MK New Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Updates Coming to Walt Disney World

[Casper Gutman]

14 minutes for first dark cloud observation.

We’ve known what this figure would look like for many months.

What is the point of your tweet?

 

[gorillaball]

We’ve known what this figure would look like for many months.

What is the point of your tweet?

I think it’s pretty obvious what my point was. 14 minutes after a post w internal pics/video, we got a dark cloud comment.

Not saying it’s wrong, not saying it’s right. Just saying it only took 14 minutes.

 

[brb1006]

Is that a new voice for Zurg I’m hearing?

I believe that's Andrew Stanton who voiced of Zurg in the Toy Story films. He even reprised his role as Zurg in occasional Disney and Pixar video games such as "Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure". Since Space Ranger Spin debuted in 1998, Ken Mitchroney was the original voice of Zurg giving him a Doctor Claw-inspired voice.

 

[eaj626]

I believe that's Andrew Stanton who voiced of Zurg in the Toy Story films. He even reprised his role as Zurg in occasional Disney and Pixar video games such as "Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure". Since Space Ranger Spin debuted in 1998, Frank Welker was the original voice of Zurg giving him a Doctor Claw-inspired voice.

It actually was not Frank Welker. It was Ken Mitchroney, the original designer for Zurg, who originally voiced him in Space Ranger Spin.

Zurg creator reveals the Marvel villain who inspired Buzz Lightyear's nemesis

The original version of Emperor Zurg was way scarier than what we saw in 'Toy Story 2.'

www.inverse.com

 

[Casper Gutman]

I think it’s pretty obvious what my point was. 14 minutes after a post w internal pics/video, we got a dark cloud comment.

Not saying it’s wrong, not saying it’s right. Just saying it only took 14 minutes.

It was a contentless snipe intended to shut down an opinion you didn’t like. There has been a proliferation of both less and more critical posters flooding the boards with such posts, arguing in bad faith, and then running to play victim.

If you have a substantive point to make, make it. If you have an opposing opinion, offer it. Otherwise, don’t post.

PS: To add to this, I am excited for the new blasters and targets because the versions of the attraction with similar trappings are a lot more fun then ours was. However, the new figure is an unimaginative design and raises further questions as to what portion of the American parks’ current difficulties are due to executive foolishness and what portion is due to failures of Imagineering. We don’t like to talk about the latter here, but frankly a lot of recent additions to the American parks have failed on multiple basic design levels. In this case, it’s fair to examine Imagineering’s competence in creating new characters - this and the wolf host of Zoogether, the two most recent examples, are profoundly underwhelming.

 

[wdwmagic]

Are we expecting AP previews?

There are previews planned, but for which groups and when is not yet confirmed.

 

[eddie104]

However, the new figure is an unimaginative design

I think it fits right into the current design of the attraction.

 

[DisneyDad55]

There are previews planned, but for which groups and when is not yet confirmed.

I would definitely consider upgrading from a 7-day ticket to a DVC AP if it ment my family of 4 could preview the ride in 2 weeks…

 

[_caleb]

Question, I tend to mix up all different version of buzz across the parks, but wasn't there a Zurg AA in the ride? Has that been replaced with Buddy? I read in the release we'll see Zurg for the first time in the tunnel now.

The Buzz attractions at DL and MK are similar, but DLs version is set in the world of Buzz as a “real” Star Command Space Ranger, while MK’s is has Buzz as a toy.

I’m sure this subtle difference is lost on most guests, and I’m curious if the refresh blurs the lines between these even further.

 

[HMF]

The Buzz attractions at DL and MK are similar, but DLs version is set in the world of Buzz as a “real” Star Command Space Ranger, while MK’s is has Buzz as a toy.

I’m sure this subtle difference is lost on most guests, and I’m curious if the refresh blurs the lines between these even further.

