Full Breakdown
Disney-Epic Collaboration Brings Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Into Fortnite
8/17/2026, 9:47:49 PM
Launch of the Connected Experience
The launch activated the new Fortnite island “Smugglers Gambit,” set on Ord Ryla near Mersa Veta Station. Guests who ride the physical Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction can accept a mission from Hondo Ohnaka via the Disneyland or My Disney Experience app. Completing the mission awards in-ride crates that unlock rewards—such as the “Forsworn Trooper” outfit—in Fortnite. The experience is included at no extra cost with a valid park admission; Fortnite remains free to download.
Background & Context
The partnership builds on Disney’s 2024 equity investment in Epic Games and a strategy to create a “persistent, open and interoperable” entertainment universe. Disney’s Imagineering team used Unreal Engine 5 for the ride’s cockpit, while Epic’s Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) enabled the creation of Smugglers Gambit using many of the same assets. This marks the first time a Disney theme-park attraction extends its narrative into a live, online game world, fulfilling a promise made at the 2024 D23 announcement.
How the Integration Works
1. Mission Acceptance – Guests select the Hondo Ohnaka mission in the queue using the app.
2. Account Linking – An eligible guest links their Disney account to an Epic Games account for automatic reward delivery.
3. In-Ride Gameplay – While aboard the Millennium Falcon, riders collect crates that record progress.
4. Reward Redemption – After the ride, linked accounts receive the Fortnite reward instantly; unlinked guests receive a redeemable code via email.
5. Fortnite Play – Players can join Smugglers Gambit solo or in co-op squads, choose a class, level up, and complete quests involving pirates, Imperial remnants, and hazardous wildlife.
Official Statements & Responses
Sean Shoptaw, EVP of Disney Games and Digital Entertainment, described the launch as the first instance of a park attraction reaching beyond its physical walls into a connected game world. Asa Kalama, Executive-Creative & Interactive Experiences at Walt Disney Imagineering, highlighted the collaborative effort that allowed authentic ride assets to appear in Fortnite. James Waugh, Senior Vice President of Franchise Story & Creative Strategy at Lucasfilm, called the cross-platform experience “pioneering” and a perfect fit for the Star Wars universe.
Data & Statistics
Disney reports that the Star Wars content wave in Fortnite, which includes Smugglers Gambit, attracted close to 8 million players in its first 72 hours.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Fortnite marks the first time this attraction has reached beyond its physical walls into a connected game world — a story that starts in a queue in Orlando or Anaheim can now continue on a screen almost anywhere,” — Sean Shoptaw, EVP of Disney Games and Digital Entertainment
- “We thrive on collaboration as Imagineers, and for the first time, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction extends into a connected digital adventure in Fortnite, deepening the way guests can interact and engage with both,” — Asa Kalama, Executive-Creative & Interactive Experiences, Walt Disney Imagineering
What’s Next
The integrated experience remains available for all guests with park admission, and Disney has indicated that future updates may expand the reward loop to additional attractions and intellectual properties, though no specific dates have been announced.
