Is Toy Story Land underperforming?

[disneynutz]

Is this another, Disney built it just for the PR and to say that they have added another attraction?

Bill

 

[Orange Team]

If the Internet was in full swing back in 1996 when Barnstormer opened with Toontown Fair, I'm sure people would have said it was under-performing then, too: "Disney just spent all this time and money to redo Starland into Toontown Fair and all they did was add one little roller coaster! And Donald's Boat? That doesn't even count! Disney should be ashamed!" (In reality though, I loved Toontown Fair, along with its predecessors.)

 

[TheMaxRebo]

If the Internet was in full swing back in 1996 when Barnstormer opened with Toontown Fair, I'm sure people would have said it was under-performing then, too: "Disney just spent all this time and money to redo Starland into Toontown Fair and all they did was add one little roller coaster! And Donald's Boat? That doesn't even count! Disney should be ashamed!" (In reality though, I loved Toontown Fair, along with its predecessors.)

even worse than that - I am sure the Internet would have destroyed Disneyland when it first opened.

Areas with nothing in them just open fields? One ride in all of Tomorrowland? Not enough food? asphalt sticking to shoes?

Poor form Disney, poor form - no way this park will ever make it ... go back to cartoons Walt!!!!

 

[Farro]

How can anything be judged as under performing when it hasn't even been open one month??? Let's give it a while.
I think it's real purpose will be to give those people who can't fit in Galaxy's Edge some place to go.

 

[NotUrsula]

I was there this week. VERY hot and airless, even at 11 pm. They REALLY need to put in more fans to move air around; somehow the props seem to be blocking air circulation. Other than the ride queues, there is really no place to go to get out of the heat.
Oddly, I came down with some kind of histamine reaction the minute I passed through the gate in the morning ... maybe the fresh paint?

I've decided that I don't care for Toy Story Land. For one thing, space to move around is tiny. All that hype for a "new land", and so many other attractions and seating areas torn out, yet it's more like a new (very) small city block. Also, it reminds me forcibly of a squashed-down version of the "carnival" area in DAK, only with all the architecture built out of K'nex toys. (That may be part of what's bothering me about the place; it's like a giant ad for K'nex, and I hated those toys when my kids had them; very poor quality.)

DH & DD liked Slinky Dog, but they waited well over an hour to ride it during an EMH. That was too hot a queue for me. DS & I rode Midway Mania 2X while they waited. (That would be the only upside IMO; Midway Mania now has reasonable-length standby waits.)

 

[DumboDash2006]

I was discussing this with my wife last night. She said that she thinks that the people that have a sentimental connection to the Toy Story movies are at a time in their lives where they are paying for college, buying houses, starting careers, etc and they do not have the time or money to visit TSL.

I think that could be true. My dd is 18 and and several months ago started saying we need to go to WDW. She's a huge Toy Story fan. We used to watch those movies all the time. We're going next year for a family trip. But if she were on her own, no way could she afford it.

 

[Doug M]

Also, it reminds me forcibly of a squashed-down version of the "carnival" area in DAK, only with all the architecture built out of K'nex toys. (That may be part of what's bothering me about the place; it's like a giant ad for K'nex, and I hated those toys when my kids had them; very poor quality.)

Those are Tinkertoy blocks not K'Nex. The rest of your post matches up with everything I have read. It baffles me why they did not build more space to move around or have shaded areas. Did they use only imagineers from Anaheim who think the weather is always 70 to 85 and low humidity?

 

[wdw4rfam]

How can anything be judged as under performing when it hasn't even been open one month??? Let's give it a while.
I think it's real purpose will be to give those people who can't fit in Galaxy's Edge some place to go.

Or for people like me to hide because I could care less about anything Star Wars. I’ll be in toy story land waiting for my husband and son.

 

[DLgal]

Those are Tinkertoy blocks not K'Nex. The rest of your post matches up with everything I have read. It baffles me why they did not build more space to move around or have shaded areas. Did they use only imagineers from Anaheim who think the weather is always 70 to 85 and low humidity?

No, there is definitely a LOT of K'nex in the theming as well.

 

[The Pho]

No, there is definitely a LOT of K'nex in the theming as well.

Yep, the railings looks pretty clearly like K'nex. I don't know about them being poor quality though, I loved those things and they were sturdy enough for me to build myself a usable car with them.

 

[BrianL]

Yep, the railings looks pretty clearly like K'nex. I don't know about them being poor quality though, I loved those things and they were sturdy enough for me to build myself a usable car with them.

Forget K'nex. The entryway to AS2 is made of Construx! I loved those when I was little. They were very versatile.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Forget K'nex. The entryway to AS2 is made of Construx! I loved those when I was little. They were very versatile.

I do like how they have a variety of building material, not just one type of toy

Personally I was big into Lego's and Lincoln Logs more than K'Nex or Construx.

