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Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary
Step out of the normal world and into a land of fame, rock and roll, backyard toys, galactic empires, and more! You’ve got one day and you chose the magical Hollywood Studios. Thankfully, this park is easy to navigate and quick to get around. This means that your day will be action-packed and incredibly enjoyable if you follow our Hollywood Studios one day itinerary.
Keep reading for our full guide to attractions, dining, shows, and more in our Hollywood Studios one-day itinerary.
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary
Before you decide to start your day, let’s go over planning your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary. It is so important to have an idea and somewhat of a plan in order to keep calm and ensure you get to do everything you desire. Remember, you most certainly do not have to have a minute-by-minute plan, especially when things can change in an instant, but keeping an outline in your head is a good idea for starting off your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary.
- Purchase your ticket(s) and be sure to reserve Hollywood Studios. Being that this park is usually popular, reservations tend to fill up fast. After you purchase your ticket, you will be redirected to a screen asking you to pick your park. I recommend reserving Hollywood Studios at that moment. This makes it easier to secure that spot and eases any future stress and forgetfulness.
- Download the MyDisney Experience app. This application is available on all smartphones. You can use it to order food, access wait times and park hours, mobile check out at stores, scan into the parks, change or make reservations, and access Genie+. Have everyone in your party linked up and create an account if they want, that way any reservations are synced.
- Park hours are important. Check hours before you reserve to make sure there are no early closures or to take advantage of any extra hours. Typically, Hollywood Studios is open from 8:30am to 9pm. Early entry is usually granted starting at 8:00am. Hours can change, so keep up on checking the website or the app!
- Reserve any desired dining. This is not necessary if you don’t want to have any table service meals, but if you want it, make sure to get it. You are able to reserve those 60 days in advance starting at 5am that day. Oga’s Cantina, a popular bar in Galaxy’s Edge, is a veryhard reservation to get. This is a great place to use that 60-day window for.
- Familiarize yourself with the park to plan for your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary. Look up map photos, understand the layout, and plan for which paths you need to go! This makes zig-zagging around less likely.
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Morning Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary
Wake up early and purchase Genie+ if you and your party want it. I would definitely recommend it for Hollywood Studios, especially when spending your whole day here. As of right now, Genie+ can only be purchased on the same day as your park visit. Selections can start being made at 7am, so get ready!
Also at 7am, on-site guests can purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. DO THIS! This ride always has long lines and sometimes can go down throughout the day. If you can, snag a time slot for you and your party. This is a great tip to plan your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary.
To Rope-Drop or Not to Rope-Drop
Rope-dropping is when you show up before park opening and wait for one specific ride. I would definitely recommend doing this for your day at Hollywood Studios. On-property guests have access to early entry, which grants access to the park thirty minutes to an hour before off-site guests. Take advantage of this as well! If early entry is at 8:00am, I would recommend getting to the park by 7:30am. Cast Members tend to let guests in a bit earlier than times may state.
Hollywood Studios has six popular and crowd-drawing attractions.
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway [Hollywood Boulevard]
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance [Galaxy’s Edge]
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run [Galaxy’s Edge]
- Slinky Dog Dash [Toy Story Land]
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster [Sunset Boulevard]
- Tower of Terror [Sunset Boulevard]
Since you most likely purchased Rise of the Resistance, my advice would be rope-dropping Slinky Dog Dash. This queue line gets incredibly long and moves slowly because of the cart space.
With that, my first Genie+ reservation recommendation would be Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This line also gets quite long and is usually true to the posted wait time because of pre-shows and ride length.
Once you’ve rope-dropped Slinky Dog Dash, head toward Galaxy’s Edge to begin your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary.
Hollywood Studios Breakfast
Sit-down meals are always great, but I don’t recommend starting a singular day in Hollywood Studios with one. Save the reserved dining for later when most of the other bucket-list items have been checked off.
With that being said, I would recommend Ronto Roasters in Galaxy’s Edge or The Trolley Car Cafe at the front of the park.
Ronto Roasters offers so many great breakfast bites for $15 and under! Most famously is the breakfast Ronto Wrap. This is a hearty and filling offering that you cannot go wrong with.
