Toy Story Land - WDWNT Archive 2014

RUMOR: The Very Latest On Possible Attractions For Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT Author on December 30, 2014

Earlier this year, we broke the story that the Backlot Tour was closing and rumors of a third track being added to Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Since then, rumors have been swirling about what guests will actually find if and when a Toy Story Land comes to fruition in that area of the park (keep in mind we’re not even talking about the other 2/3 of the Backlot area that should be cleared for other projects yet).

At Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland, the Toy Story Land is made up of three attractions: RC Racer, Slinky Dog ZigZag Spin, and Green Army Men Parachute Drop. If rumors are true, only RC Racer from that group will make it to Walt Disney World.

RC Racer is that one existing attraction that will be coming over to Hollywood Studios. The steel shuttle coaster launches guests back and forth, up and down the 80 foot tall track on what looks like orange Hot Wheels track.

Since Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree has tested so well at California Adventure, and since the proposed “Cheese the Mouse” version of the ride that would have been in Pixie Hollow in New Fantasyland was nixed, Disney will bring the ride to Toy Story Land as “Woody’s Round-Up”, where guests will ride with horse-drawn carriages that whip and whirl.

Last but not least, with rumors that Luigi’s Flying Tires at California Adventure will be replaced with a trackless, dancing car ride, the rumblings are that the ride system will be re-purposed for Buzz Lightyear at Walt Disney World. Since it hasn’t been built yet, it’s hard to gauge exactly what this is, but our guess is the dancing system will allow guests to tango with Buzz Lightyear in some way.

This is what we know so far and none of this information is official or even close to official (and anything not already under construction is always subject to change) and no announcement of this project is expected from Disney until at least August 2015 at the D23 Expo.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

BYE-BYE BACKLOT TOUR! Hollywood Studios PIXAR Place Expansion Coming, Many Current Attractions Closing Soon?

WDWNT Author on September 19, 2014

I know you’ve heard this one before, but it seems like the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is finally closing. A few days ago we told you that once Soundstage 1 at the park moves Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Frozen Funland out, work is set to begin on a third track for Toy Story Midway Mania inside of that building. Well, now it seems like the area surrounding Soundstage 1 will be used for the rest of a large-scale PIXAR Place expansion.

Likely coming to the park are some of the small, flat-rides developed for Toy Story Playland at Disneyland Resort Paris and Toy Story Land at Hong Kong Disneyland including RC Racer, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop. The attractions possibly on the chopping block take up much more room than these small rides would, so chances are the remaining space would be used for Cars or Monsters Inc. attractions.

Toy Story Land at Hong Kong Disneyland, also being built for Shanghai Disneyland and exists at Disneyland Resort Paris

Operating hours calendars released to cast members currently have only a few days of October hours for many of the offerings in that area, including the Monsters Inc. meet and greet, the Studio Backlot Tour, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure, the Coke Bottle food stand, Studio Catering Company, and High Octane Refreshments next door. All of these attractions have no dates posted past October 11th. So, in short, all of these offerings might be closing on October 11th, one week after the closure of Maelstrom at Epcot. All other attraction operating hours are listed through January, so you can see why it’s awfully suspicious that all of these items in one area are not listed after a date in mid-October.

These operating hours combined with rumblings among Disney employees all seem to point at a PIXAR Place expansion, but nothing is set in stone quite yet and some of this post is pure speculation based on what we have heard so far. We will certainly keep you posted as more develops in this story, but it truly seems like after 25 years that we will see the end of the Studio Backlot Tour.

What do you think? Are you excited for these possible changes?