Skip HS in April?

[1234lucky]

After seeing TSMM might be closed, I’m wondering if there’s any point to going to HS in April. We went in 2015 and a lot has closed since then. We will have regular tickets. I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra day or if we should do two days at Animal Kingdom.

 

[Klayfish]

Not being snarky, but the right answer is "Do you want to go?" Only you can decide that. I would still go, but that's only because RnR is my favorite ride in all WDW and I enjoy the other attractions it has. If you do too, then go. If you don't like what will be open, then skip it.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

After seeing TSMM might be closed, I’m wondering if there’s any point to going to HS in April. We went in 2015 and a lot has closed since then. We will have regular tickets. I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra day or if we should do two days at Animal Kingdom.

Personal opinion, of course.... but for us, we have trouble filling more than a 1/2 day a HS these days. It has been an easy ‘skip’ in our recent travels, a decision made even easier if TSMM wouldn’t be available. For context, we’re a family of four, kids 7 and 3, so things like ToT and RNR aren’t really high on our hit list.

If given the choice of two AK days or one AK and one HS day, I’d probably choose two AK days.

But obviously very subjective depending on your own touring style / wish list when it comes to the parks.

Happy planning!

 

[1234lucky]

Personal opinion, of course.... but for us, we have trouble filling more than a 1/2 day a HS these days. It has been an easy ‘skip’ in our recent travels, a decision made even easier if TSMM wouldn’t be available. For context, we’re a family of four, kids 7 and 3, so things like ToT and RNR aren’t really high on our hit list.

If given the choice of two AK days or one AK and one HS day, I’d probably choose two AK days.

But obviously very subjective depending on your own touring style / wish list when it comes to the parks.

Happy planning!

Thanks for the perspective. I should add some details. We also have four kids (14 to 6). They love rides above all. They liked the Star Wars ride last time but I wouldn’t say they’re big Star Wars fans. They really liked RNR and TSMM. And the Light Motor show and the Honey I Shrunk the kids playground which I know are gone. We did Fantasmic last time which we all loved.

With all the new things in AK maybe two days there would work? They could have stayed for hours at the dreaded carnival land. Ugh wish we were going three months later.

 

[AFwifelife]

With the current state of HS, I would only go if I had hoppers. That said, it’s always been a half day park for us.

 

[Jana810]

I am thinking that TSMM is closed the 2nd week of April since I just tried to get FP starting on Monday April 9th @ 6am this AM & noticed that there were no FP times for this experience already! I was able to get a FP for TSMM on Saturday 4/7 through.

 

[rg35]

We spent an entire day at HS back in July. We road Star Tours and TSMM multiple times. I did the RnRR single rider line b/c my kids weren't ready for that plunge yet. Lunch at Mama Melrose (Fantasmic package) and dinner at Hollywood Brown Derby. We spent a bunch of time in the Star Wars launch bay and had really fun interactions with the Jawas. Character meet and greets, the star wars parade, shows, etc.

I mean, it will be what you make of it. Most people consider HS a 1/2 day because the norm of touring is do everything at least once if you can and leave the park. We don't approach HS that way. There was a time that you couldn't even ride TSMM without a fast pass. We were able to do it 4 times with very little waiting throughout our day at HS. I would at least double check the refurb dates to confirm whether or not it will be operating during your visit.

A lot of people also considered Animal Kingdom a 1/2 park before Pandora, but it has always been a huge park with tons to do. Thrill rides are only a small part of the experience. So, I guess in summary a park experience can be as much or as little as you want it to be but not all the parks should be approached like MK.

 

[emilymad]

We are skipping HS on our April trip. If the rumors are true about TSMM being all stand by it is not worth it to us.

 

[rteetz]

TSMM won’t be closed but will be standby only.

 

[WhollyHeretic]

When I saw that TSMM (yesterday morning was 60 days before our trip) wouldn't be available for FP we changed our plans. We are still going to go for 1/2 a day since we're going to see Fantasmic but we're using our FP at another park. If we didn't have park hoppers I might skip it.

 

[Tomh]

As has been said by others, this has to be a personal decision.

For us, Hollywood Studios is a skip right now, and has been for a while. We don't ride ToT, and have only modest interest in RnRC. One in our group won't ride Star Tours. That doesn't leave a whole lot for us to do.

We used to enjoy Lights Motors Action, Backstage Tour, and The Great Movie Ride.

It could still be a half day park for us, but since we don't get Park Hoppers, it just isn't worth using a full day ticket on for us.

For a family that enjoys RnRC, and ToT, that could be completely different.

