Toy Story Land – Breakfast at Woody’s Lunch Box

An early morning FastPass for Toy Story Midway Mania left us hungry in Toy Story Land. Rather than fight the crowded walkway to an alternative, we found an uncrowded Woody’s Lunch Box open for breakfast. Was is good? Did we love it? Would we eat there again? Let me tell you about…

Toy Story Land – Breakfast at Woody’s Lunch Box

We were with our friends Nick and Barbie and Nick’s mom, Frieda. The whole Lunch Box set up is adorable (hello, giant thermos!). Umbrella tables are available and the seats look like they’ve been made from pieces of Babybel Cheese (a clear sponsor). The menu is limited but interesting.

Raymond and I were trying not to overeat (to have room for lunch at Hollywood Brown Derby) so instead of the breakfast bowl, “Hearty portion of Potato Barrels smothered in Smoked Brisket Country Gravy, Scrambled Eggs and a sprinkling of Green Onions” which sounded amazing yet filling, we each opted for a turkey sandwich. It sounded great: “Thick-sliced Smoked Turkey Breast, Melted Swiss Cheese, and Scrambled Eggs on Grilled Sourdough” and was indeed delicious. The sandwich size is a pretty generous portion. We probably could have shared one and been satisfied. Tip: Raymond found some spicy sauce packets (buffalo-style) and the addition of this sauce elevated our humble turkey sandwiches into an even higher level of deliciousness.

As you may already know, we’re not huge fans of quick service restaurants in the Studios in general. Having been pleasantly surprised by our breakfast at Woody’s Lunch Box, we may have to reconsider other places in the future. Maybe it’s an indication that Disney’s working harder on their quick service game as the park’s expansions open? Or…maybe we were so hungry that anything would have tasted good? We’ll definitely give Woody’s another try and let you know for sure.

Have you eaten at Woody’s Lunch Box? How was your experience?

Toy Story Land First Impressions

My first thought upon entering Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios was that pictures don’t do it justice.  My second thought was yikes!  I expected crowds like those we first encountered after Pandora opened, but the close quarters in Toy Story Land felt much, much worse. I’m not usually quite so claustrophobic, so maybe the addition of tons of colorful toys contributed to the feeling of being penned in. 

What we loved

The bright colors and clever theming did not disappoint.  Packed with details, Toy Story fans are sure to be pleased.  As we’ve come to expect from Disney, everywhere you turn or look offers something new to discover.  We visited twice, once in the morning and again at night to get the full effect.  Due to scheduling constraints we were only able to enjoy two attractions: Toy Story Midway Mania (always a must-do) and Slinky Dog Dash – which was charming and worthy of a FastPass or (maybe) a 30 minute wait.  We also enjoyed breakfast at Woody’s Lunchbox (review coming soon).

The Green Army Men

These guys are always fun.  When on maneuvers, they’re adorable!  Being entertained by the Green Army Men is an added dose of Disney magic.  We were delighted to see characters out and about.  The crowds though!  Which brings me to…

What we didn’t love

Toy Story Land is new, so we were expecting crowds.  We weren’t expecting crowds at a standstill.  The land’s layout does not ease crowd movement and instead seems to exacerbate the problem.  There’s only one way in and out.  There’s no gift shop or indoor restaurant seating to provide any kind of relief.  For sure, this is not the place to hang out when a summer storm blows in.  At 11 acres, this land covers just one acre less than Pandora, but feels much smaller to me.  Again, maybe it’s all the toys.

There’s no doubt the two new rides will continue to attract families in the long run.  The height requirements are 32” (Alien Swirling Saucers) and 38 inches (Slinky Dog Dash) which earn high marks on kid-friendliness.  My recommendation is heavy FastPass usage and plan to visit this area either early or late in the day.  Again, with no indoor spaces available, the heat’s going to be brutal. 

Have you visited Toy Story Land? What were your initial thoughts? Planning to visit? What are you most looking forward to?   

Disney World’s Future – My Two Cents

RM-Disney's-Hollywood-Studios-EntranceI want to ride on a Slinky Dog roller coaster.  I absolutely do!  That’s one of my most favorite of the many recent announcements about what we can expect next at Walt Disney World.  I’ve spoken about change before, and the importance of being open to new technology, themes, characters, and experiences.  As much as we think we’d like our favorite vacation destination to remain the same every time we visit, like ourselves and our children, it has to grow up too, so to speak.

Disney World’s Future – My Two Cents

Closures make us sad.  Think about this:  If we had happy childhoods, with glowing, happy memories, we instinctively want to recreate those experiences again and again.  That’s human nature.  When a component of our fondly remembered past no longer exists, we tend to believe the future (of that particular circumstance) will not be as good.  The value is diminished.  This is not necessarily true!  We can create new, happy memories with a new set of circumstances.  We just have to be open to the opportunity. (Insert “Let it go” sequence here while viewing Maelstrom photos.)Malestrom / Norway Pavilion / World Showcase

We’re naturally apprehensive of the unknown.  I will not argue with the naysayers who cannot understand how the heck Avatar belongs in Animal Kingdom.  It hasn’t opened yet – nobody’s experienced any of the attractions or the environment Pandora will have to offer.  It might not matter how you feel about the movie, the immersive experience might just be incredible on its own.  Similarly, Star Wars, I’m sad to say, is not universally appealing to everyone.  I grew up with Star Wars – it’s part of my own happy childhood memories and I’m over-the-moon-excited for the new Star Wars Land.  Not so for everyone, I get that.  Celebrate a Dream Come Trup ParadeI’ll also add that, if I ruled the Disney World, the Toy Story Land slated for the Studios would have been a broader Pixar-based area.  Not because I don’t love Toy Story, but because a more inclusive focus would have offered more potential.  What’s important is that we’ll have new, expanded Disney-imagineered environments and experiences to enjoy.  Or not.  Let’s keep an open mind and give it all a try before we categorically dismiss something as no good.

I can’t think of a single deal-breaker.  I realize I’m more accepting of change than the average person, but there are no rides or attractions that could change or close that would keep me from choosing to vacation at Walt Disney World.  Disney fan message boards are full of folks who constantly bemoan any and all changes as something that will make them vacation elsewhere.  They will not allow Disney to have one more cent of their vacation dollars.  To those folks I say, fine!  By all means, move along and find somewhere else to spend your money.  Disney World is (and will be) crowded enough without you.RM-Animal-Kingdom-Construction-Walls-Tree-of-Life

I listen to analysis, but not too closely.  I love hearing Disney fans discuss their opinions on Disney World’s future.  There are some mighty deep, in-depth theories on Disney’s expenditures versus returns, crowd figures (and traffic patterns), the perceived value of certain attraction/land additions, and the effect on future park ticket prices.  I find most of it interesting and some of it completely ridiculous.  I take it all with a grain of salt!  If the Disney Company feels pressure from Universal Orlando (Comcast) to create clever, entertaining, more immersive guest experiences – we can only benefit from competition!

I welcome all the changes – until I’ve seen, heard, and experienced all the new rides, attractions, restaurants and themed areas coming to Walt Disney World over the next several years.  I welcome more, better, and different opportunities to expand my love for Disney in all its forms.  Bring it on.  I’ll be anxiously waiting.

How about you?  What upcoming changes are you most excited about?

Interested in hearing various opinions on upcoming Disney World changes?  Try these podcast episodes: