DHS Worth A Visit?

[Mrsktbrown]

My family will be taking our first trip to WDW later this year. We have been to Disneyland and DCA before, so we know a little about what to expect. Compared to the other parks, DHS seems to be seriously lacking in things my kids would like. We'll be there for 5 nights, so we would have time to go, I'm just not sure if it's worth it. Our kids will be 7, 5, and an infant, so we may last through one show and we won't be doing ToT - and my daughter is scared of the Toy Story rides too. Would you still recommend going, or should we wait until our kids can sit through shows a bit better?

 

[Robo]

my daughter is scared of the Toy Story rides too.

Has she been on any Toy Story rides?

There are many things for all age groups at all of the parks.

 

[Mrsktbrown]

Has she been on any Toy Story rides?

There are many things for all age groups at all of the parks.

We've been on the rides in Disneyland, but not at WDW!

 

[Robo]

We've been on the rides in Disneyland, but not at WDW!

I figured it might be that.

It might make the answers here a bit easier if you go back and state that although this is your
first WDW trip, you have been to Disneyland.

 

[Mrsktbrown]

I figured it might be that.

It might make the answers here a bit easier if you go back and state that although this is your
first WDW trip, you have been to Disneyland.

Thank you! My mommy brain is making things far less clear than I intend them to be!

 

[LadyRayado]

I take my DS2 to DHS - we do the Muppet Show, meet Jake, Sofia, and other characters, watch the Disney Junior Show, play on the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground, and go to Lights, Motor, Action - although that show proved to be too loud for my 5mo nephew. There isn't a huge amount of things to do like MK, but we find things. Its a nice change to MK days, where I feel like we're rushing around to get to everything. At DHS, we can take our time, explore the stores, watch some of the street performers, and enjoy the atmosphere.

 

[disneybliss2]

There is something we enjoy at each park. I think it's worth going to see what you like, and you may even surprise yourself and like it more than you think you will. I think it's hard to gauge what you'll like or dislike based only on reading about the attractions. I would recommend trying it.

 

[Mom2m&k]

It absolutely would be worth it! It may only end up being a short day for you but there are lots of great things to see and ride. The shows there are awesome and so it Honey I shrunk the Kids playground! If you are going all the way to Florida would you really want to not go?

 

[kaetra]

I'm sure I'll be in the minority here, but I don't like HS at all. I love the other parks! HS does not float my boat. It's boring, SO boring to my family.

If you have Park Hoppers it might be worth a 1/2 day if your kids are into Disney Jr.

The first time we went in 2010 I wondered where the "rest" of the park was. Not much food to pick from, few attractions, no thanks!

If my best friend was going I'd tell her to slip skip skip it! Try it next time you come back when you have more time.

Shows are lame, Beauty & Beast is open air and hot/miserable. Little Mermaid is short and outdated. The Park's theming is utterly uninspiring to me. Great Movie Ride is a snooze fest if you don't have a nostalgic place in your heart for it. There is very little shade, lots of blacktop and nothing to do but kill time. Star Wars is OK, but it's just a screen/motion simulator and a great dump shop.

Trip Repot 2010 HS section:
The "No In-Laws" Do-Over Trip of September 2010

Trip report 2013 HS section:
November 2013 - Goodbye POP, Hello French Quarter! Updated 2/10/15

 

[sharonabe]

There is also the Jedi Training for your 7 and 5 yr old, if they are at all interested. Little Mermaid is a show, not a ride, but it is only 17 min long. Belle is very well done, and will probably hold their interest better than you think. Characterpalooza is a great way to see many different characters at the same time.

I agree with others that it is at least worth a half day. Maybe put it in the middle of your week and use it as a short day/pool day.

