RUMOR: PIXAR Place Expansion at Hollywood Studios Imminent; 3rd Toy Story Mania Track To Be Constructed?

WDWNT on September 30, 2014

OK, this one sounded far-fetched when I first heard it a few weeks ago, but it seems to be gaining a lot of traction…

So, it seems the reason that Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Frozen Funland is on the move is to free up Soundstage 1 next door to Toy Story Midway Mania. Since 2008, that location was the rumored location for the proposed Monsters Inc. Door Roller Coaster that will now likely never see the light of day based on the disappointing box office and merchandise sales (at least in Disney’s eyes) from Monsters University. Well, the plan as it now exists would see a third, separate track for Toy Story Midway Mania constructed inside of Soundstage 1, perhaps to be used as a FastPass+ guest only track. This would add 50% more capacity to the ride which has been overburdened pretty much since the day it opened. Toy Story Midway Mania was supposed to be a solid ‘B’ or ‘C’ ticket attraction for the park, but exceeded all expectations with its continued popularity.

It is certainly no secret that Hollywood Studios will see major changes in the coming years and a Star Wars Expansion of the park is sure to take place following the beginning of the new trilogy in late-2015, so making sure the capacity around the rest of the park is higher is a priority. Other minor PIXAR attractions could also be constructed around the area where the Backlot Tour entrance and Studios Catering Company currently stand, but we’re only guessing that at this point. Who knows, we even may still see Cars Land take over more of the space down the road as the land expands south in the park.

toy-story-mania

Your Toy Story Mania wait time may be a lot shorter soon…

The rumors emanate from some Studios cast members who have heard rumblings about the changes, as well as several guests who have spotted Toy Story Mania vehicles being pieced together outside of Walt Disney World Central Shops behind the Magic Kingdom, so this seems like a real possibility at this point.

I know it sounds crazy, but the PIXAR Place expansion maybe happening, it just might be very different from how we envisioned it…

Tom Corless’ 1/14-1/17/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on March 3, 2013

I know it is a few days late, but I decided that I should share some newsworthy photos from my last trip to Walt Disney World with you, so let’s take a look at a couple of interesting things happening around the resort:

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The Epcot Center charm bracelet is now available

The “Oz The Great and Powerful” playground fro the Flower and Garden Festival is being constructed near Imagination!

The FastPass+ queue seems to be finished at the Seas with Nemo and Friends

Yes, the cut a hole in the mural…

The Main Street Bakery is closed until May to convert to Starbucks service

Tomorrowland Terrace has breakfast for now

FastPass+ scanners uncovered at Tomorrowland Speedway

Also uncovered at the Barnstormer

The umbrellas have finally arrived for the tables in Storybook Circus

The construction walls at the Grand Floridian now sport concept art for the Villas at the Grand Floridian

The FastPass+ scanners at Toy Story Midway Mania are tinker-toys!

The exhibit area at the Magic of Disney Animation now has a poster up for Frozen

There is also a poster for Planes

A Walt Disney World charm bracelet has also been released

There’s a ticket from 1981 on it

They also sell a large charm with this artwork

There is a Dumbo New Fantasyland board game out now

New magnet clips, including the Orange Bird

The kids cups at restaurants now match the light-up character they come with

A temporary banner has gone up at the Animal Kingdom turnstiles to let resort guests know they can enter here with their RFID tickets

Fab 5 figurines have been released, they are only $12.95 each

A new surprise release pin set has been started celebrating extinct attractions. The first pin is the Mickey Mouse Revue!

Andy’s Toys Arrive For U.S. Play Date

WDWNT on October 30, 2012

Today, the series of 4 Vinylmation designed to look like Andy’s crayon drawings from the Toy Story films where released at D-Streets.

They retail for $12.95 each and were originally available in Japan to commemorate the opening of Tokyo’s Toy Story Midway Mania attraction. Also released today was the 9″ Park 11 Grizzly Peak designed by Casey Jones.

It is an LE 800 and retails for $44.95.

Adam Roth’s 9/6/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on October 29, 2012

WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot yesterday and has plenty of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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The parks are dead

You can see FastPass+ installed at the end

Probably a 5…

FastPass+ installed at Tower as well

Ummmm….

