Ask Disney Adulting: What’s the Trick to Earning a High Score on Buzz Lightyear?

1. Know the Targets and Their Values

The values for each target depends on their shape and whether they are lit or unlit. When targets are lit up, they are worth 10x the value listed for the fit person in the room to hit it. Planning your attack from each room should be prioritized as follows:

  • Any Lit Target: 10x Shape Value
  • Triangle: 10,000
  • Diamond: 5,000
  • Square: 1,000
  • Circle: 100

2. Understand your Laser Cannon

If you are able to ride alone (preferred so that there’s no one to fight over steering the ship with) you’ll want to check out both guns to see which one has a trigger in better shape. Most would say you’d be looking for a “more accurate” laser target, but it’s important to know the real way the laser cannon guns actually work before you can start running up the score on Buzz Lightyear. The actual shooting/targeting system is a cone-shaped infrared beam, which actually works to your advantage when you are aiming for targets off in the distance. The further away a target is from you, the larger your infrared “target” will be from your gun. This means that you have a slightly increased change in higher accuracy when you are aiming for targets that run deeper into each room.

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    3. Never Stop Shooting

    I can’t say this one enough – Never Stop Shooting! If you discover a target, fire like your life depends on it until you can’t reach that target anymore. The values remain the same each time and you won’t blow precious time looking around and getting up aim for a new one. From time to time, the ride will stop (this actually happens pretty often) so that cast members can provide assistance to guests who need help loading/unloading or if something needs retrieving from a vehicle. Just because the ride stopped, that doesn’t mean your gun isn’t active. Again, never stop shooting! If you missed your ideal target and only have low targets around you, guess what – never stop shooting. I think you get this one…

    4. Know Where High-Value Target Hide

    You are already a step ahead of the competition if you know where all the high-value targets reside in each room. Here are a few key locations that we know are hiding some triangle targets that will help you run up that unbelievable high score:

    • First Room: Backside of the red robot’s hand.
    • First Room: Behind the moving saw blade of the spaceship.
    • Alien Planet Room: On the back of the circle of moving aliens.
    • Jack-in-the-Box: Shoot the target on the outside of the box to access the triangle target on the alien that pops out.
    • Dark Starry Tunnel: Look for three hidden triangles that will be marked with lights that glimmer across them.
    • Final Scene: On the opposite side from Zurg there is a circle on a box. When you hit that target, the higher value target will pop out from inside the box.

    5. Shoot at Emperor Zurg’s Chest

    It’s important to note that Emperor Zurg will be seen in two rooms and the same hidden target is available in both scenes that will rack up a sweet 50,000 points. Look for a tiny unmarked hole in the middle of his chest armor. The trick to getting a straight shot to this hole is to be the first shooter to hit the large green square on the bottom of his gun. If you hit that target first, he’ll turn towards you opening a clean shot to the little hole in his chest. Then, refer to tip number 3…

    6. Ride on the Left Side

    I’m usually skeptical of right side versus left side debates, but this one I’ve fully tested and agree that the left side of the ride is much better situated for the higher value targets no matter how you steer it. Or, you could just ride alone and not worry about fighting about right side versus left side.

    7. Drive the Spaceship

    Unless you can ride alone, you’ll want to volunteer to be the one who can control the single steering joystick on your spacecraft. Having control of this joystick gives you the advantage of positioning the spaceship to maximize your aim on higher value target and run up your high score.

    8. Rack Up Points with the Red Robot

    I love the first room because it’s usually where you set the tone for how the rest of the ride is going to be scored. Look immediately for the oversized red robot moving his arms up and down. On the inside of each arm are high scoring targets where you can fire rapidly on them before the slow-moving ride takes you out of aiming distance.

    9. Hyperspace Focus

    You’ll know this room when you see speeding spaceships and flashing stars. It’s important to hold your focus in this room because there are limited high-value targets. On the large spaceship near the exit of the room, there is a round black dot on the body of the ship that holds the highest point value in the room.

    10. Try Again During Short Wait Times

    Just like anything, practice makes perfect. If you didn’t get a high enough score the first time take advantage of shorter queue times and ride it again. Generally, a queue that is shorter than 15-20 minutes is ideal for back-to-back rides in an attempt to run up a high score.

    Pics or it Never Happened

    If you blasted out a high score on Buzz Lightyear, make sure that you register your score by using the kiosks at the end of the ride. They allow you to put in your name and email to receive a copy of your score and your personal photo from the ride. If you were “the chosen one” to have one of the highest scores within the hour, your initials will be featured on the ride’s scoreboard for all to see.

    • Level 1 Star Cadet: 0 – 1,000
    • Level 2 Space Ace: 1,001 – 10,000
    • Level 3 Planetary Pilot: 10,001 – 100,000
    • Level 4 Space Scout: 100,001 – 300,000
    • Level 5 Ranger 1st Class: 300,001 – 600,000
    • Level 6 Cosmic Commando: 600,001 – 999,999
    • Level 7 Galactic Hero: 1,000,000 +

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