Tips to Get an Even Higher Score on Toy Story Mania! at Disney Parks

Hop in and take a fast-paced, spinning trip into the world of toys, complete with beloved Toy Story friends like Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and more.

With Toy Story 5 now in theaters, dedicated Pixar fans like me are excited to discover new ways to celebrate with Toy Story-inspired fun across Disney Parks, including the latest Toy Story merch on DisneyStore.com and tips to score big on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

Still, the always-classic Toy Story Midway Mania! at Disney California Adventure park and Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Tokyo DisneySea continues to invite guests to step inside a swiveling carnival car and take aim in a fast-paced, midway-inspired competition, allowing passionate fans to push for high scores and discover new secrets (and Easter eggs) along the way.

Want to gain an edge against your friends and family before your next visit to the parks? Reach for the sky and get ready to take your best shot at the leaderboard with these tips and tricks for each of the games found on board this exhilarating attraction.

As you make your way through the queue at each of the three attraction locations, you’ll discover Andy’s latest toy: the Toy Story Midway Games Play Set.

Filled with die-cut cardboard pieces of game booths, game pieces, food carts, and everything else needed to stage a full carnival midway, Sheriff Woody has decided to take charge and make sure that different toys inside Andy’s room have a chance to host each game. Now, honorary toys like you have been invited into Andy’s bedroom to play these games too, where you’ll depart inside Toy Story Carnival Tram vehicles that were included in the playset, influenced by the Victorian look of a 1900s midway.

Once you’ve been greeted by an Audio-Animatronics figure of Mr. Potato Head, secured your 3-D glasses, and hopped on board a ride vehicle that features a decal of a different Toy Story character, you’ll be ready to head into the practice round with your spring-action shooter device in hand.

In the practice round, you’ll be greeted by Woody, Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and Rex, holding practice targets like shields as you launch pies at their targets. During this brief round, the characters will move their hand-held target/shield and try to avoid taking a pie to the face; in certain scenarios, these targets may even end up decorated like a Picasso after you’ve launched a flurry of pies to familiarize yourself with your designated projectile color.

Since there is not any scoring in this section, some players prefer to save their energy (and arm strength), while others prefer to get an initial feel for the attraction’s gameplay to start off – there is no right or wrong answer.

Kicking off the gameplay circuit, this barnyard-themed booth invites you to grab a supply of hard-boiled eggs and aim for a lively collection of targets as Hamm and Buttercup lead the charge for the first game on your ride.

At this booth, you’ll knock down as many barnyard targets as possible (some are stationary, while others seem to be moving along conveyor belts), with some clearly in front of you and others hiding behind facades. Keep an eye out for surprise pop-up targets as well, which can reveal higher-scoring opportunities when hit.

Hosted by Rex and Trixie, this prehistoric midway game lets you launch darts at colorful balloons alongside a cast of toy dinosaurs, along with other targets like dino eggs, lava bubbles, and palm leaves.

Here, darts frequently bounce off nearby balloons, creating satisfying chain reactions that can quickly boost your score. Staying focused on clustered targets can help you take full advantage of these ricochet opportunities, especially while working toward several hidden scenarios that can be uncovered over the course of the game.

As your rapid countdown to extinction begins, one key sequence begins at the base of the volcano. Aim to pop all three vertical balloons positioned along the front each time they appear, as doing so triggers a full eruption that sends a flurry of 500-point balloons into the air and opens a wave of scoring chances for you and your game partner.

Permission to break plates? Granted. Once Sarge (the gung-ho commander of the Green Army Men) gives the all clear to “break those plates,” act like a shortstop and use your spring-action shooter to “throw” baseballs at moving plates located at a toy training ground.

Plates are constantly marching and moving (many are being pulled across the game booth by remote-control helicopters, tanks, and airplanes), but one way to make sure you get a high score during this game is by hitting the two, 2,000-point plates being thrown into the air on both sides of the mountain. If you and your game partner both break each dish on the same toss, a tank may also appear, yielding high-scoring plates that help take your game to the next level.

As a longtime Buzz Lightyear fan, this outer space-themed midway booth has long been a personal favorite of mine. Between its galactic targets and high-value opportunities, it’s also one of the best chances to boost your overall score.

Here, you’ll use your spring-action shooter to toss rings at a variety of targets, including the iconic Aliens floating aboard flying saucers and rocket ships. In a high-scoring setting featuring “The Claw” and several galactic elements reminiscent of Buzz and Woody’s adventures inside Pizza Planet in the original film, this game is one of the best chances you’ll have to take your score to even greater heights during your next rendezvous with Star Command.

Even though you’ll certainly be competing against confident siblings, ambitious friends, and competitive parents, one of the biggest scoring opportunities relies on teamwork. At the start of the round, work together with your ride partner to quickly land rings on all the Aliens positioned on the rocket ship in the center of the screen, and if successful, you’ll unlock a secret “level” where a giant robot suddenly appears on the screen. Aim for the robot’s mouth to score big, but don’t give up – the point level keeps increasing each time this robot opens their mouth.

This high-flying attraction wouldn’t be complete without Woody at the helm. In this final western-themed booth, you’ll enter a setting inspired by the set from the Woody’s Roundup TV show featured in Toy Story 2.

Here, you’ll aim suction-cup tipped darts at a variety of targets, including cacti, fences, and trees. Each successful hit not only adds to your overall score, but also triggers animated gags when hit, where targets spin, collapse, and reveal additional opportunities.

Plus, if you and the other person inside the tram work together to hit all of the targets in the gallery (plus the ones that are eventually revealed) at least one time before the vehicle starts to move, all targets will pop open at once.

As your vehicle advances, the game transitions into a hectic finale led by Jessie, inviting you into a gold mine-themed bonus round. Mine carts race across the screen with increasing point values and offer prime scoring opportunities, but keep an eye out for bats at the top of the screen as another sneaky way to boost your score.

After the mine carts clear, a large bonus target will appear on the screen, with point values climbing rapidly with each hit. Furiously hitting this target gives you a final chance to boost your high score, so keep firing as many times as possible as the “mother lode of gold” rises into view.

Once you’ve completed each game, your journey concludes at a final stop in front of a “prize booth,” hosted by familiar faces from across the films, including Woody with Dolly and Mr. Pricklepants, Rex and Trixie, Jessie with Buttercup, and the Aliens alongside Spanish-mode Buzz Lightyear.

Here, your total score is tallied, giving you a chance to see how you performed across each round and discover which virtual plush prizes you’ve earned along the way.

As your vehicle prepares to head back to the loading station, a “GameBrain” hand-held video game device displays the top scores of the hour, day, and month, along with the coveted “Best in Vehicle” honor, a small but likely-memorable victory worth celebrating during your Disney vacation (I know it always is for me).

If you’re traveling to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney California Adventure park, or Tokyo DisneySea, Toy Story Mania! remains one of the most re-rideable attractions across the parks. With no height requirement, appearances from some of Pixar’s most beloved characters, and a cool, indoor setting that’s perfect to beat the heat, it’s a go-to attraction for competitive, Toy Story-loving families at any time of the day.

If it’s your first round ever or your fiftieth matchup against family members, there is always room to improve your score, whether you’re chasing your personal record or one-upping your ride partner. You’ve got a play date with destiny, so step right up, grab your spring-action shooter, and take your best shot at a new high score.