Hello Hollywood!

Hollywood Studios was Disney World’s third park to open and has seen many changes since it first opened in 1989. Recent additions include Toy Story Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Soon, the park will see even more changes as tons of exciting projects are on the horizon. 

We want you to experience as much as possible when you visit this park, so we are sharing our 10 tricks to make your day at Hollywood Studios even better!

Here is what you should keep in mind the next time you visit the park!

Make Advance Dining Reservations

Advance Dining Reservations are key if you want to experience popular restaurants like Oga’s Cantina, 50’s Prime Time Cafe, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, and Roundup Rodeo BBQ. Advance Dining Reservations can be made 60 days before your trip. While some of these restaurants do offer walk-ups or Mobile Dine Walk-Up Waitlist, it is best to snag your reservations beforehand. 

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Place Your Mobile Orders Ahead of Time

Speaking of dining, not only is it a good idea to make your Advance Dining Reservations, but placing Mobile Orders ahead of time are also a good idea. Woody’s Lunch Box is one of the most popular quick service spots in Hollywood Studios, and not only is there limited seating here, but Mobile Order times here can be pushed back. You can always adjust your Mobile Order times, but it can be nice to snag a good time in advance!

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Bring Your MagicBand+

MagicBand+ is the latest MagicBand that is interactive. It lights up and vibrates and interacts with park elements and shows. Hollywood Studios is home to a ton of entertainment offerings, and you will want to make sure you have your MagicBand on if you see Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, Fantasmic!, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!, and For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. 

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Your MagicBand+ can also play along in Galaxy’s Edge, where you can become a Bounty Hunter!

Download the Play Disney Parks App

If you are looking for more interactive fun in the park, you can download the Play Disney Parks app for free. This is a great way to pass time in line, play Disney trivia, and learn about the parks!

Ride Tower of Terror When There Is a 13-Minute Wait

13 may be considered an unlucky number, but when the wait time for Tower of Terror is 13 minutes, you will want to make your way over to the attraction. This is Disney’s fun way of showing that the ride is a walk-on.

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Refresh for More Lighting Lanes

Lightning Lanes can be booked seven days in advance for Disney World hotel guests and three days in advance for all others. There are so many popular attractions in Hollywood Studios that Lightning Lanes can go fast. If you are unable to snag the Lighting Lane reservations that you want. Refresh the My Disney Experience app as more times and attractions may become available! This trick can even be applied on the day you are in the park.

Take Advantage of the Single Rider Line

If you are looking to save time in line, it is a good idea to consider using the single rider line. Rise of the Resistance, Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, and Smuggler’s Run all offer a single rider line. It is important to note that your group will be split up, and single rider is not always available. 

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Go to the Second Fantasmic! Showing

Most nights, there are two showings of Fantasmic! In our experience, the first showing can be super crowded, and many people end up lining up before the show. In most cases, you can show up for the second showing right before it starts and still get a seat. 

Dine at an EPCOT Area or Skyliner Hotel

If you are a not a fan of the dining options at Hollywood Studios or want to get a break from the crowds, you can hop aboard the Friendship Boat or walk to one of the EPCOT area hotels for lunch or dinner. 

You can also hop aboard the Skyliner to one of the Skyliner hotels or even the International Gateway (to get to the EPCOT area resorts via Skyliner). This is a great way to take a break from the day and get some AC.

Score Extra Points on Toy Story Mania

If you want to step up your Toy Story Mania game, you can unlock bonus points. Here are a few of our favorite tricks.

• On the Hamm & Eggs game, hit all of the animals in the barn by “lipping it as many times as possible. Go for the horse, chicken, and mouse, and the barn flips over! Every time you flip the barn, the points on all the other animals in the game go up for more high-scoring points!⁠
• On the Rex & Trixie’s Dino Dart game, a few seconds in, three long 500-point lava balloons will fill up in front of the volcano. Pop all three! A comet will appear in the top corner of each side of the screen. You and your partner need to hit the comet three times to cause the volcano to erupt. This will unlock clusters of 500-point balloons!

Make sure to keep these 10 things in mind the next time you visit Hollywood Studios! For more Disney World tips and to stay up to date on all the latest Disney news, make sure to continue to follow along with DFB!

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If you need help booking your Disney World vacation, our friends at Small World Vacations would be more than happy to help you every step of the way. You can send in your Disney World interest form here for a free quote!