Where’s the love for Hollywood Studios?

[DisneyFive]

I see so many comments on here that HS is either in a state of disrepair or has such a lack of things to do anymore… I mean, I don’t get it? In the last five years, it’s mostly unchanged, so I don’t get why all of a sudden there is this feeling out there that HS has fallen into some sort of downward spiral…

I’m sure I’m missing some, but the significant closures that I can think of lately are: Backlot tour, American Idol, Pirate Experience. None of them hugely popular anyway.

You still have many super headliners and great shows!

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
• Tower of Terror
• Toy Story Midway Mania
• Star Tours
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Beauty and the Beast Live
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
• Lights, Motor, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
• Muppet Vision 3D
• Fantasmic!
• Animation Academy
• …and newly added are the Frozen Summer Fun events and fireworks, which are a pretty big addition!

These are all great attractions IMO. Nothing in that group that is sup par. Are people just tired of the same shows and rides? I get that. …but that doesn’t mean that HS is now some sort of crappy park or that it’s in some sad state. All the first time visitors will have nearly the same experience as they would have 5+ years ago. Would I like to see new things at HS? Yes. Same with AK, and especially Epcot. Sounds like there are some great things in the works so I’m excited for the future, but am very happy to enjoy HS as is!

I don’t know, just blabbering, but I’d like to hear your thoughts…


Dan

 

[Alesia]

We love it. It's actually my daughter's favorite park.

 

[Doug M]

It has some of the best rides, but for repeat guests, the shows are stale. Indiana Jones is the same as when i went as a kid 20 years back. We skip most shows we have seen and hit the rides, then hop. For first timers the park isnt a half day park, but a lot has closed, hopefully to make room for a new land.

 

[soniam]

I think some of the shows are getting a little old. They could use some refreshing or new ones. They need more food choices, both TS and QS, with better quality. I think the long waits for the headliners puts people in a bad mood too. However, I am really looking forward to spending some time there and exploring it with a new viewpoint for Star Wars Weekends next year.

 

[scrhsa]

HS is my favorite park. I love the vintage feel of the place (and not because of it being in need of an updo ) Tower of Terror is my favorite ride with RnR a close second. If I had young kids I might feel different about it...but I doubt that. HS is where I feel the most at "home" at Disney

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

Absolutely love HS!! I'm a big "show" type person, so I'm always excited to watch them (I could probably watch Fantasmic for days on a continuous loop and still be amazed every time). RnR and ToT are among two of my favorite rides at WDW, as well. I just love the theming. The "old hollywood" feel is lovely. A bit bummed that they are likely revamping the whole park, but I hope the hollywood theme will at least partially remain. Such a great park. Tied with MK for my favorite!

 

[BrianL]

HS is still pretty great, it's just in a transitional phase right now. I think once they're done, it'll be fantastic once again. Still, I like a lot of what's there, though I agree that the shows get stale for frequent guests. I still wouldn't skip over it on a trip!

 

[mom2rtk]

I would go if I was on a multiple day ticket and could get in for $10. I would go if I had an AP. I would not go if I was paying $100 for a single day's admission (like we did in the MK last week).

DHS is pretty stale.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The problem with DHS is that it was designed as a show park, but the shows are too old now and Disney is too cheap to switch them out apparently.

Then they got rid of the parade, that was a bad choice too.

 

[mom2rtk]

The problem with DHS is that it was designed as a show park, but the shows are too old now and Disney is too cheap to switch them out apparently.

Then they got rid of the parade, that was a bad choice too.

BINGO!

I would go if they put in a new (decent) parade. I loved the Stars and Cars Motor Parade, but it's long gone now.

 

[grimley1968]

I've never felt like DHS was a complete park, so I've always felt like a little bit of money was wasted going here instead of, say, MK for a day. There's always been a lack of rides at this park. Then DHS closes the Backlot Tour, which admittedly wasn't much of a ride (though I enjoyed it overall), but it was a massive people eater, allowing the lines at the other 5 rides to be a little shorter. Now it's closed, and nothing is going to be replacing it, probably for years. Meanwhile, the shows, which I still enjoy, haven't changed much, if at all. A certain amount of shows is fine, but there simply have to be more rides than they have now.

It's good that they're finally revamping the pre-ride for Great Movie Ride, since it needed it. But that's not nearly enough. If Star Wars Land, or whatever it would be called, does indeed come to DHS, that would be great. But I don't even want to ponder how long it would be before that comes to pass, given how long the work at MK and AK is taking.

