WDI Files Another Permit for Alien Swirling Saucers at Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios

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Alien Swirling Saucers ride

Posted: Wednesday July 22, 2026 11:27am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney Imagineering has filed a second permit for Alien Swirling Saucers at Disney's Hollywood Studios, adding to the possibility of changes coming to the Toy Story Land attraction.

Alien Swirling Saucers overview

This latest Notice of Commencement covers signage installation, with Design Communications Ltd named as contractor — a vendor with a long history of working with WDI on signage projects across Walt Disney World.

Disney has still not announced any changes to the ride.

Combined with the earlier filing for set element installation by Icarus Exhibits, WDI now has two active permits tied to Alien Swirling Saucers. Signage changes alongside new set elements point toward something more than a minor tweak — though exactly what is still unknown.

Toy Story 5 opened on June 19 and is currently in theaters. With audience interest in the franchise running high, a push to refresh the attraction while the film is still on screens would make sense — though that remains speculation for now.

We'll continue to follow this as more information becomes available.

Alien Swirling Saucers ride

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FettFan16 days ago

Well, can’t expect too much from a ride that is literally A. S. S.

FettFan16 days ago

Toy Story Land has been open for almost a decade now; there is no excuse for the lack of shade at this point.

𝐌𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝐖𝖊𝖇17 days ago

Nothingburger designed to help with operations efficiency

wdwmagic17 days ago

WDI Files Another Permit for Alien Swirling Saucers at Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios WDI has filed a second permit for Alien Swirling Saucers, this one covering signage installation with Design Communications Ltd as the contractor. Combined with an earlier permit for set element work, two active permits now point to something more substantial than a minor update, though Disney has not announced any changes. https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/Alien-Swirling-Saucers/news/22jul2026-wdi-files-another-permit-for-alien-swirling-saucers-at-toy-story-land-in-disney-s-hollywood-studios.htm

Mr. SullivanJun 06, 2026

They wouldn’t really need a permit for that they could just do it

eddie104Jun 05, 2026

But how is it relevant to this thread ?

AylaJun 05, 2026

It isn't. The same things have been said since the day it opened.

Casper GutmanJun 05, 2026

It seems fair to bring it up when it’s relevant, just like it’s fair to bring up Tiana. I understand if they’re inconvenient examples for some posters.

BurgermeisterJun 05, 2026

Again, these are your opinions that you are entitled to but that does not make it facts. So dramatic though.

eddie104Jun 05, 2026

But do we need to bring this up in every thread that slightly relates to it? It’s getting very played out at this point and beating a dead horse.

Casper GutmanJun 05, 2026

“TSL is awful,” has been pretty prevalent for a while. Back before it was announced for MGM, when Toy Story Lands were just something that happened to other resorts, it was a pretty universally held view around here. “WDW may have its problems, but at least it doesn’t have a Toy Story Land,” we’d all chortle as we sipped our brandy in the drawing room. How innocent we were! TSL is a massive concrete wasteland featuring a flat ride that is exponentially better in California, a bare family coaster with one AA that may be Orlando’s most inefficiently designed attraction, and Midway Mania. Now, that ride has its fans. I am not one of them.

BurgermeisterJun 05, 2026

A ray of sunshine as usual.😉

James AlucobondJun 05, 2026

Liking what the area provides in terms of rides and dining while also thinking it’s not a particularly well-designed land are not incompatible notions, nor did I think it was a particularly controversial opinion to hold.

MisterPenguinJun 05, 2026

I like TSL. Don't know why, all of a sudden, several people are dropping a dump on TSL. And apart from this thread, doing so off-topic in other threads. Is there a cabal trying to make "TSL is awful" a thing? TSL's only real problem, IMO, is that its attractions attract more people than can comfortably fit in the land. Which is a trap that the new mini-lands are falling into, such at Ratatouille plaza. It can't hold 2,000 people an hour showing up for the ride, so, it's perpetually swamped. The dead-end Monstropolis will have the same problem.