Hollywood Studios Essentials

• DHS has one fatal flaw, it is generally not a great park for mixed age parties. Of the nine rides at the park, seven of them have height requirements. The park attempts to make up for this by gearing several shows to young kids (Disney Junior, Frozen Sing-Along, Lightning McQueen), but older kids and teens are likely to find these less interesting. This means in a mixed age group you will regularly be splitting up, leaving the little ones out, or boring the teens.
• DHS has a large focus on shows and thrill rides. If either of those aren’t for you, this may not be a full day park. As mentioned above there are only nine rides at the park and eight shows. If you don’t care for shows, DHS can feel like a half day park.
• DHS is the only Disney park that doesn’t follow a hub and spoke design. Getting around can be a little more challenging and take extra time to get from one area of the park to another. Plan for more travel time and whenever possible try to do multiple things in the same area rather than bouncing around.
• If you’re used to driving to DHS, be sure to double check your navigation app of choice. The entrances to the parking lot were completely revamped over the last few years. There’s no longer a direct entrance from World Drive and the old Buena Vista back entrance is now buses only. Instead you’ll need to enter from Osceola Parkway.
• One land, three names. “Star Wars Land” as we laymen might call it has three official names: Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, Batuu, and Black Spire Outpost. It can be a bit confusing as the names sometimes get used interchangeably and are not the same as the nearby hotel Star Wars Galactic Cruiser.

• Chewbacca, Rey, Stormtroopers, Kylo Ren, and Vi Moradi – Find these galactic travelers wandering the streets of Batuu, on the first order stage, and overlooks.
• Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and BB8 – Meet these fan favorites at Star Wars Launch Bay located on the opposite side of the park as Galaxy’s Edge, at the back of Animation Courtyard.
• Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy, Pluto, and Vampirina – These loveable friends hang around outside the Disney Junior Dance and Play show at the Animation Courtyard. 
• Sully – Meet this sweet monster inside the Walt Disney Presents building. You’ll need to walk through most of the exhibit before finding the path to this furry monster just before the theater. Sully is no longer joined by his best friend Mike.
• Daisy and Donald Duck – These two ducks like to hang out together on a balcony near the park entrance.
• Goofy (often joined by Max) – Unphased by ghosts, spot this silly dog on the balcony of the haunted hotel known as the Tower of Terror.
• Chip and Dale – The mischievous chipmunk duo are up to side-splitting hijinks on the grassy garden area between the Brown Derby restaurant and Animation Courtyard. 
• Mickey and Minnie Mouse – The two main mice can be found across from the Sci-Fi Dine-In restaurant on Commissary Lane at Red Carpet Dreams. Mickey is dressed in his sorcerer robes and Minnie is decked out in Hollywood glam. 
• Olaf – The happy snowman gives out warm hugs right next to the Mickey Shorts Theater at the Echo Lake Celebrity Spotlight.
• Woody, Jesse, and Buzz – These childhood favorites are coming back soon to Toy Story Land!
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• Pixar Pals Motorcade features Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Edna Mode, Sully, Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the Green Army Men.

