Hollywood Studios After Hours Strategy

[Cherrychip]

We are attending the After Hours event at Hollywood Studios on March 8. Currently the park is listed to close at the same time the event starts. Trying to figure out if we would be likely able to ride the following within the 3 hours for the event and if so, best order to do them. We will need to switch off on some rides since we will have a toddler and I would like to get certain rides done first since one of us may need to take the toddler back to the resort before the end of the event if he won't sleep in his stroller and starts melting down.

Rise x2 (priority for all of us, will need to take turns watching toddler)
Millennial Falcon x2 (priority for all of us, will need to take turns watching toddler)
Mickey and Minnie RR x1 (with toddler) (priority for all of us)
TSMM x at least 1 but preferably 2 so we each get a turn where we aren't helping the toddler (with toddler,)
Alien SS x1 I(with toddler but we could switch off on this one while the other is doing a Star Wars ride)

Once these rides are done DH could take the toddler back to the resort while I stay with our big kids for rides DH doesn't care for. They also want to ride
ToTx 1 (if open during AH)
Star Tours x1 (if open, is this part of After Hours?) but they probably wouldn't mind if we skip, we have ridden before.
SDD x at least 1, but more if possible, especially since Rock N Rollercoaster is down during our trip and they love rollercoasters

Would we likely be able to do all of these during the event? We will also be going to Hollywood studios during the day that day to see some shows-should we plan to rope drop one of the priority rides to get it out of the way or at least one Star Wars ride half out of the way since DH and I will need to take turns on the Star Wars rides? If so, which one? We want to have time to see some shows early in the day and take a long break/naptime for the toddler midday, so I don't want to spend too much time doing rides during the day and I would like to have a not too stressful rope drop if we have to rope drop something.

 

[ftmill]

Bump
What is the strategy for Hollywood studios from rope drop to after hours.

 

[teach22180]

I'll be there that night too! Sorry I don't have any answers because I've never done after hours they are before. I'm also planning on hanging out between Galaxy edge and Toy Story land.

 

[Cherrychip]

Hmm, currently thinking maybe I will take my bigs and rope drop TOT. That is in a different part of the park from Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge and since my DH doesn't want to ride it at all, he can choose to rope drop with us as a family, or stay in the room with the 2 year old until a bit later in the morning. Hopefully it won't be down that morning or at least not for too long... Then we can try to knock out Mickey and Minnie in the evening maybe a little before the event officially starts, which the toddler can ride with us, and then spend the rest of the evening between Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story land. Hopefully 3 hours will be enough time for us to switch off on 2 rides on both of the new Star Wars rides and at least one ride for the bigs on SDD and Toy Story Mania and the Star Wars rides won't go down all night!

 

[brockash]

I think this Wed is the first after hours that doesn't have the buffer of the half hr in between regular park close and event start. We'll be there and will try to report back.

I think my plan is to start with smaller. rides and end with tot, slinky, or rise.

 

[Cherrychip]

I think this Wed is the first after hours that doesn't have the buffer of the half hr in between regular park close and event start. We'll be there and will try to report back.

I think my plan is to start with smaller. rides and end with tot, slinky, or rise.

I hope the lack of a buffer doesn’t negatively impact the event!

 

[MousetersInc]

I'm not speaking from a position of experience here, but my impression is that you might still have park-close crowds for the first certain amount of the event. So my strategy would be to not go straight to some of the rides that develop the longest lines during the day, like SD or RotR. I might "rope drop" a less-popular ride like TSM or Star Tours, or simply rope-drop the snacks, lol!

But it's also my impression that in general it's easy to do everything you want without much strategy. I would probably focus on that sweet spot between prioritizing the things I like best and minimizing walking all over the park.

 

[disneylover102]

I think it’s definitely possible! But prioritize what’s most important and even get there before the event starts to get a head start. You can actually buy genie+ for that day even without a day ticket. I went in January and it was pretty empty when the event started, although that was half an hour after park closing so it’ll be a little more crowded for you

 

[Jacq7414]

We were there on 2/22. Rise with 40+ minutes the entire night. Probably because it was a busy week that week though. Although it was the first AH where Rock n Rollercoaster was down.

