Toy Story Midway Mania!

June 2008 – present

LOCATION

Pixar Pier – Cross the bridge to the back of Pixar Pier or follow the walkway past the Golden Zephyr and Silly Symphony Swings, and you will see Midway Mania; it’s the largest building in the back of the Pier.

BACKGROUND

Toy Story Midway Mania! debuted in California Adventure in 2008, and is one of the most high-tech attractions at the Disney parks. In fact, it is the only ride to use three different control systems at once: one for the ride vehicles, one for the mini games, and one for the special effects. Since its installation in the Disneyland Resort, Midway Mania has drawn millions of guests every year, and has been so consistently popular, it has seen only one change: a new mini-game inside the arcade.

EXPERIENCE

Details:

• Single Rider Line – no
• Fast Pass – yes
• Height Requirement – none
• Ride Duration – 5:30

Guests entering the waiting line wander through the arcade photo gallery and patio, and have a chance to talk with Mr. Potato Head along the way. Upon boarding the ride vehicles, players fly around the arcade before settling in front of a 3D screen. Targets appear on each screen for a limited amount of time, and guests compete against the others in their cars for the highest score. The cars move from screen to screen until the final shootout, and then the Toy Story characters reveal the big winner.

MY RATING: ★★★★☆

Toy Story Midway Mania! is a lot of fun. The shooting games are really fast-paced, the cars zip around the arcade, and you never know what’s coming next. Within the ride, Imagineers made sure to include all of the beloved Toy Story characters, and some of them even participate in the games.

I give this ride four stars for two reasons. First, it breaks down fairly often. That doesn’t mean it shuts down and stops loading riders; cars inside the arcade simply pause until loading resumes. This never lasts more than a minute or two at a time, but you can’t shoot when the ride stops so it can be frustrating if it happens multiple times during your ride. And secondly, the line for Midway Mania is consistently long. On a rainy Friday during offseason, I still waited over half an hour to get on Midway Mania…and that was a day when I walked onto Space Mountain twice in a row.

Despite those two complaints, I highly recommend Midway Mania. It’s a unique ride with cool 3D effects, and I’ve never regretted waiting in line for it. Be prepared for the wait and be patient if your car stops at some point, and you’ll have a wonderful time on Midway Mania.

VISITING TIPS

I have been to Midway Mania at every time of day in a variety of seasons, and I can say with certainty that it is always busy. Obviously some days are more crowded than others, but I’ve never just waltzed onto this ride, even in the rain. My advice is not to worry about rushing to this one, and save your earlier and less crowded hours for the other headliners in the park. Visit Midway Mania whenever its convenient, and just accept that you will have to wait in line.

TRIVIA

Mr. Potato Head is interactive. If you respond to him or talk to him, he will answer back!

The interior arcade is supposed to resemble Andy’s room. If you look closely, the proportions make you the size of a toy, so you can experience Andy’s room alongside Woody, Buzz, and the gang.