Junkfood

I went to the Millennium Falcon simulation two weeks ago. This is an upcharge attraction at the Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit at the Museum of Science in Boston. http://starwars.mos.org/

• The attraction is a mock-up of the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, with an audio-visual show that you view through the cockpit windows. Although it could be considered to be a simulator ride, it is not a "ride" in the strict sense as there are no moving parts.
• The screen is a small dome that wraps around the cockpit windows, like a planetarium tilted on its side. It also has a 3-D sound system. The total effect is similar to a 3-D ride through space.
• The ride capacity is eight people per show. Four get to sit in swivel bucket seats (two in the front, two in the back). Four get to stand in back of the seats and in the aisle.
• The total ride capacity is very low (perhaps 64-80 persons per hour?), and tickets sell out extremely quickly. I advise the advance purchase of tickets online.
• Tickets are $5. This attraction is entirely separate from the Star Wars special exhibit, and tickets to the special exhibit are not required to visit the Millennium Falcon attraction.
• Tickets are timed for showings every half-hour. When your ticket's time is called, you then wait in a short queue outside the attraction. Because you might not get to ride until towards the end of the half-hour period, be sure not to buy any other timed tickets for too soon after.
• Half of the tickets are marked "Seated" and half are marked "Standing". For each show, they admit four seated guests and four standing guests. Guests are randomly assigned to a specific spot in the cockpit. Unfortunately, the cockpit is designed such that the best view is for the two seated guests in the front. The other seats have an obstructed or distant view.
• The show lasts about five minutes.
• What is it like? It's basically a regular planetarium-type show about space travel, with some Star Wars sounds, images, and theming. It isn't especially exciting. Anthony Daniels narrates the show.
• As you exit the ride, you receive a souvenir cloisonne pin. It's about 1-inch in size, with a picture of the Millennium Falcon and the words "I made the jump" and "Museum of Science, Boston". (There's a picture of the pin on the Museum of Science's ticket store page for the Millennium Falcon.)
• Unfortunately, my opinion is that this attraction really isn't worth the $5 charge. The screen is too small and difficult to see from the back, and the show is too short. However, aficionados will probably want to go just for the souvenir pin.