Time Savers: 8 Tips to Make the Most of Your Day at Hollywood Studios

Over the last several years, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has transformed from a half-day park to a “must-do” on any Walt Disney World vacation. This park’s popularity has soared and it proves to be the most difficult park to get a park reservation and regularly hits capacity during the phased reopening of Walt Disney World. Even with the lower capacity in place, you’ll want to use your time wisely while visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Catch our eight tips to make the most of your day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios below.

1 – Stay at a Hollywood Studios Area Resort

Save loads of time by NOT wasting it in traffic! Disney Resort transportation is available from all resorts to Hollywood Studios, but you will cut down even more time if you stay in one of the resorts close to Hollywood Studios. Four especially close Disney Resorts include Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Beach Club Resort, BoardWalk Inn, and Caribbean Beach Resort. Many of these offer boat transportation as well as the usual bus transportation. You can also walk to Hollywood Studios from a few of these resorts. Guests staying at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort can also easily access Hollywood Studios via the Disney Skyliner.

2 – Download the MDE App

If you haven’t already, you’ll want to download the My Disney Experience (MDE) App for real-time information. You can use this app as a park map, see wait times, dining locations, mobile ordering, make reservations, and SO much more. You’ll also need the app for the complimentary Disney Genie planning tools and to purchase Lightning Lane access with either Disney Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lane attractions. This app is a Disney fan’s absolute best friend!

3 – Consider Paying for Lighting Lane Access

You might want to consider purchasing access to the new Lightning Lane on busy days. The Lightning Lane will allow you to “skip the line” and should save you time. There are two Lightning Lane paid options that include different attractions. First, you can purchase Disney Genie+ for the day of your visit. This costs anywhere from $15-$35 per day, per person. With Genie+, you can access the Lightning Lane at attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. See the list below for the Genie+ attractions at the park.

Disney Genie+ Attractions:

1. 1. Alien Swirling Saucers
   2. Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
   3. Disney Jr. Play and Dance
   4. Frozen Sing-Along
   5. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
   6. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
   7. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
   8. Muppet*Vision 3D
   9. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
   10. Slinky Dog Dash
   11. Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
   12. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
   13. Toy Story Mania

A second option for purchasing Lightning Lane is the a la carte method. The attraction below is NOT included with your Genie+ purchase and must be purchased separately. Lightning Lane selections for the top-tier individual attractions will also be made on the same day of your visit and can be made across multiple theme parks (great for those who have the Park Hopper Option). Access to purchase Lightning Lane for the individual top-tier attractions is available to all guests at park opening. However, guests staying on Disney World property receive the benefit of early access to top-tier reservations and can make their purchases at 7:00 am on the day of their visit. Access to the Lightning Lane can hit capacity and will sell out, so we highly recommend you purchase access right at 7:00 am if you plan to purchase access. Prices will vary by date, attraction, and park. We’ve seen prices range anywhere from $7-$25 per person per attraction.

Individual A la Carte Lightning Lane Attractions:

• • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Keep in mind that you do not have to purchase either of these options to enjoy these attractions. However, if you want to enjoy Rise of the Resistance without purchasing access to the Lightning Lane, head straight for the attraction at rope drop to give you the best possible chance to ride it since it does regularly experience technical problems and does go down. As the day continues, there is a greater chance they will close the standby queue to allow Lightning Lane guests to ride the attraction if there are multiple closures.

4 – Study the Park Layout

No need to waste time studying a park map once you’re in the park! Before you set off on your park mission, check out Hollywood Studios’ layout well in advance. Even if you are a seasoned Hollywood Studios visitor, the opening of new lands and attractions has shifted some of what you may be used to. Check out the park map online or on your MDE app, and you’ll be ready to rock and roll the moment you step foot in the park.

5 – Arrive Early

No surprise here! One of the very best ways to make the most of your time is to arrive early. Disney resort guests now get to enter the park thirty minutes before park opening. This means that you’ll get extra time to do one of your must-dos! We highly recommend heading straight to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, or Slinky Dog Dash, as before park opening will have some of the lowest wait times of the day! Even if you’re not a resort guest, the lines will only get longer as the day goes on. So get there early!

6 – Skip Breakfast in the Park

While we love a good breakfast (especially at Hollywood Studios!), the key to saving time and taking advantage of the early morning hours is to skip breakfast in the park. Definitely eat breakfast, but we’d recommend doing so in your resort room while you’re getting ready that morning. A breakfast shake, breakfast bar, muffins, PopTart… whatever will hold you over until lunch. Don’t forget you can pack snacks to munch on in the park while in line or while going from one attraction to another.

7 – Mobile Order Meals

You may have heard that eating at a quick-service location during off-peak hours is a great time-saving tip. This is absolutely correct, but it doesn’t always work out when attractions and your Disney Genie+ selections come into play. No worries, just pick up your MDE App and Mobile Order lunch and dinner. It’s super easy on the app, and looking over menus and ordering food while waiting in line if you’d like is fun. Most restaurants require it now, so it’s best to plan ahead!

8 – Make your Breaks Count

Everyone needs a break from time to time! Whether it’s the heat or tired legs, make the best of your breaks to get the most out of your Hollywood Studios day. Go ahead and grab an ice cream sandwich from Scoops on Sunset Blvd. Take a slow stroll through Walt Disney Presents and check out some cool Disney memorabilia. You can go shopping at one of the many unique shops or visit with your favorite characters!

We hope these time-savers come in handy so you get the most out of your Hollywood Studios day!