Side note, I only learned recently that it was the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright that invented Lincoln Logs

 

[BrianL]

Side note, I only learned recently that it was architect Frank Lloyd Wright that invented Lincoln Logs

You mean, it wasn't Abraham Lincoln?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

You mean, it wasn't Abraham Lincoln?

No, and actually to be fully correct it was Frank's Son that invented them:

Lincoln Logs were invented sometime around 1916–1917 when John Lloyd Wright was working in Japan with his father. The mold for the toy was based on the architecture of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by the inventor's father. The foundation of the hotel was designed with interlocking log beams, which made the structure "earthquake-proof".

When he returned to the U.S., John organized The Red Square Toy Company (named after his father's famous symbol), and marketed the toy in 1918.

Apparently one thought behind the name is that Frank Lloyd Wright's original middle name was "Lincoln" and also a play on the way they connect, that they are "linkin" logs

 

[BrianL]

No, and actually to be fully correct it was Frank's Son that invented them:

Lincoln Logs were invented sometime around 1916–1917 when John Lloyd Wright was working in Japan with his father. The mold for the toy was based on the architecture of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by the inventor's father. The foundation of the hotel was designed with interlocking log beams, which made the structure "earthquake-proof".

When he returned to the U.S., John organized The Red Square Toy Company (named after his father's famous symbol), and marketed the toy in 1918.

Apparently one thought behind the name is that Frank Lloyd Wright's original middle name was "Lincoln" and also a play on the way they connect, that they are "linkin" logs

Next thing you're gonna tell me that Teddy Roosevelt didn't invent the teddy bear.

 

[jaggies]

I wouldn’t say it’s underperforming, but it was always pretty clearly a smaller scale of investment compared to Pandora and Galaxy’s Edge. I’d say it’s a success in what it set out to do: help “round out” DHS and add more rides (especially family rides) and give Disney a “new land!” to talk about on Good Morning America in what would otherwise be a sort of off year for the parks. Is it transformative of the whole park experience in the way Pandora was and Galaxy’s Edge will be? No, but I’d argue it wasn’t meant to be.

It’s not Cars Land, but it doesn’t have to be. I don’t think there was ever a time where Toy Story Land was going to be the only major addition to DHS. Disney knew the park needed a multi-pronged approach, and Galaxy’s Edge was always the headliner.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

even worse than that - I am sure the Internet would have destroyed Disneyland when it first opened.

Areas with nothing in them just open fields? One ride in all of Tomorrowland? Not enough food? asphalt sticking to shoes?

Poor form Disney, poor form - no way this park will ever make it ... go back to cartoons Walt!!!!

That’s how people sound now in regards to the parks

 

[Jim Shuler]

I wanted to get everyone's thoughts after the first full week of TSL. I have noticed how low the wait times have been for the three TSL attractions especially with it being 4th of July week. Each time I have checked this week other than opening day, there are multiples rides at other parks that have longer waits than SDD. Is this an indication that TSL isnt as popular as some of us thought it would be?

The fact the Slinky DOg ride is under 2 minutes is not appealing to some people.

 

[Jim Shuler]

I wouldn’t say it’s underperforming, but it was always pretty clearly a smaller scale of investment compared to Pandora and Galaxy’s Edge. I’d say it’s a success in what it set out to do: help “round out” DHS and add more rides (especially family rides) and give Disney a “new land!” to talk about on Good Morning America in what would otherwise be a sort of off year for the parks. Is it transformative of the whole park experience in the way Pandora was and Galaxy’s Edge will be? No, but I’d argue it wasn’t meant to be.

It’s not Cars Land, but it doesn’t have to be. I don’t think there was ever a time where Toy Story Land was going to be the only major addition to DHS. Disney knew the park needed a multi-pronged approach, and Galaxy’s Edge was always the headliner.

Pandora is going to become less and less popular. It was hyped and is not living to expectations. The same will happen with the Star Wars attraction. Star Wars has lost the mojo of the original and will never be the same.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

I was there this week. VERY hot and airless, even at 11 pm. They REALLY need to put in more fans to move air around; somehow the props seem to be blocking air circulation. Other than the ride queues, there is really no place to go to get out of the heat.

I've decided that I don't care for Toy Story Land. For one thing, space to move around is tiny. All that hype for a "new land", and so many other attractions and seating areas torn out, yet it's more like a new (very) small city block. Also, it reminds me forcibly of a squashed-down version of the "carnival" area in DAK,)

We are also just back. On the way home we play the game, “best moment of the trip”, “best meal”, and guess what our “biggest disappointment” was...TSL. We totally agree with this assessment above. I said that it also felt like Dinoland but not even as good(and I don’t really like Dinoland.) My kids said it felt “unimaginative.” Ouch. Sorry if this sounds too harsh, but we just expected more from Disney.