Hollywood Studios is the finest park at Walt Disney World within the mornings. We’ve achieved Early Entry and twine drop many instances right here in the previous few years, and extremely advocate it for beating the crowds in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land. This picture report provides a step-by-step take a look at an ideal run at DHS to start out the day.
We’re usually smitten by Early Entry. It’s an underrated perk, with many friends dismissing it as “solely” Half-hour. Many friends do it first at Magic Kingdom, which is normally the worst park for Early Entry, and assume it’ll be equally unhealthy on the different 3 parks. It’s not.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is much and away one of the best place to do Early Entry, however we’ve gotta warn you, our success right here is an excessive outlier, and undoubtedly not consultant of a median morning. See our final DHS rope drop report, Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Report: What Labored & Went Flawed, for the flip facet of this. We’ve had each superior and terrible experiences at DHS within the morning. It’s most likely about 80/20 in favor of nice ones, however your mileage could differ.
I simply need to be extremely clear about all of this upfront earlier than the complaints roll in about detrimental experiences with Early Entry or this not being replicable. It’s not replicable in full, that’s right. That is an instance of utmost good luck, and that coupled with low to average crowds made this morning a large success.
Suffice to say, this isn’t a “find out how to” put up or an itinerary. Like all of those Early Entry and twine drop recaps, it’s a photograph recap of what I did–luck and/or warts and all. With these warnings out of the best way, the excellent news is that you would be able to apply a few of the ideas and a tough define of this into your personal morning plan for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The first step is choosing the proper day to do Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In the event you’re visiting between now and late December, you may additionally seek the advice of Finest & Worst 2025 Crowd Days at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There are going to be much more alternatives for excellent rope drop runs at DHS over the following couple of months, and I’ll be testing (and reporting again on) a type of very quickly!
That is particularly true on the times when DHS opens further early, which was not the case on this specific day. My suspicion is definitely that this run-through truly will likely be attainable on not less than a few of these dates, assuming favorable situations (e.g. no dreaded delayed openings or journey breakdowns). It ought to be considerably much like these wonderful 7:30 am Early Entry Experiences at Magic Kingdom Throughout Get together Season (additionally extremely really useful).
This specific day, crowd ranges have been 3/10 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s that point of 12 months when Walt Disney World has curler coaster wait instances, so that you’ll both encounter averages like this–within the 30-40 minute vary–or a lot worse crowds through the vacation season. It’s just about feast or famine, however don’t count on to come across crowds any decrease than this.
I arrived at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on this specific morning at 7:50 am, which is ~45 minutes later than some friends. (The parking zone sometimes opens at 7 am, with safety beginning round 7:15 to 7:30 am.) This labored out fairly effectively, as I nonetheless beat the gang and breezed by means of bag test.
I then proceeded to the far proper tapstiles and was solely a few dozen folks again. I’ve talked about these far proper turnstiles prior to now, however in case you’ve missed that, going to the far proper is considered one of my favourite “methods” as a result of Forged Members normally open further units of turnstiles right here comparatively final minute. You may thus enhance your place and be a lot nearer to the entrance of the pack.
Although I arrived at 7:50 am–which is late by Early Entry requirements at DHS–I might say my final place on the turnstiles was extra like a 7:30 am arrival. This “trick” doesn’t all the time work, however it definitely doesn’t harm to strive.
Anyway, the tapstiles opened proper on time at 8 am, which was an hour earlier than park opening time–or Half-hour earlier than the official begin of Early Entry. (Be aware that this opening time is unofficial and might differ from day-to-day.)
In the event you haven’t achieved Early Entry shortly, one factor to notice is that now all friends are allowed by means of the tapstiles on the similar time.
Beforehand, there have been separate strains for normal rope drop and Early Entry, with off-site friends held on the important entrance till official park opening time. With the brand new process, everybody can enter the park about an hour earlier than common rope drop. Off-site friends then have entry to a big swath of the park, together with the whole lot of Hollywood Boulevard.
As soon as contained in the park, there are 5 designated checkpoints for resort friends collaborating in Early Entry.
One is down Sundown Boulevard, two extra on the respective journey entrances to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Star Excursions, one on Grand Avenue for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and the ultimate checkpoint alongside the principle entrance hall to Toy Story Land.
Resort friends will seemingly solely must validate eligibility as soon as. Be aware that there’s no checkpoint between Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land, nor are there on the entrances to particular person sights past these talked about above.
This change to in-park checkpoints is a optimistic change for many friends, however not on-site ones.
It offers off-site friends the possibility to enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios, seize a espresso, benefit from the ambiance, pre-queue for normal rope drop, or just sit within the shade. I by no means stood within the mass of humanity ready within the solar for normal rope drop exterior the doorway, however it regarded depressing.
Since extra friends are coming from off-site than are staying on-site, that is an enchancment for the visitor expertise as a complete. It’s additionally a reversion to the previous regular. This is kind of the way it was once earlier than Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019. Every part modified as soon as that land opened and mornings at DHS became pure anarchy.
This new-old method is a slight detrimental for on-site friends profiting from Early Entry. It introduces a bit extra chaos to the entry expertise, each on the tapstiles themselves and on the checkpoints for the varied lands.
It additionally means that you’ve just a few fewer treasured minutes to beat the common rope drop crowd to your subsequent vacation spot earlier than the top of Early Entry. As a substitute of a gradual trickle of friends getting into the park by way of the tapstiles, these friends are already pre-loaded close to Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, and Sundown Boulevard, and descend upon these sights unexpectedly proper at 9:00 am.
