Using the reduced WZNW formulation we analyse the classical $W$ orbit content of the space of classical solutions of the $A_2$ Toda theory. We define the quantized Toda field as a periodic primary field of the $W$ algebra satisfying the quantized equations of motion. We show that this local operator can be constructed consistently only in a Hilbert space consisting of the representations corresponding to the minimal models of the $W$ algebra. ; Comment: 38 pages