Space Ranger Spin Needs A Refurbishment

nickcor89

nickcor89

New Member
Original Poster
I understand that Space Ranger Spin is super popular and having to close it for an extended amount of time may not be something Disney wants to do but boy it's due for a good refurb. The queue is pretty lame but also super nasty. All the different art is all torn up and the buzz animatronic has seen better days. The guns seem super used and abused and don't work the best they could. The worst part in my opinion would be the tunnel scene with the projection of the ship flying around. The image is so poor you can't tell what you're even looking at let alone what to even shoot for. An HD upgrade to the projections (or maybe a whole new video?) would be amazing. I really like space ranger spin but, I feel it just has not been taken care of over the years. Just wondering if anyone else has similar feelings.
 
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thomas998

Well-Known Member
nickcor89 said:
I understand that Space Ranger Spin is super popular and having to close it for an extended amount of time may not be something Disney wants to do but boy it's due for a good refurb. The queue is pretty lame but also super nasty. All the different art is all torn up and the buzz animatronic has seen better days. The guns seem super used and abused and don't work the best they could. The worst part in my opinion would be the tunnel scene with the projection of the ship flying around. The image is so poor you can't tell what you're even looking at let alone what to even shoot for. An HD upgrade to the projections (or maybe a whole new video?) would be amazing. I really like space ranger spin but, I feel it just has not been taken care of over the years. Just wondering if anyone else has similar feelings.
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One of the ride we always do, but also one that we seem to have to do multiple times in hopes of getting cars where both guns work. I think the last time we rode it we had to ride it 4 times before everyone in our group was able to have working guns during the same time so we could all compete. There is a ride in a local amusement park that is insanely run down, but even their version of the ride has more working guns on it than Disney's... Frankly it always seems like the ride that everyone in the maintenance group forgot about. I would be happy if they just got all the guns to work properly and replace the rotation switches for the cars (where quite often we've found you can get a car that has a broken switch so you have to have one rider holding the switch just right to avoid the car just turning by itself the whole time... Surely simple maintenance like that could just be done after hours and completed in a week... how difficult could it be to replace some switches and guns.... In the end Disney seems to give the ride the same amount of TLC that they gave Disney Quest in the last years of its existence.
 
Damon7777

Damon7777

Well-Known Member
nickcor89 said:
I understand that Space Ranger Spin is super popular
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How do you figure that? Not just popular but super popular......really? I don't see it.
Super popular is Flight of Passage, Mine Train. I can promise you that when guests are alotted 3 FP's on property few are going to make Space Ranger Spin a priority.
 
Damon7777

Damon7777

Well-Known Member
But yes, the attraction does need attention and you're right about that tunnel scene......it most definitely could be tightened up with more crisp visuals.

But TwilightZone has the better answer: replace it. There is a dedicated Toy Story land with a much better shooter type attraction. Time to go.
 
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JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
It was a nice addition to the area when it first opened. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin was named the 2004 Disney Magazine Reader's Choice Award winner for Best Magic Kingdom Park Attraction for Young Kids. It didnt take long for it to become old and outdated. The queue was never at the level one would expect from Disney. I hear on different podcasts that its rated as the dirtiest, least attractive queue on property. Any kind of shooting, competitive point building game is popular with guests, and I always encounter a line. We still visit it and DS and I compete for the highest score. You cant say its losing riders to the point that it doesnt rate updating. It definitely needs attention.
 
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LUVofDIS

Well-Known Member
It needs refurbishment not replacement, unless the replacement is another interactive attraction. I would like to see more interaction in Disney, this should be the wave. Not all rides need to be this but a good mix.
 
mergatroid

mergatroid

Well-Known Member
thomas998 said:
One of the ride we always do, but also one that we seem to have to do multiple times in hopes of getting cars where both guns work. I think the last time we rode it we had to ride it 4 times before everyone in our group was able to have working guns during the same time so we could all compete. There is a ride in a local amusement park that is insanely run down, but even their version of the ride has more working guns on it than Disney's... Frankly it always seems like the ride that everyone in the maintenance group forgot about. I would be happy if they just got all the guns to work properly and replace the rotation switches for the cars (where quite often we've found you can get a car that has a broken switch so you have to have one rider holding the switch just right to avoid the car just turning by itself the whole time... Surely simple maintenance like that could just be done after hours and completed in a week... how difficult could it be to replace some switches and guns.... In the end Disney seems to give the ride the same amount of TLC that they gave Disney Quest in the last years of its existence.
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You must be really unlucky or I'm just very lucky? My wife and I ride it every year and have never had a blaster not work or the ride vehicle not to be able to spin.
 
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thomas998

Well-Known Member
mergatroid said:
You must be really unlucky or I'm just very lucky? My wife and I ride it every year and have never had a blaster not work or the ride vehicle not to be able to spin.
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You should probably buy a lottery ticket. Last trip only my daughter and I rode it so we only needed one decent car... no lines because it was very late in the day so we were able to ride it 3 times in a row without lines and of those three times we had a fully working car 1 time... which was the second time we rode it, but rode it a third time as my daughter was trying to beat my score, of course that third time we had the fabulous self spinning car that refused to stay in any one direction... though both guns worked so technically out of those 3 times the guns were only messed up 1/3 of the times... but if you never have problems you are very lucky.
 
MuteSuperstar

MuteSuperstar

Well-Known Member
It's so tacky and grubby looking...but it's enjoyable enough. Just needs a huge refresh/tech update.
Men In Black makes it look like a rickety traveling carnival ride though, from start of queue to end of ride.
 
Fox&Hound

Fox&Hound

Well-Known Member
It is a fun ride but the queue is FILTHY to the point of feeling gross when you get off the ride. I think Tomorrowland needs a MASSIVE overhaul with Stitch going dark, Autotopia and MILF not fitting the futurustic theme, Space Mt needing major safety updates, and Carousel needing some love. I think Buzz is an indication of a bigger problem in TL...
 
justintheharris

justintheharris

Well-Known Member
With Antman and Wasp taking over the Buzz Lightyear in Hong Kong later this year, I have a feeling Buzz Lightyear's days in Disney World are numbered. Not Necessarily for Antman and Wasp but for something else because it's in such disrepair and, as others have pointed out, Toy Story Midway Mania is leagues better. Perhaps gut the building and put in an entirely new ride?
 
The Pho

The Pho

Well-Known Member
mergatroid said:
You must be really unlucky or I'm just very lucky? My wife and I ride it every year and have never had a blaster not work or the ride vehicle not to be able to spin.
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I’ve never experienced a broken gun or spinner on it either and I ride it a good amount. Probably 50 times or so last year alone. Whenever I ride alone I always max out the counter on both guns. And when with somebody, they’ll frequently claim it isn’t working and then I’ll use it with no issue. The laser isn’t always perfectly straight, but they always work.
 
fantasmicsyd

fantasmicsyd

Member
The worst is the corridor with the spinning red light leading up to the tunnel- It used to be filled with fog but that effect has been turned off for awhile now, essentially having you ride through a blank hallway. It's such bad show.
 

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