We’re Planning Out YOUR Day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Heading out to Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Since reopening, the Disney World Parks have been operating at a reduced capacity. And while we’ve seen lower wait times and fewer crowds overall, there is one Park that has consistently seemed to be the busiest: Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Exploring this 31-year-old Park is possibly more confusing than ever, so why don’t you let us plan your day?

Between the more concentrated crowds and the suspension of FastPass+, we suggest taking a strategic approach to get the most out of your time in the park.

Here’s our itinerary for a day at Hollywood Studios!

Arriving at the Park

So far, Hollywood Studios has consistently been opening at 10AM (and looks to be sticking with that for the foreseeable future, according to Disney’s published Park hours, which are always subject to change). We would suggest arriving at the Park early enough to get through the gates a few minutes before 10AM because this is also the time that the first Rise of the Resistance boarding groups become available.

Make sure you’re ready to try for a Rise of the Resistance boarding group right at 10AM, because groups have been going within minutes. Keep in mind that if you do snag a boarding group, you’ll have one hour to return once your group is called, so be ready to build that into your day. If you don’t get a boarding group at 10AM, you can try again when more boarding groups are released at 2PM.

Stroll Down Sunset Boulevard

After you’ve tried (and hopefully succeeded!) to snag a Rise of the Resistance boarding group, head down Sunset Boulevard to ride Tower of Terror as your first attraction of the day. We have seen the wait times for Tower of Terror get pretty long throughout the day, occasionally even topping an hour. But since most guests head right to either Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land, you should be able to ride Tower of Terror with little to no wait if you head there first.

After you’ve checked out of The Hollywood Tower Hotel, head to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster right next door. Most guests will probably still be focused on Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land, so you should have another fairly short wait. When you’re done living it up while you’re going down, stop into Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy to say “kachow” with your favorite race car.

Now that you’ve had the chance to check a few major thrill rides off the list, stop by Anaheim Produce to grab a snack. It might be tempting to head to the popular Trolley Car Cafe instead, but we’ve seen some pretty heavy crowds there in the mornings. We suggest opting for a different breakfast spot!

Head to Grand Avenue

After you’ve found a socially distanced place to stop and eat your snack, head over to Muppet*Vision 3D. The wait times throughout the Studios have generally been the longest within the first few hours of Park opening, so this block of time is an opportunity to take advantage of one of the few attractions with a consistently short wait. Plus, you can sit down and rest in the air conditioning for a few minutes!

From there, make your way to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue. This is another one of the few Hollywood Studios attractions that has typically had little to no wait all day. Plus, it’s a short walk from Muppet*Vision 3D!

After your flight on Star Tours, walk next door to Backlot Express for lunch. This is another chance for you to sit down and enjoy a break, especially if it’s a particularly hot day in the park.

You Are a Toy in Toy Story Land

After lunch, it’s time to head to Toy Story Land to tackle the attractions in Andy’s backyard! Here, you’ll ride Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, and Toy Story Mania. Take a look at the current wait times (and the weather) to decide which order to ride these three attractions!

Journey Far, Far Away

Without further ado, it’s time to travel to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — don’t worry, it’s a surprisingly short walk to a whole new galaxy! Once you’ve landed on Batuu, take a ride on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Next, stop by Ronto Roasters to grab a delicious Ronto Wrap for a quick dinner. It’s one of our must-get eats!

Remember: at any point during the day, you could get your notification that it’s time to experience Rise of the Resistance, and you’ll have just one hour to make your way there.

Board a Runaway Railway

Okay, now it’s time to finish the day with a ride on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. While there have been some fluctuations in the time it takes to get through this queue, Runaway Railway has regularly had the longest wait in the Park. And since wait times have been dropping later in the day, we prefer to save this attraction for last and swing by on our way to the Park exit. But because the ride is centrally located, you could keep an eye on the wait time throughout the day and scoot into line when you see it dip low enough for you.

So there you have it, our step-by-step plan for spending a day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Be sure to keep an eye out for unscheduled entertainment like the character cavalcades, and you might be treated to some extra pixie dust during your Park day. Now that’s what we call movie magic!

Have you been to Disney’s Hollywood Studios since it reopened? Share your planning tips in the comments!

 

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