Entering Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World, you are greeted by a 20ft Woody, cheering: “Welcome, toys!” No kidding. Because this is Andy’s backyard, and everything is upscaled, essentially shrinking you right down to the size of a toy. You aren’t playing with Woody, Buzz and Jessie, you’re hanging out with them.
The new 11-acre attraction based in Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, has been lovingly created to make you feel like you’re as tiny as a green army man. There’s even Sarge barking orders and Andy’s 25ft-long footprint.
In keeping with the toy-like scale, Buzz, Jessie and Rex loom over fans as they queue for rides or whizz around the track on one of two new attractions, Slinky Dog Dash.
The double-launch coaster – a Disney first – is made up of 18-seater carriages set inside Slinky’s coils. The first half of the ride swirls, turns and dips, the second pulls you back and launches you into a series of camelback humps, as if a child was playing with the Slinky Dog toy.
As you wait in the queue, you pass Andy’s drawings showing how he created the ride, from huge Crayola sketches to a bottle of glue stamped with an Al’s Toy Barn price tag.
The amount of detail is impressive, all ensuring the illusion is kept alive. Slinky’s husky voice tells you to keep all your “parts and pieces” inside the vehicle before you shoot off, winding past Rex balancing precariously on top of a Jenga stack.
Then you see Jessie, equally unstable stringing up the Christmas lights that tangle and wind around the park, casting a stunning glow across the land at night. Wheezy, the squeaky toy, serenades you with the classic You’ve Got A Friend In Me as the ride pulls back in.
Similarly, the second new ride, Alien Swirling Saucers, sells the story setting you inside a playset Andy won at the infamous Pizza Planet.
Think Mad Hatter tea cups with a twist. A 14ft talking Buzz Lightyear waves you into the queue, before you pass a massive toy raygun and Star Command computer buttons, all based around the idea you’re helping Buzz defeat Zurg.
If you make it through the mission – or the queue, which has been more than an hour and a half at peak – then you’re flung around in the little rockets on spinning circuits as the aliens try to avoid the far-reaching Claw.
Both the crowd-pleasing rides are a draw for any fan, there’s even an updated Toy Story Mania, a 4D arcade style ride. But don’t expect high thrills.
These are aiming for grin-inducing family fun, or nostalgic joy, if you’re old enough to remember the first movie released more than 20 years ago. Tim Allen, who plays Buzz, summed it up as he opened the land: “Literally, you can’t ever imagine that somehow you’d be able to play in Andy’s backyard.” But somehow Disney’s managed it.
It’s not just about the rides though, the land is packed full of tiny details aiming to convince you you’re in a kid’s garden strewn with toys; whether that’s the benches made from lollipop sticks or domino pieces, or the giant Pixar ball, bins made of colour blocks to the Green Army men setting challenges for guests. The counter service restaurant is even a giant vintage lunchbox.
Just be warned, if you visit in the hot Florida summer come armed with hats,
sunscreen and plenty of water - the queues are mostly uncovered, so there’s no escaping the scorching sun.
Don’t worry, there are other ways to escape the heat. Walt Disney World has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, so you can sip on a cocktail or surf the waves. One of the 25
resort hotels can also provide a relaxing break when you’re constantly on the go too. Waking at Animal Kingdom Lodge you often spot a giraffe or zebra at your window as they roam the Savannah freely.
Back in the parks you still have all the classic rides to tick off, but keep in mind the popular attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Star Tours all have lengthy queues at peak times. FastPass provides an easy solution and it’s free, but book ahead.
You’ll definitely want to use it for last year’s new addition - Avatar Flight of Passage. The ride, in Pandora – The World of Avatar land, isbased on James Cameron’s Oscar-laden movie and uses 3D glasses and a simulator to fly you through the land of the Na’vi. It’s a must.
The Walt Disney World expansion doesn’t stop Pandora and Toy Story Land - there’s more to come. The 14-acre Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge land opens next year along with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first Mickey themed ride-through attraction in the Disney Parks.
It’s easy to fall for the Disney magic and tap into your inner child. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning, Toy Story Land will have you feeling like a big kid in no time.
If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel then you get Extra Magic Hours, so make sure you take advantage of them. The extra time means you can get into the park before the day guests and beat the lengthy queue for rides.
If you are staying off site then try and get in early to avoid the scorching midday heat, or just before closing to get a look at the land lit up at night.
