Why is Disney Hollywood Studios the least favorite park?

[wishspirit]

I'm with you on that, AK is my least favourite park (not to say that I don't like it, it just lacks the "magic" for me).

Oh and for EE, then you haven't been to DHS since TSM was put in, which is awesome, assuming you get a fast pass early enough

Oh yes! My mom and I already have our strategy sorted (which involves me with the longer legs speed walking to fast pass!) and we aren't even going till September!

The Cars ride at DLRP is excellent, I thought it would be more of a kiddie ride but we really enjoyed it. Also Crushes Coaster is fantastic! They seemed to have been able to squeeze those two into quite a small space so they could do it at DHS

I didn't dare do the Cars ride, it looked too much like teascups to me! Crush was AMAZING though! They should defiantly have that in Florida, plus its a very fast loading ride!

 

[LilGMom]

Me and my family must be in the minority because I believe DHS is one of our favorite parks. We love practically everything about it regardless of how dated some things are getting (i.e. Indiana Jones show) but naturally I'd love to see a few things changed.

Like.... the space that is being taken up by "Sounds Dangerous" would be better used as practically anything else. I also would love to see a Star Wars themed TS maybe even have it be some sort of character dining. And I'd love to see them changed the walk-through at the end of Backlot Tour. It has been 'Villains' for too long.

For the most-part though we usually spend more time in DHS than anywhere else.

 

[flyingcat2003]

Narnia: I would love to know what Disney suit thought this attraction in it's current form should get the green light. This is the worst attraction ever.

 

[ADP]

Wow, I love your suggestions. If we could get this to the powers to be. Is there any way someone from Disney might actually see this? I would love to see them do something with some of the newer Pixar movies.

They should...In fact, last year, or late 2007 Meg Crofton came out and said MGM was going to go through a transformation from the Hollywood of old to more of a modern Hollywood. This was around the time of the park's name change. Besides TSM/Pixar Place and some new character spot reconfigurations I haven't seen much of a change.

 

[shmedly123]

Narnia: I would love to know what Disney suit thought this attraction in it's current form should get the green light. This is the worst attraction ever.

I think Stitch gives it a serious run for it's money

 

[flyingcat2003]

They should...In fact, last year, or late 2007 Meg Crofton came out and said MGM was going to go through a transformation from the Hollywood of old to more of a modern Hollywood. This was around the time of the park's name change. Besides TSM/Pixar Place and some new character spot reconfigurations I haven't seen much of a change.

Thats good to here. I guess they know the park needs a overhaul.

 

[flyingcat2003]

Narnia: I would love to know what Disney suit thought this attraction in it's current form should get the green light. This is the worst attraction ever.

I almost forgot. Let's add Drew Careys Sounds Dangerous to this as well. It's right there with Narnia for worse attraction in the Studios. At least you can take a nap during Sounds Dangerous.

 

[uncleleo]

I wrote this in the Epcot thread: If there's any park that has been diminished, it's DHS. I think the major attractions it has added in the past 10 years are fantastic, and I could enjoy them all day. But the slow death of the park's original vision as a working studio has, for me, turned DHS from a theme park into a random collection of admittedly compelling attractions. It's not studios anymore, it's Magic Kingdom south, or Universal Lite.

Expanding on that idea, I would contend that Disney is most successful when a recognizable theme unites an area that encompasses multiple attractions, shops, and eateries. That doesn't really happen at DHS, certainly not to the extent that it does at the other three parks. ("Movies and TV" is not an adequate theme; after all, attractions at MK are mostly based on movies and it has at least seven strong themes going.) DHS is more like a confused jumble of disparate elements. To be sure, several of the attractions are among the best in the world, but that's not enough if you're being compared to MK, EC, and AK.

 

[steve76]

"Disney's Hollywood Studios - where it's forever 1989!". That's the feeling I get there. Unfair, I know, since there are some excellent new attractions. But it's just all very 1980s to me.

There are rides in the Magic Kingdom that have barely changed since opening day - they're classics. But the rides in DHS that have barely changed just seem dated. Things like the tram tour, Indiana Jones, and the Great Movie Ride. I think that they really need to update these attractions. Keeping these the same and just throwing in a brand new one every few years just adds to the disjointed and incohesive feeling of the park. The awkward layout doesn't help either.

