Lights, camera, action. You guessed it — you just stepped into Hollywood (or the magic of Disney’s Hollywood Studios). This park is the third park of Walt Disney World and lets you experience the Golden Age of Hollywood in Orlando. Explore some of the biggest names in the business, including Pixar, Indiana Jones, and of course, iconic Star Wars!
Wondering what to do at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Keep reading to figure out how to take in the glamor of Hollywood and get your fill of Disney excitement for all ages. Or, if you already know you’d like to visit, you can click here to learn about purchasing tickets.
Navigating Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios sits on 135 acres south of Disney’s Epcot theme park. This park is the fifth most visited park in the U.S. and the ninth most visited worldwide! It opened in May 1989 as Disney’s MGM Studios and has completed significant transformations and expansions since then. What is the most exciting addition? Enter the Star Wars franchise, and the force is with you the moment you enter the park.
Wondering about the best places in Hollywood Studios? Let’s break it down into the seven main areas to help you navigate the lay of the land:
Hollywood Boulevard
You probably guessed it — this is the main entrance. As you enter the park, you can find a wide variety of restaurants, shops, and guest services. You will feel like you stepped into the original Hollywood of California, but it also feels like the magical Disney Main Street USA in Magic Kingdom.
Echo Lake
The Echo Lake area is themed around Hollywood’s Golden Age of Travel. There is a small lagoon area that highlights some spectacular events like Star Tours, Jedi Training Academy, and the iconic and immensely popular Indiana Joes Epic Stunt Spectacular.
Sunset Boulevard
You have certainly seen the iconic Tower of Terror image when exploring Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Located in Sunset Boulevard, this area is where the adrenaline seekers want to go.
Animation Courtyard
Next, you can make your way through the archway to check out Disney’s animation with interactive exhibits, insightful rides, entertaining shows, and fun meet-and-greets with some of your favorite Disney characters.
Mickey Avenue is a small section of Animation Courtyard and is worth checking out the life of Walt Disney. Celebrate how it all began by checking out some of Walt’s rare drawings, photos, and models.
Grand Avenue
Now you can check out the historic district of Los Angeles, which also has the name Grand Avenue. Do you like the Muppets? This is the home of Muppet Vision 3D.
Star War’s Galaxy’s Edge
This may be the area that excites you most if you love Star Wars! Galaxy’s Edge is the newest and most popular addition to the park.
Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land is dedicated to all things Toy Story. You can find a thrilling Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and 4D adventure through the movie.
Best Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions
Let’s take a look at the best attractions at Hollywood Studios so you can make your must-see list filled with great movie rides while you’re visiting Disney World.
Toy Story Mania
This is one of Disney World’s most popular rides, and it is for a reason. Themed after the Disney-Pixar Toy Story movies, you can find yourself immersed in the series as you become toy-sized and play in an interactive 3D carnival with Andy. This spinning, shooting game is fast-paced — and is in 3D! The lines may be long at times at Toy Story Mania, but it is worth it!
It is a family ride with no height restrictions, but it is not suitable for babies as there is no lap seating. You also want to make sure your children aren’t too little to topple over after spinning. If you have really little ones, you may want to use Disney’s Rider Switch to let them spend smaller amounts of time in line.
Slinky Dog Dash
Speaking of Toy Story, you can’t miss one of the newest rollercoasters in the park, Slinky Dog Dash. If you don’t like the typical thrilling coasters, this is an excellent option for you and the whole family because it is more kid-friendly than the others.
You get to take a ride on the back of Slinky Dog and take a few drops and turns after a small launch through Andy’s backyard. Since it’s great for the entire family, we think it is easily one of the best rollercoasters in Disney. It’s not only fun, but it also rates exceptionally high on the cuteness meter!
Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster
Ok, this one is for you more serious riders. Located near the Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster launches from 0-60 mph right from the get-go! Find your heart rate increasing as you listen to loud music from the popular band Aerosmith. And we mean it’s loud with music pumping through a 32,000-watt stereo system!
