Animal Kingdom is the newest of the 4 theme parks that make up Walt Disney World. It opened in 1998 and is a hybrid of a traditional amusement park and a zoo and wildlife conservation station. In addition to hosting some of Disney’s best attractions, …
Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It used to be such a simple park to tour when visiting Walt Disney World. Thats because for years it was the park that was undergoing renovations (EPCOT currently has that claim to fame). On my last visit to Walt Disney World, …
Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 1989, under the name Disney-MGM Studios. In many ways, the park served as an answer to Universal Studios Florida, which was being constructed at the same time. Hollywood Studios was originally a relatively small park, containing a Studio Tour and a handful of other attractions. Over time it has grown into one of the most popular theme parks in all of Walt Disney World, especially following the addition of the highly anticipated Galaxy’s Edge. The first time I visited Hollywood Studios, the park was undergoing a major remodelling. On my most recent trip to the park however, I got to experience the park in its full reimagined glory. I really enjoyed it, and there’s now tons to do. Hollywood Studios has definitely now earned its status as a full day theme park!
If you’re looking for the most exciting, thrilling and immersive attractions in Walt Disney World, Hollywood Studios is probably the park that you are going to enjoy the most. It had definitely changed a lot on my most recent trip, and for that reason you need to make sure you give it the appropriate amount of time. While one day will allow you to see all the park has to offer, the days of Hollywood Studios being a half day destination have long gone.
Walt Disney World now uses the Genie+ system. My most recent trip to the parks was my first experience with it. It takes a bit of getting used to, coming from the old Fastpass+ mindset, but overall I found it really intuitive and simple to use (even if I’m not the biggest fan of having to make that first reservation at 7.00am each day). Unlike Fastpass+, Genie+ is a paid service, but I think its worth the extra cost. Other than Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios is the park where you’ll get the most advantage out of using it, as the park has quite a few attractions that get long lines as the day goes on.
The only major attraction that doesn’t currently use Genie+’s included Lightning Lane system is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Resistance offers Individual Lightning Lane reservations for purchase throughout the day to avoid the regular standby queue. As the best attraction in Walt Disney World, personally, I think its worth it.
Given the popularity of the rides at Hollywood Studios, you should aim to get to the park 60 minutes before official opening time.
As you enter Hollywood Studios, you’ll head down Hollywood Boulevard, a main street type entrance area that leads to a replica of the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the park’s iconic landmark. From the Chinese Theatre, you can branch off into either Sunset Boulevard or Animation Courtyard to the right, or Echo Lake to the left. Moving deeper into the park, Toy Story Land is located behind the Chinese Theatre to the right, while Grand Avenue connects Echo Lake to Galaxy’s Edge (which also links back to Toy Story Land). It might seem hard to visualise the layout of Hollywood Studios compared to the other parks at Walt Disney World, but if you look at the park map, you’ll easily find your way around.
For the remainder of this post, we’ll take a deep dive into each of these areas of the park and cover all there is to do at Hollywood Studios.
The entrance area to Hollywood Studios, Hollywood Boulevard, is inspired by the real life street of the same name, though the palm lined thoroughfare here is set back in Hollywood’s Golden Age. Numerous landmarks can be seen as you make your way down the street, most notably the Chinese Theatre, which houses the park’s newest headline attraction. Hollywood Boulevard is also a good place for shopping, with countless stores and eateries throughout the area.
The Runaway Railway is a trackless dark ride housed inside the Chinese Theatre (the former home of the popular Great Movie Ride). Its definitely an upgrade on its predecessor. Believe it or not, its actually the first attraction in a Disney park themed around the adventures of Mickey Mouse himself! You board a train after Goofy crashes it through a screening of Mickey’s latest cartoon, and the rest is history. Move over Its a Small World, this ride has a new contender for a song that will be stuck in your head after riding!
Naturally, being a new attraction that is also right at the front of the park. the Runaway Railway is bound to be swamped with guests throughout the day. Making a Lightning Lane reservation works well, though on my latest trip I beat the crowds by doing this one right on park opening.
Hollywood Boulevard is home to the signature dining restaurant of Hollywood Studios – the Hollywood Brown Derby. Inspired by the famous Brown Derby, this restaurant serves American gourmet style food in an excellent vintage Hollywood atmosphere. There’s even a lounge and bar area if you’re not looking for a full meal. The restaurant also offers Fantasmic dining packages (although Fantasmic was not back up and running on my latest visit to the park). If you’re looking for a quick pick me up to go, this part of the park is also where you’ll find the Trolley Car Cafe, which is essentially the Starbucks of Hollywood Studios.
It may be the second most well known street in Hollywood, but in this park, its the place to be. Sunset Boulevard continues the theming of 1940s Hollywood as another long street that takes you to a number of the park’s more thrilling attractions. There’s also a fair bit to see in terms of entertainment in the various venues along this thoroughfare. Unlike the rest of the park however, you won’t find much in the way of dining on Sunset Boulevard.
