Thoughts on Hollywood Studios February 2016

[Calnative]

I love all of your advice! We will be going to Disney in about a month. We have 4 day passes but no park hoppers. I am not sold on HS. My husband can go or not and my kids haven't been there. We have a 10 year old son and 11 year old daughter. We are going to all of the other Disney parks for sure. Should we do MK twice?
We do live near Disneyland in CA. But I am leaning towards MK twice. Would love all of your thoughts. We heard tons of construction at HS. We will also be visiting Universal two days.

 

[csmith041177]

I would probably definitely do MK twice. However, if you have huge Star Wars fans in your family, it might be worth doing HS just to do the launch bay, eat some of the cool Star Wars food and just take in that environment.

 

[JaimeK]

I know HS gets called half-day park around here but for a first time visitor (or us, 2nd time) I think there's plenty to do. TSMM, ToT, RnR, Star Tours, Jedi training, Launch bay, the stunt and other shows, fantasmic, and star wars fireworks. My kids LOVE the playground too.

 

[eastendlights]

I think if you concentrate on doing the attractions in MK that you don't have in DLR, you would find more novel attractions in a day at HS rather than a second MK day. I haven't been to DLR in a few years, but if memory serves POC, Autopia, Buzz, the railroad, IASW, and the riverboat are vastly superior in DLR. Pooh, Peter Pan, teacups, Dumbo, the carousel and the treehouse are pretty much the same in both locations. So I think you could get to most of the remaining attractions at MK in one day if you rope drop.

You would then get to experience Lights, Motors, Action, Indiana Jones stunt show, Beauty and the Beast, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, RnR, the superior ToT and Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, Muppet Vision and the Star Wars fireworks. Since you have Fantasmic in DLR, you could skip it and instead attend the new Star Wars dessert party for the fireworks.

I think the setting and atmosphere at HS is fun too, in and of itself, if you have not been. 50's Prime Time and Sci Fi Dining are amazing for first time dining experiences- you could have lunch at one and dinner at the other.

This is all just IMO, obviously.

 

[Accident]

We were on the fence last trip also but there's a few rides we like, never really did the window shopping thing in HS before so we decided to head in and do everything that was there 1 last time. We had a great day and discovered how much is still left. Sure if your a local or regular that's gone over and over to it, some of it is not as exciting or just as you remember it but you have kids that haven't seen it yet at all. To them everything will be great and something they never experienced and if you don't go, probably will never experience.

It's a tough call though, if I had to pick between another MK day or HS, I would probably get fastpasses for the HS and decide the night before if we're going back to MK or doing HS. Leave yourself options because TSMM without a fastpass is a nightmare.

 

[msmama]

I love HS (have a 7 year old boy)!! We'd be more likely to do 2 days at HS than MK almost.

Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is probably my son's favorite thing in all of WDW (yeah, it's dated and there are no more surprises for me since I've seen it so many times, but it's still fun). We often skip the Lights, Motor, Action show, but every time we do go, I'm reminded that we really shouldn't!!

If your kids are thrill riders, RnR and ToT are the most "thrill like" rides in all of WDW.

HS is smaller so it's much less walking if you need to cross parks and something about it always makes it seem less crowded than other parks (even on super crowded days).

 

[dlavender]

I've been to MK 30 times, and HS only 5. Obviously, I'm doing 2 days at MK vs going to HS...

 

[eeyoreandtink]

If you have time, looks like it would cost you $42 total to add a 5th ticket day and do both. We like HS and wouldn't skip it on a trip. If you aren't SW fans or thrill riders it might make more sense to do a second MK day though.

 

[Calnative]

Wow, I am so grateful for all of your input!!! I had assumed we would go to HS but recently I have read about all of the construction there and thought maybe we should skip it because of all of the closures. Thank you all again! Now it's a 50/50 split

 

[jar]

I think DHS really depends on what you like. DS loves thrill rides so DHS is high on his list because of RNRR and ToT. But it's still a half day park because other than TSMM and ST, there's not much else he likes (he'd ride RNRR over and over again if he could). On the other hand, DD hates thrill rides and star wars. She and I will go there for a few hours on an upcoming trip for TSMM and do the movie ride and perhaps a show, but that's probably it.

 

[epcotty]

I think you should keep an eye on if any more attractions are closed by that time. But assuming that they won't be closed yet, I'd say give HS a try. We were there recently and enjoyed it

 

[MermaidMommy]

Wow, I am so grateful for all of your input!!! I had assumed we would go to HS but recently I have read about all of the construction there and thought maybe we should skip it because of all of the closures. Thank you all again! Now it's a 50/50 split

Technically, they haven't actually started any construction yet. Of course, that could change in the next month, as construction is expected to start soon, but there haven't been any new closures recently (since the Animation Building, and a couple of meet and greets.) I think it's still worth a trip for kids your age.

