Walt Disney World rides routinely close for refurbishment, and occasionally these temporary closures result in major upgrades in technology and new story elements. We track all the Disney World ride refurbishments here.
A classic Disney World ride has been closed for over six months. Keep reading to learn when it will reopen, what changed, and how it will affect your trip. At Mickey Visit, we cover the latest Disney news, like what happened when the Disneyland Monorail got stuck for hours and cast member changes to restore the guest experience.
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Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is Finally Reopening
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, the family-friendly, interactive dark ride in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, closed in August 2025 for a major refurbishment.
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Disney revealed Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will finally reopen at Magic Kingdom on April 8, 2026.
When it finally welcomes riders back into Star Command, the classic flair of this Toy Story-inspired attraction will blend with new major technology improvements and new enhancements to the ride experience, including a new character.
What Changed on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin for 2026
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin first opened in 1998 at Magic Kingdom, and since then, it’s become noticeably outdated in its technology and in comparison to newer versions of the ride that have since debuted at other Disney theme parks around the globe. The refurbishment brought Magic Kingdom’s version up to speed and then some.
To begin with, the new version of the ride will introduce handheld blasters. Previously blasters remained stationary on the vehicle’s dash, limiting players’ mobility of where to aim for the ride’s “Z” targets.
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The ride vehicles will be equipped with new video monitors that provide real-time scoring updates and other features. The ride vehicles will also be updated with a new design inspired by the colors of Buzz Lightyear and Star Command.
A new scene at the beginning of the ride will introduce Buddy, a new Audio-Animatronics character. She’s excited to train you on how to use your blaster before you embark upon your mission. Previously, the first scene of the ride was a disco ball on a pedestal, so this is a significant upgrade.
For the first time, guests’ on-ride Disney PhotoPass capture will show each rider’s score.
The reopening of Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin might affect guests’ Magic Kingdom itinerary when its comes to Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Early Theme Park Entry. Let’s dive into both of these.
Lightning Lane for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Magic Kingdom attractions eligible for Lightning Lane Multi Pass are sorted into two groups by Disney.
Prior to its refurbishment, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin belonged to the group without any restrictions or special parameters. Guests could reserve a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in combination with any other eligible Magic Kingdom attraction in either of the Lightning Lane Multi Pass tiers.
This stands in contrast to the other Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Multi Pass tier. In that group, guests can only possess a Lightning Multi Pass for one attraction within the same group at a time.
Disney has not specified which group Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will belong to when it reopens at Magic Kingdom. We could see this going either way. While Disney usually maintains the same Lightning Lane Multi Pass groupings when a ride reopens after refurbishment, the upscale in quality for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin may qualify it for the other group in Disney’s eyes. The ride could also make the move for any number of operational reasons we may not be privy to without knowing discussions happening by park management behind the scenes.
The attractions currently belonging to the “one at a time” Lightning Lane Multi Pass group at Magic Kingdom are Jungle Cruise, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Space Mountain. If Disney bumps Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin into this group, guests would not be able to reserve a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for the ride while simultaneously possessing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for any of the aforementioned attractions.
Early Theme Park Entry with Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Every day, select attractions at every Walt Disney World theme park open 30 minutes prior to the regular opening time for guests staying at Walt Disney World hotels during a period called Early Theme Park Entry.
At Magic Kingdom, attractions open during Early Theme Park Entry include those in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, with the exception of TRON Lightcycle / Run.
Seeing as Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is in Tomorrowland, it is among the attractions that opens 30 minutes early for Disney resort guests every day.
This also means guests who aren’t staying at a Disney resort don’t get that early access. At the park’s official opening time, those guests must file into the queue for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin behind those already in line from Early Theme Park Entry.
On one hand, this may seem to make Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin a less-than-ideal choice for a first attraction for those who don’t have Early Theme Park Entry. On the other hand, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is a popular ride, known to have a moderate wait of 30-60 minutes throughout the day. This demand may increase even more when the attraction reopens with new features.
Therefore, even with resort guests getting a head start, there’s unlikely to be a shorter wait than first thing in the morning, other than at the very end of the night.
The reopening of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is one of many major ongoing projects for Magic Kingdom, including a nearby Tomorrowland classic attraction. We’ll keep you updated on all of them as they progress right here at Mickey Visit.
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