• One of the more challenging things about DHS is that there are few rides and they are all popular. This leads to long lines at almost every attraction. Even the least popular rides like Swirling Saucers will have a 30-45 minute wait an hour after park open.
• The value of Genie+ is very boom or bust at DHS. As I discussed in my value review of Genie+, on the busiest days at DHS you might only get one or two rides out of Genie+ at DHS, with Lightning Lanes on all the rides gone an hour after park open. However, on moderately busy days Genie+ can save you many hours.
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway – The newest ride at DHS takes you on a quick trip to the world of Mickey and Minnie. It’s a must for any fans of the mice, though if you haven’t seen and liked the new cartoon shorts, the animation style might be jarring. This ride’s lines are quickly shortening as park goers are heading to the thrill rides at DHS. If you have children with you this is one of the two rides without a height limit.
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – The current icon of DHS, Tower of Terror adds a show and speed to the traditional drop ride. The tower actually pulls you down faster than gravity. For those that enjoy a full-fledged thrill ride, this is one of the best at Disney.
• Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster – The only inverting roller coaster at Disney World, Rock ‘n Roller coaster boasts a 0-60 catapult launch, multi inversions, and blasting tunes from Aerosmith. Each ride will offer up one of four different tunes randomly assigned. Guardians and Tron will be competing with Rock ‘n Roller coaster for best roller coaster at the park, but this ride has held the crown for two decades.
• Toy Story Mania! – A family favorite, this ride is essentially a 3D video game where you spend rounds firing at different screens to secure a high score. This is the second ride without a height requirement at DHS so even tykes can participate. Pre-schoolers and below will likely struggle with aiming and firing the pea-shooter but will probably still have a good time. Infants can ride this one too and we recommend using a baby carrier to keep your infant secure and your arms free to play the game! 
• Slinky Dog Dash – DHS’s family coaster, Slinky has no inversions but does feature a mid ride catapult, several banked turns, and multiple airtime hills. It sits above Mine Train for intensity, but below Thunder Mountain making it an ideal second coaster for most kids.
• Alien Swirling Saucers – This ride features side to side G’s as you swing back and forth around the track. A copy of Tow Mater’s Tractors from California Adventure, the ride is most comparable to the tea cups in terms of intensity. One downside to this ride is it does have a height requirement. Those that enjoy Slinky will likely find it too tame, whilst the smallest park goers won’t be allowed on. That results in a very narrow band of guests that will really enjoy this ride. It’s also worth noting that the outdoor line for swirling saucers has few interactive elements, has barebones theming, and can get incredibly hot as there is minimal shade.
• Star Tours – The OG, Star Tours was the first simulator ride anywhere when it originally opened. Now these rides can be found at many theme parks. On the ride you will navigate one of several potential tours of Star Wars planets, piloted by C3PO and randomly assigned. Kids may like to sit in the back row for a potential special surprise. 
• Rise of the Resistance – Rise is one of the most immersive ride and line experiences ever conceived. If you love Star Wars it is an absolute must-ride. This is currently available for Individual Lightning Lane and, in my opinion, is one of the few rides deserving of the status. Many coming to the park want nothing but to ride this and the ability to pay to guarantee a ride is worth it.
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – This ride seeks to combine the simulator experience with the interactivity of a video game. Unfortunately, it is a mixed experience. On the ride you can be assigned one of three jobs and which you get changes the ride completely. The pilot is given some ability to steer and interact with the events on the screen, while the other roles essentially just come down to a whack a mole “push the button that lights up”. The ability of the group you are with to complete the tasks also impacts the ride experience. For instance, if your pilot is having a hard time steering you can expect a very bumpy ride. It’s also challenging for young kids as the seats are one-person only and significantly spaced out. Any children needing to hold your hand or have you squeeze them tight on the loud, dark ride won’t have a good experience. There can be a lot of yelling on this ride – from both the narrator and the other passengers with you. For a more light-hearted experience ask the Cast Members about Wookie mode.

• Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular – This stunt show has fire, explosions, fights, and gun fire. It’s very exciting and mixes some humor in with the action. Traditionally, the show involved audience volunteers, but that portion has been on hiatus since the pandemic.
• Frozen Sing-Along Celebration – A fun live sing-along, the show focuses on the royal historians of Arendelle as they recount the story of Frozen, zooming through everything but the songs. Visits from Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff round out the perfect show for Frozen fans.
• Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage – This live musical features key songs from the Disney classic along with dancing and inventive costumes.
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid – A fast paced retelling of the classic capturing the magic with a mix of live actors and puppets. Note: this show has not returned since closing during the pandemic. 
• Disney Junior Dance and Play – Featuring characters from the Disney Junior television channel singing and dancing on stage, this show is all about audience participation and is great for little ones – especially those that watch these characters at home. Parents should be aware the show is watched while sitting on the floor so those with stiff backs, bad knees, or worse will struggle. There are a handful of benches at the back of the room, but not many and not any near the action of the show. The show also has the challenge of not keeping up with the constantly refreshing Disney Junior line-up. While the characters are great, right now those featured are Doc Mcstuffins, Mickey’s Roadster Racers, Vampirina, and the Lion Guard. These characters were the flagship of the channel five years ago, but their shows barely make the rotation at this time.
• Muppet Vision 3D – Muppet Vision was one of the first “5D” features when it premiered in the early nineties. The Muppets certainly stand the test of time with the likes of Kermit and Miss Piggy entertaining throughout, however the technology itself feels a bit dated.
• Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy – At this show the audience gets to hop into a racing simulator with Lightning McQueen and friends. The experience features a larger than life wrap around screen and the champ himself.
• Jedi Training – Currently on hiatus, this experience lets a group of kids train to be Jedi and take on either Darth Vader or Kylo Ren.

