Any idea what is going on with DHS in December?

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Our window for DDP opened up today, and this will be the first year we will try a F! package. We were super excited about a holiday dinner with Minnie. F! is one of my favorite shows, but HS is not my favorite park, so I haven't seen it for a few years. I will be super bummed if it isn't going to be showing during our trip - I did call the dinning line, and she said look for packages in the next few weeks - fingers crossed!

Thanks for the update. Hopefully they will definitely be adding in Fantasmic! I just thought it was so odd that they had it listed for November and in December starting the 29th, but not before then. I thought they might be refurbing the theater or something like that.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I'll be interested in seeing what DHS is like this Christmas. Last year, Star Wars had just opened and with the Osborne Lights being in their final year, the park was CRAZY crowded.

We usually break DHS into two half days and split it with EPCOT. That allows us to FP+ the major rides. We'll do something like this:
Day A:
Daytime:
- EPCOT in the daytime for WS
Nighttime:
- FP+ for Star Wars
- FP+ for TSMM
- FP+ for Tower of Terror
- Fantasmic
- Star Wars fireworks

Day B:
Daytime:
- Ride The Great Movie Ride
- FP+ for Rock n Roller Coaster
- FP+ for Tower of Terror
- FP+ for Frozen Musical
Nighttime:
- EPCOT for Illuminations

However, if it's not going to be too crowded and we can pull it off (especially now with TSMM's additional track) we may be able to swing one day and save Day B for something else...

 

[HopperFan]

Sorry - Yes. I kinda assumed that most people don't do EVERY RIDE. Usually if you are going on RnR, you do not also have the same family makeup to do Disney Junior. I was also discounting meet and greets. I shouldn't do that - I know they are popular; just not with my family so I forget about those activities.

You might also have noticed I was clear on "What is left unfortunately feels forced as a way to try to give you things to do".

Basically from your list I did this in May
Toy Story - 5 minutes (FP; no wait)
Tower of Terror - 30 minutes
Star Tours - 10 minutes
RNR - 25 minutes
Great Movie Ride - 15 minutes.
Muppets - 5 minutes
Indiana Jones - 5 minutes (FP)
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - 20 minutes
Star Wars Launch Bay - 30 minutes

I would have liked to cover Beauty and the beast (love that show), but the times were not convenient. Was done by about 1pm and just couldn't come up with anything else to do for 6 hours waiting around for fireworks.

I contrast that to a few years ago before things started shutting down in mass droves and I still had American Idle, fast and furious, drew carey, animation studio, etc...

We do EVERYTHING except Playhouse Disney (although I went once just to see) and now no longer do Frozen with theater and some actors changed. We also like table service dining at this park.

With many things being timed shows, we can not get it all done in one day and could easily do open to close.

I don't think we are the minority. I also think many will do the park half day, more than once so they can spend all morning when it is less crowded, then come back another day and do afternoon/evening for Fantasmic/Fireworks.

 

[monorailrabbit]

Thanks for the update. Hopefully they will definitely be adding in Fantasmic! I just thought it was so odd that they had it listed for November and in December starting the 29th, but not before then. I thought they might be refurbing the theater or something like that.

I agree! Had a quick moment of panic about it that it was down for a refurb or something, but the CM told me no, they just had a bug they were trying to work out to release the packages - I hope this is the case! I would be so sad if we missed it again this year!

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Disney knows its a half-day park. That's why they are doing all of the additions to the park.

I agree. And it wasn't a half day park to me either a year ago. However, half the park is closed for refurb. So I guess those saying it's still a full day used to spend 2 or 3 days in there?

It will be a full and very busy park when it's done. it's just RIGHT NOW, there is so much closed or done as "a place to put people for 30 minutes while we work" that it was disappointing as a full day and I actually spent 4 hours reading a book waiting for fireworks.

 

[yulilin3]

I agree. And it wasn't a half day park to me either a year ago. However, half the park is closed for refurb. So I guess those saying it's still a full day used to spend 2 or 3 days in there?

It will be a full and very busy park when it's done. it's just RIGHT NOW, there is so much closed or done as "a place to put people for 30 minutes while we work" that it was disappointing as a full day and I actually spent 4 hours reading a book waiting for fireworks.

it needs to be made clear, especially for people unfamiliar with DHS that when you say "half the park is closed for refurb" it means area not attraction.
The only area closed is streets of America, if you count Backlot Tour, which closed Summer of 2014, the number of attractions closed is 2. 1 meet and greet, 1 playground and a quick service restaurant.
And if it's a half day park to you that's fine but it's not a half day park for everyone.

