Hollywood Through the Ages.
Immersive Cinema Experiences.
Hollywood Studios has some of the most immersive lands in all of Walt Disney World! Previously a working studio and named MGM Studios, Hollywood Studios still maintains a reputation for producing great entertainment and even better attractions! Walt Disney loved the idea of letting guests enter a world of movies in a real studio, and it has been one of his biggest hits!
The shows here really are as good as Broadway, and each land is so well done that it feels like you are really there! The Chinese Theater is a replica from the real Hollywood, and the streets are named after the ones in California. It really does have a feel of Hollywood through the ages, and it is a park suitable for all ages!
Check out my tips for maximizing Genie+ at Hollywood Studios, as well as rope drop, transportation, character meet and greets, special magical moments, and so much more!
Lands
Animation Courtyard is home to Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the Chinese Theater. Commissary Lane is just the walkway behind ABC Commissary to get to Mickey and Minnie’s Red Carpet Dreams.
Echo Lake is featured in many films, and it is an actual mini lake in the middle of Hollywood Studios to represent the actual lake in Hollywood! Grand Avenue is home to the Muppets, and Hollywood Blvd is reminiscent of the same street in Hollywood with shops and a few food items.
Pixar Plaza is in the front of Toy Story Land, which is home to some major attractions and makes you feel like a toy! Sunset Blvd has some yummy treats with a spooky hotel at the end (Tower of Terror).
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is like stepping right into Battu, right down to the theming of the trash cans. This will amaze guests of all ages, and the food and drinks are super well done!
Resorts
Hollywood Studios is home to several close proximity resorts because there are so many ways to get to Hollywood Studios. My favorite mode of transportation is the Skyliner! EPCOT and Hollywood Studios are close in proximity, and they share the Skyliner, so most of the same resorts are easily accessible to both parks. The Riviera is the most luxurious resort on the Skyliner, and Caribbean Beach is a great option as well if you want to have a great location and save money. Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk are true EPCOT resorts because you can walk from them into World Showcase, so they are excellent options if EPCOT is your priority, especially during Festival times. Art of Animation and Pop Century are both really fun resorts if you are on a budget, and their locations are excellent!
Dining
Hollywood Studios is known more for attractions than dining, but if you are looking for Table Service, Sci Fi Dine-In Theater is a cool experience! My favorite Quick Service is the grilled cheese options at Woody’s Lunch Box and the Ronto Roasters at Docking Bay 7! Wookie Cookies at Backlot Express are great for a sweet treat, and Baseline Tap House is the best snack/lounge in Hollywood Studios! You will definitiely not go hungry, and there are plenty more options to check out below!
Attractions
The rides in Hollywood Studios are as immersive as the lands they have built, and the shows are some of the best in the Disney Company! Rise of the Resistance is an experience like no other that includes a ride as well as a show! Smuggler’s Run is interactive and feels like you are really on the Millenium Falcon!
Slinky Dog Dash, an accordion style roller coaster, is tame enough for kids but a different experience for each seat! Toy Story Mania is being in a competitive video game, so put your game face on! Alien Swirling Saucers is good, but it is geared more for kids.
Tower of Terror is my favorite ride here! The drops are always different, and the whole experience is entertaining. Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster is one of the biggest thrill rides, and Star Tours is a simulated ride.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is perfect for all ages and one of Disney’s newest rides! Check out a full list below!
Entertainment
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing Along is so cute for men and women, and of course, children! It is what I would call “punny,” and you get to see several Frozen characters as well! Beauty and the Beast is Broadway caliber, and Indiana Jones is thrilling and entertaining!
Jollywood Nights is the new party Disney just released in 2023, and the nighttime spectaculars are FANTASMIC! (a must see) and World of Animation! I recommend getting reserved seating for FANTASMIC!
Character Meet & Greets
There are so many characters different types of characters in Hollywood Studios because of the diversity of the lands! I love how the Star Wars characters are so on it that they are even “harsh” with guests in a fun way, and the Toy Story characters are as whimsical as they are in the films! Pay attention to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge because the characters walk around and engage guests!
