Toy Story fans have another reason to get excited about visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios this summer! Roundup Rodeo BBQ joins the park’s fantastic selection of immersive dining options with a setting and menu that are sure to please the biggest Toy Story fans and the pickiest eaters.
“What I love about Imagineering is that we often can collaborate with other creative divisions. For Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Pixar was a key partner in the storytelling and world-building,” Jared Sell, Project Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering, told us. “For this restaurant, we wanted to maintain the backyard theme guests can enjoy throughout Toy Story Land while creating something new and exciting. These boundaries helped guide some of the initial ideation, as well as opening the chance to introduce never-before-seen toys to Toy Story Land. The pull toy version of Trixie, Jessie as a mini figure, and even the Imagineering-designed ceiling game boards and comic books came together to expand upon Andy’s toy collection.”
Enter the World of Toy Story at Roundup Rodeo BBQ
Serving both lunch and dinner, Roundup Rodeo BBQ offers classic flavors and traditional dishes in the middle of some of Andy’s best toys. You’ll feel as though you’ve stepped out of reality and into his rodeo playsets which have become larger than life. “The one thing that I am most excited for our guests to experience at Roundup Rodeo BBQ is the opportunity to step into a space that will transport them back to their own childhood as they are surrounded by toys, pictures, and creative ideas all designed by Andy, while they get to enjoy a family platter of great, familiar, comfort food served family style!” Brian Piasecki, Culinary Director for Culinary Concepts, told us. “The ability to sit back and relax, put your phone away, grab an activity sheet with the family and just be a kid again yourself and enjoy each other—that is what makes this space so special.”
With set pricing for adults and children, diners can enjoy bread service, a variety of flavorful salads like Rex’s Romaine and Kale Salad, a smoked BBQ platter or plant-based option, family-friendly sides, and delightful desserts like Bo’s Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake. “Our approach to creating a menu that appeals to a wide range of demographics for our guests was really driven by immersing ourselves into the “Toy Story” world and understanding it is really all about family, fun, having a good time, and becoming a kid again!” Piasecki explained. “As we took in the storyline of the movies and, even more specifically, the story of Andy’s backyard as told through the experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we wanted to maintain the family feels, the feel of fun and really incorporate what we all understand is a great family gathering—a picnic or BBQ!”
You’ll find nods to the setting and the story all throughout the menu, especially in the beverage department. Kids of all ages can enjoy flavors like the Partysaurus Tex and the Frozen Cowpoke Cocoa, while grown-ups have their own options like the Snake Eye Margarita, The Rodeo Mule, and the Rum on the Range. “Roundup Rodeo BBQ allowed the Beverage Team to add so many different inspirations to the development toolkit,” Stephanie Dold, Beverage Manager of Food & Beverage Concept Development, said of the beverage menu and its creation. “Some of the most exciting concepts included elements of childhood nostalgia, beverages that feel natural and desirable in a BBQ setting, and a few gentle nods to themes of the “Toy Story” films. Pulling from these notions allowed us to speak to the interests of guests of all ages!”
“We shared our ideas with our creative partners at Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar, and they got really excited about it! We just took off and had fun with a backyard family BBQ theme,” Piasecki said of the concept. “We were able to incorporate all the fun and familiar things we come to know at these types of gatherings—but all with the “Toy Story” spin! All classic items such as house-made smoked meats including Beef Brisket, Bone-in Pork Ribs, Brined Chicken, and There’s a Sausage in my Boot are complimented with backyard favorites such as Weezy’s Watermelon Salad, Trixie’s Tomato Salad, Loaded Spuds, Slinky Doooooooooog Mac & Cheese, and Homestyle Baked Beans. And we all know a BBQ wouldn’t be complete without pie, so the team crafted a selection of mini pies in a jar, and of course, there is our Forky Cupcake!”
With the best of Disney working on every aspect of the project, you can be sure to find thoughtful notes in even the smallest details, courtesy of the Food and Beverage team and Disney’s legendary Imagineering department. “Speaking of partnerships, Walt Disney Imagineering and our Food & Beverage Concept Development team have been creating amazing new spaces at Walt Disney World for years,” Jared Sell, Project Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering, told us. “We met regularly to discuss the design progress and ideas for storytelling and review the evolution of opportunities. When the team landed on the idea of dining in a rodeo arena, classic Americana was one of the first inspirations. BBQ and Americana are synonymous, creating a dining opportunity that would be perfect. The backyard BBQ is used for so many occasions, like holidays, birthdays, and family gatherings, all of which are multi-generational experiences. “Toy Story” has become one of those cultural films that, too, is multi-generational. Using that, the menu was developed to be inclusive of generations and nostalgia, as you would see at a backyard BBQ family gathering!”
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is sure to be a hit among visitors of all ages since Toy Story has hit home to so many generations throughout the decades since its initial release. “I’m most excited for guests to immerse themselves in the dining experience and relive memories from their childhood,” Stephanie Dold, Beverage Manager at Food & Beverage Concept Development, said of the space. “We were able to foster an experience in which guests can come together around the dining room table to share an incredible meal while reminiscing upon a story that is so close to many guests’ hearts. That, to me, is a full-circle memory.”
“Between the scenic elements, cast member interactions, atmosphere, and of course, the food, the full experience makes the Roundup Rodeo BBQ a new Disney dining destination,” Jared Sell, Project Manager at Walt Disney Imagineering, explained. “I am excited to see how the experience grows with time and watch as families come together to enjoy what we have created!”
“I am most excited for guests to see the oversized toys and playsets that Andy used to create his rodeo. Once guests enter the restaurant, they are immersed in this fun and interactive space,” Christine Hernandez, Proprietor of Roundup Rodeo BBQ, told us. “There are special moments for the guests to become part of the story. One of those moments is “Andy’s coming!” where the whole restaurant “freezes” while Andy looks for his belt buckle. It is so much fun to see the look on the guests’ faces when these moments happen; it really is magical!”