Trolley Car Cafe is the name for Hollywood Studios’ Starbucks. This is a great (yet sometimes pricier) offering because it is similar to the food you might find at home. Picky eaters will feel happy with this choice for their Hollywood Studios one day itinerary.
There are so many great breakfast offerings in Hollywood Studios, but Ronto Roasters has to be my personal favorite!
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Mid-Morning
After breakfast, return to any Genie+ reservation that might’ve been called, as well as your Individual Lightning Lane if you’ve purchased one. Remember, you must wait 120 minutes after your first Genie+ reservation to make a second, but once scanned into a reserved ride, you can immediately make another! Use this method to ensure that you not only get the most out of your money but the most of your day as well!
Assuming you are in Galaxy’s Edge still, head over to Smuggler’s Run. Since it is most likely close to park opening time, this line will be sure to move quickly! This ride is a must-see for Star Wars fans and thrill-seekers! It is so fun to assume the role of a pilot, gunner, or engineer.
Take some time to explore Galaxy’s Edge. There are characters roaming, space snacks being made, and antiques from any planet! One place that you must see is Kat Sara’s Kettle in the Outpost.
There, you can find the sweet and spicy Outpost Popcorn Mix for $6.49 and the Cold Brew Black Caf for $5.49. The popcorn tastes otherworldly and the coffee will give you the kick you need for the day!
For little and die-hard Star Wars fans, you can even build a droid or create your own lightsaber. Reservations for these two activities can be made in advance and require an extra fee.
After zooming around Galaxy’s Edge, head out of that land from the pathway toward Grand Avenue. A must-see for me is Muppet*Vision 3D, a fifteen minute 3D sit-down theater show. Now…I’m biased because I love the Muppets, but if I didn’t, this attraction is skippable. It is a bit outdated and could be boring for kids to sit through. However, there are some fun additions to this show that make it enjoyable!
Other than two eateries and an attraction, there is not much to see on Grand Ave. Let’s move on!
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Characters
There are various characters to meet in this park! Some offerings can be found under the attraction tab of the MyDisney Experience app, but some can just be found randomly throughout the day.
At Star Wars Launch Bay in the Animation Courtyard, guests can find some great characters. Right now, Chewbacca is doing meet and greets. Also residing in that building have been BB-8 and Darth Vader. Check the app or website to see who will be there during your trip!
In Toy Story Land, you can find Woody, Buzz, Jesse, Bo Peep, and the Green Army Men. The big three can usually be found near the entrance by Woody’s statue. Bo Peep is not always there, but sometimes she is stationed near the opening of the Slinky Dog Dash queue line! The Green Army Men come out at various times and perform their drum line act, but will still stop to talk and take pictures.
Pixar characters such as Mr & Mrs. Incredible, Frozone, or Sulley can be found in the alleyway by the entrance to Toy Story Land. They are usually out in the morning, but times are subject to change.
Everyone’s favorite (warm hug-giving) snowman, Olaf, has a permanent meet-and-greet spot in the building adjacent to Echo Lake.
Edna Mode, the fashionista, can be found near where the other Pixar Pals can be found but has her own space.
Near Olaf’s building, guests can find a star-studded advertisement to meet Minnie and Mickey Mouse. Dressed in their best outfits, these two lovebirds are available to see for most of the day!
In Animation Courtyard, guests can take their little ones to see several Disney Junior Characters! The lineup changes from time to time, but as of recently, there have been four characters there. These characters include Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Sofia the First, and sometimes even Pluto!
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Shows
Hollywood Studios offers four daytime shows which can be fit into your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary. There is Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, Beauty and the Beast Live Onstage, Disney Junior Play and Dance, and a Frozen Singalong. These are all fun and great shows, but I would only recommend doing these if you have extra time to spare. Most shows will run for around twenty minutes or so, and that can add up during your day if seeing more than one.
If you do want to see a stage show, my recommendations would be Beauty and the Beast or Frozen. These are both re-tellings of the original stories, but there are so many intricate details added in with costuming, music, jokes, and more. Anyone of any age will enjoy either of these shows and will most certainly walk out with a smile on their face.
