Buzz Astro Blasters - why is it opening so soon?

[MasterGracey]

I feel like I might be the only one who is thinking about this... but according to Al, the new Buzz ride is having its grand opening March 17. Why is this? I thought it was going to open with the 50th Anniversary? Doesn't it strike anyone else as strange that theyre opening one of the few main draws of the 50th Anniversary 2 months before the festivities kick off? By the time the 50th kicks off, Buzz is going to be old news and people are going to complain even more about the meager offerings for the 50th, don't you think?

[chause2000]

How sure are you MasterGracey that its opening on the 17th? Thursday seems like a weird day to open a ride.....Im going there on the 20-22nd and was hoping to maybe catch a soft opening for it, but a grand opening would be even better... just want to know if i should get my hopes up or not

[MiceMan]

It is probablly because they are actually starting the celebrations May 5th ... even though the birthday isn't untill the 17th. Or, mabye they're thinking that Space Mountain opening on the 17th will be enough ...

[Jspider]

because they ussualy soft open things months before the scheduled date in order to get effeciency up and make sure that they can be prepared for when the crowds come, it's not a garantee that it will be open every day of soft opening

it won't ruin anything, the point of the 50th is to attract tourists and most tourists (such as myself) will not be there until this summer so it will still be something new and fresh for the 50th

it's also good that the APers will have a chance to get tired of it so that way I don't have to wade through a sea of APer's waiting for their first shot just so "I" on my one-two day trip to the resort can see what the heck the new ride is

honestly I'm a bit dissapointed Space isn't opening earlier

[chause2000]

when i said the 17th Miceman i meant March 17th, not July 17th, you seemed a bit confused..... can anyone confirm Master Gracey's first post about its grand opening on March 17th, 2 sources are better than one

[MiceMan]

I get it now ... disregard my post oooops! But I think that march 17th is the start of soft openings but not the grand opening ... I could be wrong tho

[chause2000]

its alright man, do you think that if i asked a CM on the day that i got there if they had a soft opening planned for that day they would be honest and let me know?? i know that soft openings only run for a few hours or so a day and id hate to be somewhere else in the park and miss it.

[MasterGracey]

can anyone confirm Master Gracey's first post about its grand opening on March 17th, 2 sources are better than one

yeah, I'm just going off what Al said in his last update:

Buzz Lightyear will have an official grand opening on March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day, and the marketing team is racking their brains trying to come up with clever tie-ins like using Toy Story's green army men as part of the ceremony, or choosing a family with the last name of "Green" to be the first riders for the TV cameras

He could be wrong, maybe? He's usually correct with his information..

I dont know, it just doesnt make sense to me why Disney would be opening the attraction almost 2 months before the 50th kick-off...

[chause2000]

cool man, cant wait to see if he is right and that date sticks

[Retlaw Yensid]

I dont know, it just doesnt make sense to me why Disney would be opening the attraction almost 2 months before the 50th kick-off...

Maybe they want something new running in Tomorrowland before spring break to boost ticket sales over the next month.

[innerSpaceman]

It doesn't make too much sense to me either. But if the ride's ready to go, then it's ready to go.

Perhaps the earlier estimates of Buzz opening in early May were based on the same snail's pace progress that had Space opening in November. And maybe when Matt Ouimet lit a fire under Tomorrowland ride construction, the flames licked at Buzz Lightyear as well as Space Mountain.

I will look at the early Buzz opening as a hopeful sign that Space Mountain work is also proceeding faster than previously expected, and will be open in time for the 50th Birthday of Disneyland.

[Dustysage]

The earlier they can open Buzz the better.

With Space still closed and the pace of rehabs speeding up, any new attraction would help keep down the guest complaints about closed attractions and refurb walls.

Also, any bugs can be worked out before the big Spring Break crowds arrive.

I think it would also be good for the holiday tourists if the local crowds got a chance to ride the attraction before Spring Break to help keep the lines at a managable wait.

[MasterGracey]

Yeah, I didn't really think about the Spring Break crowds. Buzz will help soak them up. It just seems like the early opening is lessening the offerings for the 50th... But now it makes more sense when you factor in spring break.

[Jspider]

is it ok if I still don't get why everyone is complaining about the early opening?

seems alot like complaining that the ToT opend before summer (ok not that bad)

soft testings just required on alot of these things

[Jspider]

Yeah, I didn't really think about the Spring Break crowds. Buzz will help soak them up. It just seems like the early opening is lessening the offerings for the 50th... But now it makes more sense when you factor in spring break.

it may lesson the offerings for APers but it will only help the offerings for tourists (da real target )

this's the sort of thing Al and Kevin write tons of articles on

[HMMaid2001]

I don't really care when it opens...im just gonna be there for cast previews!!

[SoCal]

because they ussualy soft open things months before the scheduled date in order to get effeciency up and make sure that they can be prepared for when the crowds come, it's not a garantee that it will be open every day of soft opening

This really goes for almost everything. From stores, rides, shows - lots of things. I used to be on the "opening team" at a place I used to work and the date the doors opened were always before the grand opening. Same thing when I worked at SW, that Circ (spelling?) show opened up I think it was 2 weeks before the grand opening. It is always a good idea to check a week or two before the GO date.

[Darkbeer]

The big reason why, MARKETING...

SeaWorld is opening their new Sea Lion and Otter Show (Deep, Deep Trouble) that weekend, and they decided to do the "media" event on March 17th to help get the DLR on the TV's, and maybe have a few less stories on SeaWorld.

I was expecting it to be part of the 50th event (and it will still be featured during the Media event). But they are going to take advantage of Buzz (and also have a Tiki Room event on the same day for the Media). Remember, this is the "official" start of Spring break for the parks (even though some folks will have already had their week off prior to that date), and some schools don't get the week off until late April, going to be an interesting few months for scheduling and expected crowds.

[Disneychica04]

yeah the cast previews are coming up from march 7th to the 10th. and then after our previews it will be the AP previews. but i dont think they should open the ride up just yet. i can guarantee that in a week of its soft opening that the guests will already have the things broken.......and as for space its not going to be opening until november.......but maybe sooner cuz they are done and are testing it right now........

[HMMaid2001]

I talked to a Buzz CM...that they had a deadline by May..but decided that it was ready to open before..hopefully, with Space testing now underway..it can open by the 50th!!