Transportation Options
Hollywood Studios has plenty of transportation options, but the highlight is the Skyliner! The introduction of the Skyliner really put the Skyliner resorts on the map as places to stay! Any of these options are great, and Hollywood Studios is a big hype right now because of the immersive lands, so it is awesome to be able to get there easily.
Even More Magic at Hollywood Studios
The FANTASMIC! Dining Packages are worth every penny because you get VIP seating for the show, and you do not have to wait in line or arrive early. The lightsaber and droid experiences are truly one of a kind if you can manage the cost!
Lightning Lanes
Hollywood Studios is definitely worth it for Lightning Lane Multi Pass. The attractions here are some of the most immersive, and overall, Hollywood Studios has the best thrill rides. Most of the big attractions have big wait times throughout the day, so if you want to skip the lines, the cost is worth it to me!
You can only use Lightning Lanes during regular park hours (not during special ticketed events) at Hollywood Studios.
Rise of the Resistance is the only Lightning Lane Single Pass selection at Hollywood Studios. This is the best way to ensure you get to ride it since the standby queue gets insane. I recommend getting this unless you do not mind waiting in line for 120+ minutes.
Sometimes you can luck out if Rise of the Resistance goes down, and you happen to be walking by it when it reopens – I had clients do this, and it was so awesome for them! Because it is so immersive, this happens sometimes, but cast members will pixie dust you if you are already in line with a lightning lane!
Star Tours has about 16 different shows, so if you ride it more than once, you will get a new show! Ashoka has also been configured into the simulator, so if you are a fan, this is a good place to see her.
Do not skip the shows at Hollywood Studios, especially For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-a-long and Beauty and the Beast. They are fabulous. And pop through Walt Disney Presents. It will tug your heart.
Hollywood Studios is fun at night, especially Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Tower of Terror is also way different at night, and the view is amazing! Nighttime is also a great time to get in a lot of rides that has long waits.
Rope Drop Tips
If you want to have a chance at a high priority ride at rope drop, you need to be in line to get into the parks an hour before early entry posted time. If you are not staying on property, I would recommend getting there about an hour and a half before the gates open.
Resort Guests can take advantage of Early Entry and get in 30 minutes before the park opens to non-resort guests.
Scenario 1: Early Entry guests should rope drop Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway if your first Lightning Lane Selection is for Slinky Dog Dash. Try to jump on Tower of Terror or Rock n Rollercoaster next, and catch a couple shows early while you wait for your next Lightning Lane Selection to open up.
Scenario 2: Early Entry guests could rope drop Slinky Dog Dash and if first Lightning Lane Selection is for Smuggler’s Run. Try to jump on Tower of Terror or Toy Story Mania next, and catch a couple shows early while you wait for your next Lightning Lane Selection to open up. The next selection should be Mickey and Minnie’s or Tower of Terror (if you have not already ridden it).
Scenario 3: If you do not purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass but have Early Entry, my advice is to try and rope drop Slinky Dog Dash and try to ride Toy Story Mania before the park officially opens. This is risky because most people do it this way, but if you hustle, you can make it worth it, and the waits will be shorter either way.
Scenario 4: If you do not have Early Entry, and you do not have Lightning Lane Multi Pass, your best bet is to do the more exciting rides as early as you can or in the heat of the day when people rope drop or go to the shows. HOWEVER, I do not recommend going to Hollywood Studios without early entry or Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
Make sure you are not rope dropping the attraction you got the first Genie+ Selection for.
*If you do not have Early Entry, make Slinky Dog Dash your first Lightning Lane Multi Pass Selection, and hit some of the other rides like Star Tours or a show until you can book another Lightning Lane Selection. Tower of Terror or Smuggler’s Run can be your next Selections.
NOTE: Smuggler’s Run is the only one of the priority rides that has a single rider line, so this could serve you well if you choose to make this one your wait in line ride.
A lot of the rides in Hollywood Studios have height requirements, so keep that in mind if you are bringing littles. Check out my Height Requirement Guide above!
