The ride experience on all Toy Story Mania attractions is virtually identical. The games are the same, the duration is the same, and aside from the load/unload areas (and the language difference in Japan), most riders would not be able to tell them apart. With that said, these rankings really boil down to the building façade, queues, and backstory. And that’s where California’s version stumbles. The Victorian seaside pier theming here at Disney’s California Adventure park is nothing to shrug about – the details are plentiful and fit nicely into the overall theme of Pixar Pier. The queue is relatively basic, but at least it is consistent, with exterior switchbacks and an interior room with a few attraction posters advertising the whimsy of the seaside boardwalk games. It’s nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done. This consistency all falls apart though, when exiting the attraction. A display of Andy’s room – with the attraction taking the form of a toy game he has received – makes an attempt to wedge in the concept that we were “shrunken to the size of a toy” while riding the attraction, and now we are returning to normal. It is a concept delivered entirely too late the in experience, is completely unnecessary, and only adds confusion and complexity to what is otherwise a consistent theme. Admittedly, it probably goes over most guest’s heads. But for those who follow ride backstories, it is nothing short of convoluted and clunky. Couple this with the relatively simple queue, and the result is that this version of Toy Story Mania comes in short of what it could have been, sitting solidly in last place on our list.

When Tokyo DisneySea made the decision to add Toy Story Mania to this incredible parkit had to find a creative way to incorporate a theme and ride that, at first glance, really didn’t have a logical home. It was ultimately decided to place the attraction in a new sub-section of American Waterfront, dubbed “Toyville Trolley Park”. This area, themed in a Luna-park fashion, drew on the seaside piers of the past, complete with an elaborate set of lights and architecture. It’s such a sight, that it’s worth a walk into the area, even if one has no intention of riding the attraction. At night, it lights up in a way that is unmatched in few other areas of Disney Theme Parks, all highlighted by a giant head of Woody, whereby guests enter the show building via his large gaping mouth – true to the form of classic seaside parks of a bygone era. A perfect fit and feel for American Waterfront. Entering the show building, however, the logic once again falls apart. As in California, the backstory now suddenly suggests we are “shrunk to the size of a toy” so that we can participate in the attraction. And like California, that backstory isn’t necessary and only adds a layer of complexity not needed on this attraction. It would have been fine to just keep the Luna-park theme and suggest the experience is a series of seaside carnival games. Instead, we are taken indoors to find oversized toy props and visuals – almost identical to those found in the Florida attraction’s queue. And while these are fun, they really just don’t make sense within the Toyville Trolley Park or American Waterfront theme. It’s a shame because from the outside, this is hands-down the most gorgeous façade of all of the Toy Story Mania rides. But the contrast once entering the show building is a miss, and it’s why the Tokyo version of the attraction sits in second place on our list.

The best Disney attractions are those that don’t feel forced in any way. The rides, queues, show buildings and backstories all flow together seamlessly and truly transport guests to another place. Within Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios park, we find a great example of this at work. Florida’s Toy Story Mania, situated perfectly within this robust and consistent land, appropriately leverages the overarching theme of being shrunk to the size of a toy in Andy’s backyard. Surrounded by other oversized toy attractions like Slinky Dog Dash and Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania here is a natural fit both outside and in. After walking through the exterior portion of the queue, “built” by Andy himself from the various toys he owns, guests enter the show building, and there is no clunky transition here. We are the size of a toy both outside and inside the attraction. It is a consistent experience that does not add confusion or pull a guest out of the moment. The interior space, while large and lengthy, contains even more oversized toys, games and props. Like much of the Florida resort, there is plenty to see and do here, encouraging interaction by guests. This makes the wait in line much more bearable, as around every corner are new surprises to keep visitors occupied. And on top of all of this, due to the immense popularity (and lengthy queues), the Florida resort added a third track to the ride in 2016. As a result, the ride seems to have the capacity needed to sustain the mega-crowds that regularly descend upon the park. So not only is the queue fun, engaging, and thematically appropriate, it moves at a much more reasonable pace than its counterparts in California and Tokyo. Ultimately, it’s nothing short of a perfect fit – and backstory – for a fantastic attraction in an equally fantastic land. And it’s why this version of Toy Story Mania sits in first place on our list: the best placement, the best queue, the best capacity, and – overall – the best Toy Story Mania ride in the world.