The Toy Story-themed rollercoaster Slinky Dog Dash is one of the most fun and popular rides in Walt Disney World. Set in Andy’s backyard, guests are transported on a series of twists, turns and dips by Slinky Dog himself!
Appealing to all ages (our kids have been riding since they turned 3), Slinky Dog is extremely popular. To help you plan your time in Hollywood Studios, we wanted to share our guide to Slinky Dog Dash – we’ve included all our tips for shorter wait times including our early entry and rope drop strategies and Genie+.
Slinky Dog Dash
Location: Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios
Ride Duration: 2 minutes
Genie+: yes
Minimum height requirement: 40inches (102cm) or taller
Slinky Dog Dash is a Toy Story-themed family-friendly rollercoaster in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios.
Andy has been busy creating a rollercoaster in his backyard using his Mega-Coaster Construction Kit and he’s decided that Slinky Dog will transport the riders!
Slinky Dog Dash Hollywood Studios tip: Slinky Dog Dash is the perfect attraction for younger guests and our kids absolutely adore riding it. However, don’t dismiss it as an adult – the more Dave and I rode Slinky Dog with our kids, the more it grew on us and it’s now one our favorite rides too! The theming is incredible and it is just so much fun to ride!
Slinky Dog himself transports guests through a series of twists, turns and dips. At one point, a mid-ride launch mimics Slinky Dog being pulled back by his springs before being let go!
One of our favorite parts of the ride is when Slinky Dog rises and dips over a sequence of humps!
Another highlight is when the ride finishes and you wait to pull back into the boarding area, Wheezy sings You’ve got a Friend in Me!
There are fantastic views of the surrounding Toy Story Land.
Slinky Dog Dash is one of our favorite attractions in Walt Disney World and our kids absolutely love it!
Slinky Dog Dash Height Requirement / Age to ride
Slinky Dog Dash has a height requirement of 40 inches/102cm. Our 2 older kids have been able to ride it since the were both age 3 and loved it instantly. Our almost 2-year-old still has a long way to go to make the height requirement. On our most recent visit, we met a 2.5 year old who had just ridden it for the first time and loved it!
Is there a drop on Slinky Dog Dash?
There are a couple of small drops and dips on Slinky Dog Dash but they are very gentle. Slinky Dog is definitely not a thrill ride and it’s unlikely that any of the drops will cause your stomach to lurch.
How to ride Slinky Dog Dash
There are 4 ways to secure your ride on Slinky Dog Dash – during early entry, at regular rope drop, using a Genie+ Lightning Lane or waiting in the regular standby line during the day.
Slinky Dog Dash is extremely popular and the wait time is typically in excess of 1 hour – if you have Genie+ or Early Entry then it’s worth planning Slinky Dog Dash in advance so you can avoid the long wait!
Slinky Dog Dash Hollywood Studios Tip: we usually aim for a Genie+ reservation or, if we don’t have Genie+/miss out on a Slinky Dog slot, we go straight to Slinky Dog Dash during early entry rope drop. This way, our maximum wait is typically less than 20 minutes.
Early Entry Rope Drop
If you have Early Entry, then you can take advantage of lower crowds and reduce the wait time by rope-dropping Slinky Dog Dash. Early Entry, where guests staying at an eligible Disney World Resort hotels and other select hotels are granted access to the parks 30 minutes before the official opening time.
We love staying at both the Swan and Dolphin (the Swan is our favorite!). Both hotels are a short walk from Hollywood Studios and Epcot and offer Early Entry to guests – check prices now!
Book your stay at the Walt Disney World Disney Swan
We’ve used the early entry rope drop for Slinky Dog Dash several times and it works really well. We recommend arriving at Hollywood Studios an hour before the Early Entry start time. This way you’ll be at the top of the line and among the first guests to enter the park and arrive at Slinky Dog Dash.
Check out our favorite early entry strategies at Hollywood Studios for more information on Early Entry!
Genie+ Lightning Lane
Slinky Dog is one of the most in-demand rides in all of Walt Disney World and almost always sells out of Genie+ slots- on very busy days we’ve seen it sell out by 7.01am, just one minute after the first Genie+ slots are released!
In order to secure an early return time for a Genie+ reservation for Slinky Dog you will need to be ready to book your Genie+ as soon as the first Genie+ reservation slot opens at 7am. We’ve included our guide to booking using Genie+ in the next section.
Once you have secured your Genie+ reservation, you show up at your assigned time and enter via the Lightning Lane queue – on the busiest of busy days we’ve waited up to 20 minutes in the Lightning Lane but it’s generally very quick.
Rope Drop
If you don’t have access to Early Entry at the park then the next best option is rope-dropping Slinky Dog Dash when Hollywood Studios opens. As there is usually a large Early Entry crowd that ride Slinky Dog first thing the wait time on busy days will likely be around 60 minutes just after regular rope drop. From here the wait time generally climbs to between 120 and 150 minutes by 11am so rope drop can still save you time.
