Life is nothing without a little spontaneity, and that definitely applies to Disney trips. Can you imagine making a reservation for a vacation house a week before arrival? How about buying party tickets two days before you leave?
That’s just what I did a couple weeks ago, and I’m here to tell you — it was a blast. A stressful blast, but a blast nonetheless. With two rapidly growing careers happening, my family has been having a hard time really nailing down a time for our vacation. We’ll pick a time, and then just not be able to get the days off. It’s frustrating and heartbreaking, and finally we decided we just weren’t going to deal with it anymore. Enter the last minute mini-trip. We each had a park ticket sitting on our accounts and a few flexible days — so we were going!
With the days ticking down, we had to quickly figure out what was going to be the most efficient way to use our time. Of course, we were going to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. That’s non-negotiable. What about our park day, though? We knew we were going to be in the parks for the first day of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, so that was going to be a major part of the day. How are we going to start the morning though?
Toy Story Land.
Clearly.
The little one has been so excited about the idea of Slinky Dog since the day it was announced, and has been chomping at the bit to get her little body into that coaster. Of course, the prospect of a Fastpass was out of the question, but I am not the kind of mother who tells my child they have to miss a ride because there’s a wait. If an experience is really important to her, I wait with her. The rest of my family can go do other things if they want to, but I would much rather have her have the memory of doing that important thing, and that I’m willing to wait for her, than to skip it and have her be disappointed, no matter how many other things we can do.
So the plan formulated. We’d rope drop Hollywood Studios and head right for Slinky. She and I would wait while the others did whatever they wanted, and then we’d move on. The morning of the 30th, we were up and raring to go. We got to Hollywood Studios by 7:45 and got an exceptional parking spot in an almost empty lot. Getting to the turnstiles, we faced the frustration of Extra Magic Hours, but we were ready for the wait. We wanted to be as close to the front as possible the second the clock struck 9. And we were. After standing there for over an hour, watching the wait time tick up on the app, we finally heard the fanfare of music and were welcomed into the park.
Thrill!
Avalon, hubby, and I hightailed it straight toward Toy Story Land. We were immediately blown away. I love this new section of the park! I think it’s amazing. People complain about the lack of themeing heading into the land, but they seem to miss the idea that you are walking by the foundation of a house the size of a toy. But some people are just never going to catch on. Anyway, we kept moving as fast as we could without running, absorbing every detail we could — and there were a lot of them! By the time we made it to Slinky Dog, the wait time said 45 minutes. Not horrible. We hopped in line, and were immediately enchanted by the queue. Here you are walking into the amazing coaster Andy built out of toys, boxes, and coloring books. Feel nostalgic as you make your way past old school toys, enormous coloring books scribbled in by Andy and his little sister, and the Green Army Men getting involved in the building project — that Elmer’s Glue bottle is completely authentic, by the way.
By the way — massive points to whatever Imagineer said “let’s put water fountains in the queue”. Brilliant. Also, we spied a cart with popcorn and bottled drinks. Not fabulous in terms of the people who decided to have no ethics or class and toss the bottles into the queue settings, but amazing for those needing a bit of a snack on the way.
The line could have seemed intimidating if it wasn’t for the Play Disney app. Now, if you’ve been with me for a while you might know I am not a fan of phones. I’m really not a fan of people being on their phones at Disney World. I have no patience for people who can’t seem to function without constantly checking their phone, or scrolling through websites and social media every second. However, I will absolutely make an exception for Play Disney. This thing is brilliant. We had a blast interacting with the the queue, playing games, and giggling together. Not only did this help us feel like we were moving more quickly than we were, but it was a wonderful memory. The wait also ended up only being 20 minutes! Magic!
We were a group of three, which means Hubster ended up riding with a stranger to maximize rider capacity. Smart move, Disney. Those singletons add up super fast, and it makes the line a lot faster. Climbing in, I was happy to see a pouch where I deposited my glasses. Then we were off!
Slinky winds his way out of the platform, gets ready, and launches. That first launch has more energy than I was even expecting. You really take off! The ride was surprisingly fast and had high hills, banking turns, and dips through the beautifully landscaped area. I was particularly fond of the series of camelback hills that give you a little bit of airtime.
The little one’s favorite part comes close to the end. I don’t want to ruin it, but just keep the phrase “Hang on!” in your mind when you get most of the way through. Such a cute detail! As you get to the end of the ride (which is much longer than most “kiddie” coasters), you’ll see Andy’s handwritten sign declaring the Big Finale! Get ready to do some singing, because Wheezy and his little spelling friend are ready for a singalong! I’m not ashamed to say I got a little tear in my eye.
Overall, Slinky Dog was a major win for us! The queue was adorable (but prepare yourself for people who don’t understand the idea of “fill in all available space” and who will stop to take pictures with the props and hold up the line for what feels like forever), the Play Disney app was a fabulous addition, and the ride itself was zippy, unpredictable, and definitely worth the hype. The little one ended up taking her uncle for a second round!
The Slinky Dog craze is here to stay in my house!
Next time — getting swirly with the aliens!
Find out how the FREE services of a Disney World travel agent can make planning your Disney vacation simple and STRESS FREE!
Taryn was born and raised, and still lives in Richmond, Virginia. Neither she nor her husband ever had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World when they were children, but when their daughter Avalon came along, they decided she was not going to follow in their footsteps. They brought Avalon for the first time when she was 3 and have been hooked ever since. Now along with Taryn’s mother and equally Disney-loving older brother, they go “home” at least once a year, and by the time she is staring longingly at Cinderella Castle from the ferry on their last night, Taryn is well on her way to planning the next trip. As a group consisting of two adults with Asperger’s, including one who is also vegan, a very accommodating husband, an only child, a senior, and a service dog, they are a pretty special family, but Taryn is excited to show that the World really is The Most Magical Place on Earth and that there is a place there for everyone. When she isn’t thinking about her next Disney adventure and trying to come up with a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party costume that will beat her Oozma Kappa nerd look, she is a professional blogger and novelist, but Taryn also likes to indulge her Disney passion on her Etsy shop It’s Better in Vinyl.
Want to know when Disney announces special savings and deals? Sign Up to Learn About the Latest Disney Promotions!
Wondering about vacations beyond the “world of Disney”? Receive alerts on the latest travel deals for Universal Orlando Resort, Sandals/Beaches and select cruise lines!
