Toy Story Land is the newest land to open in Walt Disney World. Now that’s open people are wondering how this will change their vacation and touring plans for their upcoming vacations. Here’s where we break down the best possible strategies to deal with the increased crowds this new area will bring. If you’re looking to learn the basics of the new Land, and the food offered, as well as September Passholder previews see the article Planning Your Visit to Toy Story Land.
Toy Story Land is going to stay crowded for the foreseeable future just like Pandora did last year. There are a few things you can do to cut your wait times down to a manageable level.
Plan A: FastPass for Slinky Dog (or Saucers) as a Resort Guest
Slinky Dog Fastpasses will now be the most difficult ones to get in all of Disney World. Unless you are staying at a Disney resort it’s pretty unlikely you’ll get one in the next 3-6 months. Why?
But if TSL is something you want to make sure and see, you may want to consider the perks of staying at a Disney resort. Whether it’s room only, or a vacation package, resort guests get a 60 day window to book Fastpasses.
This is key, because everyone else gets a 30 day window. This means that by the time that window opens up you can pretty much count on the FPs for Slinky to be long gone and probably for Alien Saucers too, all though you could get lucky with that one.
Not only do Resort guests get to grab Fastpasses earlier, they also get Extra Magic Hours for Studios every morning from 7-8am. That is prime time to get the whole land done before other guests are even let in the park.
So, like I said, if Toy Story Land is important to you to see, and it’s causing you stress to worry about lines and wait times, then maybe consider booking a Disney hotel room. Many of you stay off-site when you visit WDW to save money. Value resorts are pretty reasonable, and you only need to stay one night to get the perks. So it may be worth the money to you. Something to think about.
If you do decide to take advantage of that, remember to book more than 60 days out so you get your full booking window. Then hop on early that morning and grab your Slinky FP.
Plan B: Fastpass for Slinky Dog (or Saucers) as a Non-Resort Guest
If you don’t have the option of staying on-site, then you can check out my article and video on finding difficult Fastpasses and implement those strategies. It will still be pretty tough for a while. Flight of Passage was open for about 3 months when I made that video, and I was starting to be able to grab FP for that, so it may be a few months until searching will prove worthwhile.
Remember that all three TSL attractions are Tier 1, meaning you will only be able to get a FP for one of them. Make it Slinky if you can, Alien Saucers as a second choice.
Plan C: No Fastpasses, Visit at Low Crowd Times
Undercover Tourist which is less accurate but free to use.
Once you find a lower crowd day for Hollywood Studios, then try to plan a less crowded time of day. This is usually very early or very late.
With resort guests having early morning magic hours every day, opening won’t be the advantage it normally is. When you can enter the park they will have already been there for an hour. It will still be less crowded than later in the day, but not the super short lines you can usually get with a very early arrival. If you opt for early, plan on arriving at the park at least an hour before you can enter (so if opening is 8am, arrive at 7). This will put you in the front of the line, plus they often open earlier than they say.
The other option is going late. Many people will leave for the day before dark and many of those that stay will go watch Fantasmic or the Star Wars fireworks making that the next best option for visiting the new Land.
Use Mobile Ordering
Beyond these tips, I recommend you have sunscreen and possibly a portable fan or an umbrella for the sun. If you do spend time waiting in line there isn’t always shade and summer can be incredibly hot.
This page will be updated with more tips as things change so bookmark it to return.