Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure takes dark ride to next level
REVIEW: Toy Story Mania takes the dark-ride concept to the next level with an immersive and interactive experience that only Disney can deliver. Call it the theme park ride for the Wii generation.
If Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters represented an evolutionary hyperspace leap forward, Toy Story Mania symbolizes the revolutionary next generation — the dark ride version 2.0.
After a preview ride this week, I only had one problem with Toy Story Mania: the all-consuming game prevents me from sitting back and simply enjoying the scenery. I have to play. For me, the game has already proven so addictive as to cause TSM (a.k.a. Mania Elbow) — a form of repetitive stress injury brought on by repeated tugging on the spring-action shooter. I find myself constantly shaking my sore wrist after each round of play.
Opening June 17 at Disney’s California Adventure, the $80-million D-Ticket Toy Story Mania takes riders through a carnival midway hosted by the movie’s animated characters — Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Rex and Hamm.
Wearing 3-D glasses, riders on the five-minute drive-through video game compete against one another by firing virtual darts, pies and eggs during virtual games of chance.
Is Toy Story Mania the best ride at California Adventure? Absolutely. It plays to Disney’s storytelling strength and surpasses Tower of Terror and Soarin’ Over California on my all-time favorites list.
Are there better rides across the way at Disneyland? Absolutely. I still prefer Indiana Jones Adventure and Haunted Mansion for a completely immersive experience.
But Toy Story Mania is an excellent benchmark for DCA going forward as the planned $1.1-billion expansion unfolds over the next five years. Here’s hoping Disney’s Imagineers keep the bar set high and strive to outdo their Toy Story Mania success.
Complete coverage:
> Disney’s California Adventure Reimagined: Toy Story Mania
> 2008 SoCal theme park preview: Toy Story Mania
> First look at Disney’s Toy Story ride
> New Toy Story Mania details emerge
> Disney offers sneak peek at Toy Story Mania ride
> Toy Story Mania reviews roll in from Orlando
> Spoiler alert: Toy Story Mania video on YouTube
> Video: Animatronic Mr. Potato Head in action
> ‘Misleading’ Toy Story Mania advertising campaign
Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the
Los Angeles Times Funland blog: www.latimes.com/funland
— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
[Photo: Disney]
3 Comments on “Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure takes dark ride to next level”
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June 13th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Dateline Disneyland columnist Andy Castro over at MiceAge takes issue with Toy Story Mania’s theming and storyline but loves the ride:
“When you’re playing the games, you can’t help but be sucked in, especially if you’re riding with a partner. I was sneaking peeks at the on-board score screen throughout the ride, trying to keep ahead of my partner’s score, which I ultimately did not. The games are wildly fun and fast-paced.”
— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer + Theme Park Blogger
June 16th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Brady,
You took the words out of my mouth. The ride is so addicting you can’t stop until your arm falls off. DCA really needed this ride and the location of it will just increase the attendance of the park. The theming is way better than Nemo and you could punch holes in the theming and storylines of a ton of rides.
Keep it up!
November 9th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
WERE IS THE PLASE WERE YOU SIGHN IN TO GET THE VIDEO GAME?