buzz lightyear ride

[maryrm]

hi all,

i have a 4 yo who is obsessed w/toy story - of course we will ride the 2 toy story rides! i am surprised that the buzz lightyear ride doesn't have fp???!!! i am staying at the disneyland hotel & get 2 anytime use fp tickets (part of the promotion). the rep said i can use these tickets on buzz lightyear....how is that possible if this ride doesn't accept fp? anyone use their 2 fp tickets on rides that don't accept fp??

maybe i am mistaken....thanks for the feedback.

mary

 

[azmommyto3]

Last summer when I was there, Buzz had a FP. I think they have changed it now, and the old Buzz FP machines are now the Star Wars FP machines.

I'm not sure if you would be able to use your passes on that ride, sorry I think the CM you spoke to was mistaken?

 

[maryrm]

azmommyto3

yeah, i think she was mistaken too. i even clairifed and she said, "well its on the list." maybe it is the old list from last year as you said. i will call again before we go. just wondering what others had experienced.

thanks for your feedback.

mary

 

[AussieDisneyNut]

When we were there in March the FP machines had been disconnected on Buzz, however we found that we never waited longer than 30 minutes to ride with our very excited 5 yo. We rode it at least 5 times over our stay sometimes with as little as a 10 minute wait and it was during spring break. So hopefully you will not need to use your FP for this ride, instead keep them for something else like Star Tours.

 

[MenchieMan87]

In my experience the line isn't usually that long

 

[MenchieMan87]

Also, make sure not to miss the "Toy Story Zoetrope" at DCA!

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

Also, make sure not to miss the "Toy Story Zoetrope" at DCA!

Ooooooo.....ditto!!!!!

 

[helenb]

And don't forget the Pixar parade at DCA! There should also be Toy Story character greetings at both parks.

 

[maryrm]

what is the toy story zoetrope?

yes, the pixar parade is DEFINITELY on our list!

btw, what kind of ride is startours? i've been looking online but can't get too much info. my kids (9 & 4) don't like scary, rollercoaster, thrill rides so i'm not sure if this would work for us???

thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

The Buzz FP machines were converted over for use on the new Star Tours earlier this year. In recent years FP has not really been needed on Buzz.

 

[cougarfan84]

Star Tours is basically a motion simulator ride. I would think of it as a 3-D movie where the room moves to give your body and mind the sensation that you are actually flying along in the aircraft (even though outside of tilting to the left/right/forward/backwards you are actually stationary).

 

[Sherry E]

I love the Toy Story zoetrope in the Animation Building!

Also, keep an eye out for some familiar Toy Story faces near the end of It's a Small World - Toy Story character dolls (Woody, Jessie, Bullseye) were added into the ride a couple of years ago, along with many other Disney characters. Their scene will be on your right-hand side.

Often times you will find a Toy Story character or two hanging out by the Round-Up in Frontierland, as well as near the Toy Story ride in DCA. Buzz may or may not be in Tomorrowland.

Be sure to stop at the kiosks and e-mail your on-ride photo to yourself when you exit the Buzz Lightyear ride - it's free!

 

[smile4stamps]

The Buzz line tends to be a little longer than usual as a result of ST being right across the way (At least my experience in June). I saw the line as long at 45 minutes...

 

[Saskiwi]

The TS Zoetrope is in the Animation Building in DCA (home to Turtle Talk with Crush - which your son would also probably love!)
A zoetrope is kind of hard to describe....A zoetrope is a device that produces an illusion of action from a rapid succession of static pictures. says Mr Wikipedia!
Basically it is a big class case containing a gizmo (technical description!)with models of TS characters - you turn the handle and it spins around faster and faster until it looks like they are actually moving - it is the same principle used in traditional cartoon animation
anyway, whatever it is, kids love it - TS fans even more so!
FWIW, the Animation building is one of our favourite spots in DCA - we spent ages in there - make sure you explore it well, as there are lots of hidden gems...

 

[Liat]

We rode Buzz maybe ten times when we were there in June. As long as you hit it before 11ish you basically walk on (or at least we did). My very Toy Story obsessed 3yo dragged us on it again and again but I don't think we ever waited more than 15 minutes and that was at a peak time.

 

[maryrm]

you guys are great! thank you so much for all the information.

 

[rivey]

You actually might be able to use the Fast Passes on Buzz. Ask the CMs. The fast pass line entry queue still exists. Wife said she saw some folks coming in that way, even though the regular line is wheelchair accessible. Line for them was up to 45 mins, but only about 25 when they tried again a later time.

 

[HappyHaunt]

What is so funny about this, is that we were there the end of June and never noticed that the fastpass machines were gone for Buzz. lol It was never too terribly long, most on the time I think it was 10 minutes or so. We used to get fastpasses too a few years back.

 

[MenchieMan87]

I agree that the zoetrope is hard to explain, I can say it's the closest thing to toys coming to life with us in the room with them! My brother (18) told me it was his favorite thing in either park.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Okay, the zoetrope, one of my favorite things in DCA.

Picture a statue of Jesse holding a lasso that she is spinning in her right hand above her head.

Now, next to that is another statue of Jesse holding a lasso that she is spinning in her right hand just a slight bit lower so it is starting to encircle her head.

Now, next to that is another statue of Jesse holding a lasso that she is spinning in her right hand just a slight bit lower so it is at her neck level.

Now, next to that is another statue of Jesse holding a lasso that she is spinning in her right hand just a slight bit lower so it is around her shoulders.

And so on. Approximately 20 statues, each slightly different than the one before it.

The last statue is of Jesse holding a lasso that she is spinning in her right hand at her ankles.

Now, instead of those statues all being in a straight line next to one another, they are in a circle, facing outward. The feet of each statue is attached to a turntable so which, when a switch is activated, spins.

The effect is that your eye will see motion. Just like animation.

The zoetrope at DCA is exactly that, with many more characters and more happening. It's very cool and can help little ones understand how animation works. Overall, though, it's just very cool.

You can find video of it online if you search for it, but there's nothing like seeing it in person.

- Dreams