Alien Swirling Saucers Takes Guests for a Spin

[Stu]

Three-eyed Toy Story Aliens take guests on a whirling flying saucer ride in toy rocket ships as part of Alien Swirling Saucers, one of the new attractions inside Toy Story Land, opening June 30 at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

As guests become "honorary toys" in the new land, they encounter Alien Swirling Saucers, a playset that toy-owner Andy of Pixar Animation Studios' Toy Story films won at the Pizza Planet restaurant. The new attraction whirls and blinks with colorful lighting, electronic space music and nonstop fun.

Alien saucer pilots are straight out of the Toy Story movies, with their pointy ears, three eyes, short antennae and facial expressions designed to convey surprise or delight. Each extraterrestrial has hitched its flying saucer to one of 22 rocket ships; together, flying saucers and rockets spin through the Pizza Planet galaxy.

With "The Claw" dangling overhead, guests climb aboard their rocket ships and hover in Pizza Planet’s version of "deep-dish space" for an out-of-this-world saucer whirl to the beat of new versions of Toy Story songs and musical themes. During the adventure, the Aliens spin guests around toy icons like Planet Pepperonia and a pizza-inspired space station.

Before boarding Alien Swirling Saucers, guests can pose for a photo with a Buzz Lightyear action figure standing more than 14 feet tall on top of toy building blocks near the entrance to his Star Command Space Station Playset. Toy robot guards flank the Pizza Planet-inspired marquee.

Inside Star Command, there are buttons to push, dials to turn and a switch to toggle for audio and visual effects. His creativity never flagging, Andy built a toy gantry with his Construx toy pieces that guests use to traverse from Buzz’s command center to the Swirling Saucers game.

Guests who are spin-averse can swirl vicariously by watching from the viewing area in between and around the playset.

"This is a world created by a boy's imagination," said Dave Fisher, Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Story Editor. “Andy has brought out all his space toys – it’s a really fun and high-energy attraction.”

Before or after a spin on Alien Swirling Saucers, guests can pose for an out-of-this-world selfie with a stationary, photo-ready green Alien in its colorful saucer just outside the attraction. Toys of all makes and sizes – from a 10-foot-diameter “rubber” ball to colourful Cooties – have been carefully placed by Andy among the landscape of overgrown grasses, toy shrubs and playset trees throughout Toy Story Land.

Alien Swirling Saucers: At a Glance

• Type of attraction: Swirl-and-whirl ride
• A Disney first: Three-eyed green Alien pilots
• Number of passengers per seat: 2 to 3 honorary toys
• Number of saucer/rocket ships: 22 (11 in each of two playset areas)
• Height restriction: 32 inches
• FastPass+: Yes

images © Disney