The old Carthay Theater on Sunset Boulevard

Eat your heart out DCA

How am I supposed to take a shortcut through Starring Roles if you are fixing the path?

Heading into Magic of Disney Animation

John Lasseter in Wreck-It Ralph form

Fantastic video game humor on dispaly

Ha

Artists working hard on the new Ink and Paint Cells

There is a Fix-It Felix machine on display, although it is behind glass 🙁

The movie ads on the wall have been updated

Will do a barrel roll? OK, I MUST see this film…

The Animation Gallery still has railroad merchandise

As well as 40th anniversary and “it’s a small world” merchandise

Neat!

Work continues on The Legend of Jack Sparrow

Some strange white markings have appeared on the walls

I’m guessing these are supposed to be the dotted line on a treasure map, but it is too early to tell

I originally thought they might be markers for something, but I don’t think so

We’ll find out soon enough

A crane backstage for some reason

NO WAY…

Yep…

Wow, a TRON penny machine

This machine probably made more money than the movie did… ZING

Phineas and Ferb merchandise has taken over the old Loony Bin

Wait…

Yeah, that isn’t what that was meant for…

The smoking section near Star Tours is behind walls

This planter in front of Sounds Dangerous is also behind walls

American Idol Experience is ready for FastPass+

Moving over to Epcot, Adam was so excited about the blue vehicles at Universe of Energy that he couldn’t hold his camera still

The Test Track facade is getting ripped apart

Wow…

Food and Wine Festival preparations are well underway

After months of work, the La Hacienda fountain is out from behind walls!

Ummm, you’re in the wrong area, Italy is behind you…

AHHHHH!

Wendell from the Country Bears was out as well

“Am I early? “

Cool World Showcase shirt!

Some work being done near the waterway in the France pavilion

Work continues on what is believed to be a DVC booth near the Canada pavilion

More walls up near the Refreshment Port

KHALUA PORK SLIDERS! SOON!

History of: Toy Story Midway Mania

WDWNT on September 12, 2012

Update 7/16/12 D-Street had this figure on display and we finally get to see the back and sides of the figure:
One side has Bullseye. These logos are find on the side of the ride vehicles.

 

The back mimics the front, as tiny design disappointment.

 

The other side has the color Woody logo. Do the side logos add enough to this design to make it worth the money? They look perfect in person. Production wise they are applied well and full of color. Seeing these logos, I now see why this is a 9″ figure when it seemed like a 3″ worthy design. However, in my opinion, the 9″ canvas needs to be filled with these logos from all the characters to make it worth it. The 3″ has a ton of little details and is the best part about this set.
–
Update: This article has been modified from it’s original version with updated attraction history and new info based on the product shots of the 9″/3″ Toy Story Midway Mania figure and the fact that it is a combo set.
Toy Story Midway Mania is an interactive attraction that takes place in the Disney Pixar Toy Story Universe. The attraction opened it’s first location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 31, 2008. This was shortly followed by the same attraction opening on June 17, 2008 on the Paradise Pier at Disney’s California Adventure Park. And today, July 9, 2012, a version is having it’s grand opening at Tokyo DisneySea. The attraction starts you off with a walk through a room full of larger-than-life toys… making you feel “toy sized” as you walk around the queue line. You then encounter an animatronic Mr Potato Head that interacts with the guests.
The queue brings you into Andy’s room, which is the ride vehicle loading area. Then, with your 3D glasses on, you are sent through rooms full of interactive amusement park type games filled with the Toy Story characters.
Current Mini Games:
Hamm & Eggs (egg throw game now featuring Buttercup from Toy Story 3)
Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts (dart throw game; once Bo Peep’s Baa-loon Pop)
Green Army Men Shoot Camp (baseball throw / plate breaking game)
Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers (ring toss game)
Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery (suction cup shooting game)
It was also good to see one of the mini game’s refreshed after only two years in operation. A lot of times Disney promises this, but doesn’t follow through. (Disney Quest, I’m looking at you) In 2010, Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop was reimagined with a Rex and Trixie Dinosaur theme to represent Toy Story 3.

