Toy Story Mania! is a 4D arcade-style ride that is located behind Mickey’s Fun Wheel and is inspired by Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story films. It is a combination dark ride and interactive game in which guests aim for targets with a Spring-Action Shooter. There are five different competitive scenarios and one practice game that allow you to compete against people in your car for top score. 

After the queue, guests enter Andy’s room and the world of toys. Riding in a swiveling carnival car, guests take aim at the different targets. Each carnival car has two shooters and a small party of four can be seated in one side of the car. Typically two ride in each carnival car.

This attraction is a family favorite. Our four-year old and two-year old love it! They are Pixar fans so it is an easy ride to like. Sometimes getting them to actually wear the 3D glasses is difficult, but they don’t seem to mind if the images are a little blurry for them. If the glasses are a little over sized, don’t worry! Perch the glasses on their nose and tilt the glasses forward so they are “leaning” over the child’s nose. The ear pieces are smaller in the back and with a little patience, they will rest on the crown of the child’s head.

• Keep in mind that the ride can really toss around younger guests.  Children that may not be “lap sitters” on other rides, may be more comfortable in a lap for this attraction.
• Flash photography is not allowed and would take away from your experience.

Practice Game   
Practice your aim with Woody and Rex while throwing pies. Remember that some targets are worth more than others. Don’t worry if your aim isn’t a bullseye every time. Shoot as much as you want! You’ll never run out.

Scoring screen for each shooter

For frequent riders: There are some targets and combinations of targets that open “Easter eggs” and reveal targets with more points. I’ve only been able to discover the “Easter eggs” in three games. But if it’s your first time riding, don’t worry about finding the “Easter eggs”. If you worry too much about the score, you won’t be able to enjoy the attraction as much! Enjoy the ride!

Hamm and Eggs
This game features a barnyard full of stationary and moving targets. Toss eggs at ducks, cows, chickens, donkeys and even a sneaky fox trying to get into the hen house.

Easter egg: One way to score higher points is to pay special attention to the barn. There will be a small mouse that circles the barn. Shoot it and watch for it to appear again. If it does, shoot it again. More mice will appear all over the scene now holding “1000” points. You can also “flip” the barn by shooting at the donkey that appears in the barn door.


Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts

Step back in time to a primeval era and race the clock against extinction. Throw darts at palm tree, lava and volcano balloons. This game was added in 2010 to celebrate the release of Toy Story 3 and it’s a welcome addition.

Easter egg: Take aim at the squiggly lava balloons. You’ll need to shoot all of these twice with an “explosive result”.


Green Army Men Shoot Camp
Break those plates! The Green Army Men will bark out their orders as you toss balls at different plates. If you aim for the plates to the left or right of the rockets, you’ll get a surprising burst of air as the cannon fires right at you!
   
Easter egg: As yet, undiscovered by this author.


Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers
Get ready for blastoff as you put Buzz and the aliens through the ringer. This game might take some getting used to. The aiming technique is a little different. You’ll need to aim slightly higher than in previous games as this is a ring toss. Aiming at the aliens at the top, such as the 5000 point green guys, actually seem easier than aiming at the columns of aliens waiting in the rocket.

Easter Egg: You’ll need to work in tandem with your mania buddy. You’ll both need to shoot all the aliens in the center rocket once or twice. Splitting the targets left and right shooting up and down the columns worked great for Hubsters and me. After all the aliens have been cleared and an alien monster will pop up! He’ll open his mouth and you’ll get more points each time he does. It’s nearly impossible to clear all the aliens by yourself which is why you’ll need a buddy.


Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery
First stop is a hotel shoot out followed up by a detour through the desert. Ending at the mine, you’ll dig for gold in them thar hills and knock out the final targets. Watch out for the beaver at the bottom of the screen. Sometimes a picture of spouting water will pop up in front of one of his targets. Don’t be surprised if the water jumps out from the screen and sprinkles a little on your head!

Easter egg: As yet, undiscovered by this author.


Scores are tallied at the end of the game and you are given a placement as for your accuracy. Placements range from turtle to bobcat, to antelope and more.

Special Needs: Be sure to show your Guest Assistance card to the Cast Member waiting under the umbrella to the left of the main entrance. As far as wearing 3D glasses is concerned, we don’t try to get our son to wear his glasses until the ride has started. Even when he doesn’t wear the, the blurry images don’t seem to bother him.

Families with special needs families should also note:

• There is closed captioning available on the screens next to each shooter. Just push the “CC” button.
• Guests that have difficulty with stairs need only talk to a Cast Member and they will be directed to a separate loading area bypassing any and all stairs.

For more information on the making of Toy Story Mania! be sure to check out The Making of Toy Story Mania, fellow Babes blogger and her favorite Disney California Adeventure memory (features great pictures of the glasses), as well as Single Rider options for this ride and others in DCA.