To HS or not to HS?

[BuzzLiteyear]

Originally Posted by geenerbell

I think the Little Mermaid show is a little scary and it's pretty dark. Our first trip was when my son was 5 and DHS was his favorite park. Love LMA, Indy, Jedi Academy, Honey playground, the Power Rangers and Playhouse Disney.

Not to mention the seats are old, torn, and dirty (at least they were when we were there last)... For Little Mermaid, that is.

[butsy113]

If you are eating at H&V you could do the F! dining package. Then you only have to be at the theater 30 minutes early. The show is amazing!

[cmh314]

If your kids enjoy meeting characters there are several that can only be found in Hollywood Studios (Little Einsteins, Handy Manny, Jake, Phineas and Ferb and the Monsters Inc. characters). There's also Buzz & Woody, Sorcerer Mickey, and many of the other standard characters that rotate in the area around the hat throughout the day. My kids (under the age of 5) enjoyed Star Tours, Toy Story Midway Mania and a favorite was the Playhouse Disney show. They also had lots of fun at the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground and watching the Jedi Training show. They also liked the afternoon parade (well my son did - my DD slept through the entire thing. During the parade Woody stopped in front of her and kept gestureing towards her in the stroller as if to say "I can't believe she's sleeping through all of this."

If you're already planning to visit all of the other parks, I would say there's enough here for them to enjoy. If you had to make the decision between this and one of the others, I'd probably save HS for a future trip.

[mslhb]

We are going in early December with our DD (4.5) and plan on skipping HS. I just don't think there is a lot for her there. To be honest though it is my least favorite park so that probably plays a lot into it. We are only going to be there for 5/6 days so I would rather spend the time at the other parks. We plan to return for a longer trip when she is older and can do HS then.

[TandLMommy28]

My kids love HS. They loved all the characters (Phineas & Ferb, Mater & McQueen) that they couldn't meet anywhere else. They loved Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Lights Motor Action... They spent seriously over an hour coloring at the table set up in the animation building. And of course, they loved Toy Story Mania and Star Tours. We did those three times each!

[Miranda Danda]

HS is my DD4's favorite park, by far! So much to do and the theming is great! We spent 2.5 days there on our last trip.

[michsig]

We went to HS on our first trip .. didn't go on our last trip, but I would like to go there on our next trip! I know we will end up spending like half a day there, just to visit the park since it's been awhile!

[mowatm]

I say go for it! If they don't care for it, then you can leave! But you don't want to head home wondering if you should have gone!

[Disney_Princess83]

I would skip HS. HS is a half day park for us at most. We visit The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Great Movie Ride (is there is a short line) Characterpalooza and that's all, we're out of there We can skip the park easily

[bookluvingbabe]

My 5 year old doesn't know any of the Disney Jr. characters. He doesn't know Star Wars or Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. I just don't think he'd get most of DHS.

We're going in December for Osborne Lights and to say that we've done all 4 parks. We will probably try to do the Muppets too but he hates the 3D glasses.

[parkhopping]

As you can see from the wide variety of PP responses...it depends on your kids! Some little ones love it. Others, not so much. Only you know your kids and can guess how much they'd enjoy it. That said, I would probably give it a shot if you have the days to do it, especially if you have hoppers. You can always do it in the morning, have a nap at the resort, and then visit MK in the evening. If you get there and no one is having a good time...no harm done. You can move on to a different park.

[LisaBi]

It is my son's favorite park. If he has to choose between Studios and MK, he will pick Studios. The kids all seem to love the Disney Chanel Rocks show. Then like others have mentioned, BATB, Jedi training, Playhouse Disney (or have they changed the name?), Pizza Planet if they are into Toy Story, TSM, Star Tours, lots of characters, Indiana Jones, the cars stunt show,... My son also loves all the street performers.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that last Sept we spent at least part of 5 different days there.

[jgh]

I never liked Hollywood Studios much when I was younger. We only ever really went if we were going for 3+ days and we had done the other parks as much as we wanted. I think once we even went a few years without going to HS, and we go to Disney every October!

I would only go if you have a park hopper. I wouldn't be able to spend a whole day there, even now at 20. It's just never been one of my favorites.

Now we only go and hit Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, The Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror and the Rockn'Roller Coaster and we're outta there...back to Epcot or MK.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by bookluvingbabe

My 5 year old doesn't know any of the Disney Jr. characters. He doesn't know Star Wars or Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. I just don't think he'd get most of DHS.

We're going in December for Osborne Lights and to say that we've done all 4 parks. We will probably try to do the Muppets too but he hates the 3D glasses.

Does he watch Playhouse Disney? All the Playhouse Disney character meet and greets are at HS. That usually makes HS the preschool crowd's favorite park.