As one of the best rollercoasters in all of Walt Disney World, Rock n Roller Coaster is also one of its most thrilling. Housed totally inside and in the dark, this coaster starts with an initial launch from zero to 57 miles per hour that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping. The idea of the ride is that you’re taking a trip with Aerosmith across Hollywood in their super fast limo to make it to a concert on the other side of town. As a result, your heart pounding rush through multiple loops and inversions is accompanied by various rock tracks from the band. Rock n Roller Coaster is a great thrill ride, and thanks to the single rider line you can do it over and over again. I love this coaster!
What could be more thrilling than a high speed coaster in the dark? Try the mansion next door. The Tower of Terror is my favourite ride in all of Walt Disney World. After becoming immersed in the incredibly themed mansion that doubles as the queue area, you’ll find yourself boarding the tower’s elevator from the boiler room. That’s where the ride begins as you’re sent soaring up the thirteen story shaft, crossing over into the Twilight Zone in the process.
What follows is a series of random plunges up and down the shaft, making it seem as though the elevator cable has snapped on numerous occasions. You’ll get (very) brief views of the rest of the park from the top of the tower, but you’ll probably be screaming too much to take it in! The Tower of Terror is an incredible experience, filled with nods to the Twilight Zone TV series along the way. Don’t miss this one. Lines can build up here, making it another good use of Genie+.
Housed in the outdoor Theatre of the Stars, this 25 minute performance is a Broadway style show that retells the story of Beauty and the Beast. While its obviously an abridged version, all the classic musical numbers make their way into the performance. The theatre is outdoors but there’s a canopy that blocks out the sun, making Beauty and the Beast a good choice when the lines get long throughout the park during the early afternoon. Its not on the level of some of the other plays throughout Disney World, but its still worth catching this one during its multiple performances throughout the day.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is a relatively new addition to the Hollywood Studios lineup. Housed inside a theatre, this ten minute screen based film sees a real animatronic Lightning McQueen taking a whirl around a virtual racetrack and doing battle with his rivals. Various other characters from the Cars franchise make appearances along the way. Its a fun show that is good for killing time if you’re in this area of the park when things get busy (and another excuse to get out of the Florida heat).
Fantasmic is the night time spectacular Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Starring Mickey Mouse, the show is all about good versus evil and numerous special effects, water projections and fireworks as our favourite Mouse does battle against various Disney villains, including the Dragon form of Maleficent. Its a great show, but make sure you arrive before showtime. Even though the outdoor arena can hold up to 10,000 guests, its not unusual for guests to be declined entrance due to the arena hitting capacity. Fantasmic generally runs one or two times a night. If there’s two performances scheduled, the second will normally be less crowded.
Fantasmic was still closed on my latest trip to Walt Disney World, however it has reopened as of November 2022.
There’s no fancy dining options in Sunset Boulevard, but if you’re after a bite in this section of the park, you’ll want to head over to the Sunset Ranch Market. Inspired by the original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, this dining area offers regular theme park cuisine at numerous counter service stands. Nothing special, but decent if you’re stuck.
Tucked away to the right of the Chinese Theatre, this small corner of the park is home to more of Hollywood Studios’ entertainment. Formerly the start of the backlot tour, it now contains various attractions based on Walt Disney and his animated creations. You won’t find any rides in this tiny part of the park, nor any dining options aside from a Joffrey’s stand.
This walk through exhibit is a mini-museum that gives visitors a greater understanding of the life of Walt Disney and the theme parks that he inspired. If you’re interested in Walt’s life, this is a really underrated area to spend a bit of time seeing. It culminates in a touching movie in tribute to the creator of all things Disney. At the back of the hall there is also a meet and greet location for various Disney characters (I’ve met Moana here in the past, though on my most recent trip it was Sully from Monsters Inc).
Another walk through exhibit, Launch Bay is all about the Star Wars films, with various replicas of props and costumes on display. I’m not sure how long Launch Bay will be around – it always struck me as an area to give guests a quick Star Wars fix while Galaxy’s Edge was being built, but if you’re a fan, its worth quickly checking out the exhibits on display here. The highlights of Star Wars Launch Bay are the character meet and greets – currently you can meet Chewbacca, Darth Vader and BB-8 here.
Not having kids, I’ve never seen this show, nor do I have any intention of doing so. Basically, its a sing and dance along performance for children featuring various Disney Junior characters (most of whom I have no idea who they are). If you’ve got young kids, they’ll likely enjoy this.
Over to the left of Hollywood Boulevard, the Echo Lake section of the Studios is once again themed around the real lake of the same name in Los Angeles. Fringing around the small man-made lake there are more buildings in the vein of Hollywood’s Golden Age and a number of classic attractions. Aside from the lake itself, perhaps the best known landmark in the area is the giant dinosaur statue. Named Gertie, and housing an ice cream stand, this is a tribute to one of Hollywood’s very first animated characters (she was brought to the screen before the work of Disney!).
