When it comes to innovation, I’ve always believed that whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. That mindset led me to one of the wildest—and most rewarding—experiences of my career: sending Buzz Lightyear into space.
Yes, the Buzz Lightyear, Pixar’s toy spaceman extraordinaire, launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, spent 15 months on the International Space Station, and came back as one of the longest-serving “astronauts” in history.
So, how did it happen?
Calling up NASA
Back in 2003, we were preparing to open Toy Story Mania at Disneyland, and I needed to create buzz. (Pun intended.) As we brainstormed ideas, I asked a simple question: What’s Buzz Lightyear’s ultimate dream? Someone answered, “To fly.” And I thought, Exactly. So, let’s make him fly.
I blurted, “I’m going to send Buzz Lightyear into space.”
The room went quiet. To be honest, I didn’t know how I’d pull it off, but I’ve always believed in the power of picking up the phone and asking. So, I called NASA. They could’ve laughed, hung up, or said no, but instead, they invited me to pitch the idea.
I found myself in Washington, D.C., standing in a room with 23 NASA engineers and one 18-inch plastic Buzz. Half the room loved the idea. The other half wanted to throw me out the nearest window. But then someone at the head of the table said, “If we’re going to take Buzz Lightyear into space, we’ll need to take him on a spacewalk.” That’s when it hit me: NASA had just said yes.
Liftoff for Buzz Lightyear
Six months before the launch, I got a call from Johnson Space Center in Houston. They needed Buzz immediately. In fact, they needed two Buzz Lightyears—one to send into space and another to dismantle for safety testing. Apparently, even the tiniest air pocket inside the toy could cause it to explode in the vacuum of space.
Cue a frantic scramble to find Buzz Lightyears. This was at a time when popular Toy Story toys were nearly impossible to find. My team scoured every Walmart, Target, and Kmart. We eventually found one, but the second? I ended up digging my son’s Buzz Lightyear out from under his bed, dusting him off, and scribbling “James” on the bottom of his foot, just like Andy did with Woody.
A few months later, Buzz launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. I’ll never forget standing with my son at Kennedy Space Center, watching the shuttle lift off. I got emotional, realizing we’d just sent my son’s toy to space. Today, Buzz is on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, with a plaque reading: “Gift of James Wardle, age 8.”
What does this story have to do with business? A lot. Sending Buzz into space wasn’t just a cool PR stunt; it was a lesson in bravery and creativity. It taught me that asking the right questions and breaking the rules can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Here are two tools I’ve used time and again to drive similar innovations:
Ask “What if?”
The first step is to question the rules. This technique, “What if?,” was inspired by Walt Disney himself. In the 1940s, Walt was creating Fantasia and wanted to transform the movie-going experience. He suggested pumping mist and heat into theaters to immerse audiences in the story. The theater owners pushed back. Instead of stopping there, Walt listed the rules of cinema—the viewers sit down, the lights are off, etc.—then asked a provocative, rule-breaking question: What if I could control the environment?
He couldn’t; he didn’t own the theaters. So, he pushed further: What if I took the movies out of the theater? People laughed. Movies were two-dimensional. But he kept going: What if I made movies three-dimensional? What if I dressed people as pirates, princesses, and cowboys? What if I put them in themed lands?
That’s the power of “What if?” It pushes you beyond your usual thinking and into uncharted territory. It’s simple: List the rules, pick one, and break it.
Look “Where else?”
Breakthroughs rarely come from staring at your own industry. Instead, they come from borrowing ideas from others. I call this the “Where else?” tool. In 2011, one of Disney’s biggest challenges was reducing wait times at theme parks. Guests hated standing in line, but lines were inevitable—right?
We looked outside our industry for answers and discovered a small pharmacy in Tokyo using RFID technology to eliminate queues for prescription pickups. That sparked an idea: Could RFID wristbands serve as park tickets, hotel keys, and payment methods? Enter the MagicBand. This little piece of wearable tech helped to greatly reduce time spent waiting in line, giving guests back two to three hours of their day, ultimately boosting satisfaction and driving record revenues.
When faced with a challenge, look “where else” someone has solved a similar problem. You might find the answer in a completely unrelated industry.
The takeaway
The story of Buzz’s journey is more than a fun anecdote. It’s a testament to the power of bold ideas and smart risks. Whether you’re launching a toy into space or reimagining your business, innovation starts with bravery. Ask “What if?” to break the rules. Look “Where else?” for inspiration. And remember, whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
So, go ahead—take that first step. Who knows? Your next big idea might just take you to infinity and beyond.
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