There’s Something WEIRD About This New Magic Kingdom Ride Permit

We’re in the midst of all the craziness happening at Disney World! Frozen Ever After is changing at EPCOT, Dinosaur just closed at Animal Kingdom, the area for Piston Peak has been getting worked on at Magic Kingdom — and that’s just to list a few!

Among all the changes is also the huge update coming to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. As we get closer and closer to the rides reopening, we’ve been seeing permits filed by Disney popping up. Well, Disney recently filed a new permit for the attraction, only this one has an interesting expiration date.

There was a new Notice of Commencement permit filed on February 3rd. We see these all of the time; however, something stands out — it’s the expiration date.

So, what are the expiration dates typically on new permits? Well, that’s the thing, that field is usually left blank. The reason for this is that it allows the permit to default to a 1-year expiration date. This is usually enough time for the average project happening at Walt Disney World. On the other hand, longer-term projects require expiration dates that go well into the future. Weirdly enough, that’s the case with this permit!

Rather than being left blank, the new permit has an expiration date of April 2nd, 2027. That’s around 14-months from the day it was filed. For a ride that Disney announced is expected to reopen during Spring 2026, around the same time as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, it seems a little bit odd.

It’s unclear exactly what this permit covers, since it just lists “general construction”. Does it have anything to do with the attraction itself? Is stuff getting worked on behind the scenes after it’s reopened? We’ll have to wait and see!

To be clear, the permit lists Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin as the location. It also lists a familiar contractor — Jon Richards Company — which is a commonly used contractor for Disney World.

When the ride reopens, it will feature a new character, revamped targets, and moveable blasters! We’re eager to get back in there and become a Galactic Hero again.

The Buzz Lightyear attraction is still scheduled to reopen this spring, but it looks like it could come with about a year’s worth of work left on whatever project this permit covers. We’re going to keep an eye on what’s going on with the attraction as we get closer to its reopening — which we are PUMPED about by the way. For more news and updates on everything happening at Disney World, make sure to follow us at AllEars.

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What are your thoughts on the new permit? Let us know in the comments!