The extreme popularity of the Toy Story Playland (penned up by the late opening on August 17 despite being prominently featured in ads since early spring) is having its impact in particular on wait times as reported here reportedly since the official opening of the area. However, despite wait times exceedings 100 minutes at times for RC Racer the queue area of this attraction has proven to be more than large enough with the line mostly being limited to the covered section and the last meters of the out door section leading to it. On the other hand the queue for Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin is frequently extended with ropes in front of its entrance. Close to the ride’s exit just opposite of the entrance to RC Racer another line has been roped off for handicapped guests who are allowed to bypass the regular line (but nevertheless have to wait in a line). (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Pixar’
Makeshift Signs & Rope Mazes at Toy Story Playland
Friday, September 3rd, 2010New at Toy Story Playland: FENCES!
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
A bit more than two weeks have gone by for the Toy Story Playland in regular operation and we can already report the next addition to it – unfortunately its fences. Next to the station building of RC Racer a set up had been installed in a special extension of the walkways featuring a smaller version of the RC Racer on a bit of red toy track. The unique twist there being, that the RC Racer was open on its left side (facing toward the rear of the land) so that guests could step seemingly into the car to get their photo taken as if onboard of it. By the end of last week temporary steel barriers with white plastic coverings had been errected around this RC Racer photo op blocking access to it while still allowing to take pictures over the barrier at least of the scene (even so not with anyone inside). (more…)
Single Riders to the front – and more TSPL experiences
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Toy Story Playland is not yet even open for 10 days but with the first weekend and several buy summer season weekdays of regular operation under its belt its time to sum up the first opinions and report about the first adjustments that the operational team has introduced in response to what can only be called an overwhelming guest response to the new are of the Walt Disney Studios – one of which is a real positive surprise…
The impact of the new Toy Story Playland becomes obvious already prior to entering the park as the lines on the entrance gates prior to the official opening of the park have considerably grown. However, once the gates open a large number of guests still head to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and in particular Crush’s Coaster, where a massive line still forms and stays in place throughout the day. So the effect of reducing the line at Crush’s Coaster that some fans had hoped for hasn’t shown up. (more…)
Cinema Mickey REPLACED
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Unnoticed by most guests and even unnoticed by the cast members responsible to prepare the hand-outs with the weekly entertainment program “Cinema Mickey” at the Videopolis has been replaced! Unfortunately the replacement is not a new live stage show but still a screening of animated shorts. So what has changed?
First of all the name. The movie presentation is now called “CinéDisney” instead of “Cinema Mickey”. However, as already said the new name is not yet reflected in the entertainment program even so the change must have occured several weeks ago. (more…)
Today is the day…
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
…the day Toy Story Playland officially opens! Posters advertising the grand opening have been popping up all over Paris and the surrounding area since last week, in particular at the bus stops. Interestingly the marketing department of the resort decided to show the Sleeping Beauty Castle as prominent feature in the backdrop behind the new rides of the Toy Story Playland. 
It needs to be awaited whether this was a clever move or not – afterall a potential guests might get the wrong impression, that Toy Story Playland is part of the Disneyland Parc and not of the Walt Disney Studios.
But back to the opening. Today the blue construction fence closing off the new area will have disappeared and with it the posters telling guests that only inveted guests can visit Toy Story Playland. As of today every guests in the Walt Disney Studios will get shrunken to the size of Andy’s toys – if he wants. But what to do if you can’t be at the Walt Disney Studios for the opening today and can’t wait to get shrunk? (more…)
Toy Story Playland – Soft Opening VIDEOS
Sunday, August 8th, 2010
As already reported cast members were allowed to test the rides of Toy Story Playland Friday evening. Now the first videos have surfaced showing all three attractions, the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, the Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin as well as the RC Racer in action. In addition the videos showcase some of the themeing in the area, including a REX the dinosaur and even capture some of his audio / lines. Thanks to the fact that the preview was conducted in the evening hours the videos also give an impression of the lighting design of the land as well, such as the oversized christmas lights strang along the walkways or the blue lights of the Barrel of Monkey.
Check out four videos by YouTube user Crumser after the break: (more…)
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop OPEN!
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
Friday, 6 pm, Toy Story Playland, Walt Disney Studios Paris – the toy soldiers are parachuting into Toy Story Playland! To be exact: cast member of the park’s other attractions, restaurants and shops are called in to test their abilities as toy solider parachute jumpers respectively to test the new attraction. All six parachutes on the drop tower do rise and fall simultaneously by the way.
Until the park closed guests in the Toon Studios and on Hollywood Boulevard could witness about 7 or 8 ride cycles, but – unfortunately – were not allowed to volunteer as toy soldiers. However, based on the visible reactions of the cast members the ride seems to be offering fun without being to thrilling as they even found time to wave to the guests looking up to them from the other side of the construction fence.
Thanks to Steffi for the photo!
Monkeys over Toy Story Playland
Friday, August 6th, 2010
There is one more part to discover in Toy Story Playland, the area beyond Rex (whom we visited earlier today) further down the main walkway. The walkway leads guests further into the woods with the queue area for RC Racer on the left, shortly before the walkway makes a bend to the right the colorful plastic Monkey of the US childrens’ game “Barrel of Monkeys” have formed one of their chains high up above, across the wide walkway from one Tinker Toy structure to another. Some of the Monkeys are carrying scrabble letters dangling from their feet… (more…)
Meet REX
Friday, August 6th, 2010
For this part of our walk through the Toy Story Playland we continue where we finished our look at the RC Racer yesterday. Instead of heading straight back toward the main entrance of the land where we started our tour on Monday we turn left and follow the main walkway further into Toy Story Playland. Just this time we pass by entrance to RC Racer on the left as well as the Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin 
(which we visited in the part of this series published on Wednesday) on the right. Just a few meter further down the walkway under the tree, right next to the Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin Rex, the fearful dinosaur awaits guests… (more…)
Walking the race track for RC Racer
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Once guests half walked into Toy Story Playland and stand between Fort Emery and the Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin area (which we visited in yesterday’s part of our walk through Toy Story Playland) the bright orange race track of the area’s real thrill ride beckons at the far end (and lowest point) of the area, the first ever half-pipe ride in any Disney park worldwide. In fact the (race) track of RC Racer can be seen from various locations inside the Walt Disney Studios, even so it is mostly hidden from sight from Disneyland Park (despite reaching above the berm of the latter) thanks to the fact that it is placed at the lowest point of the land and at the same time among the large trees of the small wood that has been grown for 100 years and longer in the area that is now part of the Walt Disney Studios.
RC Racer seats 20 guests in five rows (of four guests each) in the 8 ton vehicle that has been themed to look like a large version of the RC Racer that has its great moment in the final scene of the very first Toy Story movie. According to Jim Shull, the Imagineer in charge of Toy Story Playland, original concepts only called for a capacity of 16 guests in the vehicle (in four rows) but apparently John Lasseter proposed to add an extra row increasing the capacity of the ride. Nevertheless as RC Racer is the area’s real thrill ride Imagineering expects a large number of guests looking to hitch a ride. So it has come up with a rather long and still uniquely themed queue line… (more…)
