The wait is over! Toy Story Land is opening at the Walt Disney World Resort on June 30, 2018, and the new 11 acre land inside of Disney's Hollywood Studios is inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' allows guests to become a part of the much loved world of the Toy Story films.
Media outlets had a preview of the new addition Thursday before Toy Story Land was officially dedicated Friday.
In addition to the park characters like the Green Army Land, Buzz, Woody, and Jessie, and Disney officials, a special guest attended the dedication -- the voice of Buzz Lightyear, Tim Allen, who brought more power to the ceremony.
Watch the ceremony below:
What can you expect from the new area of the park?
As you enter Toy Story Land, you are shrunk down to the size of the Green Army Men and enter the outdoor setting of Andy's backyard where he has made his own theme park from giant building blocks, Tinkertoys, yo-yos, board-game pieces, dominoes, Scrabble tiles, and even a giant roller coaster set.
Sheriff Woody, standing nearly 20 feet tall, welcomes all to Toy Story Land by jauntily leaning on a tall assemblage of colorful wooden blocks, tipping his wide-brimmed hat to guests while holding onto his trusty lasso. But don't worry Woody has brought his friends Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Slinky Dog, Rex, and other Toy Story characters along for the fun.
Toys and games make up the landscape of Toy Story Land, and create a warm sense of nostalgia for park-goers. With building blocks around every corner, there are lampposts shaped like Tinkertoys and benches built from Lincoln Logs and K’nex pieces. A balsa-wood glider, a Barrel of Monkeys, giant playing cards, and jacks add to the visual tapestry of the new land.
“With set pieces, staging, attractions and experiences, Toy Story Land represents the best of Walt Disney Imagineering’s collaboration with our storytelling partners at Pixar Animation Studios,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. “This new land will place guests inside the wondrous world of Woody, Buzz and their pals – and invite everyone to experience the joy of being a toy.”
The entire land encourages the best playtime ever!
Toy Story Land includes two all-new attractions and a new entrance for an enduring favorite. Guests hop on Slinky Dog for a family-friendly roller coaster ride, take a spin with the little green Aliens from Pizza Planet, and go for the high score in midway games populated by beloved Toy Story toys.
Slinky Dog Dash
From his Dash & Dodge Mega Coaster Kit, Andy has assembled his roller coaster for maximum family fun. But instead of just using the roller coaster vehicle that came with the kit, Andy has put his Slinky Dog on the track.
The result is a family-friendly thrill ride around the backyard that includes two launches. Tracks and supports in bright colors of red, orange, yellow and blue were snapped together according to Andy’s hand-drawn plans.
Rex and Jessie helped by stringing lights above Andy’s stacked Jenga game pieces. To complete his creation, Andy picked everyone’s favorite floppy-eared dachshund with a stretching coil body – Slinky Dog – and dropped it onto the coaster track.
In each 18-passenger coaster train, riders zip around and above Toy Story Land, catching great vistas of all the new land has to offer. In a first for a Disney coaster, Slinky Dog Dash features a second launch at its midpoint as riders experience cool sound effects and spinning lights, darting through a series of rings on their way to the attraction's finale featuring Wheezy, the squeaky penguin from the Toy Story films.
Alien Swirling Saucers
Brace yourself for out-of-this-world thrills, because the Aliens have powered up their flying saucers!
Alien Swirling Saucers immerses guests in the playful world of Andy’s imagination. This galactic space toy is designed as a playset Andy won at the Pizza Planet restaurant.
The adorable little green Aliens from Pixar Animation Studios' Toy Story swirl about in toy rocket ships with guests in tow, while "The Claw" hangs overhead.
Two sets of 11 saucer/rocket-ship pairings spin guests through a multi-colored galaxy to a raucous, energetic musical beat.
Toy Story Mania!
While Andy’s away, the toys will play! Toy Story Mania! – one of the most popular attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – has received a colorful all-new entrance.
Evoking the fun in store, the entrance is actually the box Andy’s Toy Story Mania! game came in. Recently updated with a third track, the attraction allows even more guests to experience the carnival playset action, using virtual objects from baseballs to cream pies to hit targets in a variety of whimsical, fast-paced scenarios.
Woody’s Lunch Box
When it’s time for on-the-go refreshments, Woody’s Lunch Box serves tasty meals and old-fashioned soda floats from a walk-up window in a setting surrounded by Andy’s favorite toys and a giant vintage thermos.
Order a grilled three-cheese sandwich, grab a seat under festooned lighting at a Tinkertoy table and take in the scene. Woody’s Lunch Box features Mini Babybel cheese – the Official Snack Cheese of Walt Disney World Resort. Babybel’s famous cheese wheel also provides inspiration for fun chairs and tables nearby.
You’ll even spot Sarge, the Green Army Men leader, in a tower on the lookout for Andy.
Merchandise
Two merchandise locations – a toy camper and toy dump truck – offer shoppers logo merchandise, must-have collectibles and unique gifts sure to become long-lasting memories of their time in Toy Story Land.
Special items sure to become guest favorites are small scale replica toys of the attraction vehicles, a Slinky Dog that can be a tabletop toy or double as a fashionable accessory, and colorful headbands sprouting an Alien or Slinky Dog himself.
Toy Story Characters
To add to the fun, Woody, Jessie, Buzz and their pals appear throughout the land. The Green Army Drum Corps creates a playfully percussive rhythm, and Sarge and the Green Army Patrol march through the land, playing games with guests in a fun and interactive boot camp – ten-hut!
Play Disney Parks Mobile App
The all-new Play Disney Parks mobile app will make its official debut with the opening of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on June 30.
The app will be free to download, and guests can pre-order today on the App Store and Google Play to be among the first to have the app automatically downloaded on their device.
The Play Disney Parks app was designed for families and guests to enjoy together to turn wait time into play time with all-new interactive experiences and activities created for select attraction queues including: “Playset Party” at Toy Story Mania! “Off to Neverland” at Peter Pan’s Flight,“Rocket Race” at Space Mountain, and “Andy’s Boardgame Blast!” at the new Slinky Dog Dash coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Guests signed into their Disney account (available to guests 13 and over) can also earn, collect and share uniquely themed achievements, rewarded for playing games, answering trivia, completing challenges and experiencing select attractions across the Walt Disney World Resort.
And with the Disney trivia feature, there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy as guests can discover fun facts about their favorite theme parks.
About the Author