That is not to say the other shows are bad because they are super cool too! But with one day in one park, you want to make sure you prioritize.
Which Attractions to See vs. Skip?
In total, Hollywood Studios has thirteen attractions. When I say attractions, I mean rideable attractions or shows that are fifteen minutes or less!
To preface, I would recommend Genie+ for this day, that way you most likely wouldn’t have to skip anything. However, if you decide to not get it, that’s okay too!
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway [Hollywood Boulevard] SEE. This attraction is so cute and fun for everyone of all ages. While I miss the Great Movie Ride dearly, I was so pleasantly surprised when I got to ride M&M RR. This is 100% a must-do and like earlier stated, definitely something you want to rope-drop or use Genie+ for.
- Star Tours [Echo Lake] IT DEPENDS. As a Star Wars fan, I do love this attraction. When wait times are short, this is a great ride! However, with all of the new and improved Star Wars rides and technology, this might be something skippable for your family. I think if you can get a Genie+ reservation or find that there is no line, surely hop on.
- Vacation Fun [Echo Lake] SKIP. This is a short film featuring Mickey and Minnie. While I do think it’s really cute, I think it is skippable. This is especially because Runaway Railway has such an intricate pre-show!
- Muppet*Vision 3D [Grand Avenue] IT DEPENDS. Like earlier stated, I am a die-hard Muppets fan. This means that there is no way I skip this attraction. However, it is quite outdated, not as immersive, and definitely not as popular. It never has a long wait, so if you have time to kill, definitely go and watch! But if you’re on a strict schedule, maybe move past it.
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance [Galaxy’s Edge] SEE. My advice is to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for this attraction because you cannot miss it. The immersive theming, and the multi-part ride tracks that tell the Star Wars story, it’s all breathtaking!
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run [Galaxy’s Edge] SEE. There is no feeling like walking through the Millennium Falcon, and getting to pilot it too!
- Alien Swirling Saucers [Toy Story Land] SKIP. This attraction is easily one you can miss. Spinning carts whip guests around, but it is definitely not as smooth as a ride like the teacups. This ride is bumpy and aggressive. It can also have long waits for a very short ride.
- Slinky Dog Dash [Toy Story Land] SEE. This roller coaster is short yet amazing! Take advantage of rope-dropping and 7am Genie+ reservations for this one. You do not want to miss it.
- Toy Story Mania [Toy Story Land] SEE. A more updated Space Ranger Spin, this attraction is so much fun. Compete against your party for top score! The aiming and shooting mechanism for this ride is easier than the one at Magic Kingdom, with a pull lever to use for assistance.
- Walt Disney Presents [Animation Courtyard] SKIP. This is super interesting for adults, but might not be something fun for the littles. It is a small exhibit of Disney history. It’s a great way to get out of the heat and learn something new, but there might be something more fun for the kids!
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster [Sunset Boulevard] SEE. This super fast upside-down dark coaster features Aerosmith and all of their music. It is a must-see, as long as you are above 48 inches!
- Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy [Sunset Boulevard] SKIP. Unless you’ve got little Cars fans, this show is unnecessary. It’s around 10-15 minutes, and the coolest part is how well done the Lightning McQueen animatronic looks. You’ll be waiting a little long for this one since the line forms while the previous show is going on, and there is not much coverage from the sun in the ‘queue’ line.
- Tower of Terror [Sunset Boulevard] SEE. If you love all things spooky that’ll put butterflies in your stomach, this is a must-see! The thrill of this ride is unbeatable. And, fun fact, every ride simulation is a different drop order than the previous or next ones!
Hollywood Studios Lunch Options
Let’s talk about lunchtime for your Hollywood Studios one day itinerary. Try to plan on having lunch a bit earlier or later than the average time. This will assure that you have minimal wait on getting your food and can also find a spot to sit! I would say to try and do lunch around 12pm or 2:30pm. This all depends on when/where you have plans on eating dinner as well! Whenever you’re ready to have lunch, check out Woody’a Lunch Box! This is possibly one of the best quick-service options in the park. The food is delicious, the quality is fresh, and the prices are great.