• Breakfast
  • As with most Disney parks, places serving breakfast can be hard to find at Hollywood Studios. There is one option for a sit down breakfast, Hollywood and Vine. For a Quick Service grab-and-go there are four options. For coffee and baked goods the Trolley Cafe (aka Starbucks) is on the main thoroughfare and Joffrey’s is hidden back behind Tower of Terror. In Toy Story Land, Woody’s Lunchbox has fancy Pop-Tarts and tater tot bowls. Ronto Roasters has a special breakfast wrap (Jennelle’s favorite), overnight oats, and the traditional Ronto Wrap available. The Milk Stand also opens early, but doesn’t have any food to speak of.
• Quick Service
  • There are Quick Services scattered throughout the park with a range of different offerings. In the areas styled after Hollywood you can find traditional Americana foods: burgers, pizza, and sandwiches. In this group are ABC Commissary, Catalina Eddie’s, Dockside Diner, Epic Eats, Fairfax Faire, Pizza Rizzo, and Rosie’s All-American Cafe.
  • Backlot Express has one of the more interesting menus with its Pulled Pork Burger and Teriyaki Chicken Bowl.
  • Within Toy Story Land you can find Woody’s Lunch Box service grilled cheeses, tater tots, and fancy Pop-Tarts.
  • In Batuu you can find Ronto Roasters serving their signature Ronto Wrap, a favorite of mine with kielbasa, roast pork, and slaw all in a flatbread. You can also find Docking Bay 7 here serving a mix of bowls featuring tuna, stir fry, and ribs.
• Table Service
  • Hollywood & Vine supplies the lone character dining experience at DHS. This is currently transitioning back to a buffet and should once again be featuring the full fab five (Daisy took a break during the pandemic).
  • 50’s Prime Time Café boasts a mix of “home cooking” offerings like meatloaf and fried chicken. The wait staff call you family and televisions from the fifties play at retro kitchen themed tables.
  • Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano serves up pasta, chicken, and other American-Italian classics.
  • Sci-Fi Dine-In has you sitting at tables shaped like cars while watching trailers of old sci-fi films and eating burgers, fries, and shakes. It’s a fun experience but the car tables can be awkward for groups as they sit in rows facing the screen. There are a few standard style tables mixed in. Stop by the building to see an example of the car outside – which makes for a great photo spot!
  • The Brown Derby is the lone Signature restaurant at DHS and features steak, seafood, and their signature cobb salad.
• Other
  • Oga’s Cantina is a Star Wars themed bar found in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. Enjoy alien cocktails, but be aware that it’s near impossible to just pop in. If you’d like to experience this bar you will want to make advance reservations for it along with your dining.

• This park is smaller and so are the shopping offerings. You will find most merchandise to be generic Disney World or Star Wars themed. There are not typically any DHS branded items. 
• Crossroads is the circular building with Mickey on top as you enter the park – the building you have to walk around to get down Hollywood Boulevard. This spot houses the main Pin Trading shop for DHS and also offers pin boards for trading. This spot isn’t labeled on the map, so if you have pin collectors make sure to stop here. 
• Hollywood Boulevard hosts the main shops and has a similar style to the Emporium at Magic Kingdom but with different theming and a smaller scale. Here you will find classic park merchandise including clothing, toys, accessories, and more. At the end of the street, Keystone Clothiers offers a large selection of Star Wars items, but will not contain merchandise from Galaxy’s Edge. 
• Sunset Boulevard staples include higher end offerings such as jewelry, Loungefly bags, the Dress Shop line, and a shop dedicated to women’s fashion. Shopping in this area has been having an identity crisis for years, so you may see some shops come and go as they figure things out. 
• Toy Story Land has a couple outdoor kiosks near Slinky Dog Dash and one indoor store as you exit the Toy Story Mania ride. There will be a larger selection of items in the store as it is larger. You will only find Toy Story items sold in this area, but merchandise here is not exclusive to the land and you can find these items in other stores and parks.  
• Galaxy’s Edge is home to the most shops in the park. The land is divided into three areas – Resistance, First Order, and The Market – and each one has unique merchandise themed to that location. Each one of the shopping areas in Galaxy’s Edge offers clothing, accessories, collectibles, and toys but each one carries completely different items. Initially, Disney did not want to provide this area’s merchandise outside of the land, but that has changed and you will now be able to find select items at other Star Wars shops including the one at Disney Springs. Items here are from the timeline of the new movies and shows.. 
• Star Tours has its own shop which offers merchandise completely different from Galaxy’s Edge. Here you can find items relating to Darth Vader, Yoda, Chewbacca, and other friends from the first six films. There is also a budget friendly lightsaber building experience here which is great for kids. 
• Shops near rides typically carry themed merchandise to match, but not every ride has a shop. At DHS, a few attractions offer merchandise that you will not find elsewhere – Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.    
• If you see something you like, buy it! Items vary by location, so that cute hat you saw in Galaxy’s Edge may not be available elsewhere in the park – or worse, may sell out entirely before the end of your trip. (You can return things if you change your mind later.)

• Each night the Wonderful World of Animation fireworks and projection show occurs on and surrounding the Chinese Theater. The show is centered on projections, featuring moments from Disney films throughout history, and includes minimal fireworks. 
• Though not a show, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is one of the three lands at Walt Disney World that really should be seen at night at least once by everyone. I encourage everyone to head over and see the Falcon lit up at least one night of their trip.
• Fantasmic is not currently running, but is slated to return sometime this year. This show includes music, water, projections, and fireworks as a premiere night time show at Disney World and is well worth watching when it returns.

— Dave