Buzz Lightyear Star Command - This Attraction Needs To Go

[sunsetbeachgal]

Totally agree that it needs some kind of updating, we felt as if we wasted a fast pass on it last week. I am not sure our guns were even working, the ride is such a come down as compared to Toy Story Mania.

 

[tvsdisney]

I think it could use a good refurb but I love this ride. I have the ride picture from our first trip with my then 2 year old and now he’s 13. I love looking back at them

 

[jimim]

Same here but by room r u done? That’s the real question. Lol.

My wife hates this ride. I say it’s because she stinks at it. I like it cause I’m good at it. Lol

Seriously. Ya dated. But I really like it still. Yes mania is awesome. I love it.

Funny, I enjoy Buzz way more than TSMM.

Maybe it's because I usually finish the ride with this ...

View attachment 319235

That said ALL of Tomorrowland needs a refurb
but it needs to begin with the Alien Encounter, Carousel of Progress, Tomorrowland Speedway .....

Unfortunately TRON has probably guaranteed all we get is some more paint colors.

 

[BrianL]

I think what I would do for Buzz in terms of a refurb:

• Change the targets to be more the DL ones where it is more obvious when you hit them.
• Change the guns to the kind you can hold in your hand, and like at DL, have a light to confirm a target hit.
• Add some extra lighting and projection effects to the backgrounds - maybe even projections that react to a certain target being hit.
• Enhance the projection in the old "super speed" tunnel to make it more clear.

Honestly, that's about it. You'd have a top-notch ride with those changes, and it's still already pretty good.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I agree with the OP....the ride is soooooo severely outdated. I'd be happy to see it refurbed. It really needs one. Its a fun ride but I enjoy TSM way more.

 

[jeffg4]

Well, the American Eagle rollercoaster at Six Flags Great America is extremely outdated by today's standards, but that doesn't mean it still isn't fun to ride.

 

[Arielfan98]

While I agree with all your points, I don't think your idea is logical right now. Think about it. This ride is insanely popular (don't ask me why, I don't get it). Yes, it's dated, and yes it does break down. BUT, people love it and it brings in crowds and that's all that matters right now. If finishing Toy Story Land and building Star Wars Land plus the new SW Hotel is the top priority, they aren't going to budget a new ride in lieu of Buzz Lightyear. Perhaps once all the new Tomorrowland stuff comes in, maybe the popularity for Buzz Lightyear will die down, then they might consider adding something else in IF they can get the $$ for it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It's popular. There isn't a single person in my family that doesn't want to do it every trip - usually multiple times. I can think of many, many more attractions that need to go or be re-done before this one. Buzz isn't even on my radar for that.

 

[HopperFan]

Same here but by room r u done? That’s the real question. Lol.

My wife hates this ride. I say it’s because she stinks at it. I like it cause I’m good at it. Lol

Seriously. Ya dated. But I really like it still. Yes mania is awesome. I love it.

?? not sure what you are asking me?

 

[jimim]

?? not sure what you are asking me?

Sorry how quick do you flip the score? I usually can do it 2 rooms after the robot.

 

[HopperFan]

Sorry how quick do you flip the score? I usually can do it 2 rooms after the robot.

That last one was a crazy one, I actually got my final score in the PHOTO ROOM! Nail biter.

So are you saying you finish off in the "battery room" or the "Zurg room"? Zurg is key to me making it but how much it helps depends on my "driving" to get the angle and the people in the car behind me so they don't block me. I have to drive and shoot and none of this comes naturally to me. I feel better when I get something off the robot but lots of times I haven't got my gun "calibrated" well by then and it requires lots of target hits in the "volcano" rooms.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

That last one was a crazy one, I actually got my final score in the PHOTO ROOM! Nail biter.

So are you saying you finish off in the "battery room" or the "Zurg room"? Zurg is key to me making it but how much it helps depends on my "driving" to get the angle and the people in the car behind me so they don't block me. I have to drive and shoot and none of this comes naturally to me. I feel better when I get something off the robot but lots of times I haven't got my gun "calibrated" well by then and it requires lots of target hits in the "volcano" rooms.