When dining at Woody’s Lunch Box, consider possibly mobile ordering for a faster and less crowded experience. Mobile orders can be placed using the MyDisney Experience app. Here’s a quick breakdown!
- Open the MyDisney Experience app.
- On the bottom line, click the ‘Plus’ symbol.
- Click the second option on the drop-down menu, ‘Order Food’. Sign in if you haven’t already.
- Select Hollywood Studios as the desired park and scroll down until you see Woody’s Lunch Box.
- There will be several time windows to choose from. If you plan on eating at a busy time, order ahead for a time later in the day!
- Add any items to your order.
- To check out, you can use Apple or Google pay, credit or debit cards, or gift cards. You cannot use cash to pay for a mobile order. If using cash, you will have to order at the normal walk up window!
- When your time window has approached, you can click ‘I’m here, prepare my order’. Usually, you can hit this button even if you are not standing at the restaurant, but orders tend to be made pretty fast, so be ready to grab it!
- When your order is ready, you will get a notification to your phone and you will be assigned a window to pick up at!
Offerings here include grilled cheese, brisket, tater tot nachos, and more. Everything offered is available for $15 or less!
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Afternoon
Now that you got to enjoy a delicious lunch, let’s get started with the rest of the Hollywood Studios one day itinerary. You want to try and grab a Genie+ reservation for Toy Story Mania around now if you can. The wait time of this attraction tends to fluctuate a bit, so if you can snag a spot using Genie+, that guarantees your possibility of riding!
Toy Story Land is so cute for pictures and character meet and greets. However, there are not many spots hidden from the Florida sun, so be sure to keep cool and hydrated as much as possible.
When you finish up at Toy Story Land, head past Animation Courtyard and toward Sunset Boulevard. Here, you can find Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Lines for Tower can be true to the posted wait time, but both attraction queue lines move pretty smoothly. If you can’t get a Genie+ reservation for these, feel free to wait for them!
Sunset Boulevard is also a great place to go shopping. Of course, each land will have designated themed stores in it, but the shops on Sunset are super! Legends of Hollywood features Pandora jewelry, Dooney and Burke collections, and Loungefly bags. Beverly Sunset Boutique has various Pixar collections and then some. Everyone is sure to find something they want to take home with them, so take a second to look around!
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Evening
As the day goes on, you and your party continue to have the time of your lives! Toward the early evening is when you should start considering secondary to-do’s. That is; Shows you didn’t have time to stop for in the morning, less important rides, or even just taking photos with the Photopass photographers around the park.
Be sure that you are continuing to use Genie+ to its fullest. Even if an attraction has a small wait, reserve it! Genie+ isn’t always the cheapest, so you might as well get your money’s worth.
You might find yourself taking laps or zig-zagging around the park by now. This is completely normal and bound to happen, especially if you aren’t worrying about a strict schedule anymore.
Hollywood Studios One Day Itinerary Dinner Options
Once you’ve worked your way around the park a few times, you’re probably going to have a big appetite. There are so many places to eat for dinner at this park! Some are sit-down, and some are quick-serve. What you decide to do is on you and your party and whatever you see fit for your schedule! Keep in mind, you want to be free from any dinner or reservation obligations by around 8:30pm for Fantasmic, a show we are most certainly going to cover.
That being said, let me give you some ideal and not-so-ideal dining locations!
Ideal Dining Spots for One Day in Hollywood Studios
- 50’s Prime Time Cafe [Echo Lake]. This is a fifties themed table service experience. Reservations can be made, but a walk-up list is also possible to get a spot on! Here guests are treated like wait staff’s ‘cousins’, where all of your vegetables must be eaten and no elbows are allowed on the table. Prices are around $25 per entree for adults and around $15 for kids’ meals. The food is traditional comfort meals.
- ABC Commissary [Commissary Lane]. A quick-service dining spot sponsored by ABC network, this place is great! Entrees cost around $15 and are both hearty and delicious. There are tacos, chicken sandwiches, salads, and even plant-based options.
