Toy Story Land is bright and beautiful just like you would imagine Andy’s backyard to be. As you enter the land you are greeted by a large Woody figure which talks! Next I came across the meet and greet for our favorite Space Ranger so I had to stop and get my photo with him. All the while you can hear Jessie and Rex talking as they hang out atop the Slinky Dog Dash Roller Coaster.

I had a Fastpass for Alien Swirling Saucers so that meant I was going to have to go standby for Toy Story Midway Mania and Slinky Dog Dash. All three of these attractions are tier 1 Fastpasses at Disney’s Hollywood Studios so you can only Fastpass one of these attractions in your initial 3 Fastpasses for the day.

I entered the new queue for Toy Story Midway Mania, the standby wait time said 55 minutes, my actual wait was 40 minutes. I’ve loved this attraction for years and I scored Cat and I was highest score in the vehicle, that never happens when I ride with my family! After a quick stop in the colorful restrooms, which boast 3 changing tables in the ladies room, I headed to Alien Swirling Saucers to use my Fastpass. The standby wait time was 35 minutes. I enjoyed this ride but since I was riding alone, I slid all over the place. It is a fun albeit short ride. I personally wouldn’t wait more than 30 minutes for this attraction.

My Slinky Dog Dash Experience

Next it was over to Slinky Dog Dash!!! I am not a big roller coaster fan but I have ridden all the coasters at Walt Disney World and the fact that I was riding it for the first time as a solo traveler had me a bit extra nervous. When I approached the standby line the wait time was 80 minutes, ugh! I knew this was going to be my longest wait of the day but as passholders, we are spoiled and we have a family rule that we never get in a line with a wait time of more than 30 minutes.

I like to use the stopwatch on my phone to see how long the wait times actually are. My total wait time for Slinky Dog Dash was 1 hour 58 minutes and 22 seconds. Why so long? Florida thunderstorms. The first 42 minutes in line went smoothly, except for announcements that sever weather was heading toward the area and the ride would be shut down when it arrived. At 42 minutes and 43 seconds the storm arrived, the ride was shut down and we were in a holding pattern. Thankfully I was about 2/3 of the way through the queue and well under cover so I stayed put. Several people chose to leave the line and brave the elements. After a 49 minute and 46 second rain delay they announced the ride was reopening. Everyone stood up and filled in the spaces of those who had chosen to leave. Restarting the ride took an additional 16 minutes and 6 seconds. Once the ride was operating it took only 9 minutes and 48 seconds for me to board. So, if there wasn’t a 66 minute rain delay, my wait time would have been about 52 and a half minutes.

Disney leaves no empty seats on Slinky Dog Dash so they separate odd number parties from even number parties for loading. I was seated with a 20 something year old girl who warned me she would probably scream. I assured her I was a screamer too and then we were off. We did scream, and we laughed. Slinky Dog Dash is the smoothest coaster I have ever been on! It was so much fun and is now on my must-ride list for everyone 38″ tall and taller.

After my ride I headed over to Woody’s Lunch Box to pick up my dinner which I had ordered during the rain delay using mobile ordering. I ordered the BBQ Brisket Melt with Potato Barrels, the side of cheese sauce and a soda. The sandwich was good but I wish I had checked out the condiment station for some more BBQ sauce because the sandwich was a bit dry. I also wish I had saved my money and not added the cheese sauce because it was nasty. My next visit to Woody’s Lunch Box will be a morning visit so I can try the S’mores French Toast. The only real negative to Woody’s Lunch Box is there is no where near enough seating near the restaurant.

I had a wonderful time in Toy Story Land and I can’t wait to share it with my family. Now that I have experienced this new land it also makes it  for me to help my travel clients plan their magical Walt Disney World vacation. It doesn’t cost you a penny to book with a travel agent and we handle your Fastpasses,  Advanced Dining Reservations, and you get expert park touring plans customized just for you. Email Me now and we can get started.

