Star Wars Experiences Enhanced by Disney's Imagineering and Live Entertainment at Celebration

At Star Wars Celebration, IGN had the privilege of sitting down with Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama and Disney Live Entertainment's Michael Serna to discuss the exciting new additions to Disney Parks, including the much-anticipated The Mandalorian & Grogu-themed update to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and the adorable BDX droids set to charm guests worldwide. Kalama and Serna also shared insights into the magic behind bringing these beloved stories and characters to life in unforgettable ways.

The Mandalorian and Grogu-Themed Update to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Will Let Engineers Take Care of Grogu

One of the highlights from Star Wars Celebration was the announcement that Engineers will soon have the chance to care for Grogu aboard the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. This thrilling update, set to launch alongside a new film on May 22, 2026, will integrate a unique storyline that diverges from the movie's plot, enabling each crew member to team up with Mando and Grogu. The Engineer role, in particular, offers a special experience as players will interact directly with Grogu and make pivotal decisions that steer the adventure across the galaxy.

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

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"Throughout the mission, we're going to be giving the engineers the opportunity to actually get to communicate with Grogu," Kalama explained. "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. We love the idea of these fun little vignettes and moments where you're sort of on the comm with Grogu."

The interactive element allows players to make critical, time-sensitive decisions that affect their journey, potentially leading them to iconic locations like Bespin, the Death Star wreckage above Endor, and the newly-announced Coruscant. This new narrative centers around Hondo Ohnaka's discovery of a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, sparking a high-stakes chase across the galaxy. Guests will join forces with Mando and Grogu to pursue bounties in a dynamic adventure.

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 globally, are set to make their debut at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney. These droids, which also feature in The Mandalorian & Grogu, are the result of extensive development aimed at enhancing guest immersion in the parks.

Image Credit: Disney

"The goal of the BDX Droids was to look at how we bring characters to life in our parks in different ways," Kalama stated. "This is really technology merging with this piece of entertainment and a backstory we created specifically for the parks. They've appeared in games and other places, but we created an original story just for us and evolved that as we've moved on to sites all over the world."

Serna added, "They have lots of fun childlike qualities and do all sorts of cute things that people would do. We realized we needed to identify each one with a personality, which made it much more interesting to engage with them and allowed us a lot of flexibility to expand that world. Each color represents a unique personality, much like how fans connect with R2-D2 and other droids."

These BDX Droids are part of Disney's broader initiative to evolve park experiences, utilizing advanced technology to enhance guest interactions. "The technology behind the animatronics is influencing how we're looking at robotics and character experiences," Serna noted. "We're exploring ways to bring these out of attractions and onto the streets, using technology in unexpected ways to create up-close experiences that inspire us."

Kalama emphasized the importance of technology in creating immersive experiences: "Using technology in both unexpected and invisible ways is crucial to how we approach our work. We're in the business of creating a sense of suspension and disbelief, often bringing characters to life through robotics. Our challenge is to infuse these robots with emotion and personality, which is quite different from industrial applications."

From Peter Pan and Star Tours to Creating the Future

Both Kalama and Serna shared how their childhood experiences at Disney Parks inspired them to contribute to new generations of park attractions. Serna reminisced about the magic of riding Peter Pan and the transformative impact of Star Tours: "As a little kid, riding Peter Pan was most exciting for me. It really blew my mind. Then, Star Tours changed my life, showing me what theme parks can do. It was a new adventure, and I felt part of the Star Wars story."

Kalama echoed these sentiments, sharing his own obsession with Tomorrowland and the unforgettable experience of Star Tours: "I literally refused to leave Tomorrowland. Star Tours was the attraction for me; the suspension of disbelief was incredible. I think that sense of magic and disassociation from reality is powerful for both kids and adults."

Their work continues to shape the future of Disney Parks. Serna highlighted his involvement in Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga at Disneyland, a projection show at Galaxy's Edge: "We created a character as our storyteller and a droid as part of the experience. This led us to create something immersive for nights without fireworks, using the spires as a projection space to tell the story of Anakin Skywalker in a new way."

Image Credit: Disney

Kalama emphasized the meticulous attention to detail that goes into every aspect of the parks: "We have very serious conversations about the type of screw head we should use or the receipt paper from our printers. These small details might seem insignificant alone, but together, they create a truly authentic and immersive space."