Star Tours is the original Star Wars attraction at Walt Disney World, dating way before the opening of Galaxy’s Edge. While it may no longer be groundbreaking, its still a lot of fun for fans of the galaxy far, far away. Basically, you board a motion simulator vehicle and thanks to our favourite droid navigation team of C-3PO and R2-D2, you’re taken on a journey through hyperspace, stopping at randomly selected planets along the way. That’s the best part of Star Tours – you never know where you’re going to go on your journey. One ride could see you podracing on Tatooine, then next time you’ll be darting around imperial walkers on Hoth. While Star Tours is nowhere near as popular as it used to be thanks to Galaxy’s Edge, its still a lot of fun.
This 30 minute outdoor stunt show is the only Indiana Jones themed attraction that you’ll find at Walt Disney World. While that’s not necessarily a knock on what is a fun show, it always reminds me of the absence of the Indiana Jones Adventure ride found in Disneyland. Putting that aside, the stunt show takes place multiple times throughout the day and sees the actors recreating key scenes from the Indiana Jones films. Some guests are even picked out from the crowd to participate as extras. Filled with special effects, its probably the best show at Hollywood Studios, and while the theatre houses up to 2,000 people, you should plan on arriving before show time if you want to get a good seat.
It wouldn’t be Disney without some Frozen magic! This 25 minute show takes place indoors in a large theatre. The basic premise is a retelling of the original Frozen story, with live actors introducing film clips from all the major scenes and musical numbers. The lyrics appear on the screen and guests are encouraged to sing along. The show culminates with Elsa arriving and showering the theatre in a snow storm. While the Frozen sing-along is targeted towards younger visitors, its a decent way to get out of the heat, and the historian actors that host the show are pretty entertaining as well.
If you need more Frozen in your life after seeing the show, you can stop by the nearby Celebrity Spotlight to meet Olaf the snowman!
There’s plenty of options for dining at Echo Lake. If you’re after a quick snack, both the Backlot Express Restaurant and the Dockside Diner are counter service restaurants offering casual theme park food. In terms of sit down meals, you’ve got two options. The Hollywood & Vine Restaurant is character dining (either with Disney Jr characters for breakfast, or the regular Disney gang for other meals). Meanwhile 50’s Prime Time Cafe is one of the best restaurants in Hollywood Studios, offering American comfort food in a retro kitchen setting, complete with a table-side TV showing old cartoons.
Situated behind Echo Lake, and for all intents and purposes including the mini-land of Commissary Lane, Grand Avenue is the final section of Hollywood Studios that continues the theming of Los Angeles, this time the gentrified Downtown district. This area of the theme park doesn’t contain any rides, but there is one very entertaining show and a number of dining options making it worth exploring. It also contains a meet and greet location where you can meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
With Grand Avenue previously being the Muppet themed area of the park (there’s still a fountain of Miss Piggy nearby), this fun 3-D show is where you should come to see the popular puppets at Hollywood Studios. After a hilarious pre-show, you’ll enter the main MuppetVision theatre for a wacky 15 minute 3-D feature with all your favourite characters making appearances throughout. MuppetVision is hilarious and well worth seeing. I’d schedule in a visit during the park’s busy afternoon hours.
Grand Avenue (and the associated Commissary Lane) is packed with dining venues. In terms of counter service options, ABC Commissary is themed as a simple production studio’s food court and serves various American and some international options. Unlike most quick service options, you can make dinner reservations here as the restaurant transitions to a sit down affair in the evening. Meanwhile, the Baseline Tap House offers a number of brews on tap. If you’re craving pizza, look no further than PizzeRizzo, a seasonally opened Muppets themed pizzeria.
For proper table service dining, there’s two options. Not far from the pizzeria is Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano, an Italian restaurant (though nowhere on the level of the Italian cuisine you can get at EPCOT). Meanwhile, Sci-Fi Dine-In Restaurant offers one of the most unique dining experiences at Disney World, with typical burgers and other American cuisine served inside a convertible shaped table at a drive-in theatre. Its a really cool experience, even though there’s better food elsewhere. You’re definitely coming for the ambience here.
Toy Story Land opened in 2018 and is themed around the very popular Pixar franchise. While Toy Story was originally represented at Hollywood Studios through Toy Story Mania, this section of the park expanded around that attraction, resulting in an area filled with family friendly rides, something that Hollywood Studios was actually in desperate need in its line up. The idea of Toy Story Land is that you’ve been shrunken down to the size of a toy and are able to explore Andy’s backyard. While doing so, you’ll have the opportunity to meet various Toy Story faves such as Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Bo Peep, as well as witness performances by the Green Army Men.
Pre-dating Toy Story Land itself, Toy Story Mania is an interactive dark ride where guests compete in various virtual arcade games using canons on their vehicles to shoot at targets on screens. Pretty much all of the Toy Story gang makes appearances hosting the games, and its a lot of fun competing with your ride companion for the highest score. Toy Story Mania gets busier as the day goes on, making it a decent Lightning Lane reservation later in the day. The queue area is pretty cool, including a giant interactive Mr Potato Head animatronic. Toy Story Mania definitely shouldn’t be missed if you’ve never experienced the attraction before.
