travel > Travel Story > Europe > France > Toy Story Playland at Disneyland Paris

Toy Story Playland at Disneyland Paris

TIME : 2016/2/24 9:53:00
The magical new outdoor area transports guests to the world of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Slinky Dog, the Green Army Men, RC Racer and the rest of the characters from the Disney Pixar Toy Story films

When designing the Playland, DisneyLand Paris 'Imagineers' took advantage of a forest which lines the edge of the area. It is more than 100 years old and many of the trees are over 30 metres in height - perfect for reinforcing the feeling of being tiny! The natural landscape makes you feel as though you are immersed in a play world just as much as the set itself. The 'grass' is actually tightly planted New Zealand flax, which looks like a giant manicured lawn. The whole Playland is also bordered by 9-metre tall bamboo, which seals you into the toy world.

There are two entrances to Toy Story Playland. At the main entrance is a giant Buzz Lightyear action figure waiting to greet you, which was constructed using the original digital model from the films. At the second entrance (at the other end of the area), monkeys from a giant blue 'Barrel of Monkeys®' welcome guests with letters from a Scrabble game.

There are three exciting new attractions inside Toy Story Playland. The first is Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop, which features a simulated fall from the sky with Andy’s Green Army Men. Guests sail up into the air for 27 metres, before drifting back down onto star targets below with the aid of their 'parachutes'. The setting for the attraction is a Green Army Men toy training camp, which features human-sized green army men, a quonset hut, a jeep, crates, a lookout station, and even a baby monitor (which the Green Army Men use to communicate with each other). Guests also get the chance to pause for a 'parachute' photo. The training camp is called Fort Emery, inspired by Pixar’s home in Emeryville, California.

The next attraction is Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, which is inspired by retro caterpillar rides and Woody's slinky canine friend. With guests aboard, Slinky Dog (which weighs 16,000 times more than the real toy version) chases his tail in a circle, getting faster and faster. Guests are even entertained with a board game in the queue. At the exit, you can have your photo taken with a giant Rex the Dinosaur, which stands at half the height of a real Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The final and biggest new attraction is RC Racer!, which is just like the Hot Wheels® track from the films - only on a much larger scale. Guests are catapulted out of the station by the Hot Wheels® Super Charger in Andy's remote control car, which weighs 2,300 times as much as the toy version. When the lever is pulled, the car races to the top of a thrilling 25 metre half-pipe on a U-shaped circuit. RC, the car himself, is also available for photos once the ride is over - so the kids can have something to take home and show off to their friends.

Other than the main three attractions, guests can also help save the galaxy at Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast, or kick up their heels at Woody’s Round Up. The music that plays across the area is all based on the original themes from the Toy Story films, composed by Randy Newman - so you really get the full effect. Guests also get to see a piece of real film memorabilia, as the large rubber ball found in Toy Story Playland was originally seen in Pixar’s first short film, 'Luxo Jr', in 1986.

The colorful new area is the first Toy Story-themed land in any Disney theme park in the world. The route of the 'Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic' had to be permanently moved in order to accommodate it. The Playland is an expansion of the Disneyland Paris' Toon Studios, and is also part of their year-long 'Disney New Generation Festival' that began back in April. The festival is focused on providing innovative experiences with the newest characters from Disney and Disney Pixar films including Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, Cars , Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, and of course Toy Story.

Toy Story Playland is a great day out for all the family. Kids will be enchanted, while adults can revisit their youth and the days of playing in the back garden. The toys are definitely back in town - and now you can play with them like never before!