Connect with us

Entertainment

A Big New Way to Play Comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this Summer: Toy Story Land!

Published

on

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (June 28, 2018) – It’s a joy-filled, toy-filled world as only Disney can create, and it opens June 30, 2018. The new Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World Resort, inspired by Pixar Animation Studios’ Toy Story films, turns guests of all ages into “honorary toys” and allows them to PLAY BIG in the whimsical world of a child’s imagination.

In Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Slinky Dog, Green Army Men and other fun-loving Toy Story characters come to life in the outdoor setting of Andy’s backyard. A world of toys surrounds guests: giant building blocks, Tinkertoys, yo-yos, board-game pieces, dominoes, Scrabble tiles, and even a giant roller coaster set. 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.

Toy Story Land also celebrates what defines entertainment for kids of all ages. Crayola crayons, a Rubik’s Cube, Cooties, and other toys and games pour on the nostalgia for park-goers – and fascinate young ones. 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.

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.

“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.”

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. Slinky Dog Dash is inspired by the delightful pooch spinoff of Slinky, the classic 1940s American toy. Riders of all ages delight as Slinky Dog bends and twists his coils around curves, over hills and down drops in the Slinky-est coaster ever. 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 – receives 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. To the highest scorer go the bragging rights!

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. You’ll even spot Sarge, the Green Army Men leader, in a tower on the lookout for Andy. 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.

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.

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!

Toy Story Land is part of a multi-year reimagining of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the largest expansion in the theme park’s history. Next year will see the premiere of the all-new, 14-acre Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This new land will allow guests to visit Black Spire Outpost, a remote trading port on the edge of wild space, where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life – and where guests will find themselves in the middle of the action. Also coming in 2019 is Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. The first Mickey-themed ride-through attraction in Disney Parks history will feature new technology, dazzling visual effects and mind-boggling transformations that put guests in the wacky and unpredictable world of a Mickey Mouse cartoon short. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is transforming into a place where everyone can play together and experience their own adventures in the immersive worlds of their cinematic imagination

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Entertainment

Dr. Phillips Center Brings Nashville Night in Orlando to Judson’s Live

Published

on

Orlando, Fla. – From the backs of napkins to the bright lights of Music City. Every song has a story– and country music’s top hit-makers are sharing theirs at Judson’s Live beginning April 20, 2024.

Nashville’s most celebrated songwriters who have worked with Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker, to name a few, will take the Judson’s Live stage as part of Nashville Night in Orlando.

“The series has packed venues across Central Florida and we are excited to bring the event and its audiences to Judson’s Live,” says Kathy Ramsberger, president & CEO of the Dr. Phillips Center.

Judson’s Live is the art center’s newest and most intimate music room offering a front row experience to celebrate songwriters, enjoy music and learn about the inspiration behind some of Nashville’s biggest hits.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Day 2: Grammy Nominee Jelly Roll closed out Riptide Music Festival 2023

Published

on

MAIMI, Fla. (FNN) – Day 2 offered big names in the alternative/rock world, but also had Audacy bringing back a touch of their Chili Cookoff roots with Jelly Roll headlining. The recent CMA New Artist of the Year, also nominated for 2 Grammy Awards, brought the fire…literally.

Local band Girlfriend Material opened the day with some fun songs including Adam’s Sandler’s “The Chanukkah Song”. Next, Barns Courtney had the fans jumping early as he joined them in the GA section to close our his set.

AWOLNATION showed why they get a lot of airtime on 104.3 The Shark and had the crowd clapping as they played their hit song “Sail”.

Sublime with Rome, one of the longest running bands at Riptide, played hit after hit as lead singer Rome Ramirez showed his appreciation for the road that Sublime paved. Multiple times he sang their praises as he shouted “Long Live Sublime.”

As the sun started to set on the day and festival, Lovely the Band showed why they were invited back to Riptide.

If you’ve never seen The Dirty Heads play, you might not know exactly what type of band they are. When asked on the red carpet, frontman Jared Watson said “That’s what I love about our band. I don’t think there is anyone else like us…I’m proud of that. You can call it alternative, you can call it reggae rock but it’s not really either of them…” Call it what you want (I say reggae/rap/alternative), they were obviously a crowd favorite.

Jelly Roll, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Sunday, closed out the festival singing all of his hits “Need A Favor” “Son of a Sinner”. He dropped in some cover medleys of old school country “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and hip-hop “Boys in the Hood / Roughriders / Lose Yourself / Ms. Jackson / Just a Friend” as he shared stories of growing up being the youngest of 5. Jelly Roll is not your average man of god “I do not believe this is a concert. I believe this is family reunion of people that are human together…I believe that heaven has a smoking session and an open bar” he says right before he sang “Smoking Section”. He closed with his latest #1 Country Hit “Save Me” as sparkles rained down.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Day 1: Riptide offers good music and a whole lotta fun

Published

on

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (FNN) – Audacy’s Riptide Music Festival returned to Fort Lauderdale Beach yesterday with a solid lineup of bands you’d expect to see at a festival supported by 104.3 the Shark.

Photo by Matt Wolff / Florida National News

Jack Kays of Cincinnati, fresh off his tour, opened things on the Demesmin & Dover Stage. Little Image, a band from Austin, TX, who met in high school were first to play on the main Riptide Stage.

The Beaches (Canada) brought some girl power with their first US Billboard charted single “Blame Brett”. While LoveJoy didn’t rate their performance very high, the crowd was high energy and singing along to “Portrait of a Blank Slate”. Young the Giant (Irvine, CA) had the fans jumping up and down as they closed their set with “My Body”. Bleachers wasted no time as they jumped right in with “I Wanna Get Better”. Jack Antonoff, formerly of fun., was highly engaged with the crowded cracking NJ/Florida jokes, bouncing around, singing all their top songs including the live concert debut of “Modern Girl”. The Black Keys closed out a solid Day 1 of music with their hits “Gold on the Ceiling”, “Little Black Submarine” and “Lonely Boy.

Having been to dozens of music festivals with fans complaining about the crowds, it was a nice change of pace to not have to fight for every inch as the early sets weren’t as heavily attended as in the past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. For the 2nd time in a row, the main stage was set facing north instead of to the ocean. This gave a lot more room for GA/VIP to hang out.

Aside from a fun day of music, there were a ton of great activations lead by the Ford Beach House. Whether it was the cowboy hat giveaway, DJ/bands playing, a limbo contest for VIP upgrade or a dance contest to Wobble/Dougie/Gangnam Style, the fans were highly entertained during and in-between performances. Twin Peaks Sports Bar was next door showing todays big games and giving away food/drink coupons. Goya (cookies) and Jolly Time (popcorn) provided the snacks, while Celcius and El Bandido Yankee Tequilla offered free beverage samples. If you are a fan of cigars, Al Capone was giving away cigarillos wrapping paper and lighters.

There was no shortage of giveaways including hats, towels, bags, sunglasses, fly swatters/fans. If you like music, the beach and free stuff, Day 1 didn’t disappoint.

Day 1: See more event photos at Florida National News’ Facebook page.

Day 2 offers big names in the alternative rock world, but also has Audacy bringing back a touch of their Chili Cookoff roots with Jelly Roll headlining.

____________________

Matt Wolff is a South Florida reporter for Florida National News. | info@floridanationalnews.com

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement Ticket Time Machine ad
Advertisement Orlando Regional REALTOR Association logo
Advertisement Parts Pass App
Advertisement Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Advertisement
Advertisement African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
Advertisement FNN News en Español
Advertisement Indian American Chamber of Commerce logo
Advertisement Florida Sports Channel

FNN Newsletter

Trending