Toy Story Mania or Incredicoaster First? Pixar Pier Guide

By The SupaPark Team

Published November 11, 2026

Here’s the order: ride Toy Story Midway Mania! first, then Incredicoaster, then come back to the coaster after dark for a second ride. Midway Mania appeals to every age in your group, so its line tends to stay busy from morning on, and getting it done early pays off. Incredicoaster is the ride you’ll want to do twice anyway, and the night ride is the better one, so it makes sense to finish the day with it.

The rest of Pixar Pier works differently. It’s a boardwalk of smaller rides that you fit in when lines are short or the kids need them. Plan around the two headliners, use everything else to fill gaps, and save room for Lamplight Lounge.

How the pier is laid out

Pixar Pier wraps around Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure. It’s split into four themed neighborhoods: Incredibles Park, Toy Story Boardwalk, Inside Out Headquarters and Pixar Promenade. As you walk, the theme changes from one film to the next.

Two photo ops are worth looking for while you’re there: the painted balloon bouquet and the Pixar Ball fountain. Both work best early in the day or around sunset, before the boardwalk fills up. That’s when you can get a clean shot without strangers in the frame.

Toy Story Midway Mania!: go first or use Multi Pass

Toy Story Midway Mania! is a carnival shooting game where everyone in the family plays together. Grandparents, toddlers and competitive teens all enjoy it, so its line tends to stay busy all day without big spikes or lulls. It’s part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass.

The move: if you’ve bought Multi Pass, make this one of your first selections. At Disneyland Resort, you make your first Multi Pass selection after entering a park that day, and a ride that’s busy all day is where Lightning Lane saves you the most time. If you don’t have Multi Pass, ride it on your first pass through the land, before the afternoon crowds arrive.

Planning around this? Open Disneyland in SupaPark.

Incredicoaster: the reason you’re here

Incredicoaster is the pier’s headline thrill ride. It’s a long, fast loop around the bay, and the story has the Incredibles chasing baby Jack-Jack. The ride lasts about 3 minutes, which is a lot of coaster by theme-park standards. Know these facts before you go:

• Height: 48 inches (122 cm), one of the tallest minimums at the resort. Measure your kids before you promise them this one.
• Lightning Lane: part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
• Single rider: there’s a single rider line, though some single rider lines open only on busy days. If your group doesn’t mind splitting up, look for it first.
• Rider Switch: if a child is too short, use Rider Switch. Your party splits up, a Cast Member scans the admission of the people waiting, and up to two of them can ride afterward without waiting in the standby line.

The move: ride it after dark at least once. The coaster is lit up at night, and many riders say it feels faster in the dark. A daytime ride and a night ride feel different enough that it’s worth doing both.

If you’re staying at one of the three Disney hotels, each registered guest age 3+ gets one entry to one eligible Multi Pass ride on one day of the stay. Incredicoaster is a strong choice for it.

Pixar Pal-A-Round: swinging or fixed?

The big wheel over Paradise Bay comes in two versions, and they’re listed separately:

• Pixar Pal-A-Round – Swinging, about 9 minutes
• Pixar Pal-A-Round – Non-Swinging, about 9 minutes

This choice matters more than people expect. The swinging gondolas slide and sway as the wheel turns, and they swing out over the water. They feel much wilder than they look from the ground. Anyone who gets motion sick or is nervous about heights should pick the stationary gondolas. Nine minutes is a long time to regret your choice.

The move: take a fixed gondola near sunset if photos matter to you, because the views over the bay and the pier are some of the best in the park. Take a swinging gondola if your group enjoys a little chaos. Either way, check that you’re in the right line before you reach the front.

Rides to fit in, not plan around

These are worth doing when the line is short. Don’t build your day around them.

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind: a spinning ride themed to Riley’s emotions. Good for younger kids, and adults can skip it.
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel: about 2 minutes on critters from the Toy Story world, an easy win for preschoolers.
• Games of Pixar Pier: classic boardwalk midway games. These are paid midway games, separate from your ticket, so treat them as a souvenir purchase rather than a ride.

What a veteran skips: if it’s your first visit, you only have one day and there are no young kids in your group, skip all three. Spend that time on a second Incredicoaster ride after dark, or in the lands next door.

The show: Operation: Playtime!

Operation: Playtime! - featuring the Green Army Patrol is a street show starring the Green Army Men from Toy Story. You don’t need a seat, and kids love the drill-sergeant crowd work. As of November 2026 showtimes aren’t fixed. Check the day’s entertainment schedule in the Disneyland app, and only head over if you’re already on the pier.

Where to eat on Pixar Pier

Lamplight Lounge is the land’s table-service restaurant. It’s themed as a hangout for Pixar artists, with studio sketches and inside jokes on the walls. It has historically run on two levels:

• Downstairs: the full food menu, and the room where reservations have been taken up to 60 days ahead.
• Upstairs: walk-up only, first come first served, with the full drinks menu. The full food menu has historically been served only downstairs, so check what food is offered upstairs on your date.

There’s also a separate listing, Lamplight Lounge - Boardwalk Dining. As of November 2026 both listings show as walk-up, so check the Disneyland app or Disneyland.com for how each one is seating guests on your date. If a reservation option appears, book it as soon as your 60-day window opens. If not, look for a Mobile Dine walk-up list, which select table-service restaurants offer, and join it early rather than trying your luck at the dinner rush. Decide which experience you want before you queue: the full menu downstairs or drinks upstairs.

The move: have a late lunch here during the afternoon lull, then head back out for Incredicoaster after dark. Any in-park dining needs a park reservation and admission for Disney California Adventure that day.

For something cold, Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats is a walk-up soft-serve stand. It has historically offered a non-dairy lemon soft-serve alongside chocolate and vanilla, which is useful if someone in your group avoids dairy. Check the current menu in the app.

How Pixar Pier connects to the rest of the park

Pixar Pier sits on Paradise Bay, with Paradise Gardens Park around the water. That makes it easy to pair the pier with that side of the bay without walking back through the middle of the park. San Fransokyo Square is the other neighbor, and it’s your route toward Cars Land later in the day.

A smooth loop: start with Midway Mania, then Incredicoaster, then the Pal-A-Round gondola you’ve chosen. Cross to Paradise Gardens Park, then come back to the pier for Lamplight and a night ride on the coaster.

A warning for two-park days: using Multi Pass in both parks requires Park Hopper, and crossing over depends on availability at the second park. Don’t count on an evening at Pixar Pier when your reservation is for Disneyland Park unless you know you can hop.

The takeaway

Do Toy Story Midway Mania! early or with Multi Pass, ride Incredicoaster twice (once after dark), and pick your Pal-A-Round gondola on purpose. Only add the smaller rides if you have young kids. Finish at Lamplight Lounge, after checking in the app how it’s seating guests that day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the height requirement for Incredicoaster?

Incredicoaster requires riders to be at least 48 inches (122 cm), one of the tallest minimums at Disneyland Resort. If a child is too short, your party can use Rider Switch.

Does Incredicoaster have a single rider line?

Yes, Incredicoaster has a single rider line, though some single rider lines open only on busy days. It’s also part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass.

Should I pick the swinging or non-swinging Pixar Pal-A-Round?

Pick the non-swinging gondolas if anyone in your group gets motion sick or is nervous about heights, because the swinging cars slide and sway over the water for about 9 minutes. Choose the swinging ones only if your group likes a bit of chaos.

Can you make reservations at Lamplight Lounge?

Downstairs has historically taken reservations up to 60 days ahead, while upstairs is walk-up only. As of November 2026 both listings show as walk-up, so check the Disneyland app or Disneyland.com for your date.