Quick Guide to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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“We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be” Michael Eisner on opening day.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened on May 1, 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. As the original name suggests, the Park was not only a theme park but also a working studios with an animation department and a backlot. The animation department was a satellite of the feature animation studio in Burbank, but three films were entirely completed there: Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, and Brother Bear. Throughout the 2000s, the active studios portion of the Park was slowly dissolved and the name finally changed to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008.

Here is a quick guide of present day Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Hollywood Boulevard:

The opening and central land of Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Hollywood Boulevard. The Hollywood Brown Derby, the Park’s only fine/signature restaurant is located here along with the adjacent lounge. It is a replica of the original Brown Derby in Hollywood, where the Cobb salad originated. The Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Starbucks is also on Hollywood Boulevard and is known as The Trolley Car Café. Many large shops line Hollywood Boulevard, similar to Main Street, U.S.A. and some of the shops here are Mickey’s of Hollywood, Celebrity 5 & 10, and Keystone Clothiers.

Hollywood Boulevard is known for its streetmosphere with the Citizens of Hollywood. These performances last about 15 minutes long and happen intermittently throughout the day. The March of the First Order also happens throughout the day where Captain Phasma leads an army of First Order Stormtroopers down Hollywood Boulevard and to the center stage. It is a highlight of my day! The center stage also hosts the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show which features a variety of Star Wars characters. This show takes place numerous times throughout the day and start times are listed on the times guide And at nighttime, there are two fantastic shows that happen in the central area of the Park. The first is a 10 minute projection show called Disney Movie Magic. This show celebrates live action films and is fabulous! Highlights include Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins, and Indiana Jones. The second show is my favourite fireworks show: Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. This show includes fireworks, lasers, projections, John William’s music and more! It is definitely a must do at the end a day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Sunset Boulevard:

To the right of Hollywood Boulevard is Sunset Boulevard, inspired by the real street in Los Angeles. This was a large addition to the Park in 1994. Opening along with Sunset Boulevard was The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. This thrilling attraction offers FastPass+ and has a height requirement of 40 inches / 102 cm. Nearby is the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. This is an indoor roller coaster that also offers FastPass+. The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster has a height requirement of 48 inches / 122 cm. The Theatre of the Stars is home to Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. This 30 minute retelling of the classic story opened on the same day that the film was released in theatres, November 22, 1991. It was meant as a promotion of the animated film, but proved to be very popular and has stayed in the Park since, though it could use an update in my opinion. Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage offers FastPass+. Another popular show is the nighttime show Fantasmic! which lasts about 30 minutes. It also offers FastPass+ and if there are ever two showings in an evening, go to the second one because the crowds will be lower.

There are no table service restaurants along Sunset Boulevard but there are plenty of quick service locations and snack carts. These include: Anaheim Produce, Rosie’s All-American Café, Catalina Eddie’s, Fairfax Fare, Hollywood Scoops, and KRNR The Rock Station. Rosie’s All-American Café, Catalina Eddie’s, and Fairfax Fare all offer Mobile Ordering.

Echo Lake:

On the other side of Hollywood Boulevard is Echo Lake. Echo Lake takes its name and inspiration from the Echo Park neighbourhood in Los Angeles. This neighbourhood is known for the California Crazy architectural style of the attention-grabbing buildings popular in the 1920s (think of Gertie the Dinosaur). Echo Lake is home to a wide variety of I.P. attractions so there really is something for everyone.
For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration is a popular show that is about 30 minutes long and offers FastPass+. The royal historians of Arendelle lead audiences in an entertaining retelling of the Disney film. Guests can also meet Olaf at the Celebrity Spotlight nearby. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! is a popular stunt show that showcases scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The show lasts about 30 minutes and offers FastPass+. Guests can volunteer to be extras in some of the scenes. Star Wars is a large portion of Echo Lake. There is Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, a 12 minute film with a montage of scenes from across the Star Wars films. Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is a 3D motion simulator attraction that takes guests around the Star Wars galaxy in randomized scenes inspired by the films. Star Tours offers FastPass+ and has a height requirement of 40 inches / 102 cm. Lastly is the extremely popular Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple. This is an interactive show for young guests ages 4 – 12. The show lasts about 20 minutes and happens numerous times throughout the day. But space is very limited so make sure to sign up your young Jedi first thing in the morning. Registration is at the Indiana Jones Adventure Outpost, also in Echo Lake.

