Plan of attack for Hollywood Studios?

[tinkerbell34]

Does anyone have advice for a plan of getting through Hollywood Studios in a timely manner? I looked at the park hours and found they are quite short....and shorter for us due to our ADR's. We have from 9am to 6pm. I haven't been to that particular park in ten years (we are usually living at Epcot and Animal Kingdom). There is a lot of catching up we have to do! I want to make sure to get to the Rock n Roller Coaster, Tower of Tower, Star tours, Jedi training camp, Lights, Motor, Action, The toy story ride, and Play house disney. I would like to hope to get to Indiana Jones, the Great movie ride, the back lot tour, and the muppet show. We have ADR's at Prime time at 615. Sadly, there is no fantasmic that night (VERY bummed about that). So, making the most of the time we have and crowd conditions what would one suggest to make the most out of our day? I appreciate any insight you have to offer!!

 

[Robo]

Go to Toy Story, first-thing after Rope Drop.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I don't see how you'd be able to do all that in 9a-6pm. The Backlot Tour alone is 45 minutes.

I think you'll need to pick your top 5 things and then squeeze the rest in as best you can based on their importance. LMA is has only been done a few times per day so if that's in your top 5, you'll have to plan around it.

Robo is right about Toy Story. You need to ride that first and I wouldn't plan on a 2nd ride if you want to get thru most of your list that day.

When are you going?

 

[g-dad66]

This is tricky because of the set showtimes for:
Jedi Training, Lights Motors Action, Playhouse Disney, and Indiana Jones.

But here is how I would do it --
(note: I'm using showtimes for the current week, but they could be different for the week you will be there)

9:05 Pick up Rock n Roller Coaster FAST PASSES
9:10 Ride TOWER OF TERROR
9:30 Show up for 9:40 PLAYHOUSE DISNEY
10:20 Pick up Toy Story Mania FAST PASSES
10:40 Show up for 10:50 JEDI TRAINING ACADEMY
11:30 Eat lunch at BACKLOT EXPRESS
12:30 Do STAR TOURS
1:00 Show up for 1:20 LIGHTS MOTORS ACTION
2:00 Do BACKLOT TOUR
3:00 Ride TOY STORY MANIA, using FAST PASSES
3:30 Ride GREAT MOVIE RIDE
4:15 Ride ROCK N ROLLER COASTER using FAST PASSES
4:45 See MUPPETS
5:15 Show up for 5:30 INDIANA JONES SHOW


I know that everyone else will say to go to Toy Story Mania first, but it has become such a madhouse rush (and you have to get there so early before Rope Drop) that I think it's a better use of time to get your TSM Fast Passes sometime after 10:00.

With Rock n Roller Coaster and Toy Story Mania Fast Passes, you can do those two rides in the afternoon, and the other four attractions which I listed for the late afternoon (Backlout Tour, Great Movie Ride, Muppets, and Indiana Jones) are all on your secondary list of attractions --so if something doesn't get done earlier as planned, you might be able to do it later in place of one or more of these.

 

[dolphindan1]

if you are going during a busy period...you have to be there at Rd and you have to go to TSM 1st thing....by 10 or 11 FP's can easily be gone...if its during a less busy time...I still suggest TSM 1st but you will be able to go do TOT or RNR or both 1st and then get FP for TSM but it will have a return of about 4 I would say by then...JMHO

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

If you want to ride TS Mania you really must arrive before rope drop and make your way quickly to that queue or FP kiosk ASAP. For all the horror stories you may read about crowds for that ride, believe them all.

I had success working my way thru the shops to the right of Hollywood Blvd and getting near the front of teh mob at rope drop. I still waited several minutes to get FPs.

 

[Leajess99]

Does anyone have advice for a plan of getting through Hollywood Studios in a timely manner? I looked at the park hours and found they are quite short....and shorter for us due to our ADR's. We have from 9am to 6pm. I haven't been to that particular park in ten years (we are usually living at Epcot and Animal Kingdom). There is a lot of catching up we have to do! I want to make sure to get to the Rock n Roller Coaster, Tower of Tower, Star tours, Jedi training camp, Lights, Motor, Action, The toy story ride, and Play house disney. I would like to hope to get to Indiana Jones, the Great movie ride, the back lot tour, and the muppet show. We have ADR's at Prime time at 615. Sadly, there is no fantasmic that night (VERY bummed about that). So, making the most of the time we have and crowd conditions what would one suggest to make the most out of our day? I appreciate any insight you have to offer!!

Personally I would skip the Backlot Tour but I don't like it especially since last year on our first trip it broke down and we were stuck in the sun for almost an extra hour. It is not a ride I plan on taking again ever.

 

[cassie58]

I would definitely head to TSM at RD - you can have 1 person head there to get everyone FP, and others head to TOT/RnRc. I don't know the size of your party/ages, but you might want to ride TSM 1st, then get a FP to do again(it is a lot of fun!), or split up, and some can ride & get FP, while others head to TOT/RnRc - I think RnRc has a single rider line if that helps.

