DHS, I don't see it, what am I missing?

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

On our last trip, we spent a full day - rope drop to F! I felt like we were really aimless for a few hours. Not bad, but not great. This trip we are going to the park around 1 & staying for F! I hated TSMM (public stoning to commence soon - who hates TSMM?!), so we have a fairly short list of must-dos. I would like to add Muppets & Little Mermaid this trip. I don't feel like we need to see Lights Motors action or Indy again, but I will poll my group!

I don't hate it, but see NO need to stalk a FP or wait in long lines.

(And as proof that the problem is LACK OF ATTRACTIONS, this EXACT same ride in California Adventure I routinely ride with under a 30 minute wait... Hmmm....)

 

[happyleesh]

Are you disney visa holders? They are holding animation classes at Epcot, at the chase visa tent!

 

[busymommy2pink]

We normally skip DHS. Actually we are only going this year to see the Osbourne lights. We are going at 4, hitting start tours, frozen sing along and TSMM with our fast passes. We will grab my Star Wars obsessed nephew a souvenir here. We actually much prefer Epcot, even if soarin was closed. My girls have always loved the passports, the country shops, all the performers. But they've always loved Epcot the most since they were 3 lol

 

[mlbrv]

did someone say that the jedi training is closed? for how long? my son loved this and i'm hoping to do it on our next trip in april 2016.

 

[epcotty]

Noone mentioned that the Sounds Dangerous building is still empty.

We might still go around Christmas as they'll be doing a few more things than usual but don't think we would otherwise, at other times we would have to repeat attractions as we don't do everything in the park

 

[canoe86]

I can't figure out DHS. I have recently read this park was put together to counter Universal when they were putting in their first park. Maybe that's why it feels so......hate to use the word empty, maybe lacking is better.

 

[katallo]

This is our first year as AP holders. With the price increase for 2016 I don't we'll renew. We've enjoyed the AP and were planning on renewing, but the last trip consisted of 1 half day at Epcot (which was one of our favorite Parks) and half day at Hollywood. We did stay at MK most of the day. So many things were closed for renovation or had mechanical difficulties. We might do Fantasmic this year, but as others have said...not our favorite. We will see Osborne Lights which we are looking forward to.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Honestly? I didn't think there was much there before all the closings. I do, however, mourn the loss of the Animation Academy, which was the best thing in the park. Sorry, but I don't go to Disney for "thrill" rides, and even if I did, you'd need more than 2 (possibly 3, if you count Star Tours) to get me coming back regularly. I could easily skip DHS. I won't this time, if only because of the Christmas lights, but normally I could.

 

[lustergirl]

we skip DHS completely. I don't ride TOT or RNR and there is only so much Indy or Car Stunt Show you can watch. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[kayteekt]

I hate that HS gets such a bad rap. It's my fave park! The best rides and we love all the shows. I really like the old hollywood atmosphere. Brown derby and 50s prime time among our favorite restaurants. The only thing we didn't like was American Idol and now thats gone. Not too big on that playground either, makes me nervous, lol. With all the shows, we really have a hard time doing all in one day. Kids love it too. Even though the show part of the back stage tour was pretty lame, i always loved the queu area and going behind the scenes. I just love it all and there will be so much more to love with the new lands that are coming!!

 

[kayteekt]

Granted, the animation acadamy was more than just a meet and greet, it was also a giftshop an a drawing class, but that doesn't change my point that losing it doesn't ruin the park.



I think my point was missed. I am specifically talking about avoiding it recently. I listen to several podcast, read multiple discussion boards, and there is a general "stay away from DHS, everything is closed, nothing is left" message being spread. THAT is what I am questioning. Is it accurate?

I know the inherent limitations to DHS, and i would be no better off at AK at the moment, and I know what both will be like when they are done doing the expansions, but in ht hear and now, what has closed that is actually taking away from the park in a meaningful way??

To answer your question specifically, IMO there is plenty to still do for a whole day. That is, if you are interested in the attractions there. This January we spent 2 mostly whole days at HS and the only thing that isn't there now is the animation academy. Obviously each family is different, but i would just kind of list the things you want to do and if there's enough plan on it, if not skip...somewhere in the middle make it a leisurely day

 

[rpb718]

We came up with a plan several years ago concerning our short trips (4 or 5 days) at WDW for just DW and myself - we always do DHS the first day. There are some rides and attractions we do love there and would hate to miss, but I also know that if we didn't do HS the first day and instead went to MK or Epcot, we'd have a real hard time justifying a trip over to HS later in the week.

