Help maximizing our Hollywood Studios Day

[aug17girl]

We are going to Hollywood Studios for the first time the first week of March. We are a rope drop to after fireworks, go go go kind of family of 5 and I am having a hard time planning this Hollywood Studios day. It seems like there isn't a whole lot right now (which I knew before booking), but a the same time it seems hard to fit everything in. I put everything into touring plans and it kept prompting me to drop the fastpasses which just doesn't make sense to me.

Older kids want to do Jedi Training so we will rush to sign up for that at opening. Given that it will be a busy March break time, does that rule out riding TSM at rope drop? Kids only like tame ride so that rules out Rock n Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. My youngest is into princesses so I want her to see the Frozen, Little Mermaid, and Beauty and Beast shows. Everyone likes Star Wars and the Muppets.

Our fastpasses are StarTours at 10:40 (everyone), Frozen at 12:00 (for youngest plus one parent), Indiana Jones at 12:45 (for other kids plus one parent), and TSM at 2:15 (everyone).

If we do Fantasmic does that mean that it won't be possible to view Galactic Spectacular well?

Any ideas on how to get the most out of this day?

 

[friedela]

Are you also accounting for dining reservations? If you are doing sit down meals those take up a little chunk of time as well. We are doing a full day at HS and have the entire day planned from park opening to the end of Fantasmic. We also want to leave room for seeing characters as well, especially chatacterpalooza (http://www.kennythepirate.com/2012/05/08/tuesday-tip-take-advantage-of-character-palooza/)

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Before my last trip this past December, TP kept telling me “FP not needed” for many of my park days too..not sure why, but of course I didnt listen to it. About Fantasmic and SW, SW usually starts a half hour after Fantasmic, so it’d be hard to do both, F! Lasts about 25 mins, then you’d have to walk from Sunset Blvd back to the main hub for SW. You may wanna choose which one you wanna do more.

 

[aug17girl]

Are you also accounting for dining reservations? If you are doing sit down meals those take up a little chunk of time as well. We are doing a full day at HS and have the entire day planned from park opening to the end of Fantasmic. We also want to leave room for seeing characters as well, especially chatacterpalooza (http://www.kennythepirate.com/2012/05/08/tuesday-tip-take-advantage-of-character-palooza/)

No sit down meals for us, just quick service.

 

[aug17girl]

Before my last trip this past December, TP kept telling me “FP not needed” for many of my park days too..not sure why, but of course I didnt listen to it. About Fantasmic and SW, SW usually starts a half hour after Fantasmic, so it’d be hard to do both, F! Lasts about 25 mins, then you’d have to walk from Sunset Blvd back to the main hub for SW. You may wanna choose which one you wanna do more.

Thanks. This is going to be a tough decision.

 

[sharonabe]

If we do Fantasmic does that mean that it won't be possible to view Galactic Spectacular well?

Looks like F! is at 7 and SWS is at 8. If you sit toward the top of the F! theater, so you can get out fairly quickly, you should be able to make it back to the courtyard at the Chinese Theater in time to see SWS. You might not have the BEST viewing, but it's easy to see from just about anywhere in that area.

 

[Wubar]

In January, we "rope dropped" Jedi training, then my wife and son went off to TSM while I knocked out RnCC and ToT. They had a FP for Disney Jr afterwards, then I met up with them to use our FP for TSM, then Jedi training. Used our last FP for Frozen (which is a waste), then filled in the rest of our day refreshing for FPs to use on shows, Star Tours, character M&GS, addl FPs for TSM (3 total for me, 4 for my wife/son), then finished off our day with SW Fireworks. The CM I was chatting with said we COULD make both Fantasmic and SAW, but we decided to just take it easy, get a good spot for SW in advance, and have a picnic while we waited.

So yes, you could sign up for Jedi training and then head to TSM.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I don't think you will need a FP+ for Frozen Sing Along but everyone should go. I really thought the show was great and I am looking forward to seeing it again. Actually I have never seen Indy so I can't speak to FP+ for that.

 

[aug17girl]

Looks like F! is at 7 and SWS is at 8. If you sit toward the top of the F! theater, so you can get out fairly quickly, you should be able to make it back to the courtyard at the Chinese Theater in time to see SWS. You might not have the BEST viewing, but it's easy to see from just about anywhere in that area.

Thanks! We might try that.

 

[aug17girl]

Thanks! That gives me a good idea of what they day could look like. I really like the idea of riding TSM more than once.

In January, we "rope dropped" Jedi training, then my wife and son went off to TSM while I knocked out RnCC and ToT. They had a FP for Disney Jr afterwards, then I met up with them to use our FP for TSM, then Jedi training. Used our last FP for Frozen (which is a waste), then filled in the rest of our day refreshing for FPs to use on shows, Star Tours, character M&GS, addl FPs for TSM (3 total for me, 4 for my wife/son), then finished off our day with SW Fireworks. The CM I was chatting with said we COULD make both Fantasmic and SAW, but we decided to just take it easy, get a good spot for SW in advance, and have a picnic while we waited.

So yes, you could sign up for Jedi training and then head to TSM.

 

[aug17girl]

I don't think you will need a FP+ for Frozen Sing Along but everyone should go. I really thought the show was great and I am looking forward to seeing it again. Actually I have never seen Indy so I can't speak to FP+ for that.

If only my boys didn't positively hate Frozen . . .

 

[rg35]

We spent all day there in July (fam of 5 - 3 9 year old kids). We rode Star Tours multiple times and TSMM multiple times, but we also did two TS meals (Mama Melrose's Fantasmic Package for lunch and Hollywood Brown Derby for dinner).

 

[JessicaW1234]

In January, we "rope dropped" Jedi training, then my wife and son went off to TSM while I knocked out RnCC and ToT

How long did it take to do the Jedi signup?

 

[Wubar]

How long did it take to do the Jedi signup?

We were one of the first ones at RD (first ones at the turnstile), and once they let everyone in (about 20 minutes before park opening), I speedwalked with my son to the sign up location. We were probably 10th in line to sign up, had every time slot to pick from when it was our turn, and we were out of there in about 5 minutes. It was fast enough that when we went to head out to the rest of the park, we were still held up at one point by the CMs until they "dropped their rope".

 

[ChristineOH]

Just remember that one of the TSM tracks is closed now, so RD waits will build more quickly, and the 4th FPs that used to be really easy to get are now pretty hard. Since you have a FP already, you can see how it goes and go to plan B if it looks like the line has gotten too long.

 

[Eccle]

Last week Fantasmic was at 7 and Star Wars fireworks 8.15. We were near the back of Fantasmic but almost all the way along, we were back on Hollywood Boulevard in plenty of time to see Disney Movie Magic then the fireworks

 

[Surgie2]

Looks like F! is at 7 and SWS is at 8. If you sit toward the top of the F! theater, so you can get out fairly quickly, you should be able to make it back to the courtyard at the Chinese Theater in time to see SWS. You might not have the BEST viewing, but it's easy to see from just about anywhere in that area.

This is what we did last month as well and it worked out fine. We sat stood in the plaza of theater at Fantasmic (near entrance)...could have sat but there was a light rain and I wanted to use my umbrella so plaza was fine. We left the minute the show ended and headed to the Chinese Theater for Star Wars. No problem and we could see just fine.