Standby line
The final option for riding Slinky Dog Dash is the regular standby line. Wait times generally peak between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, so we’d recommend waiting until later in the day and checking the wait times regularly in the App.
Lucky Breaks!
If you happen to be close to Slinky Dog Dash during heavy rain or after a ride closure, you might be able to grab a spot in a shorter line.
Occasionally Slinky Dog Dash may close due to unforeseen issues or extreme weather (Slinky Dog Dash is pretty reliable but it does happen occasionally). If this does happen make sure to keep an on the app for when it opens back up – typically there are test runs just before reopening so you will know to hang about.
Single Rider and Individual Lightning Lane
Slinky Dog Dash does not have a single-rider line (Smugglers Run and Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster have the only single-rider lines in Hollywood Studios.
The only Individual Lightning Lane (where guests pay to enter the Lightning Lane on a single ride) is Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios.
Rider Switch
Rider Switch is available on Slinky Dog Dash. With 2 kids who meet the height requirement and 1 who still has a way to go, we use rider switch all the time on Slinky Dog Dash!
2 people can ride together on Slinky Dog Dash and kids age 7 and over can ride alone
Slinky Dog Dash tip: at the moment, Dave and I take turns on Slinky Dog Dash. One of us rides with our 6 year old and the other with our 4 year old as one adult can only ride with a single child under 7.
Rider Switch is a fantastic service for families with kids who don’t meet the attraction height requirements or don’t want to ride. It allows one parent to wait in line and experience the attraction with the children who are riding while the other adult stays with those who aren’t able/don’t want to go on Frozen Ever After
Reserving Slinky Dog Dash with Genie+
Slinky Dog Dash is incredibly popular and Genie+ reservations generally sell out each day – in fact, on busy days (think Spring Break and Christmas week) the entire Lightning Lane availability can sell out within the first minute of being released at 7am!
If you are visiting Hollywood Studios when crowd levels are high or you want to secure an early morning Genie return time, then you need to have a plan!
1 | Purchase Genie+ at midnight the night before your park visit: this saves time purchasing Genie+ on the morning of your park visit. After purchasing, make sure to add your party to the Genie+ service on the App.
2 | Set an alarm for 6.45am: log in to the App 10 minutes before Genie+ slots are released at 7am. We show time.gove on a second phone or a laptop to show the official time – every second counts for Genie+.
3 | Refresh the app just at 7am: refresh the App at 7am and you should see the next available slot for Slink Dog Dash. Use the official time on the second phone to time this.
4 | Select your ride time and confirm your reservation: this is very important – if you don’t confirm your reservation you will lose your Lightning Lane
How to get to Slinky Dog Dash
After entering Hollywood Studios walk down Hollywood Boulevard and take a right at the raised area in front of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad.
Continue straight at the Walt Disney Presents theater and go past The Market Kiosk. Then keep right for Toy Story Land – the giant Woody at the entrance will give it away!
You will see Slinky Dog Dash straight ahead. If you are rope dropping at Early Entry or regular rope drop you need to follow the line which forms along its perimeter – you need to stay right as you pass the giant Woody at the entrance to Toy Story Land.
Other Toy Story Attractions in Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is the setting for Toy Story Land which is, as the name suggests, dedicated entirely to Toy Story!
Slinky Dog Dash is one of three rides in Toy Story Land. The all-spinning Alien Flying Saucers and the 4D shooting game Toy Story Mania.
There are 2 Toy Story-themed dining options.
First up is the fantastic Woody’s Lunchbox which serves up 2 of our favorite snacks in Hollywood Studios, totchos and lunch tarts.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is a recent addition to Hollywood Studios dining and offers family-style BBQ dishes.
We love the ribs, Homemade Cheddar Biscuits and the Cupcake à la Forky.
You can also meet the Toy Story characters in Toy Story Land. Woody and Jessie make daily appearances and Buzz is a frequent visitor.
The Green Army Men are frequently seen marching through the Land.
Other Toy Story Attractions in Disney World
Over in Magic Kingdom, you will find Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, another Toy Story-themed shooting ride, in Tomorrowland.
Buzz Lightyear previously met guests in a surprise meet and greet in Tomorrowland alongside Stitch. In recent months this meet and greet has switched to alternate between Chip and Dale and Stitch
For more on Walt Disney World
Check out:
Hollywood Studios: Our Guide to Early Entry at Hollywood Studios, the best snacks at Hollywood Studios and Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom: best snacks at Animal Kingdom and character dining at Tusker House
Epcot: Princess Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (and our guide on where to meet the Princesses at Walt Disney World) and Frozen Ever After Ride Guide in Epcot
Magic Kingdom: makeovers at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Magic Kingdom, princess dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table, early entry at Magic Kingdom and the VIP fireworks party at Tommorland Terrace in Magic Kingdom