At a glance
This thrill ride recreates a race car track in Andy’s backyard. Riders climb aboard RC, the remote-control car from the movie Toy Story, set on a huge orange half-moon track. The vehicle doesn’t roam free on the track but stays locked to the rail for the whole ride.
The ride uses a launch system that sends the car back and forth. The motion starts out gentle, then RC picks up more and more speed to climb each side of the ramp. Each time, you reach the top of the track before heading the other way, which makes it feel like you’re briefly flying over the land.
During the ride, you get that tickly feeling in your stomach, especially on the fast drop after reaching the highest point. This ride is all about speed and verticality, giving thrill seekers a short but intense ride. The surrounding scenery uses giant props like dinosaurs and game pieces so you feel shrunk to the size of a toy.
The most dizzying half-pipe in Toy Story Playland. A giant RC car swings back and forth on a U-shaped ramp all the way to vertical, with a noticeable moment of hang time at the top of each climb. Short but intense thrills. There’s a minimum height, and the line grows fast because capacity is low.
History
RC Racer opened on August 17, 2010 in the Toy Story Playland area. It’s a pendulum ride inspired by the movie Toy Story. An identical ride exists at Hong Kong Disneyland (2011) and later Shanghai Disneyland (2016), and the Paris version was the first one built.
Technical specs
- Top speed
- 68 km/h
- Duration
- 1 min
- Length
- 82 m
- Opened
- 2010
- Type Coaster
- Opening date August 17, 2010
- Duration 1 min
- Model Half-moon coaster
- Top speed about 68 km/h (42 mph)
- Maximum height 25 m
- Hourly capacity 600 riders/hour
- Minimum height 1.20 m
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering
- Manufacturer Intamin
- Track length 82 m
Theme & world
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level low
- Thrill level big thrills
- Emotional impact moderate
- Perceived wait moderate
- Height requirement 1.20 m
- Recommended age teens, adults
- Wheelchair access must transfer from wheelchair
- Open to pregnant visitors
Premier Access, Single Rider, PhotoPass
Not offered on this ride.
A "single rider" line: you fill the empty seats, often much faster than the standby line.
No PhotoPass on this ride.
This ride stays closed during Extra Magic Time and only opens when the park does.
Who it’s made for
Pros and cons
The highlights
- Big drops and a real rush of speed
- From the top of the track, you look straight down onto Toy Story Playland
- Bright, colorful theming that matches the movie
The downsides
- Often a long wait for a very short ride
- May be too intense for people prone to vertigo
- Capacity limited to 20 riders per cycle
My verdict
RC Racer is the most dizzying half-pipe in Toy Story Playland: a giant orange remote-control car swings back and forth on a 25-meter U-shaped ramp, all the way to vertical at each end, at 80 km/h (50 mph). The minimum height is 120 cm, Single Rider is available, and each cycle holds only 20 riders. It’s extremely short (1 minute) for some intense thrills.
I find the thrills really strong for such a compact ride. It’s a true scream machine. My people-watching tip while you wait: look at the controller to the right of the line entrance, because it moves depending on the ride’s status. On the downside, the wait-to-ride ratio isn’t great, so fit it into a full Toy Story Playland session to make it worth it. Skip it if you’re prone to vertigo, because those moments of hanging at the top can really catch you off guard.
Best time to go
Based on this ride’s wait time history, updated every day.
Map & getting there
RC Racer is in the Toy Story Playland area of the Worlds of Pixar land, close to Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin.
Your questions about this ride
01 How can you avoid long lines for the most popular rides?
To skip long lines at Disneyland Paris, I mix several strategies. First, Single Rider is free and really speeds things up on the rides that offer it, including Crush’s Coaster, Flight Force, Ratatouille, and Spider-Man, as long as you don’t mind boarding apart from your group. Next, Disney Premier Access is a paid service that guarantees you priority entry on the headline rides. If you’re staying at a Disney hotel, Extra Magic Time lets you into the park before official opening, and that’s the best time to ride the popular attractions back to back without waiting. Last, heading to the busiest rides during a parade or a big show empties the lines dramatically.
02 Are the wait times posted in the park accurate?
Yes, the wait times shown in the app or on the park’s screens are generally accurate. They’re often equal to or slightly longer than the real wait, which helps you plan your day better.
03 How can I find out if a ride will be under refurbishment during my vacation?
Disneyland Paris posts the list of rides closed for refurbishment on its official website several weeks ahead of time. Since the parks are open year-round, maintenance crews sometimes work on days the park is open, which leads to temporary closures. My tip: check this calendar (or the one on my blog) before you book, especially if there’s one particular ride you really care about.
04 What are the height requirements for each ride at Disneyland Paris?
Here are the minimum heights for the thrill rides at Disneyland Paris. In Disneyland Park: Autopia at 0.81 m, Star Tours and Big Thunder Mountain at 1.02 m, Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain at 1.20 m, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril at 1.40 m. In Disney Adventure World: Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop at 0.81 m, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at 1.02 m, Crush’s Coaster at 1.07 m, and Avengers Assemble: Flight Force and RC Racer at 1.20 m. All the other rides have no height requirement, which families with young kids love.
05 Which rides might scare young kids?
Several rides at Disneyland Paris can be a bit much for young kids, even with no height requirement. Blanche-Neige et les Sept Nains, in Fantasyland, has dark scenes with the witch that can catch them off guard. Les Voyages de Pinocchio also has some unsettling moments. La Tanière du Dragon, beneath Sleeping Beauty Castle, is home to a very impressive animatronic dragon. Phantom Manor, in Frontierland, leans into its ghostly mood and stays pretty intense for little ones. Pirates of the Caribbean switches between cheerful scenes and darker ones. I recommend watching how your child reacts before you board.