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photo credit-Disney

“Everyone has a special food memory, so it can be tricky putting a modern spin on the favorites,” explained Lenny DeGeorge, Concept Development Culinary Director for Walt Disney World. “We honored these classic dishes by using the best ingredients to elevate the flavors. How we constructed the sandwiches was important, such as layering the ingredients in a specific order, to maximize textures and flavors. Why have a cold sandwich when you can have a toasted hot, gooey, cheese-filled one?”

A Sampling of the Woody’s Lunch Box Menu

S’more French Toast Breakfast Sandwich – Oozy goodness in a chocolate ganache- and marshmallow-stuffed French toast topped with graham cracker crumbles. Inspired by the classic American campfire treat. (Disney)

• S’more French Toast breakfast sandwich-Oozy goodness in a chocolate ganache- and marshmallow-stuffed French toast topped with graham cracker crumbles. Inspired by the classic American campfire treat.
• Grilled three-cheese sandwich -To ensure a soft gooey middle, Disney chefs created a sharp cheddar cream cheese spread, layered in provolone and cheddar and wrapped the sandwich in garlic butter-grilled French bread.
• Monte Cristo Sandwich-Woody’s version of this classic sandwich has layers of ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and raspberry jam…and is grilled to a golden brown.
• BBQ brisket melt –With a nod to cowboy Woody, this Texas-style smoked brisket features cheddar, Monterey Jack, pickles, BBQ sauce and garlic butter-grilled sourdough.
• Totchos- Bite-sized potato barrels, corn chips, chili and queso. ‘Nuf said.
• Lunch box tarts-A modern interpretation of a breakfast toaster pastry as a hand-held dessert, these feature a uniquely delicate crust. Layer in high-quality ingredients for fillings, add a decorative garnish, and these tasty tarts beat anything mom packed. Choice of Raspberry Lunch Box Tart garnished with Icing and Dried Fruit and Chocolate-Hazelnut Lunch Box Tart garnished with Icing and Caramelized Bacon

Healthier menu options include:

• Smoked turkey, tomato, and lettuce on multigrain bread The quintessential lunch box sandwich. To give it a kick of flavor, Disney chefs add a creamy Dijonnaise.
• Banana Split Yogurt Parfait Layers of banana-vanilla Greek yogurt (with a hint of honey), fresh bananas, strawberries, and pineapple topped with granola and chocolate chips. A delicious way to start the day!

When Toy Story Land opens June 30 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Woody’s Lunch Box will serve up classic on-the-go menu items with a creative twist. A signature item, the lunch box tarts will be a modern interpretation of a breakfast toaster pastry as a hand-held dessert. (Disney)

Kids’ offerings include grilled cheese sandwich or turkey sandwich, both with potato barrels and mandarin oranges. Sides include tomato basil soup, vegetable macaroni salad, potato barrels and Mini Babybel® snack cheese, the official snack cheese of Walt Disney World Resort. See the full menu for Woody’s Lunch Box.

In addition to fountain drinks and refreshing lemonade, beverage offerings include a classic Barq’s root beer float and a Mystic Portal Punch (PowerAde Mountain Berry Blast with flavors of lemon-lime and tangerine).

Oh my goodness!! I need that S’more French Toast breakfast sandwich in my mouth right now!! I have a feeling Woody’s Lunch Box is going to become a new family favorite at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Have you booked your visit to the new Toy Story Land? Email Me and we will start planning your magical Walt Disney World vacation today!

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When Disney kicks off its Incredible Summer over Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27, guests will kick up their sandals to nonstop fun, immersed in favorite Disney films, entering the worlds of beloved characters and experiencing exciting new attractions and entertainment.

Incredible Summer at the Magic Kingdom

At Magic Kingdom Park from May 25 through Sept. 3, favorite Disney•Pixar Super Heroes will take over Tomorrowland as part of the Incredible Tomorrowland Expo that celebrates all things super. Guests will interact with Mr. Incredible, Frozone and other characters from Disney•Pixar’s “The Incredibles” and upcoming “Incredibles 2.” And, for the first time ever, guests will get to see Edna Mode, the world’s greatest costume designer for the Supers. Tomorrowland gets decked out for this Supers celebration with Incredibles décor and the sounds of incredible music. High-energy fun builds to a “SUPER” dance party on the Rocket Tower Stage. “Incredibles 2” opens in theaters nationwide June 15.

