DHS - WWYD?

[maranara]

We're planning our January 2017 trip & I'm second guessing myself about number of days. I want to plan a resort day - or at least a mostly resort day. With all the construction at DHS, it seems like you could easily arrive for rope drop, do the main attractions & Jedi Training, and be back at the resort in time for lunch. Would you plan for an entire day at DHS (and then extend the trip for a day so you can have a non-park day somewhere in the middle of the trip) or would you assume that you would really only spend a few hours there and that the rest of the day at the pool would be plenty of down-time? THANKS!

 

[msmama]

We still spend a whole day there easily.

You can't really fit in the shows if you're only there for a half day.

I don't get the "there's nothing left at HS" thing. Especially since last time I

was there we were literally the only people on the streets of America so it's not like people were spending tons of time there!!! If you've never done the shows then why not take the opportunity to do so now!!

 

[yulilin3]

We still spend a whole day there easily.

You can't really fit in the shows if you're only there for a half day.

I don't get the "there's nothing left at HS" thing. Especially since last time I

was there we were literally the only people on the streets of America so it's not like people were spending tons of time there!!! If you've never done the shows then why not take the opportunity to do so now!!

I agree, I don't know why I keep hearing "with all the construction"...the only thing that closed that was an attraction was LMA, other than that it was a quick service, the playground, meet and greets and a couple of stores
OP what attractions at DHS do you want to do? if it's only TSMM, RnRC and ToT plus Jedi Training that's at least half a day...that's without including Star Tours, GMR, Muppets, any of the shows, Launch Bay.
It really depends what you want to do

 

[kj2mom]

We spent an entire day there, RD through the late Fantasmic!. Yes, we did almost everything but we were not at a loss for things to do (we did have one sit down meal at Sc-Fi in the middle of the afternoon that took 90 minutes or so).

 

[maranara]

I should have added that my daughter will be 7 when we travel. So while she's a Star Wars fan, she has no interest in the Disney Jr. stuff and some of the rides are a maybe for her (she might do them...she might decide they are too scary...). I also don't know how many shows I can expect her to sit through. She'll definitely want to do the Frozen sing-a-long & Muppets 3D, but the rest are a maybe. And because she's an early riser it's unlikely we'll be doing any nighttime entertainment our entire trip (though I have high hopes to go back for Fantasmic - I think she would love it).

 

[maranara]

OP what attractions at DHS do you want to do? if it's only TSMM, RnRC and ToT plus Jedi Training that's at least half a day...that's without including Star Tours, GMR, Muppets, any of the shows, Launch Bay.
It really depends what you want to do

She's a Star Wars fan, so we'll definitely be doing Star Tours & Jedi Training. We also definitely want to do TSMM, Frozen sing-along, & Muppets, along with some characters. I'm hopeful that she'll do either ToT or RnRC (or both!) they'll be game time decisions. Same with GMR...not sure it wouldn't be too scary for her.

I think part of my dilemma is that I have no real sense of how long things take. We'll be there at the end of January, so hopefully the crowds won't be too bad. But...if the lines are long, I can't imagine we'll do anything more then our "must-dos" - as much as she'll want to go on rides and meet characters, playing at the pool will be more appealing then waiting in a line. 7 year olds are good like that.

 

[yulilin3]

She's a Star Wars fan, so we'll definitely be doing Star Tours & Jedi Training. We also definitely want to do TSMM, Frozen sing-along, & Muppets, along with some characters. I'm hopeful that she'll do either ToT or RnRC (or both!) they'll be game time decisions. Same with GMR...not sure it wouldn't be too scary for her.

