Studios Plan of Attack ~ Advice Needed

[pditullio]

We are planning to hit Hollywood Studios on 8/26 for morning EMH.

We definitely want to do TSM at least once, but hear me out. If all we want to accomplish is RnRC, Star Tours and TSM at least once, and be out of the park to make a 12:00 lunch at the resort (via car, not bus), would you still recommend going straight to TSM at rope drop, or should we do the others while the throng rushes to TSM, and then finish up at TSM?

I have read the whole TSM strategy thread, but am thinking maybe crowds will not be quite so dire toward the end of the month. Touring Plans says level 5, but to avoid Studios (obviously because of EMH). But given our short To Do list, what do you think?

Side note: we've been to the park a dozen times or more, and were just there in May and spent the whole day from rope drop till Fantasmic, so yes, we are certain about this abbreviated list.

 

[OB1]

Since you go often, I would suggest this:

Go to TSM at ropedrop. Get a fastpass.
Go ride RnR
Ride ToT
do other things until your TSM fastpass is ready.

I believe this is the fastest way to do all three. Because of the rush to TSM, it will be busy while the other 2 are slow. I would ride RnR first because it will get busier than ToT. If for some reason your TSM fastpass is before 9:30, then you can get a fastpass to ToT, and cruise the park for a bit before riding. The only bad part about that is the extra back tracking.

I did this last SEPT and walked right into the library on Tower. RnR did have a wait, so that is my reasoning for going to it before Tower.

 

[melc0305]

Agree with getting your TSM fastpass first. If you wait, your return time may be after 12:00.

 

[DisneyFan2008]

That sounds like a good plan. Many people will head to TSM first, and if you do that you MAY be able to get a FastPass and go ahead and ride it in the regular line (as long as you get there right after the rope-drop!). While you are waiting for your FP time, go back and do TOT and RnR. In my experience, my fam and I usually can get on TOT without a LONG wait, but by the time we get to RnR, the line maybe about 45 minutes. Maybe by the time you get to RnR, your FP for TSM will be good and you can get a FP for RnR. If not, just wait in the standby line for RnR and go back to TSM after you are done. FPs are usually honored after the stated time anyway!!

 

[OB1]

In my experience, my fam and I usually can get on TOT without a LONG wait, but by the time we get to RnR, the line maybe about 45 minutes. Maybe by the time you get to RnR, your FP for TSM will be good and you can get a FP for RnR. If not, just wait in the standby line for RnR and go back to TSM after you are done. FPs are usually honored after the stated time anyway!!

The wait at RnR is the reason to FP Toy Story, then go ride RnR. If they want to do the least amount of waiting, then I have found this to be the best. If the strategy is to ride Toy Story twice, then your method is best.

ALSO - since this is a morning EMH, they may do better than normal, and they have an extra hour. They should be able to do a lot by 11:30.

 

[g-dad66]

If you're there at 8:00 for morning EMH, I can't see any way that you would have trouble doing those three attractions in time for a noon ADR (unless one is broken down all morning....)

Star Tours isn't likely to have any significant wait at all, and I agree with the others that you want to go to TSM first. You could ride it and then go to RnRC, which shouldn't have much wait since it should still be during the early EMH (and if there is, you might consider single-rider lane). Then do Star Tours, and I'll bet you can be done with all 3 by 9:30 without even using a Fast Pass!

 

[WDWAtLast]

We were just there and on Tuesday (11th) the fastpass return at 10 AM was 1:40-2:40. so if you want to do it before noon, either ride it first (we got in line at rope drop and were out at 10 AM and got a FP to ride again) or get a FP first thing!!

 

[g-dad66]

We were just there and on Tuesday (11th) the fastpass return at 10 AM was 1:40-2:40. so if you want to do it before noon, either ride it first (we got in line at rope drop and were out at 10 AM and got a FP to ride again) or get a FP first thing!!

Keep in mind that OP will be there during early EMH.

We were well forward in the rope drop crowd on Monday, August 3, for 8:00 early EMH, went straight to TSM and rode, we were off of by 8:20 and went to Star Tours and off by 8:40 and went to Muppets and done by right after 9:00. (Since OP is doing RnRC instead of Muppets, I estimate another half-hour for him/her to finish, even though RnRC is only 1.5 minutes long and Muppets is 17 minutes...)

And by the way, we had a really nice walk from TSM to Star Tours through almost totally deserted Streets of America. Virtually no one else in that part of the park during that time of the morning!

 

[Sandisw]

We were there last week, not for EMH, but for rope drop. We went and got FP for TSM. It took 20 minutes to get them and our return time was 10:55 am. We then went and my older children did both RRC and TOT. When they finished we did the Great Movie Ride, and Star Tours and had it all done by the 10:55 time and rode TSM. We were done with everything by the time we stopped for lunch at 11:30 am.

So, I certainly think you can do what you want and leave the park to do your 12:00 pm lunch.

 

[originalkk]

We have just got back and did something very similar. What we did was go straight to TSM at EMH rope drop. We rode standby (about 10 min wait). Then got FPs for RNRC (return was 10:25). When getting the FPs standby for RNRC was 30-40 mins. We rode TOT (30 mins wait) and Backlot Tour before returning to RNRC for the FP time.

You can ride TSM with little wait, but only if you go there quickly and immediately at rope drop. Any delay will greatly increase the standby wait times or FP return times. In our case we noticed by 9am the standby was already over 60 mins and FP returns were late morning.

 

[retlaw1]

TSM at Rope Drop. TOT immediately after. RORC single rider next. Do the Movie Ride while waiting for the TSM fastpass. TSM, then you're done!

 

[pditullio]

TSM at Rope Drop. TOT immediately after. RORC single rider next. Do the Movie Ride while waiting for the TSM fastpass. TSM, then you're done!

Well, we aren't doing ToT or GMR, we don't do single rider (have a 9-year-old), and we need to hit Star Tours in there somewhere.

So how about this instead:

TSM at rope drop, RnRC after, then Star Tours, then back to TSM.

Seem doable?

 

[Planogirl]

Be sure to get there before opening!

We ran a little late and it took forever for us to get through the turnstiles. By the time we got our fastpasses for TSM and got over to RnR the waits were already prohibitive. Tot was still very manageable though.

Star Tours will likely be an easy wait at any time and certainly early in the morning.