See the toys we love in Pixar Place 4nd the most popular attraction in WDW (Part 1 of 2)

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One of my favorite places t0 visit in Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) is in the area encompassing Pixar Place, Mickey Avenue 4nd Animation Courtyard. There is so much t0 do 4nd see that y0ucan spend a good part of your day here 4nd not realize it. This is one of several articles about the three sections of this part of Hollywood Studios, 4nd Part 1 of 2 stories on Pixar Place.

I particularly love walking around Pixar Place, with the wide variety of toys 4nd games as decorations; 4nd of course, Toy Story Midway Mania. Pixar Place is physically situated just behind the Chinese Theatre housing The Great Movie Ride at one end, 4nd if y0ucan the wall at the other end, You’ll be at Rosie’s All-American Café.

Where else can y0ufind larger-than-life characters 4nd toys we all still love, 4nd which are very familiar from the Pixar hits of Toy Story 1, 2 4nd 3. For example, the Green Army Men on the roof tops 4nd Monkeys in a Barrel hanging across the street from one building t0 the next. This is also an area of meet-and-greet for the Toy Story film characters.

The primary attraction is Toy Story Midway Mania, a great interactive, 3D experience that actually takes y0ufrom game t0 game hosted by the movie’s characters 4nd using various weapons of choice t0 score points in not-so-traditional carnival games. Everyone I know loves Toy Story Midway Mania!

But the wait times are really long. The way the entire area is decorated helps t0 take your mind off the time, but once you’ve been there a couple times, even that doesn’t make y0ufeel better. However, the solution for most is as follows: arrive early 4nd first get a fast pass, ride the attraction if the wait is a half-hour or so, then come back 4nd do it again with your fast pass. If y0uarrive after Noon, expect a 1 t0 2 hour wait.

'SPRING' HAS SPRUNG: Walt Disney World guests take control of their very own "spring-action shooter" 4nd shoot at 3-D targets -- in a "4-D' environment -- as they experience "Toy Story Mania!," the newest attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The cutting-edge attraction immerses guests in the "toy-and-'toon world" of favorite "Toy Story" characters where the game is t0 aim at playful targets along a colorful midway-themed route. Scores are tallied at the end of the attraction t0 determine the master of the midway. (Sue Bryan, photographer (c) Disney)

The area around Pixar Place does get crowded attimes of the day 4nd night. Of course, Toy Story Midway Mania being the most popular attraction in all of Walt Disney World tends t0 contribute t0 that.

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN: A trio of Green Army Men characters from the Disney-Pixar animated films “Toy Story” 4nd “Toy Story 2” march through “Pixar Place” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The newest addition t0 Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Pixar Place” is modeled after Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. The street is adorned with larger-than-life versions of classic childhood toys 4nd games, including Barrel of Monkeys, Scrabble 4nd Battleship. “Pixar Place” is also home t0 “Toy Story Mania!,” a cutting-edge ride-through attraction that combines the fun of a video game with 4-D technology 4nd interaction with favorite Disney-Pixar stars. (Gene Duncan, photographer (c) Disney)

Did y0uknow?... about Toy Story Mania!

• Each ride vehicle weighs as much as 8,580 Woody dolls.
• It would take 5,026 toy soldiers lined up end-to-end t0 make up the total track length.
• Toy Story Mania! is the first time that Walt Disney Imagineering is creating an attraction for two Disney Parks simultaneously.
• It has been estimated that, each day, guests may break over one million virtual plates using the spring-action shooters.
• Riders in the Sky, the award-winning group that wrote the songs that Mr. Potat0 Head performs as part of the attraction, is the same group that wrote "Woody's Roundup" for the "Toy Story" feature films.
• This is the first attraction that Walt Disney Imagineering designed where the Imagineers had t0 wear 3-D glasses t0 art direct all the black-light paint elements.
• The murals located in the load area at Disney's Hollywood Studios are the largest murals painted since Epcot was built.
• At Toy Story Mania!, every guest gets t0 experience life at the size of a toy. So in Andy's room, a 5-foot 6-inch person will feel about 14" tall.
• Guests feel like they have shrunk t0 a toy size as they queue amid rounded TINKERTOY “connectors” two feet in diameter, TINKERTOY rods that are four inches around, View•Master reels nearly four feet across 4nd holiday lights each 13 inches long.
• In order t0 create a show that responds not only t0 every pull of a guest's spring-action shooter but also every move their midway tram makes, there are more than 150 computers communicating over multiple networks throughout the attraction.  

Mr. Potat0 Head

• More time was spent programming Mr. Potat0 Head than for any other Audio-Animatronics figure ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering.
• Mr. Potat0 Head will be able t0 say more lines of dialogue than any Audio-Animatronics figure ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering.
• "It's a ride that's a game. It's a game that's a ride," says Mr. Potat0 Head t0 queuing guests. "Step right up 4nd see what's inside."
• The Mr. Potat0 Head Audio-Animatronics figure is the first time that an Audio-Animatronics figure can remove a body part 4nd re-attach it (in the case of his ear).
• The Mr. Potat0 Head Audio-Animatronics figure has new, highly expressive 4nd animated eyes that can look directly at a particular guest in the queue when speaking t0 him/her.
• Mr. Potat0 Head marks the first Audio-Animatronics figure whose mouth appears t0 form words 4nd vowel sounds.

Nice t0 Know:

• Because of the indoor nature of the attraction 4nd t0 keep the guest experience fun for all, flash photography or video is not allowed on Toy Story Mania!
• Everyone can play! There is no height or age restriction for guests t0 experience Toy Story Mania!, creating a multi-generational experience the entire family can enjoy together.
• There is even an offline loading area for guests with disabilities. Guests traveling in wheelchairs or using other mobility aids have as much time as they need t0 board.

Pixar Place Refreshments
y0ucan get a snack here at the Hey Howdy Hey Take Away such as carbonated beverages, ice cream, soda, water 4nd chips. y0ucan wait a while for your fast pass t0 Toy Story, have a snack 4nd take a look around a limited selection of souvenir’s in this outdoor emporium. There is no place t0 sit. Here is the latest menu (prices subject t0 change) from the AllEars web site:

• Popcorn $3.09
• Popcorn in a Souvenir Bucket $4.19
• Wheezy's Breezy Freezy - Coke or Raspberry Lemonade $3.69
• Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Light Lemonade $2.19
• Bottled Water $2.50
• Itzakadoozie Ice Pop $3.09
• Mickey's Premium Ice Cream Bar $3.29
• Chips $2.69
• Coffee (regular or decaf) $2.09

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