Guide to Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios [Rides, Dining, Tips]

BY 

Chris Hassan

- UPDATED: May 20, 2021

1. Travel

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Toy Story Land is one of the newest “lands” at Walt Disney World — it opened its gates at Hollywood Studios in June of 2018 and has been a destination for kids and adults alike ever since.

Formerly known as Disney-MGM Studios, Hollywood Studios has quickly reemerged as one of the most popular Disney theme parks thanks to the recent additions including Star Wars: Galaxy Edge, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog Dash, and more.

It doesn’t matter if you are a kid who is obsessed with Forky or an adult who has been a fan of Woody and Buzz Lightyear since the “Toy Story” franchise launched back in 1995 — there is something for everyone to enjoy at Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

Let’s take a quick overview of this Walt Disney World theme park so that you can be the guide on your next family trip to Andy’s backyard.

Overview

Get your imagination flowing, because guests visiting Toy Story Land will be “shrunk down” to the size of toys and set free to play in Andy’s backyard.

You will find yourself walking in Andy’s footprints, surrounded by other toys, as you make your way towards the attractions that include a handmade rollercoaster built from a Mega Coaster Play Kit with Slinky Dog and his springy coils as the car.

With some other family-friendly rides, plenty of characters passing by, and some fun food at Woody’s Lunch Box quick-service eatery, Toy Story Land is guaranteed to be a big hit with your family.

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Location

Toy Story Land is located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. There are also locations at Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland, but for today we will be covering the Walt Disney World location.

If you have not been to Hollywood Studios before, it is located in the Walt Disney World Resort complex right near EPCOT and is within walking distance of the Swan and Dolphin hotels.

After you enter Hollywood Studios, head straight ahead towards the Animation Courtyard and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Behind this area and down to the right you will find the entrance to Toy Story Land. Guests can also access Toy Story Land from the back entrance which connects to Star Wars: Galaxy Edge… or Star Wars Land!

Map

As you can see, Toy Story Land is a relatively small section of the already relatively small Hollywood Studios… and that’s not a bad thing!

This could be good news for kids because it means the little ones will be able to explore everything there is and still have plenty of energy to check out the rest of the park.

If you enter through the main entrance you will first see the Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster, followed by Toy Story Mania! on your left, and then the Alien Swirling Saucers on your right.

Just be careful, because if you keep exploring further, you will find yourself not at Pizza Planet, but on the planet of Batuu!

Rides & Attractions

The rides and attractions in Toy Story Land are all very family-friendly, as you might imagine. And while some might have some pretty long lines, the general consensus is that they are worth the wait.

Slinky Dog Dash

The star of the show (or the land) is without a doubt the Slinky Dog Dash rollercoaster. This family-friendly coaster is fast and smooth, not too scary, and gives enough thrill to keep both adults and kids entertained.

Be sure to hold on tight to Slinky Dog as he twists and turns his way through Andy’s backyard, narrowly avoiding other toys.

While the line is known to get quite long, especially if FastPass+ isn’t available, the ride itself is on the longer side (about 2 minutes worth of riding) and tends to leave riders with a big smile.

The ride is a family favorite, but riders need to be at least 38 inches tall to ride.

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Alien Swirling Saucers

Get ready to get dizzy with your little green friends on the Alien Swirling Saucers.

Although not as intense as the Mad Tea Cups over at Magic Kingdom, this ride does spin you around a bit on a Pizza Planet saucer… just watch out for “the claw!”

If you have been on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney’s California Adventure, this ride will feel very familiar. Overall the ride is just over 2 minutes long, which feels short in practice. Although it is a fun ride, it may not be worth it if the wait is really long.

This fun little ride is available to guests of all ages as long as they are 32 inches or taller.

Toy Story Mania!

Toy Story Mania! has been around since 2008 (predating Toy Story Land) but is still a fan favorite today.

This fun ride zips you through a 4D course full of carnival-style shooting games. Be sure to bring your A-game because your score will be tallied up at the end to see who was the sharpest shooter!

To make things even better, the ride is smooth and safe for all ages and all heights as there is no height requirement — perfect for the whole family.

Toy Story Land Characters

While you will surely see the giant Woody and Buzz Lightyear figures as you make your way through Toy Story Land, you may also see some other characters patrolling Andy’s backyard.

Prior to COVID-19, Sarge and his Green Army Men could be seen talking with and taking pictures with park goers. Unfortunately, that experience is temporarily unavailable, but you may get lucky and see Buzz passing through the park as part of a motorcade!

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Dining

If you get hungry while in Toy Story Land, the options are pretty limited. At the moment there is only 1 option but the Roundup Rodeo BBQ is expected to open (hopefully) sometime in 2021.

Woody’s Lunch Box

Woody’s Lunch Box is a casual, walk-up window-service dining option located in front of the Slinky Dog Dash entrance and exit.

Keeping with the theme of fun, kid-friendly options, the menu has offerings including breakfast bowls with tater tots, grilled cheeses, turkey sandwiches, and more.

For adults, there are more filling options such as a BBQ brisket melt that you can wash down with a “Grown-Up’s Lemonade.”

If there are any dietary restrictions, there is an entire menu with options for plant-based food and those with various allergies.

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Tips

We all want to make the most out of our trips to Walt Disney World, so here are some tips to make your visit to Toy Story Land a little more enjoyable.

FastPass+

Toy Story Land, and especially Slinky Dog Dash, is very popular. That means lines can stretch for hours — and nobody wants to wait in line for hours, especially in the hot Florida sun.

Normally (when COVID-19 restrictions are no longer a thing), snagging a FastPass+ reservation is the best way to get on your favorite rides without wasting half of your day in line.

When FastPass+ is reinstated, using 1 of your Tier 1 reservations is a good idea if you really want to ride Slinky Dog Dash.

Early Theme Park Entry

With all of the changes that COVID-19 brought to Disney, one of the casualties was Extra Magic Hours for Walt Disney World resort guests.

In its place, Disney will be launching Early Theme Park Entry in late 2021 that will allow resort guests to enter the park 30 minutes before the general public. This will be a great opportunity to get on your favorites rides that you know will fill up quickly.

Time of Day

One of the most common complaints about Toy Story Land is the lack of shade. With lines that feel like they take forever, sitting in the Florida sun without protection can be dangerous and energy-draining.

If you can, try to visit Toy Story Land first thing in the morning or towards the end of the day to avoid peak sun.

Mobile Food Ordering

Technology has greatly improved the guest experience at Walt Disney World, especially with record numbers of visitors coming to the parks.

One of the more overlooked features of the My Disney Experience app is the mobile food ordering option. With Woody’s Lunch Box being the only dining option inside Toy Story Land at the moment, lines can get long.

If you order via the app, you can skip the line and pick up your food as soon as it’s ready!

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Final Thoughts

Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World, and for good reason.

The atmosphere is fun for all ages, the rides are exciting and welcoming, and you are just steps from some of the greatest rides ever built at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

No matter your age, if you are a fan of “Toy Story,” you are going to love exploring Andy’s backyard as one of the toys!