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Buddy Debuts in First Look at Reimagined Buzz Lightyear Ride at Magic Kingdom

The on-ride preview aired during ABC’s Christmas Day parade ahead of a spring 2026 reopening.

Overview

  • Walt Disney Imagineering introduced Buddy, a Star Command support-bot who greets riders, calibrates blasters and vehicles, and leads a target-practice tutorial before the mission begins.
  • The overhaul swaps fixed cannons for handheld blasters with always-on lasers and haptic feedback, adds reactive smart targets, and installs refreshed ride vehicles with onboard monitors for real-time scoring.
  • Imagineering shared additional details on social media, describing Buddy’s energetic personality and confirming her integration into the Toy Story universe.
  • An Easter egg on Buddy labeled IY-HW3 nods to the former If You Had Wings attraction that once occupied the same space.
  • The attraction remains closed with a spring 2026 return planned, and limited early tests for select guests have been reported while installation and calibration continue.