I think part of my dilemma is that I have no real sense of how long things take. We'll be there at the end of January, so hopefully the crowds won't be too bad. But...if the lines are long, I can't imagine we'll do anything more then our "must-dos" - as much as she'll want to go on rides and meet characters, playing at the pool will be more appealing then waiting in a line. 7 year olds are good like that.

yeah, it's better to prioritize your rides, make a list with your family of the three attractions they want to do and then the rest would be bonus.
The shows like the sing along take about 40 minutes (15 min. in line and then the actual show) TSMM with fp about 20 minutes at least, without it can be up to an hour that time of year.
GMR at least 40 minutes between line and ride
ST at least 20 min. with fp
Muppets at least 20 min....you can see that it ads up, plus the time walking from point to point

 

[DisneyDad2015]

I should have added that my daughter will be 7 when we travel. So while she's a Star Wars fan, she has no interest in the Disney Jr. stuff and some of the rides are a maybe for her (she might do them...she might decide they are too scary...). I also don't know how many shows I can expect her to sit through. She'll definitely want to do the Frozen sing-a-long & Muppets 3D, but the rest are a maybe. And because she's an early riser it's unlikely we'll be doing any nighttime entertainment our entire trip (though I have high hopes to go back for Fantasmic - I think she would love it).

Our 7 yr old loved the Disney Jr show. It focused mainly on Jake and the Neverland Pirates which she still watches. However, she was not a fan of Fantasmic. There are a few scarier parts that she just closed her eyes through. But she said she doesn't want to see it again (we'll give it a try again in a few years). TSMM was a huge hit for us! Frozen Sing-Along is a favorite too. Overall, DHS is not our favorite park and we only plan to do a 1/2 day next time. However, I will also throw out there that we didn't do much shopping. Our budget didn't allow for much anyway, so we didn't take the time to stop and really look. There are a lot of shops though, so if that's something you're interested in, it will take up more of your time.

 

[cassie58]

If she's a Star Wars fan, you will probably want to visit the Launch Bay, where she can meet Chewy and Kylo Ren(might be intimidating for a 7 yr. old, as my DD 12 was a little intimidated by Vader in Dec., and when I told her Kylo had replaced him, she thought that would be much worse!) . Chewy meet was awesome he gives great hugs, and if you do want to meet Kylo and have a Disney Visa, there is a special line where you get in quicker. There is also a short film and lots of memorabilia to see, and Jawas wander around, and will trade for shiny items, if she'd want to bring something(not money) in case she sees one. She could also build her own lightsaber as a souvineer in the shop you exit into from Star Tours. I believe they are also beginning a Star Wars Stage show that will be shown throughout the day, and I know you said you might not do night things, but there are Galactic fireworks currently at the end of the nt.

I agree you can definitely spend a day there depending on what you want to do. If you were going to extend a day, you could also do one morning and one nt. there, giving you a sleep in/pool day and a free afternoon/evening to do resort activities or Disney Springs. We also love TSMM, and like to go two days to do it more, and in the morning get there early to do it 1st thing, and have a FP for later. If you are signing up for Jedi training, sometimes they've been letting people do it before park opening, so you could sign up then go to TSMM.

 

[Delirium]

'All' the closures at Hollywood Studios is misleading. The core HS attractions are all still there. What's closed was outdated, or stuff that took up a lot of space without doing much. If you've never done Beauty & the Beast, Indiana Jones, etc., I would encourage you to give them a shot. The Great Movie Ride, while a little dated, is still an enjoyable family attraction.

Bottom line is that you can easily spend a day at HS. If you want to do characters, you actually need more time than that.

 

[minnie mum]

would you assume that you would really only spend a few hours there and that the rest of the day at the pool would be plenty of down-time?

We're taking DGS, 5, with us on our next trip. I think there will be more than enough time for us to spend a great part of the day there. Especially since I know he'll want to do JTA, and Launch Bay will be a magnet. I'm hoping that we can get a bit of down time at the resort in the afternoon so he can make it through F!. Crossing my fingers that we can get out of the park from 2-5. We're at POFQ, so the bus ride is a quick one.

But going in Jan? I wouldn't make any firm plans for swimming or lying by the pool. Some trips we've had to break out the winter jackets and gloves. Other times it's been warm enough , but not as hot as I would prefer.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

She's a Star Wars fan, so we'll definitely be doing Star Tours & Jedi Training. We also definitely want to do TSMM, Frozen sing-along, & Muppets, along with some characters. I'm hopeful that she'll do either ToT or RnRC (or both!) they'll be game time decisions. Same with GMR...not sure it wouldn't be too scary for her.

