Alien Swirling Saucers to Debut New Name, Soundtrack, and Character From Toy Story 5

Visitors heading to Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will soon experience a major update to Alien Swirling Saucers. Disney has announced that the family-friendly attraction is receiving a brand-new name, an all-new soundtrack, and a fresh interactive character making the jump straight from the big screen.

Beginning Friday, September 25, the ride will officially be known as Alien Swirling Saucers: Lilypad’s Jams. The update introduces Lilypad, a spirited, frog-shaped smart tablet character from Pixar Animation Studios’ film Toy Story 5, who will serve as the attraction’s resident DJ. Lilypad will have a physical presence outside of the ride as a larger-than-life frog-shaped tablet where she can hype up tracks, introduce songs, and interact with park guests.

To create the new audio experience, Walt Disney Imagineers traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to collaborate with world-class musicians. The resulting soundtrack spans multiple musical genres, including pop, country, EDM, and alt-rock. The updated playlist features a mix of beloved Toy Story classics reimagined with a fresh swirling energy alongside entirely new songs written specifically for the attraction.

Guests will hear newly arranged versions of familiar favorites, such as “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from the original 1995 Toy Story film, “We Belong Together” from 2010’s Toy Story 3, and “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from 2019’s Toy Story 4. In addition to these classics, the soundtrack includes fresh original tracks like “Pizza Planet Promo,” which serves as an in-universe theme song for the pizza arcade, and “Spin It Back, Lilypad,” a tribute to the newest toy in the backyard. Disney also noted that characters like Partysaurus Rex are expected to get more airtime during the DJ sets.

Guests do not need to board the ride to experience the new entertainment. Lilypad will also provide interactive entertainment for visitors standing in Toy Story Land outside of the attraction. Between tunes, guests can watch her screen to guess which toy she is doodling on her drawing app, help her unscramble puzzles, and view home videos she has recorded of various Toy Story characters.

Thomas Niederhiser, Senior Creative Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained that the team wanted to approach the music in a completely new way by taking beloved songs and pairing them with catchy, sincere, and slightly cheesy original tunes about places like Pizza Planet. Geoff Line, Senior Story Lead at Walt Disney Imagineering, shared his enthusiasm for the project, noting that getting to expand stories for characters from toys they played with as kids is pure joy.

For fans looking to catch up on the latest film before the ride’s update debuts, Toy Story 5 arrives on the Disney+ streaming service on Wednesday, September 23, just two days prior to the launch of Alien Swirling Saucers: Lilypad’s Jams at Walt Disney World.