Bullseye Stallion Stampede

Bullseye is one of my very favorite Pixar characters, so I was happy to see him awarded an appropriate DCA mini-attraction of his own in 2009.

Soon after Toy Story Midway Mania opened on Paradise Pier in 2008, the area's midway games underwent a major theme change to add some desperately-needed character elements. The Bullseye Stallion Stampede is one of those games where a prize is awarded each time, and your odds of winning depend on how many other players take part. Rolling a ball into holes on the playing field sends your little 2-D horse advancing across the race track.

The best scenario for this game is for one or two parents to compete alongside their child with no other players present, guaranteeing a plush prize for a reasonable cost. Although "real" world carny games are notoriously stacked against the player, this family-friendly twist can actually be a good entertainment/souvenir deal when all participants are in the same touring group.

Green Army Men in 2008

Our recent post on Toy Story Midway Mania has got me thinking back on the attraction's first summer at the resort. It's hard to believe the ride will soon reach its fifth anniversary!

Midway Mania was the first major step in "fixing" the old DCA, and the loyal Green Army Men were sent outside the park's borders to spread the word via a clever little show in the Esplanade. The performers did a great job, drawing crowds as they drummed up excitement for the new ride/game.

You don't often see Disney characters performing outside the turnstyles; this was actually a free little show that anyone could enjoy -- even if they'd just come to the resort to stroll through Downtown Disney.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt a bit sorry for these guys on that particular summer afternoon; they were performing in nearly hundred degree heat.

Toy Story Midway Mania

The lively atmosphere of this loading station sets the mood for a terrific ride; Toy Story Midway Mania provides one of the most intensely entertaining sensory-overload experiences in all of Disneyland Resort.

It's also one of the trickiest rides to board without a hefty wait in line. Unlike its sister attraction in Florida, the DCA Toy Story ride has no Fastpass option. The good news: without Fastpass, the line moves fairly quickly, and an average afternoon wait hovers around the 45 minute mark.

The bad news: that  line remains consistent throughout most of the day. The only way to board quickly is to hurry over to Toy Story first thing in the morning (while everyone else is in Cars Land).

Or, there's Plan B...

The World Behind World of Color: Dark Paradise Pier

If you've already seen the terrific World of Color at Disney California Adventure, you might want to consider an alternate plan during the next performance: Dark Paradise Pier. It's one of the park's most atmospheric and unexpectedly pleasant surprises. It's also one of the very best times to visit Toy Story Midway Mania.

Mr. Potato Head Works the Crowd

Entering Toy Story Midway Mania requires a stroll past the watchful and witty Mr. Potato Head, Paradise Pier's number one (and only) sideshow barker.

While the Florida version of the ride uses its queue to make guests feel they've shrunk to toy size, California's Midway Mania queue enlarges the Toy Story world to blend in with an early-twentieth-century boardwalk.

On both coasts, riders are treated to one of the most amazing interactive adventures in theme park history.