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Disney Previews Revamped Buzz Lightyear Ride With New ‘Buddy’ Support-Bot and Tech Upgrades

The Christmas Day parade preview showcased changes targeting long-standing reliability complaints.

Overview

  • Walt Disney Imagineering shared the first in-ride footage during ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, focusing on the new opening sequence.
  • A new character named Buddy, created by Imagineering with Pixar, introduces the mission, calibrates gear, and leads target practice at the start of the attraction.
  • Buddy carries an Easter egg designation, IY-HW3, nodding to the former If You Had Wings attraction in the same Tomorrowland space.
  • Upgrades include new ride vehicles, handheld blasters designed for better aim, interactive targets, and in-vehicle monitors that display real-time scores.
  • Disney lists a spring 2026 reopening window for Magic Kingdom’s Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger Spin, with no specific date or full scope of changes yet announced.