Credit: DisneyWhen Magic Kingdom Park closes on Sunday, August 3, 2025, Buzz Lightyear will leave Tomorrowland (for now). Here’s what you need to know.
In March, Walt Disney World Resort announced plans for an extensive update to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom Park. The Tomorrowland attraction debuted in 1998, and was so popular that Walt Disney Imagineers created versions for Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris Resort, and Shanghai Disney Resort.
As more advanced Toy Story (1995) attractions, like Toy Story Mania! and Slinky Dog Dash, debuted across the Disney parks, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin faced increased scrutiny. The laser blasters were tough to use, the ride photo looked increasingly dated, and the Buzz Lightyear animatronic in the queue frequently malfunctioned.
Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland permanently closed their versions of the interactive Toy Story attraction. However, this year, Walt Disney World Resort took a different route, announcing that it would modernize Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
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Walt Disney Imagineers promised new ride vehicles with screens featuring live score tracking and other real-time updates, interactive targets, and improved handheld blasters. Each ride vehicle will have two different colored, always-on lasers, making shooting and tracking easier. The updated attraction will also feature a brand-new scene featuring a robot character called Buddy. Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios created the helpful character to make safety announcements and provide a laser blaster tutorial for guests.
Sunday, August 3, 2025, is the final day to experience Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom Park. The ride officially closes on Monday, August 4, and is scheduled to reopen sometime in 2026. Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t announced an exact opening date.
What changes do you hope to see on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin? Share your ideas with Inside the Magic in the comments!