The park just opened this weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
By Megan Friedman, Good Housekeeping
Toy Story Land just opened at Walt Disney World in Florida - and there are already hours-long lines to get in. The park took four and a half years to complete, and it’s part of Hollywood Studios’ planned transformation from a behind-the-scenes look at the film industry into an immersive look into pieces of pop culture. Next up will be Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which is set to open in 2019.
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Toy Story Land just opened at Walt Disney World in Florida - and there are already hours-long lines to get in. The park took four and a half years to complete, and it’s part of Hollywood Studios’ planned transformation from a behind-the-scenes look at the film industry into an immersive look into pieces of pop culture. Next up will be Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which is set to open in 2019.
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Toy Story Land puts you right into Andy’s backyard, shrinking you down to the size of a toy as you explore the universe from the three Pixar movies. (You’re considered an honorary toy the minute you walk in).
And there’s a lot to see, from the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster to the Alien Swirling Saucers teacup-style ride and Toy Story Mania, which received a refreshed entrance as part of the new land. But first-time visitors might miss out on a lot of hidden references to the Toy Story characters they love. Here’s what Disney has hidden in plain sight for you to discover.
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There are real-life toys everywhere.
[post_ads]You’ll spot different types of toys everywhere you look, ranging from the 1950s to today. There’s Crayola chalk, Elmer’s glue, a Rubik’s Cube, Scrabble tiles, Cooties, and Uno cards, just to name a few. The fences look like they’re made from K’nex, the benches look like Lincoln Logs, and the lampposts look like Tinkertoys. And you can spot dice, dominoes, jacks, and playing cards strewn throughout the park.
“Walk slowly and enjoy these details, because we have paid so much attention to not only making these toys feel real, but making them feel like they were just moments ago played with by one of our favorite children, Andy,” Ryan Wineinger, creative director of Walt Disney Imagineering, tells GoodHousekeeping.com. “There’s a lot of narrative in those arrangements.”
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There’s a sweet backstory behind Slinky Dog Dash.
Toy Story Land’s roller coaster is designed to resemble Slinky Dog, a beloved and loyal character in the Toy Story movies. But the coaster is also set up to reflect Andy’s imagination. Andy has used his Dash & Dodge Mega Coaster kit to build the ride, and put Slinky Dog right on the track. (Though he did have to buy an expansion pack to make it all work.)
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While in line for the ride, you can see Andy’s hand-drawn plans for Slinky Dog Dash. “We love to really get deep into the logic of the Toy Story world and really adhere to it,” Roger Gould, creative director of theme parks at Pixar Animation Studios, tells GoodHousekeeping.com .“It has an ‘assembly required’ look to it.”
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At the very end of the Slinky Dog Dash ride, you’ll spot Wheezy, the squeaky penguin, singing Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” with help from Mr. Mike and Mr. Spell.
It’s a reprise of the same number he performed at the end of Toy Story 2, after his squeaker was repaired.
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Mr. Pricklepants shows up in two separate places on Slinky Dog Dash. His Songs for Singing book appears in the line for the ride, and also opened up as Wheezy sings “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
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And that’s not the only fun detail to note – Rex’s price tag reads $19.95, a reference to the year 1995, when the first Toy Story movie hit theaters.
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And that’s not all - the Lunch Box Tarts resemble gourmet pop-tarts, a.k.a. the only food that could tear Sid away from mutilating his toys.
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You might not notice it at first, but the music that plays when you ride the Pizza Planet-inspired attraction is a warped version of Toy Story classics. “We created 10 original compositions based on the themes from the Toy Story films, but in this crazy-fun, electronic techno style,” Gould says. “This feels like club music, but actually [you] recognize the theme from the movie.”
See more at: Good Housekeeping
While in line for the ride, you can see Andy’s hand-drawn plans for Slinky Dog Dash. “We love to really get deep into the logic of the Toy Story world and really adhere to it,” Roger Gould, creative director of theme parks at Pixar Animation Studios, tells GoodHousekeeping.com .“It has an ‘assembly required’ look to it.”
You’ll hear a repeat rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
It’s a reprise of the same number he performed at the end of Toy Story 2, after his squeaker was repaired.
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Look closely and you’ll spot lots of Toy Story characters.
Sure, Woody and Buzz are there to greet guests at each entrance of Toy Story Land, and you’ll see Slinky Dog and the green aliens in their respective rides. But they’re far from the only characters around. If you look above Slinky Dog Dash, you can see Jessie and Rex, climbing on top of blocks and Jenga pieces, to string lights above the track.
Mr. Pricklepants shows up in two separate places on Slinky Dog Dash. His Songs for Singing book appears in the line for the ride, and also opened up as Wheezy sings “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
[post_ads]In line for Toy Story Mania, you can spot Bo Peep in a board game imagined just for the park - in which she loses her sheep and it’s up to you to help her find them.
At Woody’s Lunch Box, the restaurant at Toy Story Land, the cashier stations are nods to Lotso and Trixie from Toy Story 3.
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Rex’s toy box is full of hidden references.
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a close up of a sign: Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios© Megan Friedman Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios
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Right as the Slinky Dog Dash coaster is about to take off, you can spot Rex the dinosaur’s original toy box. And it looks like Rex was designed to be much more fierce than he turned out. “We know Rex as this poor, nervous character, but his manufacturer probably presented him as this fearsome creature,” Gould says. “So you see the original box for the Tyrannosaurus Rex toy we created, and he looks fearsome with a giant volcano erupting lava in the background.”
And that’s not the only fun detail to note – Rex’s price tag reads $19.95, a reference to the year 1995, when the first Toy Story movie hit theaters.
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Even the food has callbacks.
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group of people walking in front of a crowd posing for the camera:
Woody's Lunch Box at Toy Story Land© Walt Disney World Woody's Lunch Box
at Toy Story Land
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In the first Toy Story movie, Andy gets a lunch box for his birthday. And though the toys are disappointed, it ends up becoming a centerpiece for Toy Story Land. According to the park’s backstory, Andy brings the lunch box to the backyard and props it open with a thermos, pretending to throw a picnic for the green army men. But then he leaves the yard, and leaves the toys to their own devices. That’s when the lunch box opens to the public, and the green army men are on the lookout for Andy’s return.
And that’s not all - the Lunch Box Tarts resemble gourmet pop-tarts, a.k.a. the only food that could tear Sid away from mutilating his toys.
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Listen carefully when you ride the Alien Swirling Saucers.
See more at: Good Housekeeping
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