Our best tips to avoid the lines in Toy Story Land

Nobody likes standing in long lines (especially in the sun!) and Toy Story Land with its limited shade and available spaces with air conditioning is an especially brutal spot to find yourself waiting.

That’s why we really recommend you spend a little bit of time planning how you’ll tackle this area before you find yourself sweltering in the heat and lines.

Ready to learn more? Here’s our best tips to avoid the long lines in Toy Story Land.

Toy Story Land is Cute (But HOT)

Most people that see the area agree:

Toy Story Land is absolutely adorable.

Themed after one of the most beloved stories in the Pixar catalog of movies, fans of Toy Story span across multiple generations, and this entire area is packed with so much nostalgia that everyone from toddlers to grandparents find it cute.

There are a million and one details to take in, but it doesn’t take you long to realize that, while cute as can be, Toy Story Land has 1 fatal flaw: limited to no shade.

Trust us:

Toy Story Land during the middle of the day in the summer is just a hair cooler than the surface of the sun.

Nearly everything – including 2 of the 3 queues for the attractions, all the characters, and the Quick Service dining at Woody’s Lunchbox are all outdoors with barely any shade.

What things are in Toy Story Land

Here are the things you’ll find in Toy Story Land – and why they tend to be a problem when it’s hot (or rainy).

Attractions

You’ll find 3 family-friendly attractions inside of Toy Story Land:

• Slinky Dog Dash (38 inches (97 centimeters) height requirement, uses Genie+)
  • Slinky Dog Dash is a family-friendly roller coaster that zips and zooms around Toy Story Land, giving riders a playful view of Andy’s backyard from the back of Slinky Dog. The queue for this attraction is entirely outside, and although some of it has shade, it is typical for the queue to extend out of the entrance and into an area with very little shade.
• Alien Swirling Saucers (no height requirement, uses Genie+)
  • Alien Swirling Saucers is a spinning ride where guests are taken on a whirling adventure with the lovable green aliens from Toy Story as they try to capture the elusive “Claw.” This queue is entirely outdoors and partially in the shade.
• Toy Story Mania (no height requirement, uses Genie+)
  • Toy Story Mania! is an interactive 4D attraction where guests use spring-action shooters to compete in a series of carnival games featuring favorite Toy Story characters. This queue is the “best” of the 3 in Toy Story Land. Aside from the busiest days of the year, most of the time you’ll be inside in the air conditioning.

Characters

In addition to the attractions, you can also meet a couple of characters in Toy Story Land, too. All the characters here meet outdoors and the queues do not typically have any shade aside from an occasional umbrella.

• Buzz Lightyear (outdoor queue and meet & greet)
• Woody & Jessie (outdoor queue and meet & greet)

Dining

There are also a couple of places to eat:

• Woody’s Lunch Box: Extremely popular quick service location serving quick bites and nostalgic treats. This area has limited seating and shade.

• Roundup Rodeo BBQ: Family-style BBQ themed in an over-the-top fun Toy Story themed restaurant. This restaurant is completely indoors; however, you will be waiting to be seated outdoors.

See what we mean?

Nearly everything there is to see and do in Toy Story Land is outdoors and with hardly any shade.

Waiting in any line isn’t “fun”, but it’s even LESS fun to wait in lines while exposed to the sun and the heat (or the rain!).

The popularity of the attractions (and overall area) *PLUS* the limited shade is a nasty combination that is guaranteed to throw a wrench into your plans.

But, with a little bit of planning (and depending on your budget), you’ll find several options below that will help you minimize your waits and consequently the time in the sun when visiting Toy Story Land.

Free options to minimize your waits in Toy Story Land

Early Theme Park Entry

Early Theme Park Entry allows Disney Resort Guests (as well as guests from other select hotels) the opportunity to enter any of the 4 theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios) 30 minutes before non-Disney Resort guests.

While you probably won’t be able to do all 3 attractions this way, you can definitely get at least 1 and maybe 2 done without having to wait hours.

Unfortunately, if you aren’t staying onsite, you won’t have access to Early Theme Park Entry. Your best free option would to then be to rope drop this area as soon as the park opens to offsite guests and hop in line for either Toy Story Mania OR Alien Swirling Saucers, saving Slinky Dog Dash for the end of the night.

Hop in lines at the end of the night

If you can’t get through everything during Early Theme Park Entry (or if you are staying offsite without access to Early Theme Park Entry), you can start your day in other areas of the park and end the evening in Toy Story Land.

You’ll just want to make sure you are joining your final line about 15 minutes before the park officially closes, so keep an eye on the wait times and plan your touring accordingly.

Options that can help you avoid lines (but cost extra)

There are a couple of ways you can pay to avoid the lines and the sweltering heat in Toy Story Land:

Purchase Genie Plus

Hollywood Studios is one of the parks where we think paying for Genie+ is definitely worth the expense.

We go into a lot of details about Genie+ in our Guide to Genie+ Lightning Lanes at Hollywood Studios, but to keep it brief here – all of the attractions in Toy Story Land have 2 lines: a regular Standby Line and a 2nd special line called a Lightning Lane.

The wait in the Lightning Lanes is significantly less than the Standby Lines because the only guests who can use the Lightning Lanes are:

• Guests who pay for Genie+
• Guests using the Disability Access Service
• Guests using Rider Switch (on attractions where available)
• Guests on VIP Tours

So, when you pay for Genie+ and use it wisely (like we talk about in our Genie+ Guide for Hollywood Studios), you’ll skip the extra long Standby Lines and go directly into the Lightning Lane where your waits in the sun will be far more manageable.

Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios After Hours at Walt Disney World is a special ticketed event that allows guests to enjoy the park after it has closed to regular day guests. This event typically features shorter wait times for popular attractions like Slinky Dog Dash, exclusive entertainment, and unique food and beverage options.

The price typically starts around $150 per person, which is pricey, but because the crowds are typically so low, you truly can get a lot done for that amount.

The downside to After Hours is that they are not available year-round, so unless your trip corresponds with a scheduled event, you won’t have the chance to do it.

Hire a V.I.P. Tour Guide for the day

VIP Tours are another option for minimizing your waits on Rise of the Resistance.

Although they are not an inexpensive way to skip the line, if one is in your budget, using a VIP tour guide will definitely keep your waits short on nearly every attraction at Walt Disney World.

Other Toy Story Land Tips

In addition to our general tips for how to stay cool at Disney World, here are a few other ways to make your time in Toy Story Land as enjoyable as possible:

• Theming Details: Pay attention to the intricate details in the land, like Andy’s footprints, oversized toys, and the playful decor that makes you feel like a toy.

• Mobile Ordering: Use mobile ordering for food at Woody’s Lunch Box to save time and skip the lines.

• Stay Hydrated and Cool: Bring water and take lots of breaks in shaded areas.

• Head Indoors: If you need to cool down after spending some time in Toy Story Land, both Walt Disney Presents and Star Wars Launch Bay are relatively close, indoors, and rarely have lines.

• Sun Protection: Use a good quality sunscreen and reapply it throughout the day, especially if you are sweating.

• Plan Meal Times: Visit Woody’s Lunch Box during off-peak hours to maximize your chance of snagging a table.

• Get Reservations: If you want to dine at Roundup Rodeo, make sure to get a reservation ahead of time.