Also, it doesn't have a circular feel like the other parks, where one area is easily accessible from any other area. That tangent that goes over to RnRC and ToT needs to somehow be connected to the rest of the park. It may be that CM areas prevent that from happening, but that's just a case of poor planning in the beginning if so.

I would ask, "Where's the love for DHS from the Disney management?" It's badly neglected right now.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I am not a show person. I love what I do here (ToT, RRC, Star Tours and Movie Ride and maybe a few exhibits) but what I do like I can do in 2-3 hours and I'm done.

 

[mom2rtk]

I would ask, "Where's the love for DHS from the Disney management?" It's badly neglected right now.

You win the thread.

 

[Kingdome8]

I love dhs. Our favorite park. Hard to do it all in one day.

Someone said earlier it gets old for repeat
Visits.
But aren't all parks pretty much the same every visit?

For us
Dhs. Fantasmic puts it above mk
Magic kingdom
Epcot
Ak.

But mk is the only multiple day park for us

 

[DisneyFive]

Great points.

Yes, the parades! Forgot about that. I think our favorite parade was at HS! I think it was the “Move it, Shake it” parade or something like that. Tons of energy, and great music! I do really miss that parade. That is a very big absence IMO, more than other closures. I have fantastic memories of the dancers pulling my DD into the parade and dancing with her. BRING BACK A PARADE! They were awesome at HS.

…and I agree that the shows, while great, can be stale for repeat visitors. I would love to see one or two replaced or revamped.

HS is still our second favorite park behind MK though. Like others have mentioned, love that early Hollywood feel, especially at night on Sunset Blvd.

Dan

 

[tlmadden73]

As a teenage boy (and fan of Star Wars and Indiana Jones) DHS was my favorite park in the 90s ... it still is in some ways (due to nostalgia) (I love how it looks at night with all the neon and the "old Hollywood" look) .. I loved how they filmed things there .. how it felt like you were in a movie studio with attractions about the "making of" movies (Like Indiana Jones and Sounds Dangerous and the back-lot tour). I liked the Animation Studios... I even like the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" show). Star Tours was cool .. but it oddly never really fit the "studios" theme. I think the restaurants there have awesome themes.

The thing is ... the park hasn't changed much since the 90s and I think it suffers from "Been there, done that" since it has few rides and a lot of shows.

The shows are the same (I mean you can't add different stunts from the other Indy movies to change it up?) .. they've removed the cool "movie making" attractions like Sounds Dangerous and BackLot tour .. and compared to the other parks it just doesn't have many attractions .

It is pretty obvious they have some big plans for the backlot area (or else why close it down?) .. but based on how long Avatarland is taking . I wouldn't expect DHS to be big for years to come.

It also has to be the worst park getting around .. horribly designed in that regard.

 

[bbjunkie]

We love HS! On our last trip, our schedule only allowed for a 1/2day and night at HS and we were disappointed we didn't have time to sneak another half day in. It's feeling is so intimate and I love the themeing. It's size is manageable, and it is a beautiful park to walk around in. I don't understand how people complain that the shows are stale for repeat visitors...do you dislike MK because the Country Bear Jamboree, Carousel of Progress, or the Main Street Electrical Parade has been the same for 35 years?

 

[3DisneyFanz]

It's funny that while we love most things there we still spend time longing for what is lost. it hits us most when we get to the NY street and remember how great Hunchback was, how cool it was to see the prop houses and then remember when there were actual working sets and production you could see animators working, then we see the the empty buildings and closed attractions and it becomes a bummer. By this point we're ready for lunch and end up going to EPCOT because there is no good food in HS and spend the rest of our day there.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

I love the Studios. One of (if not) my favourite park actually. HUGE Star Wars guy so of course I love Star Tours. Old and the new one. RnR is great as is ToT. I like the Beauty and the Beast show and Indiana Jones as well. As a race car driver, I have friends who drive at Lights, Motor, Action and I love that show for obvious reasons.

Two of my favourite themed restaurants are there in Sci Fi and 50's Prime Time -- Both I think are the best or two of the best themed restaurants on property.

I use to love the inside Disney animation walking tour where they had the animators working, etc. I do like the Animation Academy now and visit often to draw different characters. Loads of fun.

 

[lugnut33]

Used to love it, but it has quickly fallen to my least favorite park. Right now it has tired shows and a lack of capacity to handle the crowds. It's why the line for GMR is too long on most days. I actually feel bad for the park.