Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Returning with New Secrets and Higher Scores

Walt Disney Imagineering shared several details about the upcoming Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin refresh with Ashley Carter of Fox 35 Orlando. The ride, which has been closed since last August, is set to reopen this spring with updated gameplay, new ride vehicles, and a support robot named Buddy.

Most of those upgrades have been known for a while. But Carter managed to uncover a few more details about what’s coming when Space Rangers return to Tomorrowland. In addition to the gameplay improvements, the attraction’s queue will also get an update. Imagineers weren’t ready to share specifics, but they did say the space will feel refreshed when the ride reopens.

Kimberly Alison, a producer with Walt Disney Imagineering, did reveal that the new version of the ride will include additional Easter eggs. According to Alison, the team worked to preserve many of the attraction’s longtime secrets for dedicated fans while adding new surprises for riders to discover.

When Carter asked about the possibility of a Toy Story 5 tie-in, Alison responded with: “We’re going to say keep a sharp eye out when you ride. There are some fun surprises that we can’t wait for you guys to discover.”

Another welcome change involves the ride’s scoring system. For years, 999,999 points was the magic number on Space Ranger Spin. Reach that score and you’d earn the coveted Galactic Hero ranking. Plenty of riders treated that milestone like a badge of honor.

Disney says Galactic Hero will remain intact, but the score cap is going away. Riders will now be able to push their totals past one million. All of those “how to score 999,999 points” strategy videos are now obsolete.

Achieving higher scores should also be easier thanks to the ride’s new handheld blasters. The new controllers come equipped with haptic feedback, sound effects, and either a red or green laser. In other words, I might finally know what I’m aiming at.

I’ll miss the classic Space Ranger Spin experience of assuming the other guy’s laser was mine, only to realize I had been firing at the ceiling for the last minute.