Everything You Need to Know About Toy Story Mania!

You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on Toy Story Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

What is Toy Story Mania?

Toy Story Mania can best be described as a virtual dark ride through an interactive midway-style shooting gallery. The premise for this attraction is Andy has a new midway carnival game that Woody, Buzz, and the gang are having some fun with. Guests, who have been shrunk down to the size of a toy, are going to test their skills at the individual games and compete for the highest score.

Guests wear 3-D glasses and board ride vehicles which spin and slide through virtual environments showcasing five themed midway games. During the ride, guests fire simulated objects at different targets using pull-string cannons. The games range from launching darts at balloons to throwing baseballs at dinner plates!

Where is Toy Story Mania?

Toy Story Mania is located in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

What is the History of Toy Story Mania?

In 2007, Toy Story Midway Mania was first announced for both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure. While the concept for this attraction was similar to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and the Disneyland Park respectively, Toy Story Mania was on a whole other level and an ambitious technological undertaking.

Toy Story Midway Mania opened in Pixar Place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 31, 2008. It was an instant hit with guests and became the most popular attraction at the park. To celebrate the release of Toy Story 3, characters from the new film were added in 2010, particularly in the replacement of Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop with Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts.

In 2016, Toy Story Midway Mania added a third track to meet demand. Then, in June of 2018, the attraction closed its original entrance in Pixar Place, and new entrance opened in Toy Story Land. Along the way,the word midway was dropped from the ride’s title and the attraction is now known as simply Toy Story Mania!

What Do You Need to Know About the Queue for Toy Story Mania?

The queue takes guests through the box of Andy’s new Midway Games play set which has been constructed through the use of other toys, board games, and a few household objects. Be on the lookout for giant crayons, UNO cards, Lincoln Logs, massive game boards, and even Andy’s scribbled coloring book pages. Guests may also encounter a 6-foot-tall Boardwalk Barker Mr. Potato Head who occasionally interacts with guests in real time.

After guests receive their 3-D glasses, they enter the boarding area which looks like Andy’s bedroom. No question this space is the highlight of the queue. Be sure to keep an eye out for Pixar Easter Eggs!

What are the Ride Vehicles Like for Toy Story Mania?

One ride vehicle accommodates four guests with two facing frontwards and two facing backwards. Cast Members will usually allow two adults plus a small child, or one adult plus two small children, to ride in one vehicle. However, each row only has two mounted pull-string cannons with a screen in between displaying scores and accuracy.

The ride vehicles are a hard bench with a tall back. Even though there are guests on the other side of your vehicle, you can’t see them or interact with them. This set-up can be problematic for single adults with multiple children. If you’re going to have parent/children in separate vehicles, be sure to discuss what to do if the ride stops mid-ride and if the children reach the unload point ahead of the adult. In the case where one child needs to ride solo and is anxious about sharing a ride vehicle with a stranger, speak with a Cast Member at the loading area. Disney should make accommodations for these situations.

Since this ride moves quickly and is known to a little rough and jerky at times, there are two individual lap bars. There’s also plenty of room on the floor of the ride vehicle for bags or purses.

What Do You Need to Know About the Ride Experience on Toy Story Mania?

The ride begins when guests don their 3-D glasses and are sent into the Midway Game. The ride vehicles slide and spin before positioning guests in front of screens for a test round and then the five different themed midway games. Each game is different and features different Toy Story characters.

Each game manages to be both challenging and a blast for every age group and member of the family, and the competition element only makes Toy Story Mania a popular repeat attraction. The fact that the games are 3-D and coupled with wind and water effects only heightens the experience. Tip: Those looking to up their score should note hitting certain targets produce bonus points and bonus effects. Also, be sure to let the string retract all the way back in the cannon before pulling it again.

The movement of the ride vehicles is a little rough, which may be an issue for certain guests. The entire ride experience is about six-and-half minutes long.

What Do You Need to Know About Accessibility for Toy Story Mania?

Guests must transfer to a wheelchair in order to enjoy this attraction. It’s also important to note that service animals are not permitted on Toy Story Mania.

Guests boarding this attraction will need to take a step up (less than 12″) into ride vehicle.

What Do You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories for Toy Story Mania?

Guests prone to motion sickness should not ride. Also, children under age 7 years must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older. The rough, jerky movements of the ride vehicle may provide discomfort for some.

What are the Height Restrictions for Toy Story Mania?

There are no height restrictions for Toy Story Mania.

What Do You Need to Know About FastPass+ for Toy Story Mania?

The wait times for Toy Story Mania have gone down since the opening of Slinky Dog Dash and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. However, this attraction is still incredibly popular with families with kids too small to ride the park’s thrill rides. If you’re unable to be at the park first thing in the morning, or you have other attractions you prefer to rope drop, definitely book a FastPass+ reservation for Toy Story Mania.

Does Weather Affect Toy Story Mania?

This attraction is indoors and out of the elements so weather shouldn’t be an issue. Unless the queue is extended outside of the building, guests waiting to ride will be out of the weather as well.

What’s the Best Time of Day to Ride Toy Story Mania?

The best time of day to ride Toy Story Mania is first thing in the morning, at mealtimes (around noon and 6 p.m.), or during Fantasmic! performances.

This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for Toy Story Mania when you visit on a day with a given Disney’s Hollywood Studios Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see Toy Story Mania Wait Times.

Did I answer all of your questions about Toy Story Mania? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.