Disney's Hollywood Studios
General Tips
- Guest Relations is located to the left of the turnstiles on both the outside and inside of the park.
- Park Maps and Times Guides can be found at the Crossroads Souvenir stand, which is right inside the gate in the middle of the street.
- Spend some time watching the small street acts that are performed throughout the park. They are hilarious, and frequently involve guests from the crowd.
- If your children need a break, visit the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground near the back of the park. It includes slides, tunnels and spraying water for a relaxing break.
Character Tips
- Sorcerer Mickey is commonly found at the Magic of Disney Animation, along with his friends from recent Pixar movies including Up and The Incredibles.
- Characters from Playhouse Disney meet and take photos with guests out front of Playhouse Disney LIVE on Stage
- Stroll over to Pixar Place where you can meet Woody and Buzz from Toy Story. Tip: The lines get very long for this, make sure to check the Times Guide and arrive as early as possible.
- Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater from Cars, as well as Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc, are frequently seen on the Streets of America near the back of the park.
- In the morning and afternoon, guests can meet popular characters like Goofy, Minnie and Donald near the Sorcerer’s hat.
Attraction Tips
Toy Story Midway Mania * *
Toy Story Mania is located within Pixar Place, near the back of Disney's Hollywood Studios. You'll know you are close by the larger than life Green Army men, and the endless crowds of people.
When you arrive at the attraction, put on your 3D glasses, the fun is about to start! You are seated in groups of two into cars that have spring-action shooters. You simply pull the string on your gun and it fires your shots at the 3D targets. The ride cars zip along a track spinning and racing to the different Midway games. Some of the games you will play along with your favorite Toy Story characters are balloon-pop, dart throwing and ring toss. The amazing part about this attraction is not only does the screen appear in 3D, so do what you are shooting! You can actually see your rings being tossed towards the targets! Each car is equipped to keep tally of each rider's score and displays them to you along the ride.
Tips: This is without a doubt, the most popular attraction at Walt Disney World. There are frequently extremely long lines, because it is a slow loading attraction. If you plan to ride this, get to the park before opening and go right to this so you can ride while there is no wait. If you want to ride it again later, get a FASTPASS as you get off the ride, as they are usually gone within an hour or two.
Rock 'n' Rollercoaster * * *
Aerosmith has invited you as a VIP to their concert, but its across town and you need a fast ride! Hop aboard your own personal limo, and take off through the streets of Hollywood in this fast, and crazy rollercoaster.
Tips: Go right to this after riding Toy Story, the line should not be long for the first hour or so. As soon as you can get another FASTPASS, get one for this ride, so that you can ride it again later in the day. Use the single rider entrance to beat the lines, however you will be separated from your group. This ride does have inversions which may be too intense for some riders, read all warnings before riding.
Tower of Terror * * *
Guests are transported to the Twilight Zone when they enter this haunted Hollywood hotel. Hop aboard an old service elevator which lifts riders up 13 stories and drops them back to earth, over and over!
Tips: Unless the park is crowded, the line should be fairly quick for this. If the wait says 13 minutes, that means it is very short. This ride may be too scary for children, however the ones that do ride it usually love it afterwards! Use FASTPASS later in the afternoon if the lines are too long for waiting. There are also two lines once you make it to the basement where you load- many people stick to the line where everyone else is going and the other can be completely empty.
Beauty and the Beast *
Step into the magic of the memorable Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast. Belle, Cogswork, Lumiere, the Beast and more come together to sing and dance along with everyone's favorite songs from the movie.
Tips: The show is presented in an outdoor theater, so it may be somewhat warm, there is no air-conditioning. On busy days, make sure you get in line outside the theater at least 15-30 minutes early to get a seat.
Star Tours * * *
Star Tours is a simulator-type attraction where guests are invited to travel to the planet of Endor, straight out of the Star Wars movies. Once loaded into your travel spaceship, you are introduced to your less-than-experienced driver who is confident everything will be fine even though it is his first flight. Hang on, things quickly go wrong! The ship fights its way through comet fields, and tries to escape from the Star Destroyer when it is caught in its tractor beam! Will the ship make it to Endor safely?
Tips: This ride has fairly quick lines, and shouldn't have a wait of more than 30 minutes. Visit this one after you have done Toy Story Mania, Rock 'n' Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. The queue line at this attraction is lots of fun too. R2D2, C-3PO and many more characters from the movie entertain riders while they wait.
Star Wars: Jedi Training Academy *
This attraction is made to let your little one live out their dreams as a Jedi. In this interactive show, kids are trained on how to use a light saber and defeat the Dark Side.
