Just back from the Edge--Galaxy's Edge.

D.H. Aire at Galaxy’s Edge, June 2026

Here’s something different… My review of Millenium Falcon’s Smugglers Run with Mando and Grogu

So, what do you do when you really need a break after a heck of a lot going on in life?

Well, if you’re me, someone who loves Star Wars, (oh, and, Avatar) I seek some inspiration as a writer and go to DisneyWorld.

Now, I’ve sought quite a bit of such inspiration over the years, particularly by going to Disney’s Hollywood Studios after Galaxy’s Edge opened. It’s how I’ve imagined getting some hands-on experience with the Star Wars universe. (As any fan might, I dare say.)

When Smugglers Run was new, I hopped on board (thanks to a Lightning Lane) and the Single Rider option. The experience had an added dimension, the experience told you not only how well your crew scored, but with all the damage the Falcon took, how many credits we owed to fix it.

I didn’t realize the imagineers also rewarded those who played better. It was on a different trip, with a family of five that worked really well together that I heard the announcement, bitterly, that we were owed credits. I also realized we’d had a bonus round having saved time and we got to shoot meteors before coming in for a landing. There were other things I noticed as those I played with got the hang of things.

So, imagine my delight at looking for the difference in the Run this time. Yes, Mando and Grogu were part of the story now, but as engineer I was able to change what planet we went to. At first, I thought it was set for Bespin, until I managed to get us to go somewhere else. There’s no how many credits won or lost, you’re told what level of rebel your group was. No, we weren’t high on the totem pole, but that didn’t matter.

The experience is really different. So, I’m giving this version my two thumbs up. I was inspired. Oh, and I noticed a lot more experiencing Rise of the Resistance, which I managed to do twice this trip. Lastly, I did Star Tours, which for years left me sick to my stomach. Not this time, and the ride seemed different. I enjoyed it more. I don’t know if anything’s really different or I am just adjusting to simulator’s better. But fun is fun.

In other news, my novella, Dragon’s Curse, a prequel to my Highmage’s Plight series, is featured this month in the promo, Strange Worlds Stranger Creatures, where you can find a lot more free stories to help enjoy the summer!

Dare 2 Believe, oh, and May the Force be with you!

D.H.