Disney's Green Army Patrol opens the door to female troops in new Toy Story Land

For the first time, the Green Army Patrol will include both male and female soldiers.

The co-ed troops, based on the popular, plastic toys from the "Toy Story" movie franchise, will debut Saturday at Toy Story Land, Disney's latest theme park addition at its Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

Tom Vazzana, show director at Walt Disney World Resort, said the move to include women in the Green Army Patrol was not "a ginormous political statement" but that "it just made sense."

"We didn't create a wheel; we just made the wheel better," Vazzana said.

Vazzana said he hopes the updated cast will be something all guests can enjoy together.

"I don't want them to ever walk away from something saying, 'That was fun, but that could never be me,' " Vazzana said. "I don't want barriers to why they could only watch and not do something if they wanted to."

Guests can drum along during Green Army Patrol Drum Corps parades.

They also will be invited to imitate battlefield poses by playing "Sarge Says" and to participate in an interactive boot camp, Disney said.

All Green Army Patrol members will wear the same costumes and be able to interact more freely in character with guests throughout the park.