As you probably can imagine, the height requirement for this ride is the tallest at this park — coming in at 48″. This is the perfect thrill for bigger kids, adults, and teens alike that love exhilarating rides — and the music of Aerosmith!
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
You can’t talk about Hollywood Studios without talking about the Tower of Terror. The pre-ride features The Twilight Zone — the show that inspired it all! Located at Sunset Boulevard, it is one of the best thrill rides you can find at Disney.
This ride is dark and exhilarating as you fly up and down an elevator shaft. The drops are random, so you never have the exact same experience twice! One of our favorite parts of this ride is seeing the entire park from the top.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
In the middle of Galaxy’s Edge, the Millenium Falcon will take your breath away. Why? You get to control the iconic Millenium Falcon on a smuggling mission just like Hans Solo.
This ride is simulator-style, so it can be dark at times and have some loud moments and small drops. This ride is awesome for Star Wars lovers of all ages that are taller than 38″. May the force be with you! If you are a Star Wars fanatic, you should head straight to this area.
Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
Prepare yourself for the ultimate Star Wars Adventure. This is a multiple-ride system that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen — it’s not just a ride.
It’s time to take on the dark side and help the Resistance! You will see Rey and BB-8 as they prepare to rise. There is a virtual queue for you to visit this ride, and there is no standby feature right now. It is limited, so you should make this a top priority.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Believe it or not, this is the only ride at Disney that features Mickey and friends. This family-friendly attraction zips you through a cartoon universe where you find several fun surprises! This is the ride for all Mickey fans (no matter their age).
Fun tip, you may want to check this ride a little later in the day. Lines tend to go down since it’s near the front of the park.
Hollywood Studios Shows and Other Entertainment
With Hollywood, you can imagine some of the most thrilling shows, and they are sprinkled with Disney Magic. For first-timers, you don’t want to miss some of these shows. We recommend checking out times as you arrive. Some of these attractions are scheduled to reopen, so you may also want to verify that as well.
Top shows include:
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid (features a 12-foot Ursula puppet)
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (has many of the scenes from the famous movies)
- Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage (reopens August 15)
- Wonderful World of Animation
- Frozen Sing-Along
- Muppet 3D vision with your favorite characters
Where to Eat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Seeing all this magic will work up an appetite! Along with the themed rides, you can find some fun-themed restaurants.
Sci-Fi Dine-In is a favorite of many. It’s 50’s style with a drive-in. Enjoy some sci-fi movie clips as you eat things like burgers, desserts, and other fun beverages.
You can also try out the 50’s Primetime Cafe to make it feel like you are going over to grandma’s house for dinner. The inside of the restaurants takes you back to a simple time, and you can fill yourself with some good, hearty American meals like meatloaf, pot roast, and fried chicken.
In the mood for something fancier, Hollywood Brown Derby is the place to go! If you don’t mind spending a little extra, this restaurant will satisfy your pallet.
You can also find some characters at Hollywood and Vine. Here you’ll be able to see some of Disney Junior’s favorite characters like Doc McStuffins, Sofia, and Jake.
You can also find plenty of quick-service locations such as Dockside Diner, Rosie’s All-American Cafe, and Woody’s Lunchbox.
Annual Festival and Events
Disney’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. That’s right, Disney World is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the Tower of Terror will light up with EARidescence.
Holiday Celebrations in the Winter Months. Have you ever wondered what the Tower of Terror would look like in the snow? The Flurry of Fun events turns this area of the Disney park into a winter wonderland. And, in the evenings, there is a festive fireworks display that’s fun to watch: Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam.
Ready to Visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Disney’s Hollywood Studios has fun for everyone. Find yourself in old Hollywood, but you still have the magic of Disney at every turn. Whether you want thrilling rides or want to sit back for some shows, this park has you covered.
We are an authorized Disney World ticket seller, so that you can get it all with us. Contact us by phone or email anytime — and don’t forget to check out our vacation rentals near the Disney World theme parks to make vacationing with kids easier by having home-like amenities.
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