Slinky Dog Dash is the headliner of Toy Story Land and one of the more popular rides in Hollywood Studios. This family friendly rollercoaster is probably around the level of Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train in terms of intensity, meaning pretty much everyone that meets the height requirement will enjoy it. There’s no loops or inversions, but the ride does include two launches which add to the excitement. While careening along the track on Slinky Dog, you’ll also be rewarded with great views across Toy Story Land. As the ride comes to an end, you’ll briefly be serenaded by Wheezy before you disembark at the loading area. Slinky Dog Dash is really popular – get a Lightning Lane reservation or plan on a long wait for this one.
Alien Swirling Saucers is a mid-way style ride that is mostly for guests that can’t experience the more thrilling rides around Hollywood Studios. Themed around the alien toys from the films and their obsession with the Claw, this is a basic spinner ride that uses similar mechanics to Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney’s California Adventure. Basically you ride around a flat area in a vehicle attached to the back of a spinning alien and whip about to some tunes. Its fun to watch, but not worth a huge wait in line.
At the moment, the only place to grab a feed in Toy Story Land is at Woody’s Lunch Box. This quick service destination serves up basic dishes such as toasted sandwiches and nachos with a twist. Its good for a quick snack, but be warned that there’s no indoor seating here (or anywhere in the land). A full service restaurant is planned for Toy Story Land in the future, with Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ set to open some time in the next year or so.
Having opened in 2019, the newest land in Hollywood Studios was also one of the most anticipated in the history of Walt Disney World. This highly immersive realm brings the Star Wars films to life in a similar manner to the Harry Potter worlds at Universal Studios. As you enter the Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu, you really will feel like you’ve taken a trip to another planet.
There’s so much to see and do on Batuu. It really is a living, breathing community in the Star Wars universe. While exploring the brilliantly themed shops and food stalls, you’ll see iconic characters such as Rey, Chewbacca and Kylo Ren roaming the land. There’s also unique opportunities for guests to build their own lightsabre or droid at Savi’s Workshop or Mubo’s Droid Depo respectively. Both are highly innovative experiences, with advance bookings highly recommended (especially for the sabres).
The headline attraction at Galaxy’s Edge is perhaps the best ride in Walt Disney World. Its also the most popular, and for that reason you need to do a bit of planning to make sure you can ride it. Rise of the Resistance used to operate a virtual queue in place of a regular standby line. That had been phased out by the time I visited the park over the summer, but the standby line gets LONG. Since its a lengthy ride, I don’t think its the best choice to rope drop (you can knock over other rides instead). Your only other option to avoid a long wait is to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane reservation at 7.00am on the day you visit. Honestly, to me, this was worth it.
As far as the attraction itself goes, its a 25 minute immersive experience that takes you on a critical Resistance mission. Without spoiling too much, you’ll be captured by First Order forces and come face to face with Kylo Ren through a series of clever waiting areas (you won’t even feel like you’re in line) before making your escape on a troop transport, dodging imperial walkers and jettisoning back down to Batuu. All in all, its the closest you’ll come to feeling like you’re actually in the Star Wars universe. This ride is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. If this is the future for Disney attractions, there’s amazing adventures ahead. Highly recommended.
The other ride in Galaxy’s Edge is no slouch either – Smuggler’s Run lets you fly the iconic Millennium Falcon after all! Entering the queue beside a full sized replica of the ship, your quest brings you face to face with space pirate Hondo Ohnaka. You’re subsequently recruited on a mission aboard the galaxy’s fastest hunk of junk. As you enter the instantly recognisable main hold, you’ll be assigned roles (pilot is obviously the best). From there, you enter the cockpit and through the powers of screen based technology, you’re jumping to hyperspace in a ride where you actually control the ship’s movements. Your actions on board will determine the success of your mission (and also how bumpy the ride ends up being!). Its so much fun!
While you might be tempted to use Genie+ to cut down on your waits at Smuggler’s Run, the attraction’s single rider line is really efficient. While you probably won’t be assigned the pilot role, you’ll cut down waiting time significantly, making it the perfect attraction to re-ride. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Smuggler’s Run as much as I did, but I rode it multiple times on my latest visit to the Studios.
Surprisingly, there’s no fully serviced restaurant in Galaxy’s Edge. If you’re looking for a scrumptious bite, your best bet is Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, a counter service location that offers up casual dining in air conditioned comfort. Other food and drink options include Ronto Roasters and the infamous blue and green milk (but not actually milk) stand. The most popular spot to get a drink in Galaxy’s Edge is Oga’s Cantina. Reservations are essential here (book well in advance). Here you can enjoy the ambience of and enjoy a space cocktail or two as life goes on outside. Just leave your droids at the door.
Clearly there are so many ways to spend your time in Hollywood Studios. The theme parks at Walt Disney World all have their own distinct properties that make them memorable, but I think its safe to say that your day at the Studios will be the most thrilling and adventurous of your trip. Do you agree? What’s your favourite ride at Hollywood Studios? Did Galaxy’s Edge blow your mind the way it did mine? As always, I’d love to hear from you. Let me know what you enjoy about Hollywood Studios.
