After an extended refurbishment, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin officially reopened today, April 8, 2026, inside Magic Kingdom. The Tomorrowland favorite has returned with a long list of upgrades that make the experience feel sharper, brighter, and a lot more interactive.
Guests can ride during Early Entry, regular park hours, and Extended Evening Hours. The attraction is available via standby, with Lightning Lane access offered through the Multi Pass system.
The queue will look familiar to returning riders. Buzz still stands on his platform near the View-Master, though the reel now includes updated imagery, including Buddy. It’s largely the same setup, even after the eight-month closure. I was surprised to see Buzz’s wear after this extended refurbishment!
Time to board! The redesigned XP-37 Star Cruisers now feature handheld blasters instead of the old fixed versions. That alone makes a huge difference in the gameplay, and how much you spin your vehicle. Riders can aim freely, and the new blasters come with an always-on laser, plus added sound, lighting, and vibration effects that make each shot feel more satisfying. Each rider also gets their own screen, replacing the old analog score display, with real-time updates and achievement badges that light up as you rack up points.
About those points… the old max score of 999,999 is no longer the ceiling. Scores now go “to infinity and beyond,” with an updated ranking system:
- +1,000,000 | Galactic Hero
- 600,001 – 999,999 | Cosmic Commando
- 300,001 – 600,000 | Space Ace
- 100,001 – 300,000 | Planetary Pilot
- 10,001 – 100,000 | Astro Aviator
- 1,001 – 10,000 | Solar Navigator
- 0 – 1,000 | Star Flyer
The gameplay itself feels more responsive thanks to upgraded tech and newly interactive targets. When you land a shot, targets now light up in the color of your blaster (red or green), giving instant feedback that was missing before.
A brand-new character has also joined the mission. Buddy, a support robot created by Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar, appears in the updated opening sequence. She guides Space Rangers through system checks and helps you test your aim before launch. This is a big change from the previous opening scene, which didn’t involve rider participation at all.
Beyond that, many of the ride scenes remain the same, but enhanced with more vibrant colors. You’ll notice brighter neon lighting, redesigned targets, and more of them scattered throughout.
One of the biggest changes comes near the end. The space scene before the finale has been completely reworked with new animation and easier-to-track moving targets, with Buzz Lightyear now appearing in the sequence, where he wasn’t previously seen.
The finale still features Emperor Zurg, with your ride photo captured during the battle (a static figure of Buzz can be seen opposite of him). For the first time, this PhotoPass photo includes your score, rank, mission location, and detailed stats like total and special targets hit.
It all wraps with a narration of Buddy bringing you in for landing and tallying your results.
At its core, it’s the same attraction, but everything feels much more interactive and vibrant. It’s still giving that feeling of “I just stepped inside a retro arcade game at Pizza Planet, didn’t I?”
What are you waiting for? Space Ranger Spin is ready for a new round of recruits! To infinity and beyond!
