5 Things Hollywood Studios Experts Do Differently

Some might say that Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Disney World’s trickiest park.

Why? Well, it’s got tons of sought-after attractions, some of them being the most popular in the whole resort, but there’s not that many of them. This means that the lines get long very quickly, and your frustration level can rise drastically in the span of minutes. But don’t worry, you have Disney experts on your side! Here’s how WE do Hollywood Studios.

Don’t Rope Drop — Use Genie+

Usually, we’re all about saving money on AllEars, and sometimes that means recommending you don’t use Genie+ unless you really need to. Genie+ is Disney World’s paid service that allows you to make reservations and skip the lines for many attractions (you can learn lots more about it right here). The problem? Hollywood Studios is 100% a Genie+ park.

Yes, you can rope drop, but that one ride will very likely take you an hour, and by the time you ride it, all the other waits are at least 30 minutes on a low crowd day. If you get Genie+, you can ensure you’ll get to do all the rides in the park you want to, plus some of the shows and character meet and greets. If you’re going to spring for Genie+ on one day during your trip, we’d say your Hollywood Studios day is it.

This is the secret to using Genie+ in Hollywood Studios!

Get Slinky Dog Dash as Your First Lightning Lane

If you’ve decided to buy Genie+, we highly recommend grabbing Slinky Dog Dash as your first Lightning Lane.

Why? Not because it’s the first thing you’re going to ride. In fact, even if you’re booking it at 7:03AM, your Lightning Lane may not be until 7PM, but this ride sells out the fastest on Genie+, so grab it while you can. This way, if you’re still choosing to rope drop, you can head to a different ride first thing and potentially even hit a few of the less popular attractions before that couple of hours are up.

If you’re not getting Genie+, this is the perfect time to ride Slinky Dog Dash on your Hollywood Studios day

If You’re Not Getting an Individual Lightning Lane For Rise of The Resistance, Don’t Just Ride It Whenever

One of the other most popular rides in the park is Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge. And for good reason! This ride truly is like no other, and everyone knows it, which is why that line can get LONG.

That’s why, if you’re able to splurge, we typically recommend paying for the Individual Lightning Lane for this ride. However, if that’s not in the cards, we highly recommend riding this ride at rope drop, during the middle of the day when many people go to lunch, or right before the park closes (although this is risky, as the ride does go down often) to wait the least amount of time.

We Snack Around The Park Instead of Eating Full Meals

Hollywood Studios isn’t very well known for its meals, but it IS known for some pretty amazing snacks!

The Ronto Wrap (which is kinda like a meal?), the Black Caf Cold Brew, Blueberry Mickey Waffles, and Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwich are some of our favorites, just to name a few. So if you’re spending all day in Hollywood Studios and not planning to do any table service meals, we suggest snacking around the parks instead of eating full meals.

These are the BEST snacks in Hollywood Studios!

Get in Line AT LEAST 30 Minutes Before the Final Fantasmic! Showing

On some Hollywood Studios days, there are two showings of Fantasmic!, one of the best live shows in all of Disney World. On those days, we will always choose to go to the LAST showing of the day for less crowds.

However, it’s imperative to get in line AT LEAST 30 minutes before the show is set to begin so you can ensure you get a seat. These shows are extremely popular (for good reason), and if you show up too late, all the seats may be filled (it’s happened to us, and it’s awful).

We’re always here to help you prepare for your next Disney World trip, so stay tuned to AllEars!

What’s your favorite way to spend a day in Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments!

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