At a glance
This ride is a family-friendly drop tower for anyone who wants to try vertical thrills without anything too extreme. Riders sit in groups of six in a round gondola, held in by a simple safety net and a lap bar, and get lifted to the top of a structure that looks like a military training tower. The look comes from the little green plastic army men in Toy Story, with scenery that makes you feel like you’re in a tiny army base set up in a backyard.
Once you reach the top, the open view lets you look out over the park before the drill begins. The ride is a series of rises and drops, each one giving you that light, stomach-lifting feeling. It’s not a sudden free fall but a controlled up-and-down that mimics paratroopers coming down.
The ride is especially fun to look at thanks to its bright colors and giant props, like walkie-talkies and plastic ammo crates. It’s a good middle step for kids who want to test a thrill ride before moving on to bigger attractions. Since it’s outdoors, you can watch a full ride cycle before deciding whether to get on.
The family-sized mini drop tower of Toy Story Playland. Green army men’s parachutes pull riders to the top of a tower before a gentle, bouncy descent that kids can enjoy. A nice quick view over the land from the top. A good first try at drop thrills, without the intensity of Tower of Terror.
History
Opened on August 17, 2010 in the Toy Story Playland area, Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop is a kids’ drop tower based on the little green army men from Toy Story. It was copied at Hong Kong Disneyland (2011) and then at Shanghai Disneyland (2016).
Technical specs
- Top speed
- 25 km/h
- Duration
- 1 min 10
- Opened
- 2010
- Type Drop tower
- Opening date August 17, 2010
- Ride time 1 min 10
- Maximum height 27 m
- Top speed 25 km/h
- Number of seats 36
- Hourly capacity 535 riders/hour
- Minimum height 81 cm
- Design Walt Disney Imagineering
- Manufacturer Intamin
Theme & world
Levels & accessibility
- Fear level low
- Thrill level moderate
- Emotional impact moderate
- Perceived wait moderate
- Height requirement 0.81 m
- Recommended age kids, tweens, teens, adults
- Wheelchair access must transfer from wheelchair
- Pregnant visitors not recommended
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
- Panoramic view of the surroundings from 27 meters up
- Drop-ride thrills that kids can handle
- Very colorful theming, faithful to the world of the Pixar toys
The downsides
- Fully exposed to rain and wind, and the ride stays open even though the parachutes sit above the seats
- Wait times are often long for a fairly short ride
My verdict
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop is the family-sized mini drop tower of Toy Story Playland: the green army men’s parachutes lift riders 27 meters up, then bring them back down in a series of soft little bounces. Minimum height 81 cm, Single Rider available, ride time 1 min 10.
To me, it’s the perfect stepping stone toward Tower of Terror for kids: they get a taste of vertical thrills without the spooky atmosphere that can scare them. The panoramic view from 27 meters is a nice bonus. Skip it in bad weather: even with the parachutes over the seats, the ride is still exposed to rain and wind. And as is often the case in Toy Story Playland, expect a long wait for a fairly short ride.
Best time to go
Based on this ride’s wait time history, updated every day.
Map & getting there
Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop 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.