Impressive detailed knowledge of this ride, you have.

 

[BachataMan]

Wow, didn't think this topic was going to kick off like it did. I guess there are a lot of mixed opinions.

Thanks Craig Williams for featuring this thread on today's DIS Daily Fix!

I enjoy this ride enough to go on it if there is a very short wait, but like someone mentioned it's not hard to get 999,999 points - just watch the millions of YouTube videos on it.

Also another point about updating it based on current technology vs updating other attractions - There's some attractions that are fine the way they are and don't need to be updated whatsoever. In fact, I think the updates they made for Spaceship Earth on the descent in 2007 are terrible and would rather listen to Tomorrow's Child and be emersed in the experience with the visuals than do the Jetsons-looking interactive part. That whole section is just covered up and left abandoned. Back to Buzz however, the ride was created based on being cutting-edge technology, so an upgrade or a refurb, if done right, could help it a lot.

Also, Disney closes/refurbs popular attractions all the time, many to everyone's dismay. The original Journey Into Imagination, The Great Movie Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Alien Encounter, Wonders of Life, etc. Disney makes decisions moreso from if they get a new sponsor or if a sponsor leaves, etc. than if attractions are popular or not.

And I think Tomorrowland is definitely going to get another refurb once TRON opens. Hopefully the one thing they do change is the dance party and make that TRON themed with some awesome electronic music. What they have now is completely out of place (e.g. Taylor Swift and the Spice Girls).

 

[Polydweller]

I find it helps if, at the beginning of the ride, you practice aiming and firing your laser with one of your palms in front of it. Then you can see if the red dot is aiming higher, lower or more to the left or right than what you might expect.

I do that by aiming at the head of the guy in front of me. Definitely works.

 

[gharter]

I enjoy it and do it every time we visit. But a rehab would be nice. I love the MiB ride at Universal and would love to see Buzz done in a similar fashion.

 

[kimmyg26]

While I think that it needs an update, I absolutely love it. We always did it multiple times each trip. It’s just a fun ride. I enjoy TSMM but I’m tired and my arm hurts by the time that ride is through.

 

[cbl1]

I like the theming and enjoy the ride but I think Toy Story is way better with the digital graphics. I think it is better than MIB at Universal though.

As far as tomorrow land - look forward to a Stitch replacement.

My kids love Laugh Floor - just needs some new dialog added in to freshen it up.

 

[chelynnah]

That is the problem with Tomorrowland and FutureLand ............ they are dated before they are even built. It's just too expensive to build the future and keep up with it. I think if they went more the route of the Tomorrowland movie it would have more longevity.

This is why Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland works so well instead of Tomorrowland. It’s done all steam punk Jules Verne style, and while it has many/most of the same rides, thematically it’s about what people in the past thought the future held, not what we in the present thought. So it stands up.

As for Buzz, no ride frustrates me as much as this one. Either the blasters aren’t working or I just can’t see which my laser is and miss the target. With TSMM I can easily aim and score.

 

[HopperFan]

This is why Disneyland Paris’ Discoveryland works so well instead of Tomorrowland. It’s done all steam punk Jules Verne style, and while it has many/most of the same rides, thematically it’s about what people in the past thought the future held, not what we in the present thought. So it stands up.

As for Buzz, no ride frustrates me as much as this one. Either the blasters aren’t working or I just can’t see which my laser is and miss the target. With TSMM I can easily aim and score.

LOVE LOVE steampunk and would be very happy if they brought DLP theme to MK.

 

[Chris Connelly]

Buzz at Disneyland Paris is a lot better, the track route feels more interesting and the guns are removable from the car and it's a lot of fun. That being said, al four of us in our family still love the MK Buzz offering even though it's not quite as good as it's Parisian counterpart.

Roll on September so I can get back to beating my 5 and 7 year old girls at all their favourite arcade style rides