“Hurry, hurry, hurry, right this way to Toy Story Midway Mania. It’s a ride that’s a game, it’s a game that’s a ride. Step right up and see what’s inside.”
The first thing that will draw you into the new Toy Story Midway Mania ride at Disney’s California Adventure is a giant, animatronic Mr. Potato Head.
Not only does Mr. Potato Head remove and replace his own ear without a single unnatural jerk, but he is capable of actually interacting with guests in line. He is the beginning of a new generation of animatronic figures, a far cry from those present on opening day at Disneyland in 1955.
Biola sophomore and annual pass holder Rachel Young enjoyed the new ride.
“I think they did a fantastic job of creating a ride that is fun for all ages and extremely unique,” Young said. Midway Mania is fundamentally the same idea as Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters in Disneyland, but with marked differences.
In Midway Mania, like in Buzz, you are the size of a toy – or if you prefer, all the toys are the size of humans. Also, the objective of the ride is to use the gun – or Spring Action Shooter, as Disney calls it – to hit as many targets as possible, accruing points to beat out your partner. This is where the similarities end.
Midway Mania is a 3D attraction with each guest donning a pair of 3D glasses before boarding their traveling playset.
Once seated, riders play five different carnival games with a Toy Story twist: Hamm and Eggs, Bo Peep’s BAA-lloon Pop, Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers, Green Army Men Shoot Camp and Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery, with a brief practice session at the beginning and a bonus round at the end.
You get scored for points and accuracy in each game and at the end of the ride you receive your total score and overall accuracy percentage.
The 3D component of Midway Mania is what makes it really exciting. You might be seemingly sprayed with water from a popped water balloon, or you might have to duck as things are flying at you. Also, be sure to watch out for small moving targets that are worth more than the larger, easy to hit targets.
Another example of the 3D technology at work is that, in each game, different objects shoot out of your gun. Plus, you can’t run out of ammunition. In the Green Army Men Shoot Camp, the objective is to break plates, so balls come out of the gun. In Bo Peep’s BAA-lloon Pop you shoot darts to pop digital balloons.
“It dominates over Buzz because it is five games in one and it is 3D and you can actually see that you are hitting the target,” said Laura Zickefoose, annual pass holder and Biola alumna. “It makes it worth going over to California Adventure.”
With 16 people boarding at a time, Midway Mania is a high-capacity ride. There are four people allowed to a “play set” (two on each side) and four play sets at a time are boarded, so don’t let the length of the line scare you away.
For more information you can tune into the official Disneyland Resort podcast or, better yet, get a group of friends together and go experience the ride for yourself.
Toy Story Midway Mania is located on Paradise Pier in California Adventure. If you aren’t too sure of your DCA geography don’t worry, just follow the crowd; everyone else is going there, too.
