Disney Hollywood Studios strategy advice please

[MAJ JC]

Hello, I have been told that you are the experts on strategies to get the most out of your WDW experiences, so please let me know what you think.

I am a service member and we are taking advantage of the Disney salute to the troops offer and heading to WDW for the Thanksgiving weekend.( I know it is a busy time, but oh well) We have 2 little princessess (ages 3 and 5) who love the princesses, Star Wars, and the muppets, so I was thinking that Hollywood studios is a perfect way to spend one of our days. I am thinking Friday since Saturday has Magic hours and we are not staying at a disney property.

One caveat: I do not want to make our trip into a military operation with regimented places and times. The whole point is to spend time together as a family and share the magic with our girls. I think having a good rough plan will help us to get the most out of it. And Of course we would love to be able to take time and meet the characters, and enjoy lunch and dinner along the way.

OK Here goes:

Arrive somewhat early
1. Get a Fastpass for Toy Story
2. Ride Star Tours ( My 3 yr old is tall enough to ride)- Do you think there will be a long line?
- Maybe jedi academy depending on our fastpass time (they will love it)
3. Ride Toy Story
4. Get fastpass for the Little Mermaid
5. Muppets 3d
6. Little mermaid
7. Playhouse disney
8. Beauty and the beast
9. After dark: Ozborne Lights
10.Fantasmic

Go to the hotel and sleep sleep sleep

Is this too ambitious? Please let me know what you think.
(I may also ask you all about my Magic Kingdom plan in a later post, if you all don't mind)

Thank You!

[tractortippin]

Welcome! And thanks for your service to our country!!!

Your plan sounds good, just keep in mind you may have to move your beauty and the beast to another spot in your day. We were there in Sept and if I remember correctly they only put that show on at certain times. When you get to the park you can pick up the daily park time sheet and see what times they are playing that show.

Enjoy!!!

[robert@dvcstore]

You will be visiting at a very busy time, but I do not think your plan is too ambitious. Your girls will have a great time. Getting those fastpasses will save you quite a bit of time.

Thank you for your service and Happy Thanksgiving.

Robert

[patink]

FWIW First I do want to say that I have NO experience touring with children so in terms of that I do not know if it is too ambitious, but I do have a couple of thoughts for you.

I don't know what time "somewhat early" is but maybe by 10:00 am?
1. Starting with a FP for Toy Story is the way to go.
2. Little Mermaid is very close to Toy Story I would check on the line and the next showing for this and maybe do it now. This would mean you could hopefully pick up a FP for Star Tours instead of using it on Little Mermaid.
3. Head over to Star Tours to pick up FP (or ride if line is not too bad)
4. Check on next showing of Jedi Academy - do Jedi Academy if soon OR
4.a. Muppets 3-D (then go back for Jedi Academy)
5. Use Fastpass for Star Tours
Note - The Honey I Shrunk the kids play area is close to Muppets if you need a place to spend time waiting for FP to become good or waiting for Jedi Training to start.

6. Back toward Toy Story and either use FP or go to Playhouse Disney depending on next show. If Playhouse Disney is doable use Toy Story FP after Playhouse Disney show.
7. Beauty and the Beast - depending what time it is see the show - then get some dinner and get ready for Osbourne Lights.
8. Fantasmic!

I don't know if you have looked at any maps of DHS, but your plan has a bit of back and forth across the park.

HTH
ENJOY!!
Just a note about FastPasses - When you pick up your Toy Story FP it will say at the bottom when you can get another. You should try to pick up your next one as soon as the window of opportunity opens up!! FastPasses are your friend!! Also you can not ride the attraction before your FP time, but the FP is good ANY TIME after the start time... you do not have to be back before the end of your "window" use it as late as you want!! This also helps with not having to run back and forth across the park.

Originally Posted by MAJ JC

OK Here goes:

Arrive somewhat early
1. Get a Fastpass for Toy Story
2. Ride Star Tours ( My 3 yr old is tall enough to ride)- Do you think there will be a long line?
- Maybe jedi academy depending on our fastpass time (they will love it)
3. Ride Toy Story
4. Get fastpass for the Little Mermaid
5. Muppets 3d
6. Little mermaid
7. Playhouse disney
8. Beauty and the beast
9. After dark: Ozborne Lights
10.Fantasmic

Go to the hotel and sleep sleep sleep

Is this too ambitious? Please let me know what you think.

Thank You!

[WhoMe]

Yes, THANK YOU for your service to our country!!!!

According to the Disney calendar, there is no Fantasmic on that Saturday - I am very surprised by that, too! However, sometimes Disney will add certain events unannounced. You "may" be able to find out if they will have Fantastmic that Saturday that morning or the day before. Fantasmic is not a nightly kind of thing anymore... The Osbourne Dancing lights is a MUST SEE. SKIP Block Party Bash in case you wanted to add it to your schedule. Avoid MK on the THX thursday. MK will be much less crowed the day after THX; this means that other parks will be a bit more crowded. Which days do you plan to be at WDW? Can you go to multiple parks in one day? What kind of ticket do you have?

[vicki_c]

Key point -- you don't have to use your Fastpasses within the window printed on them. As long as you wait until the start of the return time, you can use the FP any time until the park closes. So you won't have to let those windows dictate what you can do at any particular time - go back and use them when it works for you. Just don't try to use it early - they won't let you do that.

[IZHAYMAMA]

First of all, thank you for your service to our country. Secondly, I'm so happy you are getting the chance to take your princesses to WDW!