I definitely would get to the park at 7 pm. If you wanted to, you could stack LL from 7-930 pm. I stacked SDD, runaway railroad, and Toy Story Mania. We also met Mickey & Minnie before the party even started. Then we got on line for Smugglers Run just before park closed.

Runaway Railroad, Aliens, ToT, Toy Story mania, and smugglers were all walk on at some point during the night. slinky never went below 25, but the line moved fast and we went on that twice (maybe 3 times?) during the event.

 

[srdavidson]

I hope the lack of a buffer doesn’t negatively impact the event!

This is my fear also. It will be interesting to see what other people say without the 1/2 hour buffer.

 

[Betsyp]

Thinking ahead to May 3.....I don‘t think I’ll get to HS by 7pm, but if I have dinner at Flying Fish at 6 or 6:30, I could get there by 8 or 8:30.

I would do Mickey and Minnie first ....maybe do a LL for RotR, do Smuggler, then do SDD and TSM. I wouldn’t be able to stack LL since you can’t get one until after you‘ve redeemed your previous one, I believe. I’m not sure I’ll even be able to get a LL at all, since that’s my water park day, and I doubt I’ll remember at 1pm to try for LL

So basically...who knows, lol

 

[Jacq7414]

I wouldn’t be able to stack LL since you can’t get one until after you‘ve redeemed your previous one, I believe.

That’s not true. You can also get one 2 hours after the park opens (if you booked at 7 am) or 2 hours after you made the first one.

 

[Betsyp]

That’s not true. You can also get one 2 hours after the park opens (if you booked at 7 am) or 2 hours after you made the first one.

Ooh, good - thanks! I forgot - it’s going to take me a few trips to get used to it!

AH starts at 10 pm, so I imagine I could use LL at least twice if I get there even an hour early...

 

[Duke07]

We were there on 2/22. Rise with 40+ minutes the entire night. Probably because it was a busy week that week though. Although it was the first AH where Rock n Rollercoaster was down.

I definitely would get to the park at 7 pm. If you wanted to, you could stack LL from 7-930 pm. I stacked SDD, runaway railroad, and Toy Story Mania. We also met Mickey & Minnie before the party even started. Then we got on line for Smugglers Run just before park closed.

Runaway Railroad, Aliens, ToT, Toy Story mania, and smugglers were all walk on at some point during the night. slinky never went below 25, but the line moved fast and we went on that twice (maybe 3 times?) during the event.

You can get lightning lane for after hours events?

 

[Jacq7414]

You can get lightning lane for after hours events?

This was after 7 but before the party officially started at 930

 

[Duke07]

This was after 7 but before the party officially started at 930

What I'm asking is whether you can get lightning lanes for the after hours event when it starts at 7 without a park ticket for the day?

 

[scrappinginontario]

What I'm asking is whether you can get lightning lanes for the after hours event when it starts at 7 without a park ticket for the day?

I believe they answered your question. Guest said they could purchase an ILL$ that was good for a time between 7:00 and 9:30. Those were still hours that the park was open to all guests - day guests and party guests.

@Jacq7414, please correct me if my understanding was incorrect.

 

[Duke07]

I believe they answered your question. Guest said they could purchase an ILL$ that was good for a time between 7:00 and 9:30. Those were still hours that the park was open to all guests - day guests and party guests.

@Jacq7414, please correct me if my understanding was incorrect.

Thanks...so no Genie+ LL, but ILL would be available.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks...so no Genie+ LL, but ILL would be available.

I honestly don't know about that. It seems we've had varying reports about purchasing G+ with only an After Hours ticket. Some seem to be able to do it and others do not.

I'm not sure many try either as $29 (or whatever) is a lot for many to pay on top of other costs for an AH party to purchase LL access for only 2 1/2 hours for attractions that will have reportedly good availability after the party begins.

 

[Jacq7414]

I believe they answered your question. Guest said they could purchase an ILL$ that was good for a time between 7:00 and 9:30. Those were still hours that the park was open to all guests - day guests and party guests.

@Jacq7414, please correct me if my understanding was incorrect.

I had park tickets that day so I bought genie+ and used it at HS that night. I was able to get Slinky, Mickey & Minnie runaway RR, and Toy Story mania. I’m not sure if you don’t have park tickets because I had them already for the day