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On my recent trip to Walt Disney World, I decided to spend only one day at the Magic Kingdom. I wouldn’t recommend a 1 day Magic Kingdom itinerary for most guests (especially first time visitors). There’s a lot to do, see and ride in the most popular park in Walt Disney World. If you’re planning a comprehensive Magic Kingdom itinerary, you’ll probably want to dedicate two days to this park. Having been there in the past however, I felt one day at this park would be enough for me. I was able to do all the major attractions that I wanted to, so I think it was a success. In this post I want to give you an idea of how I spent my day at the Magic Kingdom park. If you’re planning on doing the same, I hope you’ll find following along with this recap useful.
My one day at Magic Kingdom was the first time I had visited a Disney park following the launch of the Genie+ Lightning Lane system. Having been quite experienced at the old Fastpass+, I was interested to see how I would go using the new reservation system. Having heard mixed, (but honestly, mostly negative) things, I was pleasantly surprised by Genie+. Sure, it costs extra, whereas Fastpass+ was free, but I felt it gave much more flexibility throughout the day, rather than having to stick to a rigid itinerary, with the first part of the day basically decided months before visiting the park. In the Magic Kingdom in particular, with so many attractions, you’ve got a lot of options to fill in the day.
My one day Magic Kingdom itinerary was carried out during July, the peak Disney tourism month. Naturally, there were heavy crowds, so that only added to my satisfaction with how much I managed to do. I actually felt like I had a decent amount of spare time throughout the day, which I haven’t felt in the past when spending a day at the Magic Kingdom.
Early park admission was running at the Magic Kingdom on the day I visited. That meant a rope drop at 8.30am. I was at the main entrance to the park by around 7.40am, with Main Street opening at around 8am.
Heading to the entrance of Fantasyland for Rope Drop, my Magic Kingdom itinerary hit a snag right at the start. I had planned to join the masses and start my day with the very popular Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I had made my first Genie+ reservation (at 7.00am that morning) to ride Space Mountain around 9.30, so was all set to knock over the big ticket Fantasyland rides in the first hour. Then the announcement came – Mine Train was facing a delayed opening with no estimated time to get back online. Panicking, I did what I said I wouldn’t do, and got an Individual Lightning Lane reservation for the ride later in the afternoon. Had I known how well the rest of my day would go, I would have had plenty of time without it.
Adapting on the fly, I made my way to Peter Pan’s Flight as rope drop took place. It was my second choice anyway, as its a very popular classic dark ride. I was off the ride just as early entry time officially began, and many people were hanging around the Mine Train, hoping it would open. Instead, I decided to knock over as many attractions in the area as possible. Up next was Its A Small World for some quaint Disney charm, followed by one of my favourite dark rides, Under the Sea: the Journey of the Little Mermaid. I followed all that up with the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and it was only 9.15am!
With crowds steadily but surely starting to build as day guests had entered the park, I had a bit of time before my Lightning Lane for Space Mountain was due. Knowing lines would pick up as the day went on, I decided to knock out some of the park’s headline attractions. I headed over to Frontierland and took a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, with only a brief 10 minutes in line. From there, it was time to cross the park into Tomorrowland, where I used my Lightning Lane reservation to ride Space Mountain, one of the best rides in the Magic Kingdom.
As I got off Space Mountain, it had just struck 10.00am. Being 2 hours after official park opening, this meant I could make my second Lightning Lane reservation for the day. Seeing Pirates had the earliest return time, I booked that in for about an hour and a half away. Meanwhile I made my way back to Frontierland to round out the mountain trio on Splash Mountain. It was my first real wait of the day (I’d say I was in line for about 30 minutes), but as my favourite attraction (that was about to undergo re-theming), it was well worth it.
I had a little time to kill before my next Lightning Lane for Pirates would kick in, but I made my way to Adventureland and stopped by Aloha Isle Refreshments for a some sweet pineapple Dole whip. From there, it was time to ride with Captain Jack and the crew, so I headed on board Pirates of the Caribbean, courtesy of my reservation.
It was going on midday by the time I got off Pirates, so I decided it was a good time for lunch. Heading back towards Frontierland, I decided on Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe for some Tex-Mex. I hadn’t dined there before this visit, but it was quite nice for what it was. I recommend it if you’re after a quick snack on this side of the park. What made for an added bonus was the outdoor seating right next to the route of the midday parade. I got to watch all the Disney characters go by while I ate, complete with the Maleficent dragon!
After lunch, I was able to make my next Lightning Lane reservation, so I booked Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin for around 3pm in the afternoon. Now, the early afternoon is notoriously one of the busiest times at any Disney theme park. With a bit of time to kill before my 2pm Individual reservation on the Mine Train, I set about using the next two hours knocking over some of the less popular attractions. With Adventureland nearby, I started with the Enchanted Tiki Room, and followed it up with a tour of the Swiss Family Treehouse, from there, I made my way back to Fantasyland and caught a screening of Mickey’s PhiharMagic. Then it was all the way to Tomorrowland for Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.