I think part of my dilemma is that I have no real sense of how long things take. We'll be there at the end of January, so hopefully the crowds won't be too bad. But...if the lines are long, I can't imagine we'll do anything more then our "must-dos" - as much as she'll want to go on rides and meet characters, playing at the pool will be more appealing then waiting in a line. 7 year olds are good like that.

My DD (9) fell in love with ToT when she was 7. We rode it four times in a row on our last trip. She still won't do RnRC because of the loop. She and I have spent entire days in HS. It takes us the entire day - from RD to close- to see and do most things- and we never do everything there is to do in one day. She really likes Star Tours, BATB, LM, and Indiana Jones. She also talks about the Great Movie Ride. Fantasmic is our favorite nighttime show. She loves Sci Fi Dine In Theater, too.

If the only thing you know you want to skip is Disney Junior, then you will need the entire day. Part of the issue with leaving for a pool/lunch break is trying to schedule all of the shows as well as scheduling your FP+ and ADRs. That can be tricky trying to fit in everything.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

But going in Jan? I wouldn't make any firm plans for swimming or lying by the pool. Some trips we've had to break out the winter jackets and gloves. Other times it's been warm enough , but not as hot as I would prefer.

This is a great point. We were there last week and temps were chilly for swimming in the morning and at night. I have heard reports of freezing weather in December, January and February. We were there last February and had temps with highs around 70. That was warm for February, but still chilly when you get out of the water.

 

[maranara]

This is a great point. We were there last week and temps were chilly for swimming in the morning and at night. I have heard reports of freezing weather in December, January and February. We were there last February and had temps with highs around 70. That was warm for February, but still chilly when you get out of the water.

That's part of what's making me think about the extra day too - it might be warm enough to swim...but it might not be worth the extra money for a resort day.

The Star Wars stuff will be a hit with her - and we have the Disney Visa so we'll be able to skip at least one line. Would you believe she's never watched a single Disney Jr show? She has no interest at all. Go figure. (nothing against the shows - she's not a big tv watcher)

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

That's part of what's making me think about the extra day too - it might be warm enough to swim...but it might not be worth the extra money for a resort day.

The Star Wars stuff will be a hit with her - and we have the Disney Visa so we'll be able to skip at least one line. Would you believe she's never watched a single Disney Jr show? She has no interest at all. Go figure. (nothing against the shows - she's not a big tv watcher)

If I had to skip one thing at HS it would be Disney Junior. Much as I like sitting in someone else's spilled Coke and having someone's child dance on my hand while I strain to see the heads of Mickey Mouse and Sophia, I can skip it every now and then.

 

[Julylady]

I just posted on another thread that we had planned one full day at Hollywood Studios for our trip last week. We ended up cancelling a second day at AK and doing another full day at HS instead. There is still a lot to do there plus the addition of all the "new" Star Wars stuff. We spent about two hours one day just looking at all the memorabilia plus waiting in a short line for a photo with Kylo Ren. He was a bit intimidating for my 14 year old niece, but I think it was the highlight of the trip for her as she keeps talking about it! She also willing waited in line for multiple rides on Star Tours since the experience changes every time. NOTE: She is a relatively new Star Wars fan so all the Star Wars stuff was really interesting for her.

Other big hits for my family were the Frozen sing along (did it twice), Fantasmic (ended up doing the package), Indiana Jones (the kids only recently watched the movie). They always LOVE Beauty and the Beast. And Tower of Terror, Rockin Rollarcoaster, Toy Story Mania, and Great movie ride are all must dos.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

We're planning our January 2017 trip & I'm second guessing myself about number of days. I want to plan a resort day - or at least a mostly resort day. With all the construction at DHS, it seems like you could easily arrive for rope drop, do the main attractions & Jedi Training, and be back at the resort in time for lunch. Would you plan for an entire day at DHS (and then extend the trip for a day so you can have a non-park day somewhere in the middle of the trip) or would you assume that you would really only spend a few hours there and that the rest of the day at the pool would be plenty of down-time? THANKS!

We were there in March and stayed from 9:30am-close with our DS5 and was unable to do everything. The way the shows are timed didn't make it possible to get to them all. We missed Indiana Jones & the Muppets. We did have a nice dinner at Mama Melrose, see Fantasmic and you don't want to miss Symphony of the Stars (even if your not a Star Wars fan).