This weekend Disney’s Hollywood Studios will officially open the long awaited for Toy Story Land and after the media preview that surfaced earlier this week and my inner five-year-old self is bursting with excitement. The Toy Story movies have always been some of my favorite Disney classics and seeing the characters come to life at the new theme park brought me down memory lane. Here are some life lessons we learned from Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andie’s toy box!
Believe in yourself. Buzz Lightyear lived and breathed this very message. He thought he was sent on a mission to save the planet and didn’t let anyone tell him otherwise. “To Infinity And Beyond” is one of my favorite quotes from the movie; it serves as a constant reminder that we are capable of anything we set our mind to.
Friendship. No toy left behind was a common theme of each of the Toy Story movies, and who could forget the classic “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” theme song. There were plenty of scenes when leaving a friend behind would have made an easy getaway, but the characters never chose that option. They did whatever they needed to save their friend, even if it meant putting their own well being at risk. Now that’s commitment.
Be Kind. In Toy Story 2 we learned about the character Jessie’s past, which uncovered why she had a guard up with everyone she crossed paths with. This is an important lesson we all needed at a young age to realize that we truly never know what others are going through, and it’s important to keep that in mind with everyone you meet.
Teamwork. Each toy contributed something unique to the group that helped them get out of a sticky situation. Whether it was the Etch-A-Sketch mapping out the route to the destination or slinky dog serving as a bungee cord for the toys jumping from Andie’s roof they were all equally valued. Working in teams and bouncing ideas off of each other is really the key to success in public relations and with the help of Toy Story we learned this way back in the day.
Nothing beats re-watching a childhood favorite as an adult and realizing the deeper meaning and motivational themes throughout the plot. Luckily for me, I have a four-year-old brother and have an excuse to binge cartoons on the weekend! If you’re interested in checking out the media preview of Toy Story Land, you can find it here.
