Star Wars, Toy Story, and a wild limo ride across town can all be experienced in one of Disney’s theme parks. Drop in and you may never leave (woot, woot Tower of Terror) Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We guarantee you will not want to leave anyway. We carve out at least a day to visit Hollywood Studios each trip to Walt Disney World
History
The third of Walt Disney World’s Theme Parks opened May 1, 1989. Disney MGM Studios Park was designed to be part theme park and part behind the scenes production studio and animation studio. It was to be a tip of the hat to the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The park has not been without drama such as Sorcerer Mickey’s Hat as the centerpiece, violating a licensing contract before opening, and closing one of the most beloved rides at the park, The Great Movie Ride. We never got to ride The Great Movie Ride but hear good things.
In 2008, MGM was dropped from the naming sponsor and the park was renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 2018 and 2019 saw major park news in opening Toy Story Land and Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge areas which are some of the most immersive lands in Walt Disney World’s Parks.
Park Features
Disney’s Hollywood Studios features twenty rides and attractions featuring some contemporary iconic rides such as Hollywood Tower or Terror, Rise of the Resistance, and Slinky Dog Dash. These rides are some of the most popular at Walt Disney World.
The park is broken up into eight lands and one under construction Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Commissary Lane, Pixar Place, Animation Courtyard, Sunset Boulevard, Toy Story Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Grand Avenue (formerly known as Muppets Courtyard). These areas are distinctive and truly feel like separate neighborhoods. We appreciate how each area feels different than the others.
Hollywood Studios also features an impressive nighttime spectacular in Fantasmic!. The show is held on a lake on the backside of the park. It contains our pal Mickey and his friends, the villains of Disney Animation, fire, water, and fireworks. There is something for everyone in this show. They also currently offer a dining and show package getting you dinner and a reserved section of seating for one price. We recommend going for the dining package as the reserved seats are worth the upcharge.
Dining
As with most Disney experiences, there is no shortage of places and things to eat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The park has six table service, ten quick service, and nineteen snack locations. They have a one character dining experience at Hollywood and Vine.
Some highlights are to be found. Hollywood Brown Derby is the only Signature restaurant at this park, and we have mixed reviews from our experience. Some meals we had liked and some we were not fans of eating. The service and the drinks are consistently excellent, however. We would not discourage anyone from dining here.
Ronto Roasters has one of our favorite quick serve options in the park in their Ronto Wrap. It is pita bread with a link of sausage, slaw, and peppercorn sauce. The Ronto Wrap is very well balanced with the seasoned sausage, the tang of the slaw, and the creamy, slightly spicy sauce. The ambiance of the restaurant is great too.
Woody’s Lunch Box is one your kids (or kids at heart) will love as well. Grilled Cheese is a hopped up version of the ultimate comfort food. Flavorful enough for adults but not so out there that the kids will not take a bite. We order a sandwich and some Tomato Basil Soup for a trip back to mom’s table. The Lunch Box Tarts are house-made versions of the boxed pastries in their foil wrappers.
Rides
Disney’s Hollywood Studios features some of the most thrilling rides on Walt Disney World property. The park also features some of the longest wait times on some of their rides. Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash are always among the top queue wait times. Hollywood Studios is one of the two parks where Genie+ can benefit you. Read our Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane Post for the complete guide to getting the most from this add-on purchase.
In Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, the big ride is Rise of the Resistance. Caught by the Order, you are imprisoned for being part of the resistance. You are led through an immersive queue featuring Storm Troopers and interrogators from the Order. Your allies break out of your cell and ride a dark, trackless ride. The ride is incredible, but the queue is many times over two hours.
Next to Galaxy’s Edge is Toy Story Land and the big attraction there is Slinky Dog Dash. This is a family coaster with a smooth ride and no big drops. There is a small launch in the middle. You truly feel like a toy riding on Slinky from Toy Story. This really is a great coaster for younger, inexperienced roller coaster enthusiasts. We love this ride and try to get a Lightning Lane each time we visit.
Two other thrill rides in the park that are big attractions are Hollywood Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N Roller Coaster. Tower of Terror blends a Twilight Zone episode along with a drop ride. The queue is amazing, and the ride is unpredictable each time. Rock ‘N Roller Coaster is the fourth fastest ride on Walt Disney World Property at 57 mph and is launched to that speed in less than three seconds.
Closing
We hope you enjoyed reading this post about Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This park is well worth the visit and is easily accessible via bus, walking path, or the Sky Liner. Hollywood Studios is a popular park, and you will see some of the largest crowds, but it is still well worth the visit.
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