? So, Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga is really looking at using the spires as a projection space and creating something immersive that we've never done in a theme park before. This is the idea of a storyteller who has traveled around the galaxy, who has heard the story of Anakin Skywalker, and has now created an experience for us to sort of learn that tale in a new way."

Kalama emphasized the meticulous attention to detail that goes into crafting these experiences, stating, "I think something that I hope is invisible to our fans, but something that they appreciate, is that there is just an obsessive level of attention to detail that we put into everything. The number of very serious conversations we've had around the type of screw head that we should put on a panel wall, because... well... Phillips doesn't exist in the Star Wars timeline or the receipt paper that comes out of the printer when you make a purchase. We really go above and beyond to think about what are all of the small infinitesimal details that might not seem all that important on their own, but when they add up together they make the space feel truly authentic and immersive."