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Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA

“The extremely popular home of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge”

Walt Disney World versus Universal Orlando Resort. It’s a battle that will most likely continue until the end of time. Now that Epic Universe has officially opened its doors, many theme park fans seem to be taking the side of Universal. They praise Universal’s drive to expand and claim that Disney isn’t investing enough money in new rides. But… is that really the case? When I take a closer look at the recent history of Walt Disney World, I see a strong series of new attractions there too. Pandora – The World of Avatar opened in 2017, 2018 brought Toy Story Land and the long-awaited Star Wars – Galaxy’s Edge was unveiled in 2019. This was followed by Runaway Railway in 2020, Ratatouille in 2021, and Cosmic Rewind one year later. The list is rounded off by TRON Lightcycle/Run (2023) and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (2024)… And I’ve even left out quite a few smaller additions. One or more major new attractions every year; that doesn’t seem like a bad balance to me. If you take a close look at the list above, you’ll notice that especially Disney’s Hollywood Studios has experienced major growth over the past decade. And indeed… If we compare the current Hollywood Studios with that of ten years ago, you could almost say that a completely new theme park has emerged.

ROLLER COASTERS

When we made our first Lightning Lane selections a week ago, we had one clear priority: Slinky Dog Dash. This family roller coaster has been one of Walt Disney World’s crowd favourites since 2018. Consequently, the queue is always long and Lightning Lanes are in high demand. Yet, in my opinion, Slinky Dog Dash may be the weakest ‘big attraction’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This turns out to be a simple family coaster without special features. The accelerations are tame and the trains even seem to come to a near-standstill on some hills. I did feel two nice pops of airtime in the back seat, but the whole experience is by no means Disney-worthy. In terms of appearance, however, I quite like Slinky Dog Dash. Many fans criticise the ride for being too bare, but I love the fact that Slinky adds kinetics to an otherwise relatively static theme park. Almost all of the attractions at Hollywood Studios are indoors, so it’s nice to finally have a ride that can also be enjoyed by people who aren’t riding it.

At the time of writing, Slinky Dog Dash is the only operational rollercoaster at Hollywood Studios. This will change in the near future, though. Construction is underway on the south side of the park for Disney’s very first inverted coaster. The ride is part of a brand-new Monsters Inc-themed land, which is expected to open in 2028. Besides, the good old Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will make a comeback as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets sometime in 2026. After nearly 30 years of loyal service, Steven Tyler and his mates from Aerosmith will be swapped for Disney’s beloved characters from The Muppets. Given the short closure (the conversion is executed in approximately six months), I don’t expect a massive transformation, but I am nonetheless optimistic about this project. The cardboard Hollywood decorations surrounding the coaster section always looked cheap, so every change is a step forward if you ask me.

DARK RIDES

The highlights of Disney’s Hollywood Studios aren’t the roller coasters. The dark rides, however, have transformed this park into a world-class destination. The most incredible one is undoubtedly Star Wars – Rise of the Resistance. It has been Hollywood Studios’ most popular attraction since its opening in December 2019. And in fact, it remains one of the resort’s hottest tickets until this very day. Queues of 2 hours (or even more) are pretty common, so it might feel like a challenge to experience the ride without spending an eternity in line. On-site hotel guests get a perk, though. Hollywood Studios opens early for residents of Walt Disney World hotels, which is ideal to avoid the long mid-day lines. We make our way to Rise of the Resistance first thing in the morning and we’re treated to a comfortable 30-minute line. If you aren’t eligible for Early Access, I’d recommend joining the queue right before park closing time. Or just spend your dollars on a Lightning Lane, if you don’t mind doing so.

Is Rise of the Resistance worth the hassle? The answer is definitely yes. The pre-shows are incredibly effective and the first encounter with the First Order counts as one of the most amazing moments in theme park history. The actual dark ride is even more exhilarating. The ride is filled with impressive special effects and the trackless ride system is utilized in the most perfect way. In addition, the attraction contains some fantastic animatronics. I don’t consider myself as a Star Wars fan, but this didn’t prevent me from loving the ride with my whole heart. The Imagineers have undeniably created the most immersive experience in an amusement park… ever.