 

[luke]

The Cars ride at DLRP is excellent, I thought it would be more of a kiddie ride but we really enjoyed it. Also Crushes Coaster is fantastic! They seemed to have been able to squeeze those two into quite a small space so they could do it at DHS

Got to disagree on Cars I'm afraid, I thought they could have done much more with the theme (maybe not in such a small space) than what amounts to a "tea-cup rip off".

Crush on the other hand is excellent, kinda like Primeval Whirl at AK, but with incredible theming - the loading area is fantastic!!
Although it certainly needs a fast pass (if one's not been put in since I last visited last May )

 

[MerMom60_94]

We were at DHS Tuesday and, while we were there all day, I don't feel like we got a lot in. DHS is the least favorite park for me, not because of the individual attractions but because it is logistically a nightmare. Every year I say I am going to see Lights, Motor, Action for instance. But, we finish an attraction and have 45 minutes to kill until that show begins so we figure we will find something to do because we don't want to waste close to an hour and the next thing you know we have gone past the start time for that show. I have yet to see that show! There are no quick hits to fill in the gaps. Every attraction seems to take a big time commitment so there is no flow. Also, I agree with p.p. who said she gets lost there. We spent a lot of time wandering in circles at one point because we were lost. We never have that problem at any of the other parks.

I do love the street acts, though. I haven't seen anything on the Dis about Mulch, Sweat, and Shears and we happened to stumble across them. They were great!! I loved them!

 

[Joshua_me]

Vader Tots!!

"I find your lack of ketchup disturbing..."

*ahem*

Anyway, can't add much to what's been said. Keith is a big collector of movie memorabilia, and that has dragged us there on more than one occasion. But, even that has declined somewhat.

If it weren't for TOT and RRC, (perhaps the two most exciting rides in the parks) this would be a very easy park for us to skip.

 

[auroralark]

If it weren't for TOT and RRC, (perhaps the two most exciting rides in the parks) this would be a very easy park for us to skip.

Same here. (Oh, and the Muppets and Star Tours. Love those.) I'm pretty sick of everything else there...although I haven't been on Toy Story Midway Mania yet, so I'm sure that's another attraction I would add to my list.

Also, I don't find the Studios as visually appealing as the other parks. Not saying that it's ugly, just next to the other parks it's my least favorite.

 

[wishspirit]

I wrote this in the Epcot thread: If there's any park that has been diminished, it's DHS. I think the major attractions it has added in the past 10 years are fantastic, and I could enjoy them all day. But the slow death of the park's original vision as a working studio has, for me, turned DHS from a theme park into a random collection of admittedly compelling attractions. It's not studios anymore, it's Magic Kingdom south, or Universal Lite.

Expanding on that idea, I would contend that Disney is most successful when a recognizable theme unites an area that encompasses multiple attractions, shops, and eateries. That doesn't really happen at DHS, certainly not to the extent that it does at the other three parks. ("Movies and TV" is not an adequate theme; after all, attractions at MK are mostly based on movies and it has at least seven strong themes going.) DHS is more like a confused jumble of disparate elements. To be sure, several of the attractions are among the best in the world, but that's not enough if you're being compared to MK, EC, and AK.

I totally agree! To me its kind becoming more and more like California Adventure. It is a great theme park, with some nice attractions (TOT and Soarin' for example), however it didn't really have enough flow to it, so they are spending a lot of time and money fixing it. I really wish they would do this for DHS

"Disney's Hollywood Studios - where it's forever 1989!". That's the feeling I get there. Unfair, I know, since there are some excellent new attractions. But it's just all very 1980s to me.

Jeeze! I hope not! It would mean I'm only one year old the whole time!

Got to disagree on Cars I'm afraid, I thought they could have done much more with the theme (maybe not in such a small space) than what amounts to a "tea-cup rip off".

Crush on the other hand is excellent, kinda like Primeval Whirl at AK, but with incredible theming - the loading area is fantastic!!
Although it certainly needs a fast pass (if one's not been put in since I last visited last May )

I totally agree, however I still wouldn't do Primeval Whirl if you paid me! I couldn't do a ride like that without the theming to go with it, plus it seems a lot less jolty than the AK one looks!

I visted Crush last September, still no fast pass, but we decided to go in a 50 min queue, and it only ended up being 30 mins and we had finished the queue and the ride! It really is a fast loader!

 

[ms*mountaineer]

"logistically a nightmare" - that's a good description of how I felt at DHS. This year was our first time at DHS - I knew enough to get the FP for TSM first thing, but other than that - we just couldn't seem to hit things at the right time. We wandered a lot - and I knew what I wanted to do, but we just kept ending up at shows after they had started or the line was enormous.

