Hollywood Studios - Attractions
Updated: Oct 14
Learn about the different attractions that Hollywood Studios has to offer. This will help you be better informed when selecting which rides and shows will be most exciting to you and your family. Make sure to check out closing and refurbishment list here before you go.
Hollywood Boulevard
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
When you enter Hollywood Studios and look down Hollywood Boulevard - the street you enter onto, you’ll see the famed Chinese Theater which houses Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the only Mickey themed attraction. This is a family friendly ride that takes you on a “wild” adventure accompanied by Mickey and his gang. It’s a super cute ride that is well worth the wait, especially because the line does tend to move quickly. However, because it is one of the few fully family friendly rides in Hollywood Studios it does get a long queue, so we recommend either riding it first thing in the morning or grabbing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass return time.
Echo Lake
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Show Spectacular
If you are looking for an action packed show, accompanied with some funny behind the scenes information, look no further than Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Show Spectacular. It does have some pyrotechnics and fight scenes, so if that is not your jam might be best to skip this one. If that is your jam however, there are lots of show times throughout the day and the theater is fairly large so you can generally show up close to the start of the show and grab a seat. This is a 35 minute show with hard bench style seating, though they have backs which is a plus. The show theater is an open theater - so no AC, but it is covered and there are fans so it does make a decent break from the heat and crowds.
Grand Avenue, Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
Situated at the back of the Echo Lake area, as you make your way to Grand Avenue, Star Tours - The Adventures Continue is the original Star Wars ride in the parks. Here C-3PO and R2-D2 will take you on a bumpy adventure through the Star Wars universe. There are a ton of variations of this ride, different sequences, characters to interact with, and planets to visit, so no two rides are ever the same (or at least the odds are pretty low that a given guest will experience the same ride twice.) There are 3D glasses for this ride, and it does throw you around a bunch, so if you get motion sickness it may trigger that. Apart from when the park is super crowded, the wait time for this ride is generally pretty low so it’s easy to hop in line while waiting for comeback times for the bigger thrill rides around the park.
Vacation Fun
Vacation Fun is a Mickey animated short that can be found between the Frozen Sing-Along and the Olaf Meet and Greet. This 11 minute film features Mickey in the newer style cartoon, like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. As a bonus the theater is comfortable and has AC, so it’s a great place to take a quick break from the heat and crowds. The wait time is generally only for the previous show to end.
For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration
For the Frozen fans out there there is For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration. This is a 30 minute show where the story of Frozen is quickly narrated by the “royal historians” and the movie’s musical numbers are shown on a screen. Guests are of course encouraged to belt out all the lyrics and the royal historians are incredibly funny. If you are looking for character appearances, you will see Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa but they only make brief appearances, the focus is the royal historians and the songs. The wait time for this show is generally only until the previous show ends, though since it is a 30 minute show it’s worth checking when a show is expected to start and just plan to show up shortly before. It’s a large theater with comfortable seating, so it makes a nice break from the running around the park for a bit.
Grand Avenue
Muppet*Vision 3D
Over on Grand Avenue you’ll find the only Muppet themed attraction in the parks: Muppet*Vision 3D. This is a cute 17 minute 3D film that showcases the Muppets in all their wacky, zany, and delightful glory. The show is in a large theater with comfortable seating and AC, plus the wait is generally only for the previous show to end, so it makes a great break from the crowds and AC. Generally you will end up waiting for the main show in the pre-staging area watching the Muppets run around on a set of TVs, it’s worth getting there early to watch this pre-show and provides some extra context for the main show, though it’s not needed if you don’t get to see it.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
The E-ticket attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance where you will encounter your favorite Star Wars characters (from the newer movies) in this unique and immersive ride. We don’t want to give too much away about the storyline or the super cool experience, and just say if you get the opportunity to ride it do it, even if the newer movies are not your favorites! For all that it is immersive and thrilling, it’s actually not that intense of an attraction. There is a simulated drop at the end that can be startling to some guests, but on the whole it is a fairly family friendly attraction. This is the most popular attraction in Hollywood Studios right now, so we recommend either dashing to it first thing during Early Theme Park Entry (and still expect a decent wait) or grab a Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP) for it.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
If you have ever wanted to fly the Millennium Falcon, now is your chance on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Granted, not everyone gets to do the actual flying, but it is still a great experience. Each cabin will hold six guests, two who are pilots, two who are gunners, and two who are engineers. The pilots pilot the ship - surprising I know, and it is definitely harder than it looks. Expect to run into lots of rocks and buildings but the Millennium Falcon is a reliable ship and holds together. The gunners are responsible for firing the guns, and the engineers for tending to the ship. Depending on how well you fly, and execute the mission of stealing coaxium from the First Order, your experience will be different from ride to ride. All in all, this ride is tamer than Star Tours but there are some bumps along the way so buckle up and brace yourself. As one of the newer attractions in the park the wait time for this ride can get rather long, we recommend either grabbing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass comeback time or trying to get to it early in the day.
Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land, Alien Swirling Saucers
Over in Toy Story Land, Alien Swirling Saucers is a fun little ride that features the little green aliens from Toy Story and their all important master, The Claw (ooooooooo). This ride will whip you around, mostly in a gentle manner - though sometimes you aren’t prepared for the direction you are about to be whipped and that can be startling - as your little alien swirls in circles and figure eights. Lots of people compare this ride to the Mad Tea Party in the Magic Kingdom but we found it to be more mild. The wait time for this ride is generally less than its other Toy Story Land counterparts, but can still get lengthy. If this ride is on your to-do list we recommend either grabbing a Lighting Lane Multi Pass time, tackling it early in the day, or waiting until the line is shorter toward the end of the day.
Slinky Dog Dash
The most popular attraction, after Rise of the Resistance, is Slinky Dog Dash where you will go for twists, turns, and drops with Slinky above and around Toy Story Land. This is a fun roller coaster that falls in intensity between Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Thunder Mountain. As it is more family friendly than Rock’n’Roller Coaster it does get a lot of attention and the wait time can get very long. If this is a priority for you we recommend trying to snag a Lighnting Lane Multi Pass reservation for it first thing, or else be prepared to head here first and wait for a while.
Toy Story Mania!
Try your hand at a 3D twist on traditional carnival games on Toy Story Mania! Here you will
have a blast competing against your fellow vehicle friends as you use your shooter to pop balloons, break plates, toss rings, and hit the bullseye to wrack up points. This is a great family friendly ride with no height requirement so it does get a long line as the day goes on. We recommend either snagging a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation to ride or tackling it early in the day.
Animation Courtyard
Walt Disney Presents
Have you ever found yourself wondering about the history behind Walt Disney World, about the man who dreamed up such a wonderful place, and the effort that went into making it a reality? If you have, or do now that we've posed the questions, Walt Disney Presents is a great place to check out. This is a walk through attraction that is essentially like a museum exhibit, with great information and neat Disney artifacts to see. Plus, at the end there is generally a character meet and greet and/or an extended preview of the next big Blockbuster Disney is working on releasing.
Star Wars Launch Bay
If you are looking to check out some cool memorabilia from the Star Wars movies, or say hi to some of your favorite Star Wars characters, make your way over to the Star Wars Launch Bay in Animation Courtyard. This is mostly a walk through exhibit for Star Wars, but you can meet BB-8, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader here. The lines for the character meet and greets typically are not too long, but when the park is crowded you can expect to wait 30 minutes or more.
Disney Junior Play & Dance
For littles in your group there is the Disney Junior Play & Dance show over in the Animation Courtyard that they will love. This show is updated occasionally so it always features up to date popular characters from Disney Junior. Currently you can see Doc McStuffins, Timon, Vampirina, and then everyone’s favorite mouse: Mickey!
Sunset Boulevard
Rock’n’Roller Coaster
Down at the end of Sunset Boulevard you can find Rock’n’Roller Coaster where you can jam out to Aerosmith while blasting off from 0 to 60 mph (okay, technically 57 mph) in less than 3 seconds, and careen around corners and turns including 3 full inversions. This is the most intense coaster at Walt Disney World and as a result thrill seekers flock to it. Typically the wait time from this ride spikes quickly, and stays at or just under an hour for most of the day. We love to rope drop this attraction, riding it with minimal wait and no need to use a Lighting Lane Multi Pass for it.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
***Permanently Closed as of October 7, 2024
Right next to Rock’n’Roller Coaster you will find Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. This is a cute little show featuring a cool Lightning McQueen animatronic showing off his racing simulation. A must do for anyone who loves the Cars movies, and a nice way to take up some time if you are waiting for a comeback time at the end of Sunset Boulevard. The wait time for this is typically only until the previous show ends.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
We invite you if you dare to step aboard the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, this thrilling ride will take you to a dimension of sight, sound, and gravity defying drops! Like you will literally be falling faster than gravity. The theme of this ride is on the spooky side, and if you are thrill seeker this is a must do ride. Much like Rock’n’Roller Coaster, the wait time for this ride spikes early in the day and remains high until the end of the day. We like to rope drop Rock’n’Roller Coaster and then hop in line for Tower of Terror while the wait is around 20-30 minutes. If you wait until later in the day you will likely be waiting 50 minutes or more.
Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage
Another of Hollywood Studios impressive theatrical productions is Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage. This is an abridged version of Beauty and the Beast, covering all the main points of the animated movie and hitting each of the popular songs from the film - though Tale as Old as Time comes in at the end. This is a 25 minute show, so it can make a nice break from walking around, but while the seating is covered it is not enclosed so there is no AC. We do recommend getting to this show a little early as it is popular and the overflow seating at the back is less covered.
Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is the nighttime entertainment in Hollywood Studios and is a must-see show. This is not a conventional fireworks show, but rather a theatrical spectacle that follows Mickey’s Imagination and his battle to triumph over evil. Set in the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater this is an incredible show that features a multitude of disney characters, music, pyrotechnics, water features, lasers, and of course fireworks. There is a Fantasmic! dining package you can book to guarantee seating, and if you would like to get better seats without having to show up early this is a good way to do it, but the dining package is not necessary for viewing the show. The amphitheater is huge and there is plenty of seating. If you would like to sit front and center we do recommend getting there an hour early. However, the show is very grand and can be viewed just fine from almost everywhere in the theater, so you often can pop over 15-20 minutes before the show starts and still get pretty decent seating. During peak travel time, Disney sometimes offers two showings of Fantasmic! and the second show will always be significantly less crowded.
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