Hondo’s making the jump from animated character to a life-size animatronic figure that will be a key part of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride.
He’s looking for a crew to take the Falcon on some not-so-above-board missions. As you stand in the queue, Hondo will give you the sales pitch. Having seen the animatronic firsthand, I can tell you the movement is staggering. But you don’t have to listen to me. Watch this video from Walt Disney Imagineering that shows Hondo off:
His movements run on electronic motors. He’s the second most advanced animatronic in all of Disney Parks–the first being the Na’vi Shaman in the Na’vi River Journey attraction in Animal Kingdom’s Pandora – The World of
Jim Cummings is voicing the character, as he has in the animated series, and I’m ready to buy whatever he’s selling. The animatronic matches Cummings’ voice and inflection remarkably well. I know Hondo is an alien and therefore not real, but this animatronic sure makes it seem like it.
Images: Walt Disney Imagineering, Lucasfilm
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and author of