There are a number of restaurants in Echo Lake. Hollywood & Vine is the only character dining in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For breakfast, it offers Disney Junior Play ‘n’ Dine with Disney Junior characters and lunch and dinner offers Minnie’s Seasonal Dining with members of the Fab 5. Next door to Hollywood & Vine is another table service restaurant called 50’s Prime Time Café. It is themed to a classic American kitchen in the 1950s. The Cast Members here are part of the show and treat their guests like family, though not always in a polite way when telling guests to keep their elbows off the table! Attached is the Tune-In Lounge, which offers the same menu but does not require an advanced reservation. There are also a few quick service locations and snack carts such as Dockside Diner, Oasis Canteen, and Backlot Express (which offers Mobile Ordering).

Grand Avenue:

In the back left corner of the Park is Grand Avenue, named after the major street in downtown Los Angeles. Despite the name, this section of the Park is quite small. The only attraction here is the Muppet Vision 3D show. The show lasts approximately 25 minutes and FastPass+ is available. PizzeRizzo is a quick service restaurant that offers Mobile Ordering. Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano is a table service restaurant and BaseLine Tap House is a fairly new lounge.

Commissary Lane:

Commissary Land is the smallest section of all at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This lane connects Hollywood Boulevard to Grand Avenue. The only attraction here is a meet and greet called Mickey and Minnie Starring in Red Carpet Dreams. Mickey is dressed in his Sorcerer’s Apprentice outfit from Fantasia and Minnie is dressed as Hollywood star ready for a red carpet premiere. A very unique table service restaurant is here called the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. I wrote a review of this restaurant a while back which can be found here. A quick service restaurant is right next door to the Sci-Fi Dine-In called ABC Commissary and it offers Mobile Ordering.

Animation Courtyard:

On the other side of Hollywood Boulevard from Commissary Lane is Animation Courtyard. A highlight here is Walt Disney Presents. This gallery showcases many props, artifacts, and photos from Walt Disney’s life. This is one of my favourite parts of Disney’s Hollywood Studios because I think it is very important to honour Walt and his legacy. A theatre is part of this attraction which sometimes plays a short film about Walt and sometimes shows a preview for an upcoming Disney film. Another large part of Animation Courtyard is the Star Wars Launch Bay. This houses many meet and greets with Star Wars characters like BB-8, Chewbacca, and Kylo Ren. There is also a theatre with a 10 minute film celebrating the creation of Star Wars. Some other shows are Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which is about a 15 minute show and Disney Junior – Live on Stage which is about 25 minutes long. Both of these shows off FastPass+.

Toy Story Land:

The newest land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Toy Story Land, which just opened on June 30, 2018. The backstory is that the land is Andy’s backyard and all of his toys have been set up before he got called away from his mom. Toy Story Land is home to three attractions. Toy Story Mania! is not new to the Park but is new to Toy Story Land. The entrance to the attraction was moved from the former Pixar Place and into Toy Story Land. This popular shooting attraction offers FastPass+. A new attraction is Slinky Dog Dash which is a family roller coaster with a height requirement of 38 inches / 97 cm. Alien Swirling Saucers is the other new attraction and is a whip-ride with a height requirement of 32 inches / 81 cm. Both of these new attractions also offer FastPass+. Woody’s Lunch Box is a quick service restaurant there that offers Mobile Ordering.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge:

A new Star Wars themed land is set to opened on August 29, 2019. This land will open with Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run where guests pilot the Millennium Falcon on a mission. Another attraction, Rise of the Resistance, will be opening at a later date and guests will try to escape from a Star Destroyer. There is much anticipation about this new land!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios FastPass+ Tiers:

Tier 1 (Choose 1):

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Slinky Dog Dash

Tier 2 (Choose 2):

Toy Story Mania!
Alien Swirling Saucers
Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
Disney Junior – Live on Stage!
Fantasmic!
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Muppet Vision 3D
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Voyage of The Little Mermaid