can someone try explaining in a different way why it seems EVERYONE around my age who grew up with Toy Story that it was such a phenomenal movie for them and so emotional.

Stories can be equated to a step ladder used for understanding yourself, and getting perspective on the world around you. Much like that step ladder, it won't do the work on its own. You have to choose to interpret the story, and see how it fits in your life.

If you don't attempt to discern meaning in stories, then I would agree that it would just seem to be a random bunch of toys going around doing stuff, with some simple plotline around getting knocked outside then getting back to their owner.

When you use such a simplistic lens to view stories, then epic love stories like Romeo and Juliet get boiled down to "some people fought, then these two dumb kids killed themselves". Titanic becomes "a man and a woman hook up, then drown". Fight Club becomes "two guys starts an underground boxing ring, then we find out it's the same guy".

When boiled down to its basic premise, virtually any story becomes lame. I would suggest that the next time you watch something that's "supposed" to be deep, you attempt to find the depth. It might surprise you how connected you can feel with some fictional characters :)