Great Places for Children to Visit

Toy Story has become one of the marquee franchises in Walt Disney World. Its characters have an attraction in the Magic Kingdom, an entire land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and a section of the of All Star Movies Resort. The Toy Story section of the All Star Movie Resort features a representation of Andy’s Room circa the original 1995 Toy Story film, complete with a three story Woody figure and bookshelf. This bookshelf features a number of nods to other Pixar works of the time and was visible in the movie as well. What do all of these book titles reference? I’m glad you asked, let’s run through them.

 

Let’s get a couple of the more standard books children might have on their shelves. Fairy Tales, Dictionary, Great Places for Children to Visit, ABC’s, My First Book, and The Stars could all be found, in some form or fashion, on just about any child’s shelf. There are, to my knowledge, no hidden meanings tucked away in these titles.

 

Red’s Dream, Tin Toy, and Knick Knack are all references to Pixar short films. Red’s Dream, from 1987, features a red unicycle dreaming of being a circus star. 1988’s Tin Toy, stars a one-man band toy, Tinny, who is being pursued, and then ignored, by a baby. It is worth mentioning that Tin Toy would go on to be the first Academy Award win for Pixar. Lastly, Knick Knack, released in 1989, features a snow globe trapped snowman who desperately wants to be free of his snow globe and hang out with other souvenirs at a beach party.

 

Next up, Smyrl Smyrl Twist and Twirl, is a reference to Pixar technician and artist, Eliot Smyrl. Smyrl has worked on everything from Toy Story and A Bug’s Life, to Finding Nemo, Up, Inside Out, and even Pixar’s latest release, Soul.

 

The Adventures of Andre and Wally B. is actually a short that pre-dates Pixar’s formation. This short was created in 1984 and features a robot named Andre waking up in the woods and being taunted by a bee, Wally B. This short was created by Alvy Ray Smith, John Lasseter, Bill Reeves, and other names Pixar fans would be familiar with, but was created when they were still at Lucasfilm.

 

Ant and Bee Go on Vacation, isn’t a real title and it doesn’t have a tie to a Pixar project. However, it is likely a reference to the 13 Ant and Bee stories by Angela Banner that were created by Angela Banner and illustrated by Banner and Bryan Ward in the 1950s through the early 1970s. This series is still a beloved children’s book series in the United Kingdom.

 

Lastly, let’s discuss a pair of mysteries. Feet First has no place in Pixar or real-world literature that I could find. It’s a complete enigma to me. Scooter Run, however, may be a nod to the scooters that were used as transportation around Pixar in their early years. In fact, it is possible that this is even a reference to the timed races they would have when they needed to let off some steam, but I can’t find any solid documentation of my theory. If you have details on either of these titles, I’d be happy to know!

 

There you have it, a shelf full of childhood memories, nods to Pixar’s early history, and a couple of mysteries. Which is your favorite bit of history or trivia that you’ll share on your next trip to All Star Movies?