# Disney and Fortnite Collaboration: Millennium Falcon Ride Unlocks In-Game Rewards Riding the Millennium Falcon at Disney parks now grants exclusive Fortnite rewards. - **Source:** [CNET](https://brifing.si/source/ce507de7-7f24-4ff4-ab6d-7635abcc095a) - **Published:** 2026-08-16 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/2feeefe8-e41b-4e96-94fc-40b3ba32dd3d ## Disney and Fortnite Partnership Disney and Epic Games announced an integrated experience at D23, connecting the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride with Fortnite rewards. Visitors to Disneyland or Disney World can earn in-game items by completing the interactive ride. This collaboration aims to merge physical and digital brand experiences. Developed using Unreal Engine 5, the project represents Disney's expanding gaming and digital entertainment strategy, creating a seamless cross-platform narrative. ## Smugglers Gambit Island The new Star Wars island in Fortnite, Smugglers Gambit, is set in the Outer Rim region. Players can explore new locations like Ord Ryla and Mersa Veta Station, featuring co-op missions, class choices, and unlockable gear. Developed in-house by Disney, the island promises high-quality immersion. The storyline expands on pirate Hondo Ohnaka's adventures, connecting to the larger Star Wars universe. This deepens fan engagement through interactive storytelling across media. ## Millennium Falcon Ride Experience Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run debuted in 2019 as part of Disney's Star Wars-themed lands. The flight simulator accommodates six riders assuming pilot, gunner, and engineer roles. Physical controls affect the on-screen adventure, with new Mandalorian missions added in May 2024. Developed jointly by Walt Disney Imagineering and Industrial Light Magic (George Lucas' VFX studio), the ride features cutting-edge motion technology. This creates a believable starship cockpit experience. ## Reward Earning Mechanism To claim Fortnite rewards, guests must accept a special mission via the Disneyland app while queueing. Collected crates during the ride translate to in-game items. Linking MyDisney and Epic Games accounts enables reward transfer, representing the first theme park experience offering digital gameplay benefits. Performance during the physical ride impacts reward quality, incentivizing active participation. This blurs boundaries between real-world and virtual entertainment. ## Technological Infrastructure The ride's systems leverage Unreal Engine 5, developed collaboratively by Walt Disney Imagineering and Industrial Light Magic. The legendary visual effects studio contributed significantly to the cockpit's realistic movements. Haptic feedback and interactive controls enhance immersion, setting new standards for themed entertainment. This technological integration demonstrates how physical and digital experiences can converge, creating memorable multi-platform engagement. ## Deepening Star Wars Lore Smugglers Gambit expands the story of Hondo Ohnaka, the pirate-turned-Resistance ally from Clone Wars and Rebels. Located at Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, the content was co-developed by Disney, Lucasfilm, and Imagineering. This maintains narrative consistency across the Star Wars universe while offering fresh exploration opportunities. Such coordinated storytelling strengthens fan connections to the franchise across multiple touchpoints. ## Industry Parallels Theme parks increasingly deliver immersive experiences. Universal's Epic Universe integrates Nintendo Switch with Power-Up bands. However, Disney's Fortnite integration pioneers tangible digital rewards from physical activities. The Star Wars IP Toolkit attracted 8 million players within 72 hours in May 2024. The December 2019 Emperor Palpatine event similarly demonstrated crossover potential. These examples highlight entertainment's converging future. ## Future of Entertainment The Disney-Epic collaboration signals entertainment's evolving landscape. Merging physical and digital experiences redefines consumer engagement, offering brands new revenue streams while delivering cohesive narratives. Disney's 'converged entertainment ecosystem' vision materializes through this project. As consumers expect interconnected experiences, industry-wide adoption seems inevitable. This paradigm shift will likely inspire similar innovations across media and leisure sectors. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/disneys-millennium-falcon-ride-activates-fortnite-in-game-rewards-2/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._