Disney has truly outdone themselves with Toy Story Land. The newest addition to Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida opened in June and new details are still being discovered! (P.S. Planning a visit? Find out how to get 2 theme park tickets with your resort stay.) “I'll never forget that when I came back from seeing that movie, I looked at my toys so differently … I never thought for a moment they might love me back as much as I loved them. When everything that we do here in Andy's backyard is charged with that intent and that feeling, that's what makes this not just a land of oversized objects, but a place where real heart lives.” – Walt Disney Imagineering creative director Ryan Wineinger About the design Filled with childhood nostalgia and eye-popping details, Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios is designed to evoke a strong sense of playfulness. Everything is created as if Andy himself was playing with his toys and building a land. In Toy Story Land, you get to experience what it would feel like to explore Andy's backyard as a toy about the size of his green army soldiers. There are so many fun details to be found, like popsicle benches that are faintly stained to look just like Andy glued together popsicle sticks for you to sit down on when in need of a rest. The imagineers behind Toy Story Land aimed to capture the essence of what Andy's backyard would feel like to one of his toys. An immersive experience Nobody likes waiting in line. The more popular the theme park is, the longer these lines tend to be. When Toy Story Land first opened, the wait for the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster was 5 hours! The average wait time mid-week is currently around 90 minutes, but if you plan to visit Toy Story Land, be prepared to have some “in between” time. The Disney Parks app offers games that allows guests a new way to interact with the physical environment. As you play, the app will trigger theme-park effects in the queue, projections, lighting and sound effects. Kids love it! This app is free and now available on iOS and Android devices. Technology aside, there is plenty to see from simply taking the time to look around and absorb all of the elements. Story callbacks and Easter eggs from the Toy Story movies makes the theme park an exciting playing field for kids and adults. This fun addition to the Disney World theme park is an ideal playing field for a good ol' fashioned game of “I Spy.” Characters can meet at Toy Story Land include Woody, Jessies, The Green Army Patrol, and Buzz Lightyear. As you get deeper into the area, everything else in Andy's 11-acre “backyard” gets bigger. Best photo spots for Toy Story Land souvenirs Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World is filled with Easter Eggs and delightful details that make the place a dream for curious families, observant Toy Story fans, and instagrammers alike. “As shepherds of the culture and folklore of the Pixar Animation franchises, we are doing what they do in their own films here as well. When you take these toys and you make them larger than life around you, there is an impossible amount of detail to study and we encourage the guests [to] take your time and get to know all of these toys through the entirety of Andy's backyard, because you may not know what surprises are around the corner, or perhaps some fun little surprises that we've brought into this place.” — Wineinger via GameSpot.com Here are just a few areas of the park that guests recommend for photos: The Popsicle Wall Located outside of Toy Story Mania! is the Popsicle Wall. This photo spot is so popular, it has its own Instagram page! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Toy Story Land Popcicle Sticks (@thepopsiclestickwall) on Jul 24, 2018 at 4:56am PDT Sheriff Woody Stop to pose with the 20-foot Sheriff Woody on your way in. The Green Army Patrol Walk through the park for a few minutes and you are bound to bump into The Green Army Patrol. You can play games with Sarge & his Green Army Patrol such as “Sarge says”, and pose for pictures with fun props like a giant Pixar ball and giant crayons. Dining Options Woody's Lunch Box Most of the food on the Woody's Lunch Box menu is made to order. To save time, use Disney's Mobile Order app for Woody's Lunch Box. This is the only restaurant within Toy Story Land which makes it a busy place for lunch and dinner. If you order ahead, when you get to the restaurant, simply press the “I'm Here, Prepare My Order” button. When the food is ready, the app will send you a notification, and your food will be ready at the “Mobile Order Pick Up” sign. “At Woody's Lunchbox, there's tables with Babybel cheese wedges. You'll also see the nutritional info and other details on the umbrellas.” – Arielle Calderon, Buzzfeed Along with fun spins on nostalgic food items like Rasberry Lunch Box Tarts and Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich, the quick-service restaurant also serves alcoholic drinks for adults like “Grown-Up's Lemonade” which is made from Three Olives Cherry Vodka, odwalla All-Natural Lemonade and Black Cherry Puree. Add a scoop of ice cream to make it a float for $2. Themed rides and unexpected thrills Alien swirling saucers “Inside a play set that Andy won at Pizza Planet, the Aliens have powered up their flying saucers—and they're ready to spin you on a wild ride into space! Hold on for some wild fun as your toy rocket takes off, all while electronic space music provides an intergalactic soundtrack. And if you're really lucky, you might just get “chosen” by the claw.” – DisneyWorld.com The Alien swirling saucers ride is one of the options you can choose when selecting rides for your Fastpass. Slinky Dog Dash “There are several vantage points to observe the Slinky Dog Dash ride up close before getting on. This might be a good thing for parents who want to reassure their kids before riding their first roller coaster.” – Mouse Planet It came to a surprise to early guests and bloggers that this roller coaster is not a kiddie ride. However, with a height requirement of 38”, this coaster is accessible for many families and park goers who are traveling with little ones. If your family likes thrills, you won't want to skip this one. Definitely get a fastpass for Slinky Dog Dash if you can. You can book your FastPass+ 30 days in advance. These are snatched up quickly, so the sooner you act, the better your chances are of nabbing the one for the ride you want. Where to sit: “If you're wanting a good look into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge then sit in the front! After the second launch you'll be able to see over Andy's fence into the next new land to open at Hollywood Studios.” – Mingling with Megan “If you can only ride once, ride in the back to get more of that slinky feel the Imagineers were going for when they designed it.” – Play. Party. Plan Toy Story Mania! Toy Story Mania is a 4D attraction that is themed like a series of carnival midway games. This ride first opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2008 and has been renovated with a new entrance and queue. When the ride's finished, be sure to stop and snap a picture in front of a decorated wall nearby. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Toy Story Land Walls🎯💙❤️ (@toystorywalls) on Jul 16, 2018 at 6:16am PDT Tips for touring Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios Plan your rides around peak dining hours “Have dinner either early (say before 5pm) or late (after 8PM) and focus on Toy Story Land during the peak dining hours. Many guests have to stick to a strict 6-8pm dinner window, which may mean a golden opportunity to ride the rides then.” – Traveling Mom See Toy Story land at night The entire land is transformed once the sun goes down. It really glows after dark. View this post on Instagram A post shared by For Love of The Mouse (@forloveofmouse) on Aug 6, 2018 at 6:46pm PDT Because there isn't a lot of shade inside the land, your family might feel the effects of Florida's heat and humidity during the day. Visiting at night will give you a different experience and also could help you keep cool as your family explores everything Toy Story Land has to discover. Whether you visit during the day or night time, Toy Story Land is a true treat for the imagination. Keep your creative juices flowing! You never know where inspiration can spark. Maybe you'll be sitting on a popsicle stick bench, chowing down on some Lunch Box Tarts when a new idea strikes. Maybe your kids will have their next “aha!” idea when they return from the park and are thinking about everything they saw. Our Summer Bay Orlando resort, located just 15 minutes from Toy Story Land, offers many activities and crafts that can keep your kids' creative spirits high throughout your vacation. See accommodations and our activity schedule here.
