Let’s Get to Know Toy Story Land! Have You Visited This Unique Space in Disney’s Hollywood Studios?!
YOU. ARE. A. TOYYYYYYYYYY! Ever since Toy Story first came out in theaters, waaaaaay back in 1995, I have felt validated. I just KNEW my toys were playing with each other when I wasn’t in the room. In 2018, Walt Disney World brought Andy’s Backyard to life when they created Toy Story Land, located in Hollywood Studios. Now, you, too, can shrink down to the size of a toy and play with Andy’s toys right in his backyard! Featuring three rides, one quick service restaurant, and tons of exciting eye candy, this has quickly become one of my absolute favorite places to visit in Walt Disney World.
Toy Story: The Ride(s)
SLINKY DOG DASH
Personally, I think Slinky Dog Dash might be the most creative ride I’ve ever seen. Maybe not the most amazing ride (that’s totally Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, YOU MUST CHECK IT OUT) or the most original ride, but the
most creative for sure. I always used to want to ride in my hot wheels on the track with the loop, and this is honest to goodness as close as that ever gets! First the basics, I would recommend this for all ages, except maybe for those with motion sickness issues.
I had a friend that had an unfortunate trash can incident following this ride, so beware!! As long as you fit the height requirements (38″ and up!), you should be good to go. There are no massive drops and the one “big” drop is fairly slow. Sticking with the “you are a toy” theme of the land, you are a toy riding on Slinky Dog on a track that Andy built. (Pause for dramatic effect). My FAVORITE part of the ride is when it stops and pulls back, like Andy himself is pulling the train back to make it run.
ALIEN SWIRLING SAUCERS
Next, we hop over to Alien Swirling Saucers, for a super fun ride on some Aliens. YOU HAVE SAVED US! WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL!!! It is a swirling ride that is tons of fun. Height requirements are 32″ so basically everybody. It is a really fun ride but BEWARE: the line has nearly no shade, so if it is long, you will be incredibly hot.
Right outside of Aliens is a MASSIVE Buzz Lightyear, perfect for all your photo opportunities! This is especially awesome in COVID-times, when you may not have the opportunity to take a close-up photo WITH Buzz Lightyear.
If you do get the chance to meet THE Buzz Lightyear, I highly highly recommend you tell him you’re Mrs. Nesbitt.
TOY STORY MIDWAY MANIA
The final ride is the classic Midway Mania. The same ride that existed before Toy Story Land!
This classic is a 3D ride set up like a carnival-style game. If your family is super competitive BEWARE. This game may bring out the fighting side of everybody! It is not a new ride to Hollywood Studios, but it is still perfectly themed to Toy Story Land. And the queue is SO UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME! Toys, games, drawings, Mr. Potato Head….I am not usually someone that tolerates standing in lines longer than 30 minutes, but honestly there is no shortage of things to look at while waiting to ride this ride.
Toy Story: The Food
Woody’s Lunchbox is the quick service restaurant that is currently open and available with mobile ordering in Toy Story Land. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, unique beverages (including adult beverages), this is one of my favorite dining locations inside the parks. Tip #1: use mobile ordering. It is so simple and so easy and so convenient. If you’re standing in line with your family for Slinky Dog and your six year old is starting to get hangry, simply open your My Disney Experience app, go to Woody’s Lunchbox in mobile ordering, and order your family’s meals. When you get done riding Slinky, then, open the app and tell them you’re on your way. They will start making your food then so that when you arrive, it will be ready! HOW GREAT IS THAT? For those dining with allergies, Woody’s has got you covered!
FOOD ALLERGY DINING
For starters, dining with Disney AND food allergies is absolutely AMAZING. I have food allergies and I have never once (knock on wood) gotten sick at Disney. Having said that, I also do not have any anaphylactic reactions, so I trust the menus for the most part. If you or someone in your party have anaphylactic allergies, DO NOT eat without talking directly to a chef!!! In this case, the menus are a good guide and you will have an idea of what to order once you get there.
If you trust yourself, your allergy, and Disney enough to mobile order via the allergy menus, absolutely do it and save time. But if you want to speak to the chef at Woody’s to set your mind at ease when ordering, I highly recommend it. And sometimes, the chef may be able to make allergy substitutions on something that isn’t necessarily on the allergy menu. For me, it’s Celiac. I would not enjoy a Disney vacation during a Celiac reaction, so I check menus closely. At Woody’s, I LOVE THE TOTCHOS. OMG SO GOOD. My daughter loves the delicious grilled cheese and my husband likes food, so everything is fair game!
From the barrels of monkeys to the tinker toys, there is absolutely nothing that Disney’s Imagineers didn’t think of. You will thoroughly enjoy this fully immersive land, and you will LOVE being one of Andy’s Toys!