Disney 2019 Vacation Recap: Part 4

April 26, 2019 by

If you missed parts 1-3 go here for the link!

After a long and fun day at Magic Kingdom, we slept well and were ready to hit up Hollywood Studios in the morning. Our plan was to go straight to Toy Story Land (just like everyone else.)

We had fastpasses for Alien Swirling Saucers, which is Emma Kate’s FAVORITE ride. So our hope was to do standby while it was short and then use the Fastpasses.

We basically walked onto the ride in standby, then rode it again with our fastpasses. I wasn’t kidding about how much she loves it. Look at that face!

We also had to show off our Toy Story Land magic bands from a media event last year before taking some wall photos.

While we were taking photos, the green army men arrived. They do an adorable show over by the bathrooms, so I highly recommend checking it out if you see them. Emma Kate got to be in it and was so proud!

Next we took some photos with Goofy, and Bobby had to go check out this from Galaxy’s Edge of course.

Next, my dad and Bobby used fastpasses for Star Tours while mom, EK and I went and said hey to Olaf.

We were pretty hungry after that, so we waited a few minutes until Backlot Express opened and grabbed some lunch. We were pretty tired but wanted to do one more thing, so we took Emma Kate to the Indiana Jones show for the first time. Little did we know Bobby would end up being IN the show!

He did great, and I actually have some really funny videos I need to upload. Emma Kate wasn’t a fan of the noise, but it was a fun experience for all!

We decided to go back to the hotel, take a rest, and then hit up the pool before dinner at Disney Springs.

Emma Kate was SO tired I was sure she was going to nap….NOPE! I worked while everyone else napped and she just laid in the bed NOT SLEEPING. This kid is the Energizer bunny. We got changed and went to the pool which was pretty quiet because it had just rained.

We went back up to the room to show and change again. We had a media visit lined up at Splitsville for the early evening. Last summer we got to eat and Bowl at Splitsville during the sports festival event I attended, but Emma Kate didn’t remember doing it, and my parents hadn’t been in about 5 years, so it was such a nice treat for them to invite us to come eat and bowl.

We had AMAZING food and drinks. This is not just your regular bowling alley food. Bobby said the sushi was phenomenal, and I loved all the yummy drinks and we even had a huge dessert to share.

Keep in mind while it is super fun to eat and bowl at the same time, you don’t have to bowl, you can just go there to eat!

They have bumpers for the kids and even a fun little device to help them “bowl.”

Emma Kate had an absolute blast bowling and kept trying to steal out turns.

We tried to get a family selfie at the end but it didn’t come out very well.

This was definitely one of the top highlights of the trip, and I can’t wait to go back. Thanks so much for having us Splitsville!

Our plan was to walk around after dinner, but the sky was VERY dark so we decided to go back to the parking garage, and as soon as we did, the heavens let loose and it POURED on everyone at Disney Springs, so I’m glad we opted to go back to the hotel!

We still have one more full day to go, Epcot! Check back later for more.

I would love to help you plan your next Disney adventure, email me at heather@travelwiththemagic.com

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#DisneyKids Media Event Video Recap

October 8, 2018 by

Disclosure: We attended a media event at Walt Disney World, however, all opinions are my own. 

In September, we had the privilege of attending a #DisneyKids media event at Walt Disney World centered around preschoolers and Toy Story Land. We also got to eat at Homecomin’, Hollywood and Vine, the Grand Floridian, and also enjoyed Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Check out this recap video we made of our amazing experience! Parents of preschoolers, these activities are a must with your kiddos! so much fun! Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel after watching. 🙂

 

What is your favorite thing about Toy Story Land? Have you been to the Halloween party or any of the restaurants we dined at?

#disneykids

Related: Toy Story Land with a preschooler

Related again: Art of Animation Cars family suite

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Toy Story Land Disney World with a Preschooler

October 4, 2018 by

Disclosure: We attended a #DisneyKids media event at Toy Story land Disney World, however, all opinions are my own.