You used to have till ~9:05 am to beat the rope drop rush. That didn’t find yourself mattering to me on this specific day, however I had additionally moved on from the 2 hottest rope drop locations by 9 am. YMMV.
The overwhelming majority of friends are headed to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land each for Early Entry and for normal rope drop.
Although the “new journey odor” has worn off Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, it’s nonetheless a well-liked first decide. My sturdy suspicion is that it sucks up the friends not eager to stroll any deeper into the park.
If you wish to keep on with the entrance of the park, I’d advocate beginning with Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster and Tower of Terror. However actually, Slinky Canine Sprint isn’t that far more of a stroll than Runaway Railway.
For the primary time in a very long time, I opted to start out in Toy Story Land versus Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had been quietly opening forward of schedule throughout Early Entry, however that has been much less inconsistent this 12 months. It additionally helps that Rise of the Resistance is considered one of my favourite sights in your entire world. I can’t say the identical about Slinky Canine Sprint.
All else being equal, it does not make sense to start out at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. It has a prolonged queue that takes some time to stroll and is a multi-phase attraction with an extended period. Against this, Slinky Canine Sprint has no pre-show and a considerably shorter minimal period from begin to end. Assuming all goes effectively, it’s the right Early Entry journey!
All didn’t simply go effectively on this specific morning, it went completely.
Slinky Canine Sprint was already biking once I entered Toy Story Land, which alone was an optimistic signal. I used to be close to the entrance of the pack, and after a ~5 minute maintain on the bridge to Slinky Canine Sprint, the queue opened at 8:12 am.
Right here’s a take a look at the gloriously empty queue:
Typically, Walt Disney World will preload a queue earlier than biking the journey. So I figured that is perhaps the case right here, to keep away from having an extended line overflowing to the doorway of Toy Story Land, which I’ve seen prior to now.
Not so on this morning. The journey began operating when the road opened.
I used to be on Slinky Canine Sprint by 8:16 am. I’ll do the maths for you: that’s 4 minutes after the road opened.
I used to be again in line for Slinky Canine Sprint a second time at 8:20 am.
There was an extended line this time, however I used to be nonetheless off Slinky Canine Sprint by 8:31 am. On a busier day, this wait would’ve been longer. In line with the DTB Archives, the final time I looped SDD like this, the second time took 17 minutes. That was in early December of final 12 months, so additionally a low crowd day. It may simply take 20-Half-hour on a reasonably crowded day.
Even on this actual day, if the identical state of affairs performed out at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, this wouldn’t have been the result. The entire expertise takes for much longer. It’s unattainable to start out and end Rise of the Resistance twice throughout Early Entry.
I may have bounced to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at this level and knocked out Rise of the Resistance. That might’ve been the high-value transfer. However I didn’t see a wait time posted within the app and didn’t need to threat it having a delayed opening.
Sticking with the trail of least resistance, I did Toy Story Mania.
One other full walk-on, and I used to be off by 8:39 am.
Wanting to maintain my momentum going with low-friction sights, I headed to Sundown Boulevard to knock out each the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
I opted to start out with Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, assuming that might be the sooner expertise. This was right. The pre-show was a pass-through as a result of the journey was a walk-on. (There’s no security spiel within the pre-show, so it may be skipped.)
I used to be off Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster by 8:50 am.
Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster appeared to be a walk-on and I nonetheless had 10 minutes till common rope drop crowds hit, so I made a decision to gamble and do it once more.
The chance paid off, because it as soon as once more was a whole stroll on and I used to be off by 9:00 am.
Subsequent cease was Tower of Terror, which was nonetheless posting a 13-minute wait.
Tower of Terror was additionally a walk-on regardless of my arrival right here after what ought to’ve been the rope drop rush. Once more, the majority of those crowds go to Toy Story Land or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the place they’re behind the Early Entry crowd. They’d not have been capable of walk-on Slinky Canine Sprint or Star Wars: Rise of Resistance.
The previous was posting a 55 minute wait and the latter was as much as 85 minutes. That’s a barely below-average look ahead to the day at Slinky Canine Sprint, and above-average for Rise of the Resistance. Which means these prioritizing these two headliners would’ve squandered their rope drop, receiving little to no benefit for arriving at (or earlier than!) park opening.
The proper method would’ve been Sundown Boulevard, the place each Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster have been each walk-ons, which (clearly) is much under their day by day common. Rope drop friends may’ve knocked out each of those with minimal waits!
As all the time, zig once they zag.
Tower of Terror is an extended attraction, so regardless of it being a walk-on, I wasn’t off till 9:15 am.
I may’ve achieved Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster once more (10 minute posted wait), however figured this could be a extra attention-grabbing morning if I rolled the cube on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (25 minute posted wait).
There was a gentle stream of friends into the queue, however the line wasn’t exterior.
Because it turned out, this was a close to walk-on (no wait at Lightning Lane merge) and I used to be within the first pre-show by 9:24 am. I finished conserving monitor of time after that. It was in regards to the minimal for the remainder of MMRR.
At this level, I most likely may’ve achieved Alien Swirling Saucers (10 minute posted wait) only for the sake of claiming I “completed” Toy Story Land. However I didn’t actually care to do that. (We are able to fake I did? I’m certain it will’ve