Epcot

There will be more Super Hero action at Epcot where Star-Lord and Gamora, from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, take guests on a musical journey through the cosmos. The Guardians of the Galaxy – Awesome Mix Live! concert series will feature hits from Star-Lord’s Awesome Mixtapes – fun and favorite tunes from the two movie soundtracks. There will be five show times daily, running June 9 through Aug. 19.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The capstone of the Incredible Summer at Walt Disney World is the June 30 opening of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Part of a multi-year reimagining of the park, this new 11-acre land will transport guests into the adventurous outdoors of Andy’s backyard. Guests will experience two new attractions. Slinky Dog Dash is a family-friendly coaster that will send riders dipping, dodging and dashing around turns and drops that Andy has created to stretch Slinky and his coils to the max. “Toy Story” pals also come to life in another fresh-from-the-box themed attraction – Alien Swirling Saucers. This Pizza Planet toy play set is loaded with aliens circling about in their flying saucers pulling along rocket ships full of guests. The new land will also encompass Toy Story Mania! Already one of the most popular attractions, it will feature a brand-new entrance designed to look like a play set filled with carnival games. Woody’s Lunch Box will be a new quick-service kiosk serving tasty meals and old-fashioned soda floats inside Toy Story Land.

Animal Kingdom

This summer, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is celebrating its 20th anniversary with two super new experiences:

• UP! A Great Bird Adventure premieres April 22, Earth Day, coinciding with the start of the park’s 20th anniversary celebration. The show features Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug, from the Disney•Pixar animated film “UP,” as they discover bird species from around the world.
• Donald’s Dino-Bash!, which opens Memorial Day Weekend, is a “dino-tastic” celebration where Donald Duck takes over Dinoland U.S.A. The world’s most famous duck is celebrating his recent discovery that ducks are descendants of dinosaurs. He’s brought along feathered friends Scrooge McDuck and Launchpad McQuack, plus other Disney characters to meet guests. In addition to bringing his own decorating touch to the land, Donald puts on a nightly dance party where everyone can shake their tail feathers. The dance party is the newest addition to the lineup of after-dark entertainment that keeps the fun going past sundown at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

In addition to the fun new entertainment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can still thrill to the park’s newest land, Pandora – The World of Avatar. There they can experience Avatar Flight of Passage, which quickly became the top-rated attraction at Walt Disney World.

Typhoon Lagoon

Rex and his “Toy Story” pals will be throwing a glow party bigger and better than ever at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Disney H2O Glow Nights will transform the water park like never before. Rex, a.k.a. Partysaurus Rex, serves as host and promises a sudsy good time. All attractions will be open for guest enjoyment and, as part of the fun, a DJ will host dancing on the beach. This special-ticket event will crank out the fun Thursdays and Saturdays only, June 21 through Aug. 11, from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Tickets go on sale March 19 and are $55 per person plus tax for adults and $50 per person plus tax for children ages 3-9. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (407) 939-1872.

Disney Springs

Summer 2018 also marks the first summer for incredible new offerings at Disney Springs, including “Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire,” a hyper-reality experience from Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB and The VOID; and new restaurants and bars have popped up to tempt any appetite. These include The Edison, a lavish “Industrial Gothic” restaurant and bar; Maria & Enzo’s, an open and airy Italian trattoria featuring family-friendly dishes inspired by Sicily; Terralina Crafted Italian, a new concept from James Beard award winner and “Top Chef Master” Chef Tony Mantuano; and Wine Bar George, the only Master Sommelier-led wine bar in Florida, brought to Disney Springs by former California Grill manager and Master Sommelier George Miliotes (opening this spring).

Book Your Incredible Summer Now

All you have to do is Email Me to get started planning your Incredible Summer at Walt Disney World.

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