We leave for a short trip a few days from now, and I have a 3/4 day planned for HS on day 1 with the rest of our time split between MK and Epcot. Yes, no AK again - there's just not enough to warrant a return visit for us at the moment.

 

[RhodyChief]

Count me (and my wife!) among those who still love going to DHS. For us it's easily our 2nd favorite park next to MK, and even though they've chipped away at certain rides/entertainment over the years we still find plenty to do when we're there.

I was a film major in college and while I don't work in the industry I still have a true passion for it, so things like GMR and even just walking around the different street backdrops with the "traffic" noise pumped in is something I always enjoy. When we went last January there were still a few light displays up and walking around the back area near LMA was amazing! The park was open until 10 or 11 that night and there was NOBODY around there due to nothing being opened that late in that area. We strolled around for about half an hour taking our time, getting pictures and feeling like we were in Disney after closing hours. One of my favorite Disney memories.

But as to what's left: We're both Star Wars junkies and will ride Star Tours countless times, I finally braved ToT last time and loved it (my wife, not so much) but she likes RnRC so we'll usually split up to ride those. She also loves to go see VotLM and BatB just about every trip: she says it reminds her of her high school drama days (and is definitely produced as such) so she enjoys reliving that through the shows. TSMM is also a favorite (even though we usually only end up riding it once due to the lines) and GMR and Muppets still provide those cheesy moments we love.

I totally understand why some people don't like it and consider it a half-day park if worth doing at all, but to us it will always be a park where we've had some awesome memories (Star Wars Weekend being high among them) and a place where once we're there, we know we are in Disney.

 

[tinkerbella16]

i'm with you.
the only thing thats closed that i even did was backlot tour but i hadn't done that in a few trips because i hated how they changed it.

personally when i go i like to do...
-RNRC
-TOT
-BATB
-GMR
-TSMM
-VOTLM (don't have to do it every time)
-muppets

i no longer do star tours, indiana jones, or lights motors action simply because i don't really feel the need and i never do F! because i don't care for it.

i can easily do everything i want in half a day and i don't find the lines to be all that much longer due to other things being closed.

and just because i can do the things i want in half a day does not mean i don't love DHS.
i really do and i would definitely recommend going.

lately i've actually found less to do in epcot.

I am the same exact way and also do the same attractions. This year it will be a rope drop morning, head back to resort for a rest/swim midday, then back for our dinner adr at 50's and Osbourne Lights after dinner. I just can't see myself spending the whole day there without a break in between- I enjoy it much more that way. Doesn't mean I dislike it, I actually really love DHS.

 

[crazylady]

Our family still found plenty to do at DHS this summer. I don't think we go often enough to get sick of the shows andwe like the characters and the thrill rides. I do find this park hard to spend all day there from open through Fantasmic so we usually take a mid day break.

 

[anniemae]

We don't like thrill rides, so TOT and RR are out for us. But we do enjoy TSMM, star tours, muppets, great movie ride and we LOVED the frozen sing along. We also like sci fi. We loved brown derby, but I think we had and off night last summer. My chicken was over cooked and the cous cous was pasty and dry. Not sure if we will be back to brown derby. DHS is a half day park for us, but usually get hoppers so we wind up back there later in the week to hit the rides again.

 

[HM]

We are only doing one park at WDW in December. We chose DHS instead of MK this time so we could do Osborne Lights and some of our favorites are ToT and TSMM and Star Tours.

 

[Chelle's Belles]

I'm with you. Everything we would do at DHS is still there. I have been confused also. These other perspectives are helpful.

 

[Sarahbelle341]

HS is our second favorite park after MK. DS loves TSMM and Star Tours. There are a lot of unique character meets at HS Phineas and Ferb, Mike & Sully, Buzz & Woody, Disney JR characters etc. We have enjoyed the Muppets, BATB, VOLM, and Disney JR live, and Fantasmic is our favorite nighttime show. The great movie ride is one of my favorites and Dh loves RNRC.

 

[phins_jazy]

My heart is on the floor....no animation academy????? Thank God I clicked on this thread so I found out beforehand. We will be there next week and it is one of my most favorite things to do at DW. My disappointment cannot be measured.

OH this makes me so sad! My family would spend hours in there drawing. They are going to be so disappointed that it's gone. I sure hope they have some other drawing classes by next Christmas!