Unfortunately, Galaxy’s Edge second attraction performs considerably weaker. While Star Wars fans may love the idea of flying the Millennium Falcon with their own hands, my experience with Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run turns out to be just okay. The pre-show is entertaining thanks to its impressive Hondo Ohnaka animatronic. Afterwards, you’re divided into groups of six. This includes two pilots, two gunners and two engineers. The interactive aspect of the ride was nicely executed, but not every function is equally enjoyable. The pilots undoubtedly have the best position (also in terms of view, by the way), but the engineers get a rather boring job. The ride seems a combination of Star Tours and Mission SPACE. That’s why Smugglers Run feels like a big deja vu, despite all the complex technology behind this attraction.

Hollywood Studios’ newest dark ride is Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which has been built at the former location of The Great Movie Ride. The exterior remained mostly unchanged, but the actual attraction is totally different than its predecessor. Runaway Railway makes use of a trackless ride system, similar to the one used in Rise of the Resistance. However, the true highlight of this attraction is a song called “Nothing Can Stop Us Now”. The song has a prominent role in the (surprisingly good) pre-show, but it’s also played in the station and in the various scenes afterwards. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway turns out to be a colourful dark ride with a cheerful, somewhat chaotic atmosphere. Most scenes are mainly brought to life by projections. Despite its extensive use of virtual environments, Runaway Railway contains the Disney magic I was hoping for. In fact, this attraction exceeded my expectations by a large margin. The scenes are packed with wonderful effects and I discovered new details during every ride. Awesome attraction!

Since the removal of Muppet Vision 3D, Star Tours is one of the few attractions that remind us of Hollywood Studios’ early years. The ride received a major upgrade 15 years ago, but the hardware of this attraction has been there since 1989. Despite the fact that I don’t like motion simulators, I consider Star Tours as a solid attraction. The queue is beautiful, the visuals are excellent and the ride is quite re-rideable thanks to its changing story lines. The only downside of Star Tours is its location. I’ve always found it odd that Star Tours ended up in a studio theme park, but the situation feels even more bizarre since the opening of Star Wars Land. Star Tours is extremely close to Galaxy’s Edge, where you can find a similar attraction. Although I realize that Star Tours can’t be moved in a blink, the ride would be a better fit for Magic Kingdom.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

Time for The Twilight Zone – Tower of Terror. The ride’s concept was exported to Anaheim, Tokyo and Paris, but the 1994 original can be found here in Orlando. And believe it or not: the oldest version remains the best one. The hotel tower hasn’t only become an icon for Walt Disney World, it also contains one of the world’s best thrill rides. In my opinion, this ride feels more balanced than its siblings. The attraction is literally built like a complete story: there’s an atmospheric introduction, an unexpected plot twist (the famous 5th Dimension) and the ride ends with a spectacular finale. Although Tower of Terror is more than 30 years old, it remains one of Disney Imagineering’s greatest achievements. Fantastic!

Are you a fan of the Disney theme parks? Given that you’re reading this report, I reckon there’s a good chance you are. That’s why I’d recommend popping into Walt Disney Presents, a museum dedicated to the life and achievements of Walt Disney. The subtitle of this experience is “From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms and Beyond”, and that sums it up perfectly. The space is filled with drawings, photographs and a whole host of interesting miniatures. There are references to all the other Disney resorts and Disney Cruise Line. You can round off this walk-through with a screening of One Man’s Dream, a 15-minute film about the life of Walt Disney. The film doesn’t reveal much that hasn’t been told during The Imagineering Story on Disney+, but I found it a lovely, calm moment during a busy day at Hollywood Studios.

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment plays an important role in every Disney theme park, including Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In fact, this is Walt Disney World’s largest show park. It features no less than six large-scale stage shows. One of them is Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, performed at the semi-outdoor Theater of the Stars. This show has been there since 1991, which makes it the longest-running stage show at a Disney park. I’m positive about Belle and Gaston’s live vocals, but the story is sped up in quite an awkward way. The same can be said about the recently reopened The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure. I’d once again like to compliment the main characters for their singing, but the overall narrative of the show feels very rushed.

