Help with my Hollywood Studios day!

[Purple & Pink Mommy]

I am in need of advice on the best strategy for my family on our HS day. We go in October, and while I know I have some time before I make our FP+ selections, I am unsure of the best times to get them (or try to get them). My DD's will be 4 and 5 at time of travel. We hope to get FP+ for: TSMM, Frozen sing-a-long, and maybe Star Tours or LM. I plan to skip RnR and TOT due to height requirements and "scary" nature of the rides. We have the Fantasmic! package at Mama Melrose for 3:45 pm. I hope to see the Beauty and the Beast show after we finish at Mama Melrose. Once Fantamic! is over, we will go back to our resort.
Since I am planning on us doing 4-5 attractions, I am having trouble trying to figure out the best strategy for us. My children will not be able to stay from park open to close. They will definitely need to have mid-afternoon breaks. They no longer nap, but I know they will become overstimulated after a few hours. Our HS day falls on our 4rd full day of our trip (it's also a recommended day) and I know the girls will be tired. The 3 prior mornings we will be getting up somewhat early. They are not early risers, either. I am debating having us sleep in and hit HS around lunchtime, but I don't know how much time I need to accomplish getting the attractions done.

I have thought about getting to the park early, and going back to our hotel around lunchtime. However, I know bus times can be unpredictable and I would hate to waste 2 hours mid-day on disney transportation. We have dinner reservations at 3:45 anyway, so I don't think it would be much of a break by the time we have to catch a bus back to HS for our ADR. We're staying at GF so it's not close.

I am unsure of when to start our day! I am leaning toward getting there at lunchtime but will this give me enough time? When should I plan to arrive to get these attractions done? What time should I begin to book FP+?

The last time we went to WDW the girls were 2 & 3. They still napped at that time. Our HS day fell in about the same spot as our last trip, and by this day they were done. After 3 hours in the park the girls were asking to go back to the hotel. We saw the Disney Junior show and LM show. And they met Sophia. That's it. I know this trip will be different and I'm hoping they can hang a little longer. Since we didn't get to do much, I don't know how to realistically plan for HS.

Sorry for the long post! TIA!

 

[Baptist]

If I were you, I would sleep in and have a late breakfast. Then, plan your fast passes for TSMM, Frozen singing, and Star Tours starting around 11:30 and ending before 3:45. Somewhere in between, have light snacks for a lunch (since your dinner reservation is early and you just had a late breakfast, we would consider a big ice cream from Hollywood Scoops our lunch). After your 3rd FP, get a 4th for Little Mermaid (not that your really need it, but it will be available). Eat dinner, see the 5:30 Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, then Fantasmic. This last part is a little tricky but doable.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Since you are skipping RnR and TOT, I think arriving around lunch time is do-able. With proper planning, it is definitely possible to see and that you would like to see within a half-day at HS. I would recommend getting a FP for Toy Story if possible around 12:00, and starting your day off with that. Then, perhaps a FP for Star tours or something at around 1ish. I would personally suggest the FP for the Frozen sing-a-long after your Dinner reservation, because it'll be less crowded. I had my FP for the show at 12pm and it was mayhem. The bonus of going later in the day is that after 5 or 6 it'll start cooling down, and that'll make everyone in your party a lot happier

 

[Baptist]

You probably want to add a visit to Oaken's Trading Post as well. Little kids really enjoy the snow.

 

[Lucius Best]

There's really two options: get there early, use your FP 9am/10am/11am and be out of there before noon for the afternoon pool break. Or sleep in and get to the park after noon with 1pm/2pm/3pm FP. Note that while your FP hour-long return windows can not overlap, there is no problem with FPs and ADRs overlapping. Only you know which will work best for your family, I would think with either plan you should be able to do the attractions you want to do. Since you don't care about RnRC/ToT, you do not need to go early. But if you want to ride TSMM multiple times, rope drop would be best bet.

 

[tjknitz]

We are in a similar situation....I decided that we were going to sleep in, have a QS lunch at my resort and head over DHS around lunch time or after for our F! dining package. I plan to FP TSMM at noon, our lunch is at 1:45 at Hollywood and Vine, then FP Star Tours around 4 and Frozen for a showtime after 5. I'll grab our ice cream for 'dinner' and head over to watch F!

 

[pigletgirl]

We have 2 HS days planned, and on our second day, we plan on getting to the park in the afternoon (maybe around 2?) and seeing the shows, with a dinner at 50's prior to F! I find that HS days are the hardest to plan.

 

[mkla2015]

As others have said- I would go with sleeping in- get to HS around 1130-12. FP 12pm, 1pm, 2pm (frozen, star tours, toy story)- you may even be able to fit in LM before your dinner ressie.

I think it would be pointless to leave HS at noon and have to be back by 3pm... Once you wait for a bus, take the bus ride, get back to your room- it'll be time for you to turn around and go back to HS.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Awesome thread! We are doing HS on arrival day, so would be getting there post lunch. Is Frozen Sing-A-Long a permanent thing? We'll be there 12/7.

 

[ELSA711]

We always start our day at HS around 11:30 or 12:00pm and just take it easy in the morning, don't set the alarm...etc.
There isn't enough there for my kids as we skip TOT and RnR due to same reasons. Now my dilema this year is to decide between shows.

Frozen, Indy or LMA - we will only be able to fit in 2 this year based on our Fantasmic dining package time.

I think B&B and Indy are our must dos. That leaves Frozen Sing Along or LMA...I didn't enjoy the Frozen sing a long last year...not sure why

 

[Purple & Pink Mommy]

Thanks for your replies! I think we will sleep in, do late breakfast, and start FP for 12. Right around the time they'll get tired it'll be time for our dinner break.

 

[Purple & Pink Mommy]

Since you are skipping RnR and TOT, I think arriving around lunch time is do-able. With proper planning, it is definitely possible to see and that you would like to see within a half-day at HS. I would recommend getting a FP for Toy Story if possible around 12:00, and starting your day off with that. Then, perhaps a FP for Star tours or something at around 1ish. I would personally suggest the FP for the Frozen sing-a-long after your Dinner reservation, because it'll be less crowded. I had my FP for the show at 12pm and it was mayhem. The bonus of going later in the day is that after 5 or 6 it'll start cooling down, and that'll make everyone in your party a lot happier

Thanks for the advice on FP+ order. I had not thought of this.

 

[Purple & Pink Mommy]

You probably want to add a visit to Oaken's Trading Post as well. Little kids really enjoy the snow.

I keep forgetting about this! I need to make sure I plan on some time for this. Last time we went, Frozen had just come out in the theaters and the hysteria hadn't happened yet. Even though they had seen the movie, it wasn't something they were looking for at the time. Now they will definitely want to see that.

 

[Purple & Pink Mommy]

You probably want to add a visit to Oaken's Trading Post as well. Little kids really enjoy the snow.

And we live in central Texas and rarely see snow, so they will love that.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

You probably want to add a visit to Oaken's Trading Post as well. Little kids really enjoy the snow.

And we live in central Texas and rarely see snow, so they will love that.

Unfortunately, Wandering Oaken's closed in January. I have not noticed it listed as returning for this summers Frozen events.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/shopping/wa...-now-closed-at-disney's-hollywood-studios.htm

 

[Baptist]

Unfortunately, Wandering Oaken's closed in January. I have not noticed it listed as returning for this summers Frozen events.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/shopping/wandering-oakens-trading-post-and-frozen-snowground/news/05jan2015-wondering-oakens-trading-post-and-frozen-snowground-now-closed-at-disney's-hollywood-studios.htm

What a shame! Even though we are from Chicago, it was fun.