A new permit filed by Walt Disney World is raising eyebrows here at BlogMickey HQ. The permit, which was filed earlier this week, is for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom. What makes this permit interesting is the expiration date – especially when the attraction is getting ready to reopen after a facelift. Here’s the latest.
New Lengthy Permit for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
The new Notice of Commencement permit was filed earlier this week by Disney’s Facility Asset Management (FAM) group. FAM is generally responsible for the maintenance of Disney’s assets (read: attractions, structures, and the like). While most permits filed for Walt Disney World are filed by FAM, what makes this one interesting is the expiration date and the location.
The permit lists Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin as the location, and it lists the Jon Richards Company as the contractor. The Jon Richards Company is a commonly used contractor for Walt Disney World, and they have recently been contracted for work on the Muppets retheme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, along with work on Test Track 3.0, Zootopia: Better Zoogether, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and much more.
What caught our eye was the expiration date for the permit. Typically, permits leave the expiration field blank, which allows the permit to default to a 1-year expiration date. That is usually plenty of time for the average project at Walt Disney World. However, longer-term projects require expiration dates well into the future. That’s the case with this permit.
The permit has an expiration date of April 2, 2027, roughly 14-months from the day it was filed. This indicates that there is an extensive amount of work expected for whatever the project is. Unfortunately, the scope of work is listed as “general construction”, which is apparently just descriptive enough to satisfy the government.
As to what the project could be, that remains a mystery for now. The Buzz Lightyear attraction is scheduled to reopen this Spring, which means that there will be roughly a year of work left on whatever project this permit covers. Given that the permit is not assigned to Walt Disney Imagineering, we don’t expect the work to be creative in nature, but it will be interesting to see if we’re able to spot anything nonetheless.
When it reopens, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will feature a number of upgrades. The attraction will not only feel refreshed, but it will likely feel brand new due to the following changes:
- Brand New Scene – As their adventure begins, guests will now be greeted by an all-new character! As a support-bot, Buddy makes sure departing Space Rangers are fully prepared for their mission, enthusiastically providing encouragement, final system checks on their Star Cruisers and a chance to hone their blaster aim.
- All-New Targets – The static Z targets found in the attraction today will be upgraded with new technology that will allow them to react and light up when hit. It also opens the door for a few other ideas Imagineers have in mind. Â
- Brand New Ride Vehicles – Star cruisers will also receive a face lift with a new design inspired by the colors of Buzz Lightyear and Star Command. Each enhanced vehicle will also now come equipped with video monitors that provide real-time scoring updates and other exciting features.
- Handheld Blasters – Each ride vehicle will now include handheld blasters for better aim, helping guests to score even more points. These new blasters will be perfect for younger riders, allowing them to participate more in the experience.
And, if you’ve ever wondered where you’re aiming (don’t worry, you’re not alone), these enhanced blasters will now include an always-on laser and come in two different colors per star cruiser, in addition to new lighting, sound and vibration effects, so players know where they’re aiming throughout the mission.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
This means we’ll now get to hear from – The Space Ranger Fan!
The Space Ranger Fan – “My fellow astronauts, it is time to gear up your laser shooters, hop on the galactic space cars, and cruise through some asteroids, as you shoot at targets, collect points, and have a good time.