Disneyland Resort

Where’s Buzz Lightyear? ‘Toy Story’ Ride Gets Shocking Update

Disney has once again sidelined Tim Allen’s beloved Buzz Lightyear at one of its parks.

Introduced in Pixar’s Toy Story in 1995, Buzz quickly emerged as a cultural phenomenon. Voiced by Tim Allen, he’s the space ranger action figure who embarks on an adventurous journey of self-discovery, realizing—thanks to his ally and former rival Woody, voiced by Tom Hanks—that he’s just a toy.

buzz lightyear and tim allen at disney world
Credit: Disney

This transformation has made Buzz one of Pixar’s most cherished characters, leading to a wide range of merchandise, thrilling attractions, and even the spinoff film Lightyear (2022), further cementing his legacy.

The Toy Story Universe in Disney Parks

The Toy Story universe has made a significant impact in Disney’s theme parks, featuring Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, and Walt Disney Studios Park. Additional Toy Story attractions can be found at Disney’s California Adventure Park, Tokyo DisneySea, and Tokyo Disneyland, showcasing the franchise’s global reach.

Buzz, Woody, and Jessie pose in front of Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Credit: Disney

Among these attractions, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin stands out as the most widespread. At its peak, this interactive shooting dark ride was featured in all six of Disney’s castle parks, making it one of only two rides to achieve that distinction—the other being Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Recent Closures

Unfortunately, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin has closed at Hong Kong Disneyland, making way for the underwhelming Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! as part of the Stark Expo expansion. This beloved attraction is also set to close at Tokyo Disneyland at the end of the month, clearing the way for a new Wreck-It Ralph experience.

Currently, the ride continues to thrive at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disneyland, and Disneyland Resort, where it’s known as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Here, guests can “take aim and fire your laser to defeat Zurg during an exhilarating space battle” and be in with a chance of being named Galactic Hero – if you know how to score big, that is.

A group of children joyfully competes in a futuristic arcade game, using colorful laser guns. The vibrant setting is illuminated with neon lights and space-themed decor, creating an exciting atmosphere.
Credit: Disney

Missing Buzz Lightyear

However, one notable aspect of the ride is currently missing in Anaheim. The impressive animatronic of Tim Allen’s Buzz Lightyear, which typically welcomes guests in the Tomorrowland attraction’s queue, is currently out of action and appears to be inoperable.

During a recent visit to Disneyland Resort, we noticed that the entire animatronic is now hidden behind a 360-degree curtain. While Disney has yet to clarify the reason for this change, one Reddit user speculated it might be connected to a recent update of the ride’s cameras.

A statue of Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger character from the Toy Story series, stands in a vibrant, futuristic setting with neon colors. He is raising his right arm as if greeting or preparing for action, with rockets and sci-fi machinery reminiscent of Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in the background.
Credit: Disney

“They fixed the camera, and it took up an extra 5 watts of power,” they noted. “Enough to mess up the tight balance of wattage available to the building. Buzz [cast member] said camera [is] on the same circuit breaker. They chose to shut off Buzz while they come up with a fix.”

Buzz’s Previous Absences

This isn’t the first time Buzz Lightyear has been removed from the parks. In May, he was temporarily taken out of Walt Disney Studios Park, which will soon be rebranded as Disney Adventure World.

There were previously concerns over Pixar’s Lightyear (2022), where Tim Allen was replaced by Chris Evans in the titular role. With his version introduced as a face character meet-and-greet in Disney theme parks, some were worried that he’d replace the OG as the go-to character.

Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) in 'Lightyear'
Credit: Pixar

Intended as a bold exploration of the origins of Buzz Lightyear, the film ended up falling short of expectations, both critically and commercially. Despite its innovative concept, the film struggled to resonate with audiences, garnering mixed reviews and failing to capture the charm and nostalgia that defined the original Toy Story films.

Box office returns were disappointing, with estimates suggesting a loss of around $106 million for Pixar, marking it as one of the studio’s biggest flops.

Looking ahead, Buzz’s next adventure promises to be more successful. Toy Story 5 is officially set for release in 2026. While details about the sequel are still scarce, we do know that Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack (the voice of Jessie) will reprise their roles, with direction from Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton. Unfortunately, Don Rickles, who voiced Mr. Potato Head and passed away in 2017, will not be returning.

Stay tuned for more updates on Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.

Chloe James

Chloë is a theme park addict and self-proclaimed novelty hunter. She's obsessed with all things Star Wars, loves roller coasters (but hates Pixar Pal-A-Round), and lives for Disney's next Muppets project.

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