McDonald's 1999 Toy Story 2 Happy Meal - Marionette Woody
There are Happy Meal sets you remember because they were everywhere, and then there are the ones you remember because you had to have all of them. The 1999 McDonald's Toy Story 2 promotion was firmly the second kind.
The Promotion
Released in November 1999 to coincide with the theatrical debut of Toy Story 2, this McDonald's Happy Meal set was one of the most ambitious fast-food toy tie-ins of its era. Twenty toys. Not four. Not eight. Twenty. Each one representing a character or prop from the Pixar film, packaged individually in Happy Meal boxes that themselves featured scenes from the movie. The sheer scope of this wave made it unusual by any measure, and kids (and more than a few parents) quickly realized that collecting the complete set was going to require some serious dedication.
Marionette Woody -- Toy #13
Among all twenty pieces in the set, the Marionette Woody stands out as the most concept-driven toy of the bunch. Numbered 13 in the lineup, this figure captures a specific and significant moment from the film: the scene where Woody is posed and displayed as a marionette puppet, reflecting his identity as a vintage cowboy toy from the 1950s Woody's Roundup TV show.
The figure stands approximately 5 inches tall. Woody is molded in a classic standing pose with his arms slightly forward, wearing his signature sheriff outfit -- hat, vest, badge, plaid shirt, and pull-string. The plastic construction is sturdy mid-grade McDonald's standard, with molded color throughout rather than painted details. The paint apps on the face are clean and recognizable, capturing Woody's wide-eyed expression accurately for the scale. His hat and shirt are the typical bright yellow and red. No articulation in the arms or legs, but the toy includes short strings attached to the hands and feet in true marionette fashion, dangling from a lightweight plastic crossbar handle.
That string-and-crossbar mechanism is what makes this toy memorable. It actually functions as a basic marionette. You can hold the handle and get Woody to shuffle and bob in a passable puppet walk. It is not a precision instrument by any stretch, but for a Happy Meal toy tied to a film about toys playing at being toys, the execution is charming and appropriate.
The Full Set of 20
Part of what makes this promotion worth collecting is the breadth of characters represented. The complete wave includes Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Bullseye, Hamm, Rex, Slinky Dog, Mr. Potato Head, Mrs. Potato Head, Bo Peep, Lenny (binoculars), Little Green Alien, Emperor Zurg, Stinky Pete the Prospector, RC Car, Etch A Sketch, Barrel of Monkeys, Green Army Man, Robot, Tour Guide Barbie, and Marionette Woody. That is a remarkable roster for a fast-food promotion and covers nearly the entire cast of both Toy Story films up to that point.
Within the set, some toys lean heavily toward play value (RC Car, Slinky Dog) while others like Marionette Woody and Etch A Sketch are more novelty-oriented. The Marionette Woody sits in a category of his own -- interactive in concept, display-worthy in execution, and thematically the most connected to the film's actual story.
The 1999 Toy Story 2 set arrived at the exact moment when this franchise was transitioning from beloved film to full cultural phenomenon. Twenty toys in one promotion was McDonald's saying: this is a big deal. For collectors, it still is.
Collector Notes
Marionette Woody is consistently one of the more sought-after pieces from this set. The strings are the first thing to degrade -- expect them to be knotted, frayed, or missing entirely on loose examples. A complete specimen with intact strings, functional crossbar, and clean face paint commands noticeably higher prices than a standard figure from the same wave. Sealed-in-bag examples exist and carry a meaningful premium.
For display purposes, the marionette format creates some fun options. Hung from a shelf peg or small hook, the figure reads as an actual puppet on display, which leans right into the film's aesthetic. Group it with the other Toy Story 2 pieces and you have a shelf that tells the story of the promotion clearly.
Completing the full set of 20 is achievable today -- these toys circulate steadily on eBay individually and as lots. The harder pieces to find in excellent condition tend to be the ones with moving parts or attachments: Marionette Woody, Slinky Dog, and Lenny top most collectors' lists. If you already have 15 or 16, do not let Marionette Woody be the one that stalls you. It is worth tracking down.
- Condition priority: intact strings and crossbar, clean face paint
- Display idea: hang from a small adhesive peg hook on a Pixar-themed shelf
- Set completion note: aim for sealed bags if budget allows; loose is fine for display
- Appeal: strong for Toy Story collectors, film nostalgia buyers, and late-90s Happy Meal completists