For sure, once Star Wars is open, we will return to Hollywood Studios in much the same way as we returned to Animal Kingdom after Avatar opened. We had skipped that park for a couple of years previously.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It's all personal preference of course. On our last trip, I really wanted DH to see the Star Wars fireworks. We do not ride RnRC or ToT, so we didn't go to DHS until about 4 pm. We rode Star Tours twice, met Chewy, Kylo, Star Lord and Groot, had dinner at HBD, saw the special holiday projections on ToT, rode TSMM and went to the Star Wars dessert party. So, all in all, 5 hours in DHS so not a great value for our base ticket, but we were ok with that. If you would rather have a full day of park touring on your base ticket, I would probably spend the day in another park and save DHS for another time.

 

[hsmamato2]

WHAT??!?!?!?! what info is this? TSMM has no FP in April at all???? WTH??? please clarify

 

[rteetz]

WHAT??!?!?!?! what info is this? TSMM has no FP in April at all???? WTH??? please clarify

Due to the construction to change the entrance to TSMM they are only going to operate one track of the ride and only take standby riders so no FP from April to May.

 

[hsmamato2]

I am stunned and speechless right now...and I want to cry. WHY WHY WHY would they do this to an already decimated park? I was just trying to plan a day there,and I really don't know what to do at the moment. Epcot has very few things to attract young kids right now,and I was thinking HS might have some fun for young kiddos,and now I'm forced to wonder if our (long-ish) planned trip is gonna be a wasteland of not enough to do. I mean this quite seriously,as I'm currently trying to plan Fp for a large family group including young kids. The group didn't want to spend the outlandish extra on hoppers,so I was desperately trying to plan one park per day fun for them. I feel for sure that after this long planned (and pricey) trip, the rest of my extended family won't ever want to return. I myself am considering,for the first time in many years, not returning for a few years at least,until there is enough to warrant those high park ticket prices. Not to mention, April is high season and spring break for so many,why would they do that?

 

[rteetz]

I am stunned and speechless right now...and I want to cry. WHY WHY WHY would they do this to an already decimated park? I was just trying to plan a day there,and I really don't know what to do at the moment. Epcot has very few things to attract young kids right now,and I was thinking HS might have some fun for young kiddos,and now I'm forced to wonder if our (long-ish) planned trip is gonna be a wasteland of not enough to do. I mean this quite seriously,as I'm currently trying to plan Fp for a large family group including young kids. The group didn't want to spend the outlandish extra on hoppers,so I was desperately trying to plan one park per day fun for them. I feel for sure that after this long planned (and pricey) trip, the rest of my extended family won't ever want to return. I myself am considering,for the first time in many years, not returning for a few years at least,until there is enough to warrant those high park ticket prices. Not to mention, April is high season and spring break for so many,why would they do that?

Because they have to move the entrance? The ride isn’t closed just no FP. Everything will be back to normal when Toy Story Land opens soon after. Easter is April 1st so this is happening after that when the majority of spring breaks are ending or done.

 

[Stephanie HD]

We're only going HS because we have park hoppers. I wouldn't waste a base ticket, but that is just my personal opinion. We're going with our 4 year old (can't do RnR, and isn't interested in ToT or TSMM.) We are only going for a few hours to do Frozen Sing Along, Disney Jr Live, and meet Disney Jr characters. They have other shows that are good, but for us pushing our energetic 4yo to sit through 3 or more shows back to back is just a waste of time . Galaxies Edge and Toy Story Land are SO needed in that park. For now, I would say it's a skip. In another few years, HS will be at the top of our to-do list.

 

[hsmamato2]

We're only going HS because we have park hoppers. I wouldn't waste a base ticket, but that is just my personal opinion. We're going with our 4 year old (can't do RnR, and isn't interested in ToT or TSMM.) We are only going for a few hours to do Frozen Sing Along, Disney Jr Live, and meet Disney Jr characters. They have other shows that are good, but for us pushing our energetic 4yo to sit through 3 or more shows back to back is just a waste of time . Galaxies Edge and Toy Story Land are SO needed in that park. For now, I would say it's a skip. In another few years, HS will be at the top of our to-do list.

Like I said.... I agree. and I'm doubly saddened that we picked the wrong dates to even bother trying. As a longtime parks fan, I'm bothered by this kind of thing- and FWIW, April spring break is a sold out situation for our airfare,so I can't imagine it being a slow time at the parks. For a park that already has SO little left,I'm just so disappointed.

 

[kitkat4622]

we have hoppers so will go to HS around 4pm so see a couple shows and Fantasmic. For us with TSMM on standby only not willing to stand in line a very long time just to ride.

 

[Lisa F]

I would skip it. I'm skipping it on our upcoming trip until they open up toy story land.

I've never finished all of AK in a day before so I'm guessing that it could easily be a 2 day park with the addition of Pandora. There is so much stuff I havne't done and it's hard to do both shows in a day (nemo and lion king) as well as the new nighttime show etc. But it's not as "thrill ride" heavy as HS either so your kids may not agree