At a glance
The world of Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is inspired by Toy Story 2 and the spin-off series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. The story is crystal clear: Emperor Zurg wants to steal the crystallic fusion power cells that fuel the Little Green Men’s ships, so he can conquer the toy universe.
Visitors are recruited as Space Rangers and board an XP-41 Omnimover cruiser in pairs. Each cruiser is fitted with two laser guns and a joystick to spin the vehicle through 360 degrees. The mission: shoot the 88 targets scattered along the ride, each with a different value: circle for 100 points, square for 1,000, diamond for 5,000 and triangle for 10,000.
The atmosphere goes all out on being shrunk down: giant Phillips screws, oversized toy instructions and the 725 Little Green Men scattered around the sets make you feel you’ve been shrunk to the size of a miniature Buzz. There are also Hidden Mickeys in the queue. An Audio-Animatronics Buzz talks to the recruits before departure. At the end, your score is displayed, you’re photographed and given a rank from Space Cadet to Galactic Hero, with a free rank card handed out at the exit on request.
The ultimate interactive family dark ride. A ride where everyone aims at the Z targets with a movable laser cannon, and your score appears at the end. Great replay value, as the urge to beat your record keeps visitors coming back. Premier Access lets you skip a queue that is often long on busy days.
History
Opened on 8 April 2006, Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is an interactive dark ride in Discoveryland. It replaced Le Visionarium, a 360° circular cinema (Circle-Vision) that ran from 1992 to 2004.
Based on the world of Toy Story, it belongs to the family of Buzz Lightyear shooting rides that began at Magic Kingdom in Orlando (1998), then spread to Tokyo Disneyland (2004), Disneyland in Anaheim (2005) and Hong Kong Disneyland (2005). Since February 2025, a free rank card is handed out at the exit, whatever your score.
Technical data
- Duration
- 5 min
- Opened
- 2006
- Type Interactive dark ride
- Opening date 8 April 2006
- Duration 5 min
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering
- Builder Sansei Technologies
- Composer George Wilkins
- French voice Richard Darbois (Buzz Lightyear)
- Sponsor HP
- Inspired by Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (Magic Kingdom, 1998)
Theme & story
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level none
- Thrill level low
- Emotional impact moderate
- Perceived wait moderate
- Minimum height None (open to all)
- Recommended age all ages
- Wheelchair access fully accessible
- Pregnant visitors suitable
Premier Access, Single Rider, PhotoPass
Skip the regular queue whenever you like. Handy in peak season, when the wait often goes over 60 minutes.
No Single Rider here. To save time, count on Premier Access or park opening.
Automatic photos taken during the ride, to collect after you get off.
Usually open during this slot before the park opens to the public, reserved for Disney hotel guests and Disneyland Pass Gold holders, among others. The right time to ride it with a shorter queue.
Who it’s for
Pros and cons
Strong points
- Competitive interactive game
- Very immersive sets
- Endlessly replayable
Weak points
- Noisy, long queue
- Targets often stop working
- Look far removed from the spirit of Discoveryland
My verdict
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is Discoveryland’s ultimate interactive family dark ride: a two-seater Omnimover fitted with laser guns, with your score shown at the exit. 5 minutes of ride, 88 targets to aim at and almost endless replay value. PA (Premier Access) is available here, which is a real help because queues build up fast in high season.
It’s my favourite ride for fiercely fought battles between friends, because someone always wants a rematch. My insider tip for a sky-high score: aim first for the triangles worth 10,000 points and the diamonds worth 5,000 points, they’re the ones that really pay off. And the trick few people know: there’s a hidden target just below the Z badge on Zurg’s chest, which scores a huge number of points in a single shot. Avoid it at peak times, when the queue gets long and noisy.
Julie’s tip
Best time to visit
Calculated from the ride’s queue time history, updated every day.
Map & getting there
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast is at the entrance to Discoveryland, between Orbitron and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.
Your questions about this ride
01 How can you avoid long queues for the most popular rides?
To avoid long queues at Disneyland Paris, I combine several tactics. First, Single Rider is free and really speeds things up on the rides that offer it, including Crush’s Coaster, Flight Force, Ratatouille and Spider-Man, as long as you’re happy not to ride with your group. Next, Disney Premier Access is a paid service that gives you priority access to the headline rides. If you’re staying in a Disney hotel, Extra Magic Time lets you into the park before official opening, and it’s the best time to ride the popular attractions back to back without queuing. Finally, heading to the most popular rides during a parade or a big show empties the queues considerably.
02 Are the queue times shown in the park reliable?
Yes, the queue times shown in the app or on the screens around the park are generally reliable. They’re often the same as, or slightly longer than, the real wait, which helps you plan your day better.
03 How can I find out if a ride will be closed for refurbishment during my trip?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of rides closed for refurbishment on its official website, several weeks in advance. Because the parks are open all year round, the maintenance teams sometimes work on days when the parks are open, which leads to temporary closures. My advice: check this calendar (or the one on my blog) before booking, especially if there’s one particular ride you really care about.
04 Which rides might scare young children?
Several rides at Disneyland Paris can frighten young children even without a height restriction. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, in Fantasyland, has dark scenes with the witch that can catch them off guard. Les Voyages de Pinocchio also has some unsettling scenes. La Tanière du Dragon, under Sleeping Beauty Castle, is home to a very impressive animatronic dragon. Phantom Manor, in Frontierland, plays on a ghostly atmosphere and is really intense for toddlers. Pirates of the Caribbean switches between cheerful moments and darker scenes. I’d suggest watching how your child reacts before you get on.
05 How far in advance does Disneyland Paris announce ride closures?
Disneyland Paris publishes the list of ride closures around 2 to 3 months in advance. For major rides, the park tells visitors about planned construction work at least two months before it starts. I recommend checking the official calendar (or my dedicated page) a few weeks before your visit, as dates can change. That way you avoid the nasty surprise of finding out on the day that your favourite ride is being refurbished.
