Disneys giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul here's everything you need to know
Date:
Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000
Description:
Hopefully, Galactic Hero is sticking around
FULL STORY ======================================================================
Disneys having a pretty good week Disney+ is finally letting you remove content from the Continue Watching list , we get a look behind the curtain at how the robotic BDX Droids came to be, and Marvel announced the cast of Avengers: Doomsday .
Not to be overshadowed, though, and potentially timed to Toy Story s 30th anniversary, Disneys Imagineering has announced some big changes, which will result in a technological infusion to a mainstay attraction Buzz Lightyears Space Ranger Spin at Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom.
The Space Ranger Spin attraction will be updated with a whole host of technology, all in the quest for a more immersive and fun experience while riding. While the changes wont arrive until 2026 after a closure, there are several enhancements to be excited about.
Leading the pack are entirely new ride vehicles with displays, redesigned blasters that shoot targets boasting colorful lasers, and a new animatronic debuting in a new scene on the attraction. Its an intricate balance, keeping what fans of the ride have come to know and infusing enhancements to level
up.
In the attraction, two guests board a ride vehicle and help Buzz Lightyear
and fellow space rangers shoot targets with the evil Emperor Zurgs Z on them. As someone whos been on it, the current lasers can get pretty tiring, with what feels like a need for constant hold and release on the trigger and not exactly knowing the target youll be shooting at. How Disneys using technology to level up a ride (Image credit: Disney)
That same story will be the case, but each new blaster has a unique laser color, which should help you more quickly identify which target youre on. The upgraded targets will react and light up when hit, though Disney didnt share exactly what technology enabled this. Still, it made it clear there was an evolution in technology powering this change.
Disney promises that the upgraded ride will arrive in 2026, which means that the current ride will need to close in August 2025 to allow the updates and enhancements to be made. Playtests have begun, allowing the design team working on the ride to try out the enchantments and a concept phase.
While Disney didnt give an exact time frame for developing the updates to Space Ranger Spin, project creative director Justin DeTolla said in a statement, Weve been working on this project for quite some time now, so it was exciting to see it all come to life for the first time in the field.
The shared photos from the test show off the new blasters, which boast a likely LED-filled flowing front circular bubble and a more compact design, though the target looks pretty similar. When the ride reopens, the onboard screen will provide real-time scoring updates, rather than a classic LED display that lists your score via red LEDs.
All-in-all, an exciting tease on the week of the 30th anniversary of Toy
Story which you can stream now on one of the best streaming services , Disney+ and teeing up some more tech-infused attractions at Disney Parks, this time at Disney World.
Its an exciting period of changes for the companys theme parks with more expansions already announced for Disney World , including a Villains Land at Magic Kingdom and a Cars land. Hollywood Studio is getting a Monsters Inc. Land, and Animal Kingdom will get the first-ever Encanto ride. Theres a lot
on the horizon, but for now, we at least know one new update to a
fan-favorite ride will arrive in 2026.
A post shared by Walt Disney Imagineering (@waltdisneyimagineering)
A photo posted by on You might also like I've hand-picked the 31 best deals from the Amazon Spring Sale on TVs, Kindles, headphones, appliances, and more The adorable BDX Droids are coming to more Disney Parks around the world, including Disney World Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/disneys-giving-a-classic-buz z-lightyear-ride-a-tech-overhaul-heres-everything-you-need-to-know
--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)