Relive Toy Story with Woody's Wacky Fire Truck!
Written: Apr 14 '04 (Updated Oct 19 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cute, small, no batteries required. Nice fire engine toy.
Cons: Just minor ones
The Bottom Line: We mostly got this set to go with my son's beloved Toy Story Spaceship set. They make a cute set, but he prefers the Spaceship.
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| mizgnomer's Full Review: Toy Story - Woody's Wacky Fire Truck |
My 2½ year old son has recently become a Toy Story fanatic. He carries his 12" Buzz Lightyear and 16" Woody figures around with him everywhere (much to my chagrin, because they are rather large and Buzz is quite heavy, and there are times when I would like to take my son somewhere without Woody and Buzz coming along too). When my son got Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Spaceship a little while ago, it quickly became his favorite toy, but he was a bit upset that there was no miniature Woody figure to accompany his miniature Buzz. In his eyes, Buzz and Woody just go together! That's why I was very happy to see Woody's Wacky Fire Truck on the toy store shelves. Not only was there a Woody figure, but Woody has a fire truck that is comparable to Buzz's Spaceship! My son was thrilled.
Product Description:
The Woody's Wacky Fire Truck is one of the larger of the "small-sized" playsets from Pixar's Toy Story movies. The largest piece in the set is Andy's fire truck (as seen in the first Toy Story movie -- except in the movie it had a Little Tykes label rather than a Tonka one). Also included in the set are a 3-inch tall Woody (the cowboy character voiced by Tom Hanks) and a 1-inch tall Lenny (the walking toy binoculars).
The soft-ish plastic fire truck is roughly 8 inches long, nearly 4 inches wide, and just under 5 inches tall. The fire engine is colored as you would expect (mostly red with some silver/grayish accents) and includes Woody's star badge and a large "Tonka" label as additional decoration. The wheels are large and turn very freely. There is a seating area that is recessed in the front of the truck, so you can put a character in down through the ceiling to sit in the driver's seat (my son would prefer it if the doors opened, but they don't). The back of the fire truck has a ladder that you can raise and extend. The ladder measures 3½ inches collapsed and 5 inches extended. At the end of the ladder is a basket where a figure can ride. The basket has notches that allow it to stay upright regardless of the angle of the ladder.
Underneath the ladder is a space they term the "storage bin". It is just over 1 inch wide, 1 inch deep, and just over 3 inches long, so there's really not much you can store in there (unlike Buzz's Spaceship, which has plenty of additional storage space). There really isn't a back to the space either, although you can lower the ladder and use the basket as the back to the bin (so your stuff doesn't fall out).
The fire truck comes equipped with a fire hose that squirts water. There is a large, soft-plastic nozzle on the hose that you can use to suck up water, then you simply squeeze the nozzle to squirt it. On the side of the truck is an oversized holster where you can keep some water for squirting, or where you can simply store the hose/nozzle. Additionally, there is a "rescue lasso" that you can use to rope some of the smaller characters. The lasso is a plastic ring attached to a string that winds up inside the front of the truck. To get the lasso out you just pull on the loop, and to retract it you turn the notched wheel at the front of the truck with your finger (it's not very high-tech).
The Woody character stands roughly 3 inches tall and is made of a "bendy" plastic. He's not articulated, but can be bent into a variety of positions. He is a good likeness to the movie character, right down to his empty holster and large cowboy hat. Lenny isn't articulated either. Both characters have notches in their feet, and the fire truck has a series of pegs where you can attach the characters.
Also included are a "ring" of six army men. They stand approximately 1 inch tall, and are made of a very soft plastic. They are attached to each other, and the two ends can be connected to make a ring. The ring of army men can hold a "rescue tarp", presumably so they can rescue toys jumping from burning buildings.
There are no batteries required. The manufacturer recommends this toy for children ages 4 and up.
Our Experiences:
If you've seen the Toy Story movies, you understand why my son thinks it is important to give Buzz and Woody equal time, and why I hate to ask him to choose one over the other. His Buzz Lightyear Spaceship is currently his favorite toy, and it really bothered him that there was no Woody. With the addition of Woody's Wacky Fire Truck, my son is thrilled, and plays with both Buzz and Woody in both the spaceship and the fire truck.
Of course, there are some things I would change. One thing that bothers my boy is the fact that Lenny cannot be looked through (like the binoculars he is meant to be). He continues to hold Lenny up to his eyes, attempting to use him like Woody does in the movie. I don't think it would have been that big of a deal to make the toy at least see-through, even if it didn't magnify.
I'm not impressed with the supposed "storage bin". It can basically store the army men, but isn't big enough to even store the "rescue tarp" that the army men carry. Plus, since there is no back to the bin, anything that's in there falls out as soon as playtime begins. Fortunately, the interior of the Buzz Lightyear Spaceship is more than big enough to store everything from both sets.
Another aspect of the toy that I'm not really thrilled with is the "lasso" on the front bumper. You must pull quite hard to get it to unwind out to full length -- hard enough that I worry that the flimsy string will break. Retracting it is also quite a chore -- you must turn and turn and turn the little "winder", and it isn't a quick process. My son LOVES the projectile/missile on the Spaceship, and I wish the lasso was similar to that or the gun on the Zurg figure from the same toy-line -- something that would eject with the press of a button and re-load easily.
We have not yet put water into the fire hose. I'm not a big fan of water-toys in the house, and while I don't suppose there's any reason that the truck couldn't be a tub-toy, my boy enjoys playing with it out of the tub so I prefer to leave it that way. When the weather gets nicer we might make it a sand-box toy, where water is allowed.
I should mention that, at 2½, my son is well below the 4-and-up age limit. I'm guessing it is so-rated due to the small size of the army men and Lenny (which could pose a choking hazard). My son doesn't tend to put toys in his mouth anymore, so we feel fairly okay letting him have this set. He has also been very careful to not lose any pieces (except for the "rescue tarp", which he doesn't really understand).
Quickie Summary:
Pros:
+) It's Andy's Tonka fire truck as seen in the first Toy Story movie
+) Small but fun - doesn't take up a lot of storage space
+) Includes Woody and Lenny figures, along with a chain of army men
+) Fire engine has a ladder that can be raised and swiveled
+) Includes fire-hose that can squirt water
+) "Lasso" attached to front bumper
+) Interchangeable with figures from the other Toy Story sets in this same toy-line
+) No batteries required!
Cons:
-) I wish that the lasso ejected and retracted a bit easier
-) I wish Lenny could be looked through (he is supposed to be binoculars, after all)
-) My son would prefer it if the fire truck's doors opened
-) "Storage Bin" really isn't great for storage
-) My boy doesn't enjoy this set as much as the Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Spaceship
Final Thoughts:
I'm really glad that we were able to get the Woody's Wacky Fire Truck set to go with my son's beloved Buzz set. Although my son likes playing with vehicles anyway, he especially likes the fact that it's Woody's fire truck. Hasbro tried to put some neat extras onto the truck (the lasso, the squirting hose), but the only one my son really plays with is the ladder. While my son does have fun with the fire truck, he really does have MORE fun with his Toy Story Spaceship.
Related Reviews:
Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Spaceship
Buzz Lightyear's Intergalactic Headquarters
Toy Story - Intergalactic Emergency
6-inch Disney Exclusive Woody
Buzz Lightyear Kid-Sized 30 Piece Puzzle
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 12.88
Type of Toy: Playscene
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Epinions.com ID:
mizgnomer
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Location: Tennessee
Reviews written: 306
Trusted by: 202 members
About Me:
Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you're crunchy and taste good with ketchup
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