 It was screenwriter Joss Whedon 's idea to incorporate Barbie as a character who would rescue Woody and Buzz in the film 's final act . The idea was dropped after Mattel objected and refused to license the toy . Producer Ralph Guggenheim claimed that Mattel did not allow the use of the toy as " They [ Mattel ] philosophically felt girls who play with Barbie dolls are projecting their personalities onto the doll . If you give the doll a voice and animate it , you 're creating a persona for it that might not be every little girl 's dream and desire . " Hasbro likewise refused to license G.I. Joe ( mainly because Sid was going to blow one up ) , but they did license Mr. Potato Head . The only toy in the movie that was not in production was Slinky Dog , which was discontinued since the 1970s . When designs for Slinky were sent to Betty James ( Richard James 's wife ) she said that Pixar had improved the toy and that it was " cuter " than the original . 