Disney's toy story land with a preschooler

When I first heard that Walt Disney World was creating Toy Story Land, I was pumped. Not only would I get to experience the nostalgia of a favorite movie series I grew up with, but I just couldn’t wait to see what Disney was going to DO with it. You know, how they always go above and beyond with every little detail? Well, I can tell you that it does not disappoint, and it was amazing getting to experience Toy Story land with a preschooler who loves the films as much as I do.

Pro tip: Go early before the crowds so you can see all the fun details!

Life-size characters, bright colors, and an amazing “backyard” to explore as one of Andy’s toys. It’s so exciting as you turn the corner and see Woody waiting to tip his hat and greet you as you enter the land. My four year old LOVED all the fun “toy”, details, and seeing her favorites everywhere she turned.

Toy Story Land with a Preschooler

Pro tip: The sun is blinding at this photopass spot, so maybe come back later in the day for a pic!

There are tons more “toy-sized” characters to discover, including meet and greets with some of the stars. Emma Kate even found fun characters to pose with as we waited for our breakfast at the new quick service dining location. This dining location, Woody’s Lunchbox, has some great food options not found at other locations.

Pro tip: Woody’s Lunchbox has breakfast! We had a delicious yogurt parfait that hit the spot!

Of course, We loved taking photos in front of several of the famous “walls.”

Related: The Walls of Toy Story Land

Toy Story Land with a Preschooler

Emma Kate was a little scared to ride Slinky Dog Dash (her mom and dad loved it!) But she ADORES Alien Swirling Saucers and it is her new favorite Disney ride. She also still has a huge love for Toy Story Mania. I can’t blame her, I do too! Even the exit queue of Toy Story Mania is a blast

Pro Tip: The exit queue is also where two of the fun walls are located as well.

Adding Toy Story Land  Disney World to Hollywood Studios is a huge plus in our book. We already love the fun and shows at this park, (not to mention character breakfast at Hollywood and Vine), so now it’s even more valuable to us as a family with a small child. One thing we have yet to do is go at night. I guess we need to make another trip back!

Toy Story Land Disney World

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ESPN WWOS Media FAM Day 4

August 27, 2018 by

Disclosure: I was invited to a 3-night media event by Walt Disney World, however, all opinions are my own.

(Check out day 1, 2, 3 and 3 part 2 before reading this one!)

On day 4 of our trip, the media FAM was over, but Disney was kind enough to give us park tickets so we could have one more day of fun before heading home. We decided to go to Toy Story Land for the very first time and I’m so glad we did!

We checked out of the Boardwalk and drove over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make our way to the brand new area. It is SO adorable and has so many fun details. We were able to ride Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers (three times) and Toy Story Mania. We were not able to eat at Woody’s Lunchbox, but that just means we have to go back.

Related: The Walls of Toy Story Land

Emma Kate did NOT want to do Slinky Dog Dash, so Bobby and I took turns riding it and taking her on AlienSwillingg Saucers which she loved.

 

 

She screamed (happy scream) the whole time.

 

I adored all the little hidden nooks and areas with cute theming. Be sure to look for Andy’s footprint on the ground and the backyard fence off in the distance. The exit que of Toy Story Mania is really cute too, so even if you aren’t riding the ride be sure to go check it out (near the giant Pixar ball).

Slinky Dog Dash was a lot of fun and just the right amount of thrill for me. The que was really cute as well, but it was really warm as there isn’t much shade in the longer parts of the line.

A must for photo opps is the giant sign as you enter. There was a photopass photographer hanging around when we went by.

Also, the restroom was really cute, it’s in the back to the left of the land.

We ate lunch at Sci-Fi but I don’t have any pictures since it’s pretty dark in there. It was nice to sit in the air conditioning for a while before going back out again. Before we left we got pictures with Donald which was a great way to cap off the trip. Little miss slept the whole way back to Tampa, so I would say the trip was a success. Thanks so much, Disney!

 

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The Walls of Toy Story Land

July 20, 2018 by

This past week my family had the opportunity to check out the all new Toy Story Land thanks to a media event with Disney. It was our first time getting to explore the area and ride the rides. (It’s amazing by the way! So adorable and detailed!) However, in true Instagrammer and blogger style, I was really excited about something that had nothing to do with the rides or characters or food…I wanted to see the walls of Toy Story Land. (heh).