The Disney Villains will soon become permanent residents of a dark themed land at the Magic Kingdom. Hollywood Studios is currently offering some kind of preview with Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After. This show revolves around Cruella De Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent, three villains who are trying to convince the audience that they were treated the most unfairly. The idea behind this is quite good, but the execution is somewhat disappointing. These three main characters make up the entire cast of the show: apparently there was no budget for background dancers or puppeteers. As a result, the stage feels relatively empty at times. No bad word about the acting performances and the catchy theme song, but otherwise, Unfairly Ever After fails to live up to expectations.

Hollywood Studios’ other daytime stage shows are known as Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. Both shows have their pros and cons. Frozen contains a lot of humour, but the show feels too simple. It consists of some projected scenes from the movie and there’s no live singing on stage. Indiana Jones, on the other hand, is a spectacle with impressive sets and great effects, but there’s too much talking in between. Similar shows in Paris and Shanghai had/have the same problem: fantastic stunts are often interrupted by minutes-long conversations. The opening scene of Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is great, but the rest of the show is just meh.

The most sought-after show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is scheduled after sunset. If you see thousands of people walking towards Sunset Boulevard at night, they’re probably headed to Fantasmic. This nighttime spectacular is performed at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater, a huge outdoor venue that can accommodate almost 10,000 visitors. Despite this enormous capacity, Fantasmic often plays for a full house, which illustrates just how popular the show is. And honestly, we understand why so many people consider Fantasmic as a must-do. The show is full of popular animation characters, special effects and fireworks. Especially the grand finale always manages to give me goosebumps. By the way: if you’re visiting Hollywood Studios during a busier time of year, Fantasmic will usually run two performances per night. It’s a good idea to attend the second showing, as it’s always quieter than the first one.

BEAT THE CROWDS

Hollywood Studios is a park that currently requires a sophisticated strategy. The way you organize your visit may heavily impact the number of rides and shows you’re able to experience. And while this may sound counterintuitive, I wouldn’t necessarily advise you to arrive early in the morning. Despite the fact that Early Entry for on-site hotel guests is a huge benefit, the following hours are actually quite unpleasant. Hollywood Studios attracts ten thousands of guests every single day, and most of them immediately head to the big attractions in the morning. Wait times of 60 to 90 minutes are therefore quite common during the first few hours of the day. Rise of the Resistance even manages to form multiple-hour lines within minutes after the park’s official opening time. From the afternoon, however, crowds feel more manageable. The entertainment offerings ensure a better distribution of park guests and lots of people park-hop to EPCOT or Magic Kingdom for their nighttime shows. And since it’s always a good idea to do the opposite of the herd, I think that this might be the ideal time to hop over to Hollywood Studios. Especially off-site guests (who can’t enjoy Early Park Entry) should rather focus on the evenings than the mornings.

WORTH A VISIT?

Crowds are inevitable during every trip to Hollywood Studios these days. You could say that the park has become a victim of its own success, but that sounds too negative. There’s a good reason why all these people come here: the park offers an incredible lineup of top attractions. Hollywood Studios has the best thrill ride and two of the best dark rides in the entire resort. This used to be a park that was only worth a visit because of Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, but times have changed. The result of the park’s recent metamorphosis is nothing less than overwhelming. The general atmosphere has improved dramatically and Hollywood Studios is currently even Walt Disney World’s best theme park when it comes to E-ticket attractions. An update in the entertainment department would be nice, but that’s my only complaint about this park at the moment. Can I summarize the Hollywood Studios story as “From Zero to Hero”? And may I hope for a similar result when it comes to Walt Disney Studios in Paris?

How long would you wait for Slinky Dog Dash? Is Tower of Terror the world’s best themed thrill ride? And do you know a more immersive dark ride than Rise of the Resistance? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

This article reflects my personal experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during a visit in February 2026.