 

[kaetra]

Jedi training can be hard to get, not many spots are available -
http://www.kennythepirate.com/2014/...raining-academy-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

 

[butsy113]

We never miss HS. I could spend all day with my DD at Animation Academy drawing. I love the character meet and greets at HS too. My family loves the Great Movie Ride, Muppet Show, TSMM, and Fantasmic. I have never been to DL though so I have nothing to compare DW versions too. Remember you can use rider swap in order to ride RnRC. I wouldn't miss that

I will say have several friends that used to visit DL frequently and it did not at all prepare them for the shear size of WDW. They were in shock and overwhelmed. Do your homework and be prepared, there is no way to do everything in 5 days.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

The big question is whether you are planning on having park-hopper or single-park tickets? There is stuff to do at DHS, and if you did every one of them, yes, it would be a day's worth, but generally there's not enough there if you like to do only one or two "type" of experiences (thrill rides, dark rides, shows, interactive experiences, etc.). Personally, if I didn't have a park-hopper, or a 10-day pass and had to use-up a day, DHS wouldn't be worth it. Right now, I can only think of 3 attractions I get excited about doing @ DHS (and Fantasmic is not one of them); most of the rest of them are in the "I've done them once in my life and am alright with not having to do them again" category (e.g., Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror, most of the stunt shows, etc.)

 

[Daldea]

We love HS! My kids are the same age as yours and last year when they were 6, 3 and 1 we spent an entire exhausting day there from RD to F!, this year I'm planning two days for HS. We find there is so much to do there! With FSF this summer there will be a parade and fireworks added. My kids sat through and enjoyed Beauty and the Beast, Disney Jr, Jedi Training, Fozen Summer Singalong. There's also some characters you can only meet at HS like mike, sully, mater, lightning, doc Mcstuffins, jake and sofia. We also loved characterpalooza, built light sabers, ate at sci-fi (my kids loved eating inside cars).

 

[UnderTheRialto]

I'd go for the Frozen show, the playground, Disney Jr, characterpalooza. Also the SciFi Or H&V for lunch.

 

[MystikaFaith]

HS is my favorite park. We went when the kids were 4 and 8 and they loved it. I do encourage you to at least give it half a day of your time. A half park day provides the perfect opportunity to cram in some waterpark, downtown disney and resort time as well.

PS. HS has the best themed restaurants on property IMO

 

[staceyeileen]

When are you going? If it's during Frozen Summer Fun, the parade and fireworks are not to be missed especially with a a daughter. And the Frozen sing-a-long.

 

[Jennytoon]

Another minority opinion but ...

We have been to DHS with younger kids. We like it. There are things your kids will like, but I think you correctly assess that it is a relatively small fraction of the offerings compared to the other parks. I think the better question is what would you be giving up to go to DHS? Five nights is enough to not have to go through at a breakneck pace, but especially with different age kids and some who will need naps / rest, you'll still have plenty to do in the other three parks.

Is a more relaxed pace important to you? Then I would skip DHS and spend the extra time at the pool.
Are your kids/you more likely to enjoy science museum type things? Then I would skip DHS and spend the extra time in Epcot.
Are your kids/you more likely to enjoy a zoo type experience, are they animal lovers? Then I would skip DHS and spend the extra time in AK.
Are your kids/you more into the "traditional" Disney characters? Then I would skip DHS and spend the extra time in MK.

Unless there is an event/show you truly feel your kids would love and get sparkly eyes for then the only downside to skipping DHS is that you may be left with the feeling that you "didn't see every park". If you don't think that's a problem for you, then I would say go with your gut and skip it. Whatever it is that you do instead, you will likely have a great vacation and feel that you spent your time well, and that's the most important thing. There are years that we've gone to DHS, and years that we've skipped it. In the years that we've skipped, we've never found ourselves going "Oh, that was a great vacation, except we were just kind of hanging out bored with nothing to do at the end, I really wish we would have used that time more effectively by going to DHS."

 

[Hootch]

I would definitely go if you have hoppers. I'll add the Beauty and the Beast and Voyage of the Little Mermaid as two other things your kids might like.

 

[GWhitten98]

We really like HS, our kids love the shows and meeting the characters offered there. But if the option is going an extra day at MK vs HS, I would probably take the extra day at MK given what you have said.