I don't think your plan is too ambitious. However, the crowds may be the key factor to your plan. My recommendation would be to do this based on where the attractions are located in the park:

1. Get your fastpasses to Toy Story.
2. Go ride Star Tours and hopefully you can do Jedi Training Academy right after. (My kids were both picked in February and LOVED it!)
3. Get fastpass for Little Mermaid BEFORE you ride Toy Story Mania if your time on your fastpass allows you to get another fastpass.
4. Ride Toy Story Mania.
5. Then do Little Mermaid (if it's your fastpass time).
6. Go ahead and watch Playhouse Disney since it's right there by Little Mermaid.
7. Beauty & the Beast show
8. Muppets 3-D since it's right by Osborne Lights
9. Osborne Lights
10. Fantasmic

And most of all, HAVE FUN!!!!!

[MAJ JC]

Thank you all for the advice and tips ( particularly in the FP strategies.) Thank you also for your support, it is truly a pleasure and an honor to serve this great nation.
Does Star tours usually have a line? Is the FP worth it there ? I know the Thanksgiving wekend wil throw everything off, but what do you think?

[patink]

Originally Posted by MAJ JC

Thank you all for the advice and tips ( particularly in the FP strategies.) Thank you also for your support, it is truly a pleasure and an honor to serve this great nation.
Does Star tours usually have a line? Is the FP worth it there ? I know the Thanksgiving wekend wil throw everything off, but what do you think?

I have not been at Thanksgiving so I don't have 1st hand knowledge of the Star Tours line then, but I have done Spring Break and I feel like ANY FP is worth it! I pick up FPs as fast as allowed.

[marshmellow86]

Fast passes are definitely worth it!! Essentially you can 1 FP at least every 2 hours. You are eligible to get another FP as soon it is time for your FP OR 2 hours after getting the FP - whichever is sooner! Very important - especially for rides will long waits, like Toy Story. For example, if you get your TSM FP at 10 am and it stated to come back between 1 - 2 pm, you can actually get another FP at noon, and not have to wait until 1pm to get another FP.

One additional note, check the times for Playhouse Disney on the times guide when you arrive. Just as someone already mentioned that Beauty and the Beast is only at designated times during the day, Playhouse Disney also only has certain show times. I think that they tend to be earlier in the day, but it has been a few years since we went to that show.

Have fun!!!

HS also has various characters around the park (especially around the hat) for autographs

[lesliejmorris]

I think Disney just needs to give special fastpasses to Service men and women! Thank you for your service! Have a great time.

[MAJ JC]

This is really good info, I didn't realize that you could basically get 1 every 2hours, and that you can use them any time after the time on the FP. I am really glad that I came here to ask these questions. Thank you.

I am starting to look at our MK strategy, I think that most of our day will focus around the more kiddie rides and attractions (Dumbo, Goofy's coaster, Mickey's and Minnie's houses, ariels grotto etc.) But I think that they would love the Buzz Lightywear ride. So Likewise, the plan would be to get a Buzz Fastpass first thing and then head to tomorrowland speedway then the other rides.

Do you think that the haunted mansion is approriate for 3/5yr olds?

I think the big thing at MK for us will be meeting the characters ( especially the princesses)

[EastonCat]

Your touring plan is very well thought out, particualrly for having little ones. Reorienting your experience based on locations is good advice, so I would recommend taking IZHAYMOMMA's advice. That being said, if you don't, the park isn't very big and the criscrossing is nice too. Also, the fountain outside the Muppet 3D attraction looks really cool in early morning sunlight.

This is the one park we try to enter at opening. However, it is more important that you not push the princesses to hard by waking them up without a proper night's sleep. A full touring day is a big energy investment!

[POB14]

Originally Posted by MAJ JC

So Likewise, the plan would be to get a Buzz Fastpass first thing and then head to tomorrowland speedway then the other rides.

No. Ride Dumbo first. Kids love it irrationally, and Dumbo builds lines like you wouldn't believe; the difference between riding it at rope drop and riding it an hour later is remarkable. Buzz doesn't build the crowds like it used to; you'll be able to get a fastpass later. (Do make sure to look for Push, the talking trashcan, when you're in T-land.) We've never done the Speedway; to me, there are too many other things that Disney does better. We usually do something like this:

Dumbo
Peter Pan
Pooh
small world
Carrousel, if there's time

We then head to Toontown to meet the characters; that would take care of the Princess deal for you. If, however, the kids want to meet Tink and the other fairies, you need to be at Toontown at or before its opening (10:00, generally, or a little before) and head straight to Pixie Hollow, or you'll be in line there half the day.

Originally Posted by MAJ JC

Do you think that the haunted mansion is approriate for 3/5yr olds?

You know your kids best, but I would say probably not. I once rode behind two kids about that age, and they came out crying. My kids didn't ride until last year, at 9 and 8, and one of them still was a little unsettled . . . the older one! All kids are different.

[wmharley]

I personally would get a FP to TSM, THEN immediately ride it 1st thing in the morning. If the line is 20 minutes, and your FP time is 1 or 2 hours later, that 20 minutes in line, would cut the time you can get ANOTHER FP elsewhere.

then you'd have ridden TSM and by the time you go to another show or something after TSM, your FP will be available and you can get another one elsewhere in the park..

That said.. there is a Beaty and the Beast show at 11:30am.. in case you wanted to see it.