I followed up all those attractions by spending a bit of time in the main plaza. I caught a show in front of Cinderella Castle and took plenty of castle photos. After all that, the time had arrived to use my Individual Lightning Lane reservation and ride the Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train. It was good to be able to bypass the 90 minute standby line!
After a ride on the Mine Train, it was time to do another popular attraction as there was a fair bit of time before I had my reservation with Buzz. Heading into Liberty Square, I got in line for the Haunted Mansion. It was a decent line at this time of day, though there were much longer ones in the park (I think I waited around 30 minutes), so I was happy with the decision. That amount of time also worked perfectly, as it filled in the hour or so I had before heading back to Tomorrowland. While in line for the Mansion, I also made my next Lightning Lane reservation, this time selecting the Jungle Cruise around 5.45pm.
Over in Tomorrowland, it was time for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Rangers. I followed that up with Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor before taking another trip through Fantasyland. While I didn’t ride any of the attractions in this part of the park, I took some time to check out the ambience in Storybook Circus, before continuing back into the western half of the park – as you can tell by this point, I did a lot of crossing the park throughout my Magic Kingdom itinerary!
Back in Liberty Square, I took a cruse along the Rivers of America, aboard the Liberty Belle Riverboat. Its not the most exciting attraction in the world (to say the least), but its a good choice when you need a moment to relax away for the crowds, spending about 15 minutes on the water. Speaking of escaping the crowds, I didn’t get across to Tom Sawyer Island on this visit to the Magic Kingdom, but its another place where you can get away from the bustle of the rest of the Magic Kingdom. As my trip on the river came to an end, I was able to book another Lightning Lane on Genie+, so I put for another spin on Big Thunder later in the evening (around 8.00pm).
Back in Liberty Square, I took in a screening of the Hall of Presidents. I hadn’t managed to see this show in quite some time, as it had been closed for refurbishment on my previous trip to the Magic Kingdom, so it was good to be able to see this one. I followed it up with an early dinner at the Colombia Harbour House. Its my favourite place to eat at the Magic Kingdom, so I always aim to be in this part of the park around dinner!
After dinner, it was time to do the last major attraction that I hadn’t yet got to on my Magic Kingdom itinerary. That meant another trip back to Adventureland to ride the world famous Jungle Cruise. Its always been a popular ride, but on my most recent trip to the park, it seemed like this one had drawn consistently long lines throughout the day (I suppose we can credit the recent film for that!), so I was very glad to skip the line and get on board for some punny goodness! My skipper Isabella was awesome!
After finishing up the Jungle Cruise, I made my way back to Main Street, where I ducked into some shops and also watched a performance from an excellent Disney pianist outside Casey’s Corner. From there, I took another venture into Tomorrowland and watched the world go by on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
With around 2 hours until park closing, I had done pretty much all the rides I wanted to do at the Magic Kingdom. I decided to use the remaining time in the day to have another on the best of the bunch. Already in Tomorrowland, I got in the standby line for Space Mountain. It was about a 60 minute wait. From there, it was time to use my last Lightning Lane time slot, so I had my second ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railway. Already right next to it, the next step was a no-brainer for me. With a relatively short (about 15 minute) standby wait, I took my final ride on Splash Mountain. I disembarked just in time for the evening fireworks and rushed back to Main Street to cap off the night in the best way possible, in front of Cinderella Castle.
Hopefully this guide has shown you how much you can accomplish during a one day Magic Kingdom itinerary (with a bit of help from Genie+). The Magic Kingdom is often a tricky park to know how to tackle at the best of times, but I was very impressed with how much I was able to get done with time to spare. This itinerary won’t be for everyone – the number of times I crossed the park was insane – but it never bothered me. I really enjoyed my day at Magic Kingdom and I hope you’ve enjoyed following along with it. If you’ve got any touring tips for the park, let me know!
The Magic Kingdom is the most popular and well known theme park in Walt Disney World. Its the park that most people think of when they hear the phrase “Disney World”. On the east coast of the United States, it all started with a mouse …
Walt Disney World is one of my favourite places in the entire world. Visiting Florida’s various Disney theme parks is definitely the highlight of any trip to Orlando. In saying that, there is A LOT to know if you’re planning to go to Disney World …
On my most recent trip to Orlando, I had only one day allocated to spend time at Florida’s Universal Studios theme parks. With tons to do at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, I normally recommend spending two days between them. I was, however, impressed with just how much I managed to accomplish on my one day itinerary. While I wouldn’t recommend it to a first time visitor to Universal Studios Orlando, if you find yourself in the same situation as me (with limited time), you might find this post useful. I wanted to give a recap of how I toured the parks to show you just how much you can do with one day at Universal Studios Orlando resort.