The Walls of Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios and where to find them. #disney #toystoryland #disneywalls

Recently, the walls of Disney have become very popular photo spots for Instagrammers. There are walls like the Purple Wall in the Magic Kingdom and the Bubble Gum Wall in Epcot as well as others. Disney has capitalized on this (finally!) and locations like the Purple Wall now have photopass photographers at them. There are four “main walls” at Toy Story Land, however there are tons of other adorable spots to capture photos as well. This post contains just the main ones you will most likely see discussed or see photos of on social media. Below I will explain each and tell you where you can find them.

Checkerboard Wall: This wall is sneaky and was hard to find at first. There are two ways to get to it. First, you can ride Toy Story Mania, and you will see if on your right when you walk outside in the exit que. If you aren’t riding, just go in the exit of the ride and keep walking until you see it on your left. Where is the exit? Find the Giant Pixar Ball in Toy Story Land, the exit is right in front of it. (By the way the Pixar ball is another cute photo op!)

Popsicle Stick Wall: Once you find the Checkerboard Wall, the Popsicle Stick wall is easy to spot…because its directly across from it! (I mean, Lawd help you if you can’t find it from here.) The only tough part about this one is shadows. Depending on how sunny it is and the time of day, it can be harder to get a good shot. There is a small piece that faces another direction, but it can be hard to get a good angle on it. This wall brings me back to summers of my childhood and all the popsicles I consumed. Or maybe that was yesterday…

walls of toy story land

Block Wall: You will find this wall as soon as you hit up the restrooms. Which if you have a three year old like me, will be many, many times. It is literally the wall where you go in to them! The problem with this one was it was very crowded with people waiting for others outside the building, so I had to squeeze in to get a quick selfie. There are a couple of different parts to this wall so you can get different “blocks” depending on where you stand.

Andy’s Wall: Andy’s Wall is in the back near the restrooms and the entrance to the Alien Swirling Saucers. If you are looking at the restrooms, look directly to your right and you will see it. This was another spot that was crowded and I had to wait for folks to move away before we could get a good shot. I love his cute handwriting and cloud drawing on this one. It’s pretty much better drawing skills than I have as an adult.

As I mentioned before, there are so many fun details and spaces to take photos while in Toy Story Land, these are just my favorite walls so far. Which once do you like the best? Have you joined in the Disney wall craze or the walls of Toy Story Land fun?

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Disney World’s Toy Story Land

February 21, 2018 by

It’s finally coming! The long awaited expansion at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Toy Story Land, will be opening on June 30th! I have been fans of the movies for many many years, and now love that my three year old is obsessed with them as well. It truly spans generations and I’m so pumped Disney is finally adding in some “extra” fun for Toy Story lovers.

5 Things to look for at Disney's Toy Story Land opening at Hollywood Studios on June 30th.

Here are 5 things to look for:

1.) Two new rides: Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers will join Toy Story Mania as fun rides for all guests to enjoy in this new land, where you are “shrunk down” to the size of a toy. Slinky Dog Dash will be a fun filled family coaster, and in Alien Swirling Saucers you climb into a toy rocket and join the aliens on a fun adventure. You may even get chosen by the claw!

Disney World's Toy Story Land

2.) A new restaurant called Woody’s Lunchbox: This will feature a walk up quick service window with old fashioned soda floats. I can’t wait to see the full menu, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.

3.) An expanded Toy Story Mania ride: This ride will go to three tracks so less wait time and more time enjoying the attraction. You will go through a carnival game box as you approach the attraction. I can’t wait to see it this summer!

4.) New characters: Newbies to the area like Rex Jessie and Sarge and others will be able to be seen in Toy Story Land, like in the photo below. How cool is giant Jessie?!?

Disney World's Toy Story Land

5.) A Model: A model of the all new Toy Story Land is currently on display in Walt Disney Presents at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, be sure to check it out on your next visit in anticipation of the June 30th opening. It’s coming up so soon!

Disney World's Toy Story Land

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