The shows are tricky to see all in 1 day. I would check Steve Soares website before you go(www.pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares). He posts the upcoming week's schedule of shows at each park on Sat. nt., to help you plan. If you are staying on-site, you can get the Times Guide at your hotel, which will give you that schedule as well, so you can sketch out the day before you go(if off-site these are available at the parks). LMA is usually only shown twice a day (around 1:30 & 4:30) so you need to plan around that one especially.

If someone in your group wants to try to get picked to go on stage for Jedi Training, you will need to be there early to get spot up front(about 20 min. depending on crowds) These happen about every hr., so if it's crowded, you can try back. Don't forget to look for Photopass here -they took a pic. of DS holding up a lightsaber, and when we saw it online, he was fighting Vader! very cool photo !

I agree w/ advice from previos post - picking top things you want to do, and try to get others in if time allows - we did two 1/2 days (one am, one pm) in Nov. when it was not real crowded, and a 3rd morning to ride TSM again, and still did not do all! Between waiting in lines, travel to next attrac., stopping to eat, etc. it takes more time than you think! Splitting up (DS8 & DD5) helped as well for their interests (LMA vs. B&B)

cassie58
11/08-ASMo & Timeshare
8/09-CSR

 

[tinkerbell34]

I had no idea that Toy story mania was that popular. I actually didn't even know it existed until I just happened across it! My favorite ride is the rock n roller coaster and I actually convinced my 10 year old to ride it with me. We are going on August 8th and there will be five of us...two kids 10 and 5. If all goes well my brother will be coming.....he doesn't understand my disney obsession and I'm going to try to convince him to come to the magical side. So, I really want to hit RocknRoller coaster. If my brother comes, then he will take my eldest son on Tower of Terror (something my son has wanted to do but mommy doesnt). If my brother doesn't get to come we will be skipping that ride. I have not been there since the Car stunt show was added, nor toy story, and I didn't have a young child to bring to playhouse disney. My kids are big star wars fans so I wanted to hit both the ride and the show. That is basically what I'm thinking. Everything else would be nice but been there done that and won't be to bummed if I miss it sort of thing. We will be staying at the FW cabins for the weekend. I was really quite shocked that the studios are closing so early during a summer weekened day! It really puts the pressure on to get things worked in. I know how the day can just vanish in front of you and feeling like you didn't get much done! Thank you guys so much again!!

 

[Plumeria9]

Be glad that Fantasmic isn't happening that day, it would be more crowded. TSM 1st for sure! Have fun!

 

[ChuckGA]

The following assumes everyone in your party will do all rides so you don't have a person to get FPs while others go on a ride the FP runner does not want to ride.

I will disagree with others and say don't go to TSM first. If all you want to do is ride everything once then go to RnRC first thing then ToT. Do not get a FP. You should be done in < 40 minutes if all goes well, possibly < 30 minutes. Then send your fastest person to go get a FP for TSM as the rest head that way for Backlot Tour. The FP line to TSM will be short and return time will be in the afternoon but who cares because you can use it anytime after the start of the window. You will only need those one set of FPs if you do everything only once. Star Tours and GMR have longer lines early in the day, relatively, and get much shorter later so wait on those. Star Tours should be 10 minutes or less wait and GMR should be entering through the main doors as opposed to a cattle corral outside the theater on the right.

From Backlot Tour you could go to Muppet Vision 3D and then possibly Star Tours and/or Jedi Training. The only thing to sort of fix in concrete is the first show if LMA at 1:20. Choose the IJ show that fits the schedule as it unfolds. You might be able to hit the first IJ show or maybe not depending on when it is, the crowds and how Muppets or Star Tours went.

MGM is a small enough park that you can afford to walk across it once or twice to get to the next ride instead of doing all the area rides before moving on. Star Tours and TSM with FP are rather quick, so you can go there when you have a short hole in the schedule (30 minutes) before lining up for a show. Everything else even with near walk-on are 20+ minute attractions and usually take 40+ minutes from getting in line to end so they take a little more planning if show time is near.

The hardest part will be timing Indiana Jones and LMA and not using up too much of your day right there. LMA and IJ are going to use up 60-75 minutes each between arriving early so you can get a seat and the time it takes to get out of the stadium. For LMA at exit, head down the grandstand towards the left front as it is much faster than going up and out the back. You will be held for a few minutes while the drivers put the cars away but after that it is an easy walk behind the set and onto the Street of America.

Playhouse Disney is an unknown to me because we don't do that any more so I don't know what the line was like but from way back when it was at least another 45 minutes from getting in line to leaving the show.

Evei with all the best planning and no wasted time something still might have to give before the end of the day like IJ, Playhouse Disney, Muppet Vision, or the Backlot Tour. It took us the 2nd day at MGM to get to IJ two weeks ago but we were also riding RnRC and ToT over and over.