 

[fbarker]

I am one of those people that love HS for many reasons. Yes it needs some updating but I so love the park.
1. The casual peaceful atmosphere is great
2. Rides
a. Great Movie Ride: so enjoyable
b. Muppet 3D Vision: You have to love this attraction, always so funny and you have to make sure you look for the key under the mat!!
c. RnR: a great thrill ride and wonderfully themed
d. Star Tours: Very enjoyable ride takes you into Star Wars
e. Toy Story Mania: Very fun ride, different every time but my arm gets so tired!!
f. ToT: another well themed ride and so thrilling btw i just watch a Twilight Zone Marathon over New Years
g. Walt Diseny One Mans Dream: Always learn something new there
h. Beauty and the Beast Show: well done nice place to relax
i. Citizens of Hollywood: Fun and entertaining.
j. Fantasmic: Large crowds, tough to get in and out. But a well done show
k. Frozen Sing Along: Entertaining, fun and funny even for adults
l. Indiana Jones: Still entertaining
m. Sci Fi Diner
n. Prime Time Cafe

Wow that all sounds like more than half a day. But please stay away it will be less crowded for me!!

 

[Calnative]

Wow!!! That's all great advice! Leaning towards going to HS!!! You guys are awesome

 

[mcallisk]

In my opinion, HS is worth it just to be able to binge ride Tower of Terror! Fantasmic is also something you should not miss. Its such a great show. The restaurants are also so great for kids. 50s Prime time and Sci-fi Dine in are great. My advise, which may not be the popular idea, is to book the Fantasmic dinner package, take the day to ride the rides that are open, which in my opinion are all the good ones, have a long leisurely early dinner and head to Fantasmic and enjoy the show!

 

[Jetta8300]

For us it is a half day park, but the rides that are there are impossible for us to miss. If we absolutely couldn't get park hoppers, then we would still probably go to DHS and just ride everything at least twice. Especially having kids their ages.

 

[Jeannie in NJ]

We just got back today from 8 days at Disney and 3 of those days we spent at Hollywood Studios but then we are huge Star Wars fans. The Star Wars fireworks are the best fireworks I have ever seen. We saw both of the short Star Wars films, the documentry and the one called Path of a Jedi (we liked it so much, we saw it twice). I rode Star Tours 4 times (twice with my son and twice by myself). It is my husband's favorite park and now maybe mine also. There was no construction going on.

 

[Zakery]

How much longer are they doing the fireworks for Star Wars at HS?

 

[Amazynglydisney]

My boyfriend and I are taking our kiddos back to WDW in February as well with the three day pass and was planning on doing MK twice and HS one day but my children are smaller DS5 and DD3. We were really just going for Disney Jr live on stage but now I'm thinking I about changing to one day in either Epcot or animal kingdom again we did a half day at animal kingdom on our last trip but only rode Kilimanjaro safari and then watched the Lion King show. Never been to Epcot or HS. Which would y'all choose? How much is there to do in HS for smaller children besides disney Jr live on stage?

 

[pbb322]

My boyfriend and I are taking our kiddos back to WDW in February as well with the three day pass and was planning on doing MK twice and HS one day but my children are smaller DS5 and DD3. We were really just going for Disney Jr live on stage but now I'm thinking I about changing to one day in either Epcot or animal kingdom again we did a half day at animal kingdom on our last trip but only rode Kilimanjaro safari and then watched the Lion King show. Never been to Epcot or HS. Which would y'all choose? How much is there to do in HS for smaller children besides Disney Jr live on stage?

My DS has gone every year since he was 3 (he is now 8), and HS has always been one of his favorite days. We took my DD this summer at age 3, and she too loved DHS. We are going back in 2 weeks and only have 4 days - we are skipping AK to be able to do 2 MK days because we would not miss DHS. For the youngest, she obviously loves the Disney Jr. show, the Disney Jr. breakfast, Frozen sing along, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, TSMM, Muppets and the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. After 2 days at MK, DHS felt like an actual relaxing vacation day with DD3 because it was not as overwhelming, and it was a lot more sitting and watching shows than rides which can be sensory overload with some young kids after a while. Plus, if your DS (or the adults in your group) likes Star Wars at ALL it really becomes a can't miss place with the Jedi Training and Star Wars Launch Bay, and if they are able to stay up late enough, the fireworks. My one recommendation is that Fantasmic was too intense for my DS when he was only 5, so I would not recommend that for you. Now if your kids are not the kind who are interested in sitting still for shows, it might be harder, but my 3 year old princess was mesmerized watching Ariel, Belle and Elsa at the shows.