 

[Delirium]

I agree. And it wasn't a half day park to me either a year ago. However, half the park is closed for refurb. So I guess those saying it's still a full day used to spend 2 or 3 days in there?

It will be a full and very busy park when it's done. it's just RIGHT NOW, there is so much closed or done as "a place to put people for 30 minutes while we work" that it was disappointing as a full day and I actually spent 4 hours reading a book waiting for fireworks.

"Half the park is closed' is a false statement. In fact, several of the closed attractions have been replaced with different ones. American Idol was closed and is now The Frozen show. The Star Wars Launch Bay replaced what was in the Animation building. Lights Motor Action was closed, and though not in the same location, a Star Wars Stage show has been added. Streets of America really didn't have any attractions, but a couple of stores did bite the dust. The third Toy Story track replaced Jack Sparrow. Star Wars fireworks have been added

And, frankly, in my opinion, spending 4 hours reading a book seems more like a waste of time than it does something you 'had' to do to bridge the gap to fireworks (and, yes, I read every day). Even if there wasn't an attraction/show that interests a particular person/group, there are many other things that can be done that someone can only do at Disney. Walk around looking for hidden Mickeys, take the boat to one of the nearby resorts between HS & Epcot, or simply browse the gift shops.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

"Half the park is closed' is a false statement. In fact, several of the closed attractions have been replaced with different ones. American Idol was closed and is now The Frozen show. The Star Wars Launch Bay replaced what was in the Animation building. Lights Motor Action was closed, and though not in the same location, a Star Wars Stage show has been added. Streets of America really didn't have any attractions, but a couple of stores did bite the dust. The third Toy Story track replaced Jack Sparrow. Star Wars fireworks have been added

Lights, Motors, Action - Closed
Studio Backlot Tour - Closed
Pizza Planet Arcade - Closed
Honey I shrunk the kids - Closed
Streets of America - Closed
Jack Sparrow - Closed
Several restaurants / shops that I am too tired to count - Closed.
Art of Animation - replaced by Launch Bay. A forced, half baked way to trying to excite you about Star Wars before Star Wars land is ready. It's like sugar free chocolate; a lot of promise, but no delivery. The show in Launch Bay is not really worth it. They aren't doing what Art of Animation did which was to give you glimpses of what's to come. Instead it's just rehash of what we already have seen. They replaced a few models and changed the meet and greet. Either way, I consider it a wash; I liked the jawa's and the original poster work. Worth going into, but hardly exciting.
Whatever it was called; build a snowman ice area - Closed.
America Idle - replaced with the frozen show which felt really forced and feels like a temporary - "hold you over"
Sounds Dangerous - replaced with a short 7 minute show of scenes from the star wars movies that were horribly edited by an amateur.

Yes, we expanded Toy Story to another track. it's still one ride. That's not a new attraction.

In fact right now, we have only have 5 rides, 7 shows (of which 2 feel very forced) and 3 walk through areas.

Compare that the MK or Epcot it's a sorry state.
Even Animal Kingdom is sporting 6 rides, 4 shows and 6 areas to explore putting those two parks on somewhat equal footing.

And, frankly, in my opinion, spending 4 hours reading a book seems more like a waste of time

And frankly, calling how I choose to spend my time a waste of time is rude and offensive.

I was simply stating that I had honestly run out of things to do that interested me in Hollywood Studios. You stated an alternative was to 'walk the park' - well, I DID and what I saw was a barrier after toy story with nothing there but a park bench and several people talking on cell phones while smoking and if I walked the other way guess what??? another barrier right after Muppets. Most of the area to explore was actually closed other then the points to get from here to there.

I was there with 3 other families and the other 3 all LEFT THE PARK after 1pm to go to Epcot because they were bored and didn't care to wait for the fireworks.

Look - it's simple - if you want to spend 6 days seeing the same things in Hollywood Studios, that's great. Go there and enjoy yourself. I could care less. I was simply responding to the OP that right now large sections of the park are closed (which is TRUE) and the entire remaining area only took me about half a day - although as I said, my son managed to Ride Tower of Terror 14 times in one day (I swear that's a record). Your mileage may vary.

Feel free to have your own opinion, but i'll thank you to not call my activities a waste of time.