By When we put together the single-day itineraries for Walt Disney World’s theme parks, we came to one instant conclusion. By far the hardest park is Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
While you really cannot mess up at the other three parks, that’s not the case here. We’ve had a couple of instances, including a memorable one during the pandemic, where we felt like we were inside Murphy’s Law.
Mistakes propagate as a rule, but that’s especially true when you’re a tourist at Hollywood Studios. It happens due to the high number of in-demand attractions here, which can wreak havoc with your plans.
So, here’s what we hope will prove to be a foolproof one-day itinerary at Hollywood Studios.
Rope Drop
We recommend Rope Drop everywhere except maybe Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, we consider this strategy an imperative at Hollywood Studios.
In fact, if you qualify for Early Theme Park Entry, you really should use it here. We’re saying this because we want you to have the best possible day. An early arrival makes that possible.
We’re also going to break down the target goal at Hollywood Studios a bit differently than our other itineraries. Here are the attractions you should prioritize:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue!
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Toy Story Mania!
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
At the time of publication, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets isn’t open, but it will be within the year. So, we should add that one to the list, too.
Now, here’s the scary math. On most days, Hollywood Studios operates for 13 hours or less. The collective wait time of those attractions averages about eight hours. Also, the experiences take about two hours in total.
Thankfully, those wait time numbers are in decline from as recently as 2023, but on a 12-hour park day, you’ll be lucky to have time to do everything plus eat and go to the bathroom.
That’s why we’re so leery about suggesting anything finite with the itinerary. You may have to punt on some stuff, and that’s before we factor in character greetings or other shows.
Frankly, to accomplish everything at Hollywood Studios without purchasing Lightning Lane, you need to get lucky. Otherwise, it’s a two-day park.
So, given those parameters, you should Rope Drop the park or, even better, use Early Theme Park Entry. Presuming you do that, you’ll spend the first part of your morning walking.
We’d encourage you to head straight to Toy Story Land, resisting the temptation of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway along the way.
We say this because the single biggest bottleneck at the park inexplicably isn’t Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the best ride. It’s Slinky Dog Dash.
Due to the design of this roller coaster, it cannot host many guests in an hour/day. Thus, the lines back up early in the day and stay that way until the end. It’s a seemingly endless line.
You can avert disaster by checking this one off your list first thing in the morning. A lot of people do it, so you may still wait 30 minutes or so, but that’s a lot better than 90 minutes.
Plus, once you’ve ridden Slinky Dog Dash, you can immediately head across the street to Toy Story Mania!, a joyous ride. Afterward, you can also ride Alien Swirling Saucers, which should have very short lines.
Just like that, you’ve already ridden three attractions at a time when most people aren’t even at the park yet. Plus, you’re ready for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
You’ll want to explore every nook and cranny of this themed land, especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. The immersive detailing here exemplifies the pinnacle of Disney Imagineering.
You can start with either ride here when you’re ready. Each of them should take an hour or so. We’ll note that if you’re traveling solo or as a couple, you should choose Single Rider at Smugglers Run if it’s an option.
That’ll save you half an hour or so. Also, someone else would almost assuredly be the Pilot, taking all the pressure off you.
While Engineer hasn’t historically been a fun way to play, Disney has changed that. So, you’re no longer sacrificing anything by choosing Single Rider.
Conversely, you shouldn’t choose Single Rider at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance unless you’ve ridden it many times. You’ll miss half the experience by doing that.
In between these attractions, you should be shopping and snacking to your heart’s content. Also, be sure to take plenty of pictures, as Disney designed the land with photo ops in mind.
Once you’ve finally explored the Galaxy’s Edge in full, head back to Toy Story Land. You should do a Mobile Order for Woody’s Lunch Box.
We’ll provide a word of caution about this, though. You should actually do your Mobile Order early and choose a lunchtime window for picking up your meal.
This restaurant remains busy throughout the day, but it’s absolutely slammed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pick your time in that range and plan your morning around it.
Woody’s Lunch Box isn’t just tasty comfort food that will make you happy. It’s also relatively cheap, words rarely spoken about Disney these days. That’s why you should fit it with your schedule.
Once you’ve eaten, you can return to the main strip of Hollywood Studios. NOW you’re riding Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, one of Disney’s most charming rides.
You’ll probably wait 50 minutes or so, but that’s okay. You saved so much time during the morning shift that you can probably do almost everything during your visit.
If your day goes awry, pick the attractions that least appeal to you and cut them from the list. Under no circumstances should you pass on Rise of the Resistance, though!
David doesn’t even like Star Wars – Yes, he’s a freak – yet he swears by this attraction. If you must cut something, Slinky Dog Dash and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster make the most sense.
Neither attraction offers good bang for the buck, given that you’ll wait an hour for each one. Plus, we really want you to fit in some shows.
When we listed the attractions earlier, we didn’t even include Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After or The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, both of which are well worth your time.
Speaking of which, once you’ve finished at Runaway Railway, we’d suggest that you hop into The Little Mermaid show, which is right there. If you’re pressed for time, skip it, though.
Afterward, you will take Sunset Boulevard to one of our favorite places at Disney World. It’s time to visit the Hollywood Tower Hotel! You’re riding the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
We’d advise you not eat much before you ride this, particularly if you plan to do Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster as well. Disney positions some snack shacks on this strip. Please resist temptation until your next trip!
While you’re in this area, you should definitely watch Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After. It’s the first show of its kind that celebrates many classic antagonists from your favorite films.
Once you have finished here, we suggest a different show. Now is the time for For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.
In a perfect world, you should watch consecutive shows at Hollywood Studios, but to avoid crisscrossing the park, it makes more sense to adopt this approach.
Once you’ve sung Let It Go at the top of your lungs – make us proud, people! – you’re right down the street from Star Tours – The Adventures Continue!, one of the park’s oldest rides.
Imagineers have refreshed this classic attraction multiple times, and that’s not even what makes it great! Each sequence of Star Tours features randomization. So, every ride plays out differently.
At this time of day, the attraction shouldn’t be crowded, either. Also, you can sneak in dinner at either ABC Commissary or Backlot Express.
These aren’t our favorites, but most Quick Service restaurants at Hollywood Studios feature relatively generic food by Disney standards anyway. You’re here for the rides.
On that note, you can check the earlier list to realize that you’ve done everything! Honestly, it may not work out that way, depending on factors we cannot predict such as crowds and luck.
However, should you have followed this plan and used Early Theme Park Entry, you’ve got a good chance to do everything at the park…and there’s still more!
You should try to catch a show of Fantasmic!, the sweeping epic at Hollywood Hills Amphitheater. It’s a provocative 30-minute show starring Mickey Mouse.
Remember all those nogoodniks from Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After? Yeah, they’re teaming up to try to take Mickey down, and that’s not even the worst part.
Maleficent leads the charge…in her dragon form! It’s Mickey Mouse versus a giant dragon live on stage! Fantasmic! is aptly named and a must-do during a park visit.
We’ll warn those of you with bad backs that the seats aren’t great, as it’s stadium seating. Still, the show will nourish your soul and leave you singing all night.
Once the presentation has ended, you enjoy your choice of anything you want to do at the park. Should you have skipped an attraction earlier, now is the time!
All other things being equal, we’d suggest another trip through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which is achingly beautiful at night.
Presuming that Rise of the Resistance hasn’t closed early for maintenance, something that does happen often, you can ride it one last time.
The same rules from the other parks apply. As long as you’re standing in line for the ride when the park closes, Disney will let you experience it!
That’s a terrific way to sneak in one last E-ticket attraction and thereby perfect what we hope has been the best possible day at Hollywood Studios.