First of all, a few caveats:
My one day tour of Universal Studios Orlando took place on a hot summer’s day in July. That’s right – peak tourist season in Florida! Equipped with my park hopper and Universal Express passes, I made my way to the park entrance after getting dropped off by an Uber and was ready 30 minutes prior to official opening time. Both parks officially opened at 9.00am on the day of my visit, with Universal Studios Florida closing at 9pm and Islands of Adventure at 10pm. This is longer than the normal Universal Studios Orlando park hours outside of summer, so check how long the parks will be open when you’re planning to visit.
The other thing to look into is which parks are offering early entry. On the day of my visit, Islands of Adventure was open early to Universal resort guests (it tends to offer early entry every day), whereas Universal Studios Florida was not. Knowing that the lines at Islands of Adventure would already be packed with resort guests, I therefore decided to start my day at the original Universal Studios park.
Despite being advertised to open at 9.00am, the gates were already open at 8.30am and guests were entering the park with some of the rides already operating. That in itself demonstrates the importance of getting to Universal Studios Orlando early if you plan on maximising your time without crowds. Entering Production Central, you might be tempted to tackle the hugely popular Despicable Me ride first up, however its a relatively lengthy experience, so I don’t recommend it. You’re better off knocking out a few other rides without any lines at all. My first ride of the day was Transformers 3D – The Ride, and by 8.50am I was already heading to my next attraction of the day (see, you can actually do rides before the park is officially open – lots of guests are still at their hotel at that time!).
Revenge of the Mummy was closed on my visit to Universal Studios (it had been under refurbishment for the whole summer – if anyone’s been on it since its reopened, let me know!). If it had been opened, I would have done it next. Instead, I decided to zig while others zagged and headed to the back of the park, where very few people were even around. Heading to World Expo, my next ride was Men in Black: Alien Attack. Getting off that ride, the park officially opened, and I followed it up with a spin on The Simpsons Ride, always a favourite. Then I backtracked towards the entrance and did the ET Adventure.
From there, I decided to knock out two of the newer attractions in the park, starting with the underwhelming Fast & Furious: Supercharged, followed by the surprisingly enjoyable Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon.
By mid-morning, I had done most of the non-Potter rides at Universal Studios Florida, save for a few near the park entrance (benefits of Express Pass much?). Impressed with my progress, I decided it was time to take on the Wizarding World. After checking out the London facade surroundings (Grimmauld Place and the Knight Bus), I stepped through the figurative wall into Diagon Alley. This is one of my favourite sections of both Universal Studios parks in Orlando – once you enter the magical shopping district, its like stepping into a familiar world!
In Diagon Alley, your first stop will be Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, in my view the best ride in Universal Studios Florida. After that magical experience, its a good time to relax a bit and take in the sights of Diagon Alley. I exited Gringotts just as a performance of Tales of Beedle the Bard was wrapping up, so I stuck around for that, before grabbing a butterbeer at the Fountain of Fair Fortune (a must – its so tasty!). From there, I spent a bit of time ducking into the stores throughout the Wizarding World, such as the Magical Menagerie, Madam Malkins and even Borgin & Burkes in dodgy Knockturn Alley nearby.
As the morning began to fade away, it was time to head to Hogwarts. That meant showing my park hopper pass and climbing aboard the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 & 3/4. Arriving at Islands of Adventure minutes later, I started with a tour of Hogwarts aboard Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. I skipped Flight of the Hippogriff, but now would be a decent time to do that if you’re so inclined.
After being told that the single rider line was currently closed for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures, I temporarily left the Wizarding World behind me to embark on an adventure through the other Islands of Adventures. That adventure started in Jurassic Park, where I took a journey on the classic Jurassic Park River Ride, another favourite classic Universal Studios Orlando attraction of mine. I also didn’t have any luck getting in the single rider line at the Velocicoaster yet, so I put that off for later and grabbed a quick bite at the Burger Digs and checked out the Discovery Centre.
After lunch, I made my way further counter-clockwise around the park and tackled Skull Island: Reign of Kong. While I’m not a huge fan of the Fast & Furious adaptation from the Hollywood park’s studio tour segment, the Kong ride lives up to the hype and should definitely be experienced.
My planning had paid off as I reached Toon Lagoon during the absolute hottest part of the day. Perfect time to get soaked! I started by riding Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. That was just the warm up though (or cool down?), as while you get wet on the flume ride, its nothing compared to Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges! Completely drenched after doing both, the Florida heat will have you completely dried off 30 minutes afterwards.
After all that, it was off to Marvel Super Hero Island for some big time thrills. Entering from this direction, the first attraction you hit is the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, something of a hidden gem in my view when it comes to the Universal Studios lineup. Once you’re done web slinging, Doctor Doom’s Fear Fall is nearby. I skipped Storm Force Accelatron and got right in line (after renting a locker for my loose belongings) for the Incredible Hulk Coaster – quite possibly the best rollercoaster in Orlando! I lost a bit of time here as the ride went down for maintenance while I was in the queue, but if time allows it (and you’ve got Express Pass), multiple rides on this rollercoaster are highly recommended!