Great Movie Ride *
Guests have a personal tour guide which takes them on a trip through some of the most famous movies scenes of all time.
Tips: Usually has a short line, do this in the middle of the day as a fill-in. The full attraction is a little long, because there is a movie intro before you board the ride. Make sure you have about 45 minutes to an hour to spare for this attraction.
Lights, Motors, Action * *
Step onto a Hollywood set at this high-energy show built to show you how movie stunts are created. Cars jump over buildings, motorcycles break through windows and a stunt man catches on fire. This attraction is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat!
Tips: Make sure you check the park schedule for the day, and pick a time that works for your family to see this show. Arrive 30 minutes early to get a good seat. FASTPASS shouldn't be needed unless it is extremely busy at the park, or if you want to ensure you get in without having to wait in line.
American Idol Experience *
Audition in front of judges and see if you make it to Hollywood to perform to guests on the American Idol stage and then to the finally at the end of the day!
Tips: Guests must audition early in the day to be included in the after noon shows. Arrive 15 minutes early to the scheduled show you plan to see.
Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey * *
See what happens when an equipment failure leaves this comedy to be performed in compete darkness.
Tips: Most of this show is in the dark and may be frightening to young children. This is also not a very popular attraction, so it usually has no wait.
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular *
Watch in amazement as Indiana Jones tries to escape without harm from many of the popular scenes from the movies.
Tips: This is an exciting show for the whole family with explosions, fire and dangerous stunts. Make sure to arrive early, or use FASTPASS to reserve a show time.
Muppet Vision 3D *
Visit the Muppets in this wacky 3D show, which includes surprise extra 4D effects!
Journey into Narnia *
Go behind the scenes of Narnia: Prince Caspian in this attraction. Guests watch segments of the movie in a replicated set from the movie, and then visit a museum of props and costumes used in the movie.
One Man's Dream *
Take a relaxing walking tour through this museum dedicated to the life and work of Walt Disney.
Tips: This is an inspiring museum to walk through, it includes Walt's orignal office desk as well as small scale models of Walt Disney World.
Playhouse Disney LIVE on Stage *
In this show, everyone’s favorite characters from Playhouse Disney sing, dance and tell stories together.
Tips: There are no chairs at this show because it is built for children, so guests sit on the floor. I would skip this if you are sore from walking. Also, on Extra Magic Hours night this attraction has a dance party featuring Mickey and Minnie mouse and a balloon artist making crazy hats for everyone to wear around the park.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid *
Experience Ariel’s desire to live out of the sea with live music in this magical stage show.
Tips: This show can get very long lines in the afternoon. FASTPASS is offered, however you may be able to escape the wait if you visit this attraction in the morning or late evening.
Magic of Disney Animation *
Learn how Disney artists create their classic movies in this show and walk through attraction.
Tips: If you don't want to watch the video of how Disney films are made, you can choose to enter into the main building, where you can meet characters and play games. I highly recommend the drawing lesson with a Disney artist, it is fun for the whole family, and is usually a pretty good laugh. There are lessons every 30 minutes, and make sure you arrive early to it as the spaces fill up fast.
Backlot Tour * *
Ride a tram through authentic Hollywood props and design studios to see a behind-the-scenes view of how movies are made. The highlight of the attraction includes a trip through Catastrophe Canyon, a man-made disaster area that recreates a giant flood near the tour vehicle.
Tips: This attraction can have a long line, but the line moves in spurts where a huge amount of people will enter at once. Sit on the left side of the tram when you load if you are hot and want to get splashed with water.
Parade
Block Party Bash is a street party held at Disney's Hollywood Studios in the afternoon, usually at three. The parade stops at various locations on its route where energetic dancers and Disney characters dance, cheer and get the crowd moving. If you would like your children to be up front and able to join in the action, make sure you stake out a spot early, especially on the main stretch (Hollywood Blvd).
Fireworks
Fantasmic is a nighttime spectacular show where Mickey fights different villains of his imagination. I would recommend heading to the Fantasmic theater 30-45 minutes before show time. The Fantasmic theater holds a large amount of people, so you will only need to get in line extra early if it is a very busy day or if you want a prime seat. I would try to avoid sitting on the far sides as the view is not as great. Many people try and sneak out right before the end of the show to beat the crowds, however the ending of the show can absolutely not be missed! I cannot stress how great the ending fireworks are. Also, try to sit near an isle so that you can get out before the majority of the crowds, as the line for the Disney buses build up fast after the show ends. Disney recently cut this show down to just a few nights a week, so be sure to check the Times Guide when you arrive to avoid missing it.