My girls wanted to ride things - but they weren't big enough for ToT or RnR. So that left several rides on Star Tours while we waited for or TSM FPs to be ready. Other than that - they were ready to leave.

I approached DHS with a positive outlook - but it just didn't do anything for me. Many things "felt" outdated. I don't know how to describe it.

 

[G66]

One thing that bothers me about HS is the amount of money they spent on LMA and the new Idol attraction with virtually no benefit.

I'm a casual fan of motor sports. I was looking forward to LMA. I was so disappointed in the show. The best thing I can say about LMA is that it sucks a lot of people from the rest of the park. Couldn't wait to get out of there.

Idol, I just don't get how it warrants any of my precious vacation time.

This money could have been used to address many of the much needed updates noted by WO and others.

As for Sounds Dangerous all traces should be eliminated ASAP. I don't see how they start another attraction until they get this stinking dead fish out of there!

 

[flyingcat2003]

One thing that bothers me about HS is the amount of money they spent on LMA and the new Idol attraction with virtually no benefit.

I'm a casual fan of motor sports. I was looking forward to LMA. I was so disappointed in the show. The best thing I can say about LMA is that it sucks a lot of people from the rest of the park. Couldn't wait to get out of there.

Idol, I just don't get how it warrants any of my precious vacation time.

This money could have been used to address many of the much needed updates noted by WO and others.

As for Sounds Dangerous all traces should be eliminated ASAP. I don't see how they start another attraction until they get this stinking dead fish out of there!

I so agree about idol.

 

[paperdoll1986]

I apologise in advance for repeating what anyone has said, and for most likely being long-winded.

ok. Disney-MGM Studios was a park I was waiting to see. yes, i call it by it's original name, and they can't stop me! it opened when I was three and i remember seeing ads for it. But being in CA, it was a far distant dream. When I was 5, the New Kids on the Block did a special there. (and it's because of this special that they can't touch the Indy stunt show. go find it on youtube) And to this day, it's one of those things that defines the group in my heart. As well as combining things I love. When I came, I was just dying and my little heart skipped beats.

I agree that the original vision has died. the backlot tour is a joke (they should call it the backstage of LMA tour). I wanted to see the golden girls house, consarn it! I didn't even bother to see LMA at all. And I didn't get to Beauty and the beast. It's hard to "schedule" all the shows.

It just feels like it's lost it's way.

Although, I have to strongly disagree on putting in characters children can relate to. This is a theme park representing all of Hollywood, not a cynergistic ad. It feels too much like it as it is. Narnia OUT! HSM OUT!!! (and it felt like that damn thing was coming by every 10 minutes!!).

What the park needs to do (since it's not gonna become a working studio again, not that it really was one in the first place) is try to get people excited about the history of movies. the great movie ride could really get kids to want to see older movies if they did it right! Sure, add some recent characters to the parks, but don't flood it so it looks like you're just advertising recent projects. i say that mostly because so much of it is so bad. Disneyland people (haven't noticed it with WDW) complain that there is too much Pixar in the parks and not enough straight up Disney. well, that's because the newer movies (Home on the Range, anyone?) have been so bad, I'm sure the company would like to sweep them under the rug. And you can't guarantee that popular films now will become classics in the future.

What I would tell Bob Iger is to take the time and invest in the history that could be portrayed. A lot of the buildings are fantastic recreations of actual hollywood buildings, and some people are absolutely fascinated by this sort of thing, play it up!

and, on a sideways glance to my dear Roger Rabbit, add random Disney characters along with the Streetmosphere characters, like working actors. It might actually help bring together the disney and hollywood concepts going on. it's perfectly plausible if you look at Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and a fun idea.....I don't know sounded interesting to me.

(and put the golden girls house back up!!!!!)

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Short of the two biggies TOT and RRR nothing else to me is worth doing twice. BTDT kind of thing. Now that I have a little one it is even worse. There is not much at all for kids short of Playhouse Disney (thankfully they added that). Animation drawling area is kind of cool. Hate the playground kids can easily get lost. The whole layout is unorganized as ADP stated. Just bad planning. They could do sooo much with this park it is sad.

 

[flyingcat2003]

What do you think about Disney closing the Backstage tour area and open a area just for Disney Classic films in this area. How cool would it be to ride a Mary Poppins ride or see a really good Pichnocio stage show. Anyway just a thought.