The DL premise makes far more sense for the Tomorrowland setting and again some of the major talking points of this refurb are things that the DL version opened with and infants born on the day the Disneyland version opened can are now able to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. The twenty-first anniversary was actually four days ago.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Buzz attractions at DL and MK are similar, but DLs version is set in the world of Buzz as a “real” Star Command Space Ranger, while MK’s is has Buzz as a toy.

I’m sure this subtle difference is lost on most guests, and I’m curious if the refresh blurs the lines between these even further.

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters also has Buzz as a toy. In the queue you walk past operating instructions and Buzz is still standing in front of Etch. Then right in the first scene with targets you still have Boxobot, jacks, dice, batteries and a claw.

 

[eaj626]

The Buzz attractions at DL and MK are similar, but DLs version is set in the world of Buzz as a “real” Star Command Space Ranger, while MK’s is has Buzz as a toy.

I’m sure this subtle difference is lost on most guests, and I’m curious if the refresh blurs the lines between these even further.

One of the first things you see when you walk into the queue of Astro Blasters is a giant instruction manual and a giant walkie talkie lol. He's definitely still supposed to be a toy at Disneyland.

 

[_caleb]

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters also has Buzz as a toy. In the queue you walk past operating instructions and Buzz is still standing in front of Etch. Then right in the first scene with targets you still have Boxobot, jacks, dice, batteries and a claw.

One of the first things you see when you walk into the queue of Astro Blasters is a giant instruction manual and a giant walkie talkie lol. He's definitely still supposed to be a toy at Disneyland.

Both rides acknowledge that there is a toy Buzz. Both feature toys to connect the story to Toy Story and have the same batteries/Zurg premise.

BLSRS feels a little more like a training game based on Buzz’s adventures—which lines up more with the idea from TS that Buzz is actually a toy from a sci-fi franchise.

BLAB feels like you’re just straight-up inside a “real” Buzz Lightyear space adventure. You’re a Star Command recruit blasting Zurg’s robots across space.

Still a toy, but closer to the Star Command animated series, which came out right around when that version of the ride was being developed (I wouldn’t be surprised if that influenced it).

In the series, Buzz was not a toy, he was a character from a sci-if series (which the toy was based on).

Of course, they later tried to make Buzz a “real” person that the animated character was based on, but I prefer not to talk about that one.

 

[eaj626]

Both rides acknowledge that there is a toy Buzz. Both feature toys to connect the story to Toy Story and have the same batteries/Zurg premise.

BLSRS feels a little more like a training game based on Buzz’s adventures—which lines up more with the idea from TS that Buzz is actually a toy from a sci-fi franchise.

BLAB feels like you’re just straight-up inside a “real” Buzz Lightyear space adventure. You’re a Star Command recruit blasting Zurg’s robots across space.

Still a toy, but closer to the Star Command animated series, which came out right around when that version of the ride was being developed (I wouldn’t be surprised if that influenced it).

In the series, Buzz was not a toy, he was a character from a sci-if series (which the toy was based on).

Of course, they later tried to make Buzz a “real” person that the animated character was based on, but I prefer not to talk about that one.

The animated series did influence Astro Blasters, but only barely. No original characters from that show appear in the ride but on the map in the queue they use the design for Star Command in that show as well a recolored version of Planet Z. Zurg's dreadnought in Astro Blasters also is based off the design from the show. But that's where all similarities end. The updated map with the new designs for Star Command and Planet Z did eventually get brought over into the map in the queue at Space Ranger Spin. (Here's the original map at Space Ranger Spin just for context) And, interestingly enough at Space Ranger Spin, they added a mural in the gift shop featuring characters from the animated series as well as a photo op with a wall statue of Booster, one of the main characters from the show. The mural and Booster photo op have since been removed and replaced by a mural that is originally from Astro Blasters.

Tad Stones, one of the writers for the animated series, thinks that Disney and the imagineers specifically went out of their way to reference the show as little as possible in Astro Blasters. If you watch earlier in that interview, he hints towards the rumor that John Lasseter supposedly hates the show which is why it was and is so rarely referenced or used by Disney.

Either way, both rides at this point contain few references to the animated series. I think your point though does make sense that Astro Blasters feels more adventurous. I think the audio in the queue really helps. Both the music and the overhead voices of space rangers calling for backup and Zurg taunting Star Command make the ride feel more alive.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

That animated series wasn't perfect, but it was still pretty good, and far and away better than the Lightyear movie Pixar ended up making. Imagine if it had somehow been financially successful and they rethemed the ride to it, really dodged a bullet there...

 

[_caleb]

The animated series did influence Astro Blasters, but only barely. No original characters from that show appear in the ride but on the map in the queue they use the design for Star Command in that show as well a recolored version of Planet Z. Zurg's dreadnought in Astro Blasters also is based off the design from the show. But that's where all similarities end. The updated map with the new designs for Star Command and Planet Z did eventually get brought over into the map in the queue at Space Ranger Spin. (Here's the original map at Space Ranger Spin just for context) And, interestingly enough at Space Ranger Spin, they added a mural in the gift shop featuring characters from the animated series as well as a photo op with a wall statue of Booster, one of the main characters from the show. The mural and Booster photo op have since been removed and replaced by a mural that is originally from Astro Blasters.

Tad Stones, one of the writers for the animated series, thinks that Disney and the imagineers specifically went out of their way to reference the show as little as possible in Astro Blasters. If you watch earlier in that interview, he hints towards the rumor that John Lasseter supposedly hates the show which is why it was and is so rarely referenced or used by Disney.

Either way, both rides at this point contain few references to the animated series. I think your point though does make sense that Astro Blasters feels more adventurous. I think the audio in the queue really helps. Both the music and the overhead voices of space rangers calling for backup and Zurg taunting Star Command make the ride feel more alive.

Thanks! I didn’t know about Lasseter may not have liked the show. Interesting!

 

[HMF]

The animated series did influence Astro Blasters, but only barely. No original characters from that show appear in the ride but on the map in the queue they use the design for Star Command in that show as well a recolored version of Planet Z. Zurg's dreadnought in Astro Blasters also is based off the design from the show. But that's where all similarities end. The updated map with the new designs for Star Command and Planet Z did eventually get brought over into the map in the queue at Space Ranger Spin. (Here's the original map at Space Ranger Spin just for context) And, interestingly enough at Space Ranger Spin, they added a mural in the gift shop featuring characters from the animated series as well as a photo op with a wall statue of Booster, one of the main characters from the show. The mural and Booster photo op have since been removed and replaced by a mural that is originally from Astro Blasters.

Tad Stones, one of the writers for the animated series, thinks that Disney and the imagineers specifically went out of their way to reference the show as little as possible in Astro Blasters. If you watch earlier in that interview, he hints towards the rumor that John Lasseter supposedly hates the show which is why it was and is so rarely referenced or used by Disney.

Either way, both rides at this point contain few references to the animated series. I think your point though does make sense that Astro Blasters feels more adventurous. I think the audio in the queue really helps. Both the music and the overhead voices of space rangers calling for backup and Zurg taunting Star Command make the ride feel more alive.

Was Lasseter involved in the unfortunate Lightyear movie in any capacity or was he out by then?

 

[eaj626]

Was Lasseter involved in the unfortunate Lightyear movie in any capacity or was he out by then?

He was out. He's been out for a while now honestly, so I'm surprised Disney hasn't at least put the animated series up on Disney+. It makes me think several of the higher ups at Pixar do not like the show.

 

[HMF]

He was out. He's been out for a while now honestly, so I'm surprised Disney hasn't at least put the animated series up on Disney+. It makes me think several of the higher ups at Pixar do not like the show.

They also famously hated the Direct to video "cheapquels" of the nineties and early aughts and that hasn't stopped them from appearing on Disney+.

 

[lazyboy97o]

They also famously hated the Direct to video "cheapquels" of the nineties and early aughts and that hasn't stopped them from appearing on Disney+.

Because people personally liking content is probably not a major factor for whether or not most titles are present. There’s a lot of Disney content that’s not on Disney+.