When Toy Story Land opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios back in June, guests flocked to the newest addition to Walt Disney World to experience its two new attractions, one new dining location and an immersive experience with their favorite Toy Story characters.
Unfortunately, the popularity of the new land meant large crowds and long wait times. Luckily, Walt Disney World has come up with a solution to that problem. Disney Early Morning Magic lets guests explore Toy Story Land before the park opens, allowing them to enjoy the attractions without the headache of the crowds. On Monday, Disney invited us to come check out this new offering for ourselves and share our experience.
Of course, whenever Disney offers a new uncharge park experience, the first question is “what’s the price?” Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land will cost you $79 plus tax per person ($69 per child), on top of your park admission. That certainly is a little steep, but given everything this event offers, it just might be worth it.
On top of getting to experience Toy Story Land with a very limited number of people, guests will also enjoy a delicious breakfast. Early Morning Magic offers a continental breakfast buffet consisting of yogurt, fruit, pastries and assorted cereal. Guests will also choose one of a few unique and delicious main courses like:
- Mexican Corn Chilaquiles and Eggs Bowl – Fresh corn, black beans, caramelized onions, poblano peppers, chorizo and rancho sauce with house fried tortillas, pico de gallo, avocado, quest fresco topped with scrambled eggs and cilantro cream.
- Shrimp and Southern Grits Bowl – Creamy cheddar cheese white corn grits, sautéed shrimp, yellow, red and green bell peppers, onions and andouille sausage.
- Fried Chicken and Cinnamon-Sugar French Donut Bowl – Crispy chicken tenderloins paired with sweet potato barrels, cinnamon-sugar French donuts and maple glaze.
- Breakfast Charcuterie Platter – Smoked salmon, chopped hard boiled egg, whipped cream cheese, pickled red onions, capers, debriziner sausage, cured salami, and capitol hame with seasonal dressed greens and crostini.
- Smashed Avocado Toast and Egg Plate – Smashed seasoned avocado with crostini, oven roasted egg and seasonal dressed greens.
I personally tried the Fried Chicken and Cinnamon-Sugar French Donut Bowl, and it was delicious. Combined with all the offerings of the continental breakfast it was a great way to start the day.
Breakfast is offered from the beginning of the event at 7:30 AM (possibly as early as 7 AM depending on capacity) through 10 AM at a select dining location outside of Toy Story Land. Pro tip: With normal park guests entering at 9 AM, enjoy the Toy Story Land attractions first, then get breakfast later.
Now, let’s get to the good stuff. Having been to Toy Story Land a number of times before this event, walking into the area with only a handful of people felt bizarre. Seeing the wait times listed at five minutes, felt even more bizarre. Trust me, you’ll get over that feeling once you start riding the attractions.
If you’ve been to Toy Story Land yourself, or you pay attention to Walt Disney World wait times, you know Slinky Dog Dash is a very popular attraction. As I write this, the wait is currently at 60 minutes. For a comparison, the wait for Tower of Terror is currently at 20. During Early Morning Magic, I walked on to Slinky Dog Dash twice. I easily could have ridden it many more times, but again maybe don’t eat breakfast before going to the attractions.
The posted wait times for the attractions were mostly 5 minutes, which meant you could walk right onto them. Even when Toy Story Mania! was listed at 10 minutes, it was still a walk-on. You could simply choose which of the three attractions you wanted to ride and be riding it moments later.
The attractions weren’t the only things available to the guests too. Woody, Buzz and Jessie were also out for photo opportunities. These meet and greets, like everything else in Toy Story Land, consistently draw a crowd during normal operating hours, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of this opportunity as well.
Now, you’re probably still asking yourself if this event is worth the $79 price tag. I thought of it like this: the breakfast you get during Early Morning Magic would probably cost you somewhere between $30 and $40 on Disney property. So really, you’re paying roughly $40 to $50 for an extra hour and a half in which you have Toy Story Land basically to yourself. An hour an a half may not seem like much, but it is definitely plenty of time to experience everything this land has to offer several times over.
Still, I was on the fence myself as to whether or not I thought this event was worth it. That is, until I saw the guests flood the land after the park opened. Slink Dog Dash, which again was consistently a five-minute posted wait time during the event, was a 45-minute wait at 9 AM. By 9:15, the line was backed up to the entrance of Toy Story Land and the posted wait time was 90 minutes. If that doesn’t sell you on Early Morning Magic, I don’t know what will.
Of course, this event isn’t for everyone. If you’re an annual passholder who visits Walt Disney World often, you probably don’t need Toy Story Land to yourself. If you’re on vacation with a family of six, it’s probably too expensive to add on to your trip. But if the price is right for you, and you don’t have another chance to visit Toy Story Land, I can’t recommend Early Morning Magic enough.
For more information on Disney Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land or to book your reservation, visit the official Walt Disney World website.