 

 

On July 20, 2012 a 9″/3″ combo designed by Lin Shih will be released at D-Street. We first saw the concept art for this one at least a year and a half ago and it was presented to us as a “future park series.” Well, a few Park series had passed, Park 10 was unveiled, and still no Toy Story Midway Mania figure. Then, the LEs for Park 9 hit the release calendar and not only was the Toy Story figure on the list, but it was coupled with a 3″! I’ll admit, I was a little disappointed to see this design be blown up onto a 9″ canvas. I think the patterns and colors would have looked perfect on the more compact 3″ canvas. That’s not to say I do not think this is a really beautiful figure.
The positives about this piece is the representation of the true colors and patterns of the attraction. The stripes in the ears of both figures match up with the strips you will find on the signs and walls around the attraction.
A look at the poster for the attraction, also shows where many of the patters, colors and overall feel of the design came from.
The arms on the Vinylmation seem to coincide nicely with the “vintage” amusement park ride style of the attraction. Also the blue pattern used on the body, matches the pattern found on the side of the ride vehicles.
The 3″ figure in this combo is a wonderful little treat and would have served as a fantastic piece of a 12 figure park set. I almost wish I didn’t have to buy the whole combo to get it.
Lin Shih took the various targets found throughout the game play and placed them in a collage around the canvas. We see the Plates, Sheep, Rockets, Planets and 100 point targets. Here is a promo shot from Disney that shows some of the targets.
So, what’s your high score? Mine is 368,000. What do you think of the Park 9 Toy Story Midway Mania 9″/3″ combo set?

John Corigliano’s 3/23-25/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on September 8, 2012

WDWNT Reporter John Corigliano visited the Walt Disney World Resort this weekend and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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MORE CIRCUS PHOTOS!

Can’t get enough of these shirts

New character shirts

The back

On to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, here’s another look at the Brave exhibit at Magic of Disney Animation

Monsters University billboard

Wreck-It Ralph poster

The remodeled Storyroom

Still no Narnia replacement… and I’m fine with that…

Only 90 minutes…

Splash fountain is being refurbished

Cars meet and greet has had short lines recently

Phineas and Ferb has long lines all the time

The Art of Animation sign is in place along the road

Both hands on the wheel John…

Habit Heroes is still closed

Someone is up in that window…

The Honeymooners? WHY?

Awwww…

Tick… tock…

This is one nerdy reptile… we named him fanboy

“Horizons was the greatest thing EVER!”

Land accross from the site of the new Grand Floridian DVC wing is being cleared, probably for parking

Andy’s Tokyo Toys

WDWNT on July 10, 2012

Who knew? It seems as though Andy from the Pixar Toy Story franchise went away to college to become an artist:

Straight from our friends over at the Vinylmation Japan Blog (an unofficial fan site), we have revealed four Toy Story Vinylmation that will be released at Tokyo Disney Sea on July 5th at McDucks Department Store. They are to commemorate the summer opening of the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction at Tokyo Disney. They will cost 1200 Yen or $15 USD. It seems to be a four figure series that includes Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the Alien all designed from the stand point that Andy actually drew them. And as you can see above, Andy actually signs them as the artist!

To me, these are an absolutely beautifully designed series. Such a unique take that makes so much sense in the Toy Story universe.

Haunted Mansion and Toy Story Midway Mania Test New Child-Rider Policy

WDWNT on May 31, 2012

There may be no windows and no doors, but Disney believes those under the age of seven should have an older guest sitting with them when they ride the Haunted Mansion or Toy Story Midway Mania. From TouringPlans.com:

Beginning Monday November 5, 2012 the Haunted Mansion and Toy Story Midway Mania attractions in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will temporarily testing a new seating policy for the rest of the month and gauge guest reactions.

According to the new policy, children under 7 years of age must ride with someone over the age of 14 in the same row. The previous Toy Story Mania policy was that an adult must be in the same vehicle. There will be a sign near the entrance informing guests of the new policy. There will also be Cast Members at the ride exit surveying guests about how they feel about the policy.