- Backlot Express [Echo Lake]. Another quick-service spot that cannot be missed! They offer traditional fare like burgers, chicken tenders, and more. All dishes are around $15. This is definitely a good spot for pickier eaters.
- Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano [Grand Avenue]. This is traditional Italian cuisine in a table service environment. Pricing is similar to casual yet established restaurants that you can find back home.
Non-Ideal Dining Spots for a Singular Day in Hollywood Studios
- Catalina Eddie’s [Sunset Boulevard]. There’s nothing wrong with this quick-service dining spot, it’s just not the best offering at this park. The food is a bit sloppy and not as good as other places with the same offerings.
- Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo [Galaxy’s Edge]. This quick-service restaurant is really good! The reason I added it to the non-ideal section is because of the offerings. They are unique and creative, but there are a lot of flavors that smaller-range palettes might not enjoy. Plus, for quick dining, prices are just a bit higher than usual.
- PizzeRizzo [Grand Avenue]. Maybe you disagree, but the food here (in my opinion) is just…Not good. With a park full of wonderful dining opportunities and quick-serve restaurants that are more desirable, this one just doesn’t make the cut. Save yourself the time, money, and complaints, and eat somewhere else.
Again, there are so many other restaurants on the park grounds, and these are just a few suggestions!
Fantasmic!
One of two nighttime spectaculars at Hollywood Studios, this show is incredibly loved. It actually just made its comeback recently!
Fantasmic is located on Sunset Boulevard, toward the back right-side next to Tower of Terror. It takes place outdoors but in an enclosed theater. The seating is metal bench rows and can fit a lot of people.
The show tells the story of Mickey Mouse dreaming about being a powerful wizard who must overcome battles with villains and save his favorite friends. There are water and lighting effects, screens, pyrotechnics, and more. You will also get to see some of your favorite Disney characters! This show is AMAZING! And of course, no spoilers here.
Since the show is outdoors, it is not rain or shine. Be sure to not only check the weather, but listen for any announcements of delays or closures.
Depending on what time the park closes, this show can occur once or twice a night. The standard showing time is 9pm, but when the park is open later, they also add a 10:30pm showing. The show is around 30 minutes in total. Guests can start finding their seat any time starting 90 minutes before the showing they are attending.
Also possible for this show is the dining package. Guests can purchase and reserve one of five participating restaurants to dine at and then access VIP seating for the show. Prices range from $49-$73 for adults and $22-$47 for children. This is something that can be reserved, so be sure to check any availability for your vacation.
All in all, Fantasmic is a MUST SEE!
Wonderful World of Animation
This is the other nighttime spectacular at Hollywood Studios. This is a screen-projection show that takes place on the Chinese Theater. There are no designated seats for this show, so take it as you would a parade! Find a place to sit or stand along the sidewalk and enjoy this show.
The length of this show is about twelve minutes long and usually occurs at 9:30pm. Guests do not tend to line up and wait for this one, so you’re definitely guaranteed to find a great spot to watch.
This spectacular is all about Disney animation, Pixar, and features dialogue from Walt Disney himself. If you are a big Disney fan and love the history of the company and the parks, this show will for sure bring tears to your eyes.
Final Thoughts on a One Day Hollywood Studios Itinerary
That was a lot of information, so let’s refresh and sum it all up!
- Be sure to take advantage of the 60 day dining reservation system before your trip.
- Make sure to buy your tickets and reserve Hollywood Studios as your park of choice.
- Download the My Disney Experience app and assure that everything is linked properly.
- If you would like to add any extra packages, such as Fantasmic dining, lightsaber building, or droid creating, be sure to also reserve these things in advance.
- Purchase Genie+ on the day of your visit.
- At 7am, make your first Genie+ reservation and purchase your Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance.
- Rope-Drop a popular attraction and then enjoy a light breakfast.
- Make your way around the park while reserving attractions on Genie+.
- Stop and have a wonderful lunch and then go back to knocking attractions off of your bucket list!
- Enjoy the extra time with character meet and greets, shopping, and more.
- Reserve a lovely dinner, but leave time for Fantasmic!
Enjoy your time, maximize the use of your utilities, and most importantly, do not stress!
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