Pedro Pascal, a new mission, and a whole new Soarin'
The Disneyland news worth caring about this week.
This week it’s all about Star Wars and summer planning — but in the best possible way. Pedro Pascal shows up unannounced, Smugglers Run gets a whole new mission on Thursday, and Soarin’ gets a complete overhaul this summer.
Let’s get into it.
🎬 Pedro Pascal surprised guests at Galaxy’s Edge — and, like everything, it’s not without drama for some reason
Last Saturday night, Pedro Pascal turned up inside Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in full Mandalorian armor, helmet and all, waiting in the loading area as a group of guests walked in. A cast member prompted him to say a few words before the ride. He lifted the helmet. Gasps, screaming, at least one person falling to the ground.
“Now you all have to die because you’ve seen my face,” he told them — a nod to Mandalorian lore that landed perfectly.
He posed for photos, stuck around, and by all accounts was genuinely lovely about the whole thing. Sigourney Weaver, director Jon Favreau, and Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni were also on property that evening to catch the new “Curious Child” projection show in Galaxy’s Edge (more on that below). The whole visit was timed to promote The Mandalorian and Grogu, which opens in theaters Thursday.
But, apparently the guests Pascal surprised were not random park visitors. They were influencers, brought in specifically for the moment, sparking some to call it “staged.”
Wait… you’re telling me… sometimes… Disney… stages things??!?!
The video went massively viral on the Star Wars and Disneyland Instagram accounts. I thought it was awesome. I mean, I wasn’t there that day, so not like I “missed out” on something. And they pull these kind of surprise and delight things all the time. If I somehow got tagged as an “influencer” and got to do this, I’d still be talking about it. And I mean, are you really going to expose “the goods” to just any rando that happens to be at Disneyland that day? Have you seen what people do to the characters, let alone an actual movie star?
The moment itself is genuinely wonderful — it’s the kind of thing that makes you love theme parks. For my part, I thought it was just fun. Maybe that’s because ever since I found out House Hunters is staged, I have nothing left to be dissapointed about.
🚀 Smugglers Run changes forever on Thursday — plus a new nighttime show in Batuu
The new Mandalorian and Grogu mission on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run launches May 22 — this Thursday — and it’s a permanent replacement of the Hondo Ohnaka storyline that’s been running since Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019. The biggest mechanical change: for the first time, the crew gets to choose their destination. Three options — Bespin (Cloud City), the wreckage of the second Death Star near Endor, and Coruscant — each with different mission objectives. The queue has been reworked, the in-cockpit programming is new, and the whole experience is designed to reward repeat visits in a way the original never really did.
This is also, to be clear, a replacement. At first it seemed it would be an addition and you might get the original storyline or the new one. That might still end up happening (they’re not even closing the ride to make the change, so it seems like it would be an easy thing to have both at some point), but for now, you’ll just have Mando at your side. By all accounts, it seems the Hondo pre-show animatronic will still be around, presumably with some new audio.
Running alongside the film launch is a new limited-time nighttime projection show inside Galaxy’s Edge called The Curious Child. It plays after the existing Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga show, projecting onto the spires of Batuu near the Millennium Falcon. The show follows Grogu using the Force to recall memories of his adventures with Din Djarin — essentially a greatest-hits projection experience tied to the new film. It’s free with park admission and runs for a limited time only, though Disney hasn’t announced an end date yet.
✈️ Soarin’ Across America lands July 2 — here’s what’s actually changing
Disney confirmed new details this week about Soarin’ Across America, the new overlay replacing Soarin’ Around the World at Disney California Adventure starting July 2. This is the third version of the attraction, and it’s tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The new film takes guests on a sweeping tour of American landscapes: the New England coastline, New York Harbor, the Grand Canyon, the Hawaiian shores, the bayous, the Great Plains, and Mount Rushmore, among others. The score is a new orchestration of Jerry Goldsmith’s original Soarin’ theme, arranged by Bruce Broughton — the same composer behind Spaceship Earth’s iconic score, which is a genuinely exciting credit. Wind effects, scents, and the full sensory package are all updated too.
A few things worth knowing for trip planning: Soarin’ Over California — which has been running since February as part of DCA’s 25th Anniversary — ends June 30. Soarin’ Across America opens July 2. That’s one day of downtime. No lengthy refurbishment gap, which is a nice surprise. Disney hasn’t announced an end date for the new overlay, but it’s framed as part of the America250 celebration, which culminates over July 4th weekend — so it’s almost certainly running at least through summer.
If you’ve been hoping to catch Soarin’ Over California before it goes away again (it only comes back seasonally, and its future beyond this run is unclear), June is your last window.
Quick Hits
Park hopping at Disneyland is getting a lot better starting June 9. The 11 a.m. restriction — which has required guests to stay in their reserved starting park all morning before crossing over — is officially going away. As of June 9, anyone with a Park Hopper ticket or Magic Key pass can switch between Disneyland and DCA at any time of day, subject to park capacity. You'll still need a park reservation for your starting park, but the midday clock-watching is done. This is a change that's been hinted at since a media event in February, and now it finally has a date. Hopefully it eases that midday swell.
LEGO is about to reveal a Main Street, U.S.A. set — and the details are great. It’s official: Set #43302 is based on Disneyland’s Main Street and includes three open-backed buildings: the Fire Station, Emporium, and Crystal Arcade. Also a fire truck, snack stand, and 14 minifigures — the four Dapper Dans, Mickey and Minnie, and a mix of tourists in Disney-themed apparel. It drops June 1 and is expected to cost $399.99. Which is also roughly the cost of a solo trip to the park… hmmmm…
The Disneyland app finally lets you make park reservations in-app. No more getting bounced to a browser and logging in again. As of this week, you can make and modify park reservations directly in the app — a change that’s particularly useful for Magic Key holders booking competitive dates. Small thing, meaningful upgrade.
Hyperspace Mountain is in its final stretch — ends June 1. Two weeks left on the Star Wars overlay of Space Mountain. Flips back to standard Space Mountain overnight June 2.
Blue Bayou reopens Wednesday, May 21 — though with an obstructed view while Pirates of the Caribbean remains closed. Worth knowing before you book a reservation for the atmosphere.
Oogie Boogie Bash presale is a month out. Magic Key Inspire holders get access June 16, all Magic Key holders June 17. If OBB is on your radar this fall, mid-June is your window — these dates go fast.
Still dark with no return dates: Pirates of the Caribbean (best estimate by most accounts: late June at earliest), Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (closed since April 13 — Toy Story 5 opens June 19, make of that what you will), Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind at DCA (closed since January).
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