Walt Disney World is polishing up updates to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, a dark ride that has been closed since August at Magic Kingdom theme park.
At the Tomorrowland attraction, there are advances in technology and hardware (you might call it ride hardware). Are you skeptical of the old “new and improved” claims on detergents? You might think of this as 21st century shine.
The Buzz ride is scheduled to reopen for park guests on April 8th. During a recent preview/”playtest” for Cast Members and guests at Disney World, members of the media were invited to take a few spins. So it wasn’t a complete finished product – construction walls were still in place at the entrance – here are five things we saw.
vehicle ticket
The Space Ranger Spin Ride vehicle is completely new, follows Buzz’s color palette and theme, and has a battery mounted in the back. After climbing over a moving walkway in the cargo area, passengers are seated and a clamshell-shaped lid closes automatically near the end of the loading zone (think Haunted Mansion Doom Buggy). At that time, the player removes the blaster (red on the left, green on the right) from the cradle.
who is your buddy?
The very first scene includes a new service robot named Buddy. This robot has curved features and stands in place as the vehicle curves. Buddy provides target practice/blaster instruction. The first ride-through was a so-so moment with Buddy not doing much, but the second was a more active scene. This might explain the “testing” part of Disney’s “playtesting”.
blaster suite
Now, let’s talk about a huge advancement: handheld blasters. The vehicle’s redesign includes increased maneuverability with the blaster, now fixed to something like a dashboard instead of the old built-in fixed rocket-type device. The new blaster offers more freedom and perhaps less frustration. It also constantly projects color-coordinated beams of light (one red and one green for each car), so players know exactly where the blaster is aimed. Hitting a target is confirmed by a sound effect and a moderate vibration of the blaster.
Green and red lights have certain advantages, but can cause confusion as other vehicles nearby are also firing a series of lights at the same target. Hand-eye coordination is still required to score big. Top performers can aim for goals they have already passed.
It also features two screens that apparently record each player’s score in real-time. It’s worth watching several times. After the gameplay ends, the visitor is still in the car and further tallies are made. When the scorecard appears, look at the screen again.
Figment movie? Even the new Disney chief needs imagination.
On target
Targets are indicated by a Z (like Buzz’s enemy Zerg in “Toy Story 2”). It is likely that your buddy has already notified you. Naturally, the sweet spot for scoring is in the center, and when the beam hits there, you’ll see a different color-coordinated display. Goals can be anywhere, up, down, near, or far, and some are moving targets. Of course, you move too, so that’s the challenge. The point value of the target is not clear. The screen may give you some hints, but it can prevent you from aiming. There are also no visible instructions regarding bonuses.
Most of the targets are physical props, not projections. Some explosive events occur in a domed room near the end. Keep shooting the “If You Had Wings” flashbacks that happen there.
same game
The core ride quality is the same as it was when it debuted in 1998, but has been enhanced. Players can rotate the vehicle to aim at specific scenes, but the vehicle also autopilots. It doesn’t spin too hard and maintains a family-friendly shine.
The line is the same, with talking Buzz Lightyear figures lined up. Disney says the refresh feels like a good cleaning and paint job, the kind you get when attractions are shut down for eight months. At the preview, the entrance appeared to be unfinished (the masking tape was a hint), which may also be attracting attention.
Email us at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Blue Sky: @Theme Park Database. Thread account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to Theme Park Ranger Newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