Crossing through the Port of Entry (and stopping for a coffee at Starbucks of course!), up next was Seuss Landing. I didn’t spend much time in this part of the park (its mostly kids rides), but if you’re wanting to do one of the attractions here, I suggest the Cat in the Hat. I didn’t do it on this recent trip to the park, but I have done it in the past.
From there, it was off to the Lost Continent, where I went through the Poseidon’s Fury experience. Despite being a long-time attraction at the park, I had never done it before (I’d previously been told to skip it), but I actually enjoyed it for what it was. It does eat up a chunk of time (about 20 minutes), but if you’ve got time to spare, I recommend it for a change of pace. After the show, I spent a bit of time checking out the theming of the continent, including the Mystic Fountain and the facade of Mythos Restaurant, though I didn’t eat there (if you’ve got more time to spend for a full sit down meal, its probably the best option in the park).
Speaking of meals, after circling back into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I had an early dinner at the Three Broomsticks Inn in Hogsmeade. It serves traditionally British cuisine (Shepherd’s pie anyone?) and I really enjoyed it. I always recommend eating earlier or later than normal meal times at theme parks – you’ll obviously have less of a wait.
Knowing I’d be returning to Islands of Adventure later in the evening (it closed later than Universal Studios Florida on the day of my visit), when the lines for Hagrid’s and the Velocicoaster were still too long, I decided to get back aboard the Hogwarts Express for the return trip to the original Universal Park. If I hadn’t eaten in Hogsmeade, this is where I’d recommend a good British meal at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.
Back in Universal Studios Florida, I headed straight for the front of the park, ready to do the few attractions I had skipped over earlier in Production Central. That meant it was rollercoaster time again, as I got on board the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (check out the secret list of songs before you board if you really want to customise your riding experience!). I followed up those thrills with the much more tame Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem (I told you we’d get to it!).
With all the major rides in Universal Studios Florida now tackled, I completely forgot about the Bourne Stuntacular show, which I hadn’t seen on any prior trips to the park. I would have had time to do it here, though I was never really a fan of the franchise, so I’m not hugely fussed that I missed it. Instead, I capped off my time in this park by heading back to Springfield for a beer at Moe’s Tavern.
Having done (pretty much) everything at Universal Studios Florida, it was time to head back to Islands of Adventure – after all, I still had those two new park attractions to experience that weren’t included in my Express Pass! Having already taken the Hogwarts Express in both directions, I walked between the parks outside the front entrance (its a very quick walk, you’ll pass by the CityWalk across the lake). Coming into Islands of Adventure at the Port of Entry, I rushed straight for Hogsmeade. Lo and behold, when I arrived, the single rider line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure was OPEN. Stashing my belongings in a locker, I quickly got in line and got to ride it, and it was simply…magical. Seriously, this may be my new favourite ride at the Orlando Universal parks! DO IT. KEEP CHECKING THE LINE AND DO IT.
As I got off, I was about to head for the Velocicoaster. Then…that Florida rain hit. With the Velocicoaster being an outdoor ride, it closed. Luckily I still had plenty of time (though my plans would have come majorly unscrewed if the storm didn’t let up for the rest of the evening!). I used this time to browse the stores of Hogsmeade. My inner Potter fan enjoyed checking out the wizarding merchandise in Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods and Dervish & Banges. Heading to Honeydukes is a must to try the Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties, as well as picking up some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and Chocolate Frogs (the collector’s card makes a great Wizarding World souvenir!). Craving another Butterbeer? The Hog’s Head has you covered.
After a bit of Hogsmeade browsing, the rain began to clear up, with around two hours of park time to spare. Perfect, I thought. With one last major attraction to do, I headed right for the Velocicoaster entrance. A few like minded people had the same idea, and while it remained closed for about 20 minutes after the rain stopped, the coaster finally went online and I was one of the lucky few to get near the front of the queue. That meant a short line for what had been one of the longest waits in the park for most of the day. It was definitely worth it too – the Velocicoaster is one of the most thrilling rides in Universal Studios and an unforgettable experience.
With all the major park attractions done, I had about an hour left at Islands of Adventure before park closure. I used this time to do a few of my favourite rides again. That meant taking another ride on the Hulk Coaster, before going back to the Wizarding World to catch the Hogwarts castle projection show, followed by one final spin on the Forbidden Journey. Not a bad end to a very action packed day at the Studios!
As I mentioned, I was quite impressed by how much I managed to accomplish in my one day at both parks at Universal Studios Orlando. I really covered all the major attractions and overall had a great time – even if it was a very busy day! Having Express Pass definitely helped, I have to concede that – without it, I probably wouldn’t have been able to achieve half of what I did, and thats why without it, I really can’t recommend any less than two days at Universal. Hopefully this post has shown you that it is possible to do both parks in a day if you’re really time crunched though! There’s definitely more efficient touring plans out there, but this worked quite well for me. Do you have a plan when tackling Universal Studios Orlando?
Islands of Adventure is the second theme park that makes up the Universal Studios Orlando Resort. Its situated right next to Universal Studios Florida, and is even connected to that park internally courtesy of the Hogwarts Express. Opened in 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is …