Midway Fun

See the sign? Exclusive preview - check us out! Obviously we don't ever win anything big (you'd know) but we did win tickets in a Disneyland drawing. Passholders were given a chance to enter to win preview passes to ride the new Toy Story Mania attraction at California Adventure. We had to pick the exact day and time we'd be available to go so we chose carefully and crossed our fingers. A couple days before the date we were notified that we got to go. WooHoo! Now, you may think big deal, but if we can avoid waiting in the obnoxious lines after a ride opens, we'll take it. True, our lives wouldn't crumble if we never went on, but hey, if it's handed to you.......... right?

We raced around after school, picked up Grandma (she was one of our winning tickets) and began the arduous journey down the 5. Luckily we had plenty of time in our 'ride window' so we arrived comfortably, checked in and made our way to the Pier section of the park where the ride is located. With comically serious security measures, we forged ahead and had to wait a whole, mmmmm, 10 minutes? Oh, but it was so worth it! It's clear that the attraction is geared toward the 'younger generation', and it's clear that Mom and Dad are WELL out of that category anymore but, we know how to play a video game (as long as it's got a joystick, a jump button and doesn't spin 360 degrees) We know that it's here because anything that isn't interactive is boring and that today's kids have SERIOUS attention problems (being teachers, we do have issues with that-not a discussion you want to have with us). However, the ride was so brilliantly designed and executed, it appeals to everyone. 'Gamers', yes but grandparents will enjoy it just as much.

The Toy Story premise, from the beginning, was supposed to appeal to kids and the adults who would bring them to the movie. By making it great, they wouldn't mind bringing them again and again. So with the 50's TV western and sci-fi themes covered for the 'grands', Disney name for the parents, animation for the kids and the devotion to the product of the Pixar people, it had to be a hit. The ride throws in the nostalgia of boardwalk carnival games and for free! What could be bad? Not much.

Other than being pretty jerky in between stops, it was pretty near perfect. Each carriage holds 8 people in sets of 2. Armed with string pull cannons, each player is assigned a color and, after a practice round, they're ready to go. Virtual projectiles are lobbed as fast as the player can release the string and scores are tallied. A brief countdown warns him that the game is about to end and off he goes to the next 'booth'. At the end, the riders stop at a virtual prize booth to see what stuffed animal they will take home - virtually, of course. (Pay no attention to the accuracy scores..one of us is 5 and one of us was taking pictures)



Last stop was, what else, the store you must use to exit. Hallie chose a t-shirt to wear to school the next day and Anna chose this hat. Yes, it still counts in our tally of theme park purchased hats. #86, I believe.