Disney World’s Overhauled Ride Is Making Me Rethink Skipping It

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Being a frequent guest at theme parks, and more specifically, the Disney Parks, I can’t imagine finding an attraction at Disneyland or Walt Disney World that I haven’t tried yet. Whenever I have the opportunity to return, I prioritize certain “must-do” experiences, but there are also rides that I often choose to pass on.

One of the attractions is the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom. Despite not having any major issues, its age has become quite noticeable. This ride where you travel along a track and compete with fellow riders to get the highest score by blasting aliens has been outdone by several similar attractions in other theme parks as well as at Disney World itself. It’s not even the best version of this ride, but that could soon change.

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Is Getting A Major Update

Disney World has shared that the popular attraction, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, will temporarily shut down in August and reopen in 2026 following significant improvements. Upon its return, visitors can expect an exciting enhancement – state-of-the-art ride vehicles equipped with handheld blasters, much like those at Disneyland’s Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Additionally, a brand-new scoring system using video monitors within the vehicles will be introduced.

During the journey, you’ll encounter a fresh setting and a novel character named Buddy, a robot who will serve as your mentor through a tutorial phase. Moreover, each objective will undergo an enhancement, glowing whenever struck, facilitating recognition of a hit.

Space Ranger Spin Needed This Upgrade

As a die-hard fan, let me say that these enhancements are absolutely essential to elevate Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin to new heights. You see, the original version at Disney World was pioneering, but like many classic attractions, it ended up being shoehorned into a space that wasn’t its ideal fit. Over time, as the ride spread to other parks, it underwent systematic improvements. The updates planned for our favorite intergalactic hero include some of those refinements and a whole lot more!

At Disney Parks, the arcade-style shooting attractions are a massive hit among visitors. Besides the widespread Buzz Lightyear attraction, you’ll find Toy Story Midway Mania at both Disneyland Resort and Disney World. Notably, there’s also the Web-Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure ride in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure. These thrilling rides have elevated shooting gameplay to unprecedented levels of technological sophistication, making the classic Buzz Lightyear experience appear somewhat outdated.

After these upgrades, I’m genuinely excited to hop back on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin! While it may not yet be a “can’t miss” attraction for every visit, the fact that I no longer overlook it is definitely a step in the right direction.

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2025-03-27 04:07