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Orlando Sentinel Conversations Episode 25:
Orlando Sentinel theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil and Robb Alvey, owner of Theme Park Review, discuss their ultimate behind the scenes tour of Disney Imagineering in California, their peek behind the construction walls at Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Slinky Dog as the icon of this new land. Disney Imagineer Kathy Mangum adds some insight on Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story Land.
Stay tuned to the end for pro tips on how to get the most out of your visit to all the Disney parks.
Kathy Mangum is the regional leader at Imagineering for the Atlantic Division which includes Walt Disney World, Disney Cruises and Disneyland Paris.
Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studio is scheduled to open June 30.
Folks will be greeted by a familiar character named Woody — a 20-foot-tall version of the lanky cowboy.
That’s the perspective that Disney came from for the area. Parkgoers will become “honorary toys,” and, thus, become their size, says the creative team, who showed off the progress on the land to members of the media during a walk-through this weekend. The plot line developed for Toy Story Land is that Andy, the young human in the animated “Toy Story” film series, has spread out his toys and created a mishmash of adventures for them.
To help keep the upsized design for Toy Story Land in check, Imagineers used a room where digital projections on the walls allow designers to virtually walk through area long before the project’s completion. It’s called the Digital Immersive Showroom or “The Dish.”
But visitors shouldn’t overthink the math, Mangum said.
“We have to look at it from a human dynamic. You still have to be able to get in and out of these things,” she said. “It’s just that everything’s big. We don’t want you to go in with a scale and try to decide if it’s 1-to-20 or whatever. We just want you to have fun.”
SHOW NOTES:
Read Orlando Sentinel stories about Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
Disney: Toy Story Land’s opening will extend days at Hollywood Studios.
First look: Playful eats at Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land sneak peek: Disney’s latest big toys pull double duty
Podcast music – Magnitude by Benjamin McAvo.