To Infinity, the Bedside, and Beyond: Pixar Brings ‘Toy Story 5’ to Young Patients

Young patients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford received a special dose of movie magic when artists from Pixar Animation Studios visited with Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, bringing screenings, drawing demonstrations, and behind-the-scenes storytelling to children, families and healthcare teams.

The week that Toy Story 5 was released worldwide, children staying in or visiting Packard Children’s enjoyed private screenings in patient rooms, playrooms, and the hospital’s Story Corner. For many young patients, going to a movie theater is not possible. This visit brought the excitement of a new popular release directly to them.

The event continued a nearly 20-year tradition of Disney and Pixar artists coming to Packard Children’s to share animation, storytelling, and creativity with patients and families. Artists met children at the bedside and in Story Corner, showing how favorite characters take shape on paper, answering questions about Disney and Pixar films, and offering a glimpse into the creative process.

“Coming to the hospital and seeing the kids connect with the film is incredibly meaningful,” said Bob Pauley, a Pixar Production Designer. “I worked on Toy Story 5, and to see how much the movie, the story, can spark joy, curiosity and a little bit of escape, even on a hard day for these kids, makes my day.”

Bringing Toy Story 5 to patients

During the screenings, patients returned to the world of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Forky, and the rest of the Toy Story gang—characters who have delighted families for more than 30 years.

In the newest chapter, it’s “Toy Meets Tech,” as the toys face a new challenge to playtime and navigate a world increasingly shaped by technology. The story gave patients a chance to reconnect with familiar characters while discovering a new adventure filled with humor, heart, and imagination.

Drawing smiles, one character at a time

Beyond the screenings, Pixar artists sat down with patients and families to draw. With pencil, paper, and imagination, they showed how simple lines and shapes can become expressive characters from some of Disney and Pixar’s most beloved films.

Children asked about their favorite characters, how animated movies are made, what it is like to work at Pixar and how artists create personalities that feel so real on screen. For patients unable to leave their rooms, Pixar animators brought the experience directly to the bedside — transforming hospital rooms into mini art studios filled with laughter, conversation and creativity.

For parents like Anthony Real, this moment was truly magical.

“A lot of kids are in the theater watching this movie right now, while kids like my daughter Mia is in the hospital watching it from her bedside,” said Real. “So, to have Stanford Children’s provide this special movie screening and to bring in Pixar artists so that our kids can draw with them, and ask them questions about their favorite characters, is more than we could imagine.”

A tradition of creativity and connection

For nearly two decades, through the coordination of Pixar and the Stanford Children’s Child Life and Creative Arts team, the goal has been to bring normalcy to patients receiving treatment. The visits are part of the hospital’s commitment to caring for the whole child and family through experiences that bring comfort, play, and imagination into the hospital environment.

As Woody, Buzz, and friends returned for a new adventure, Pixar artists brought something equally meaningful to Packard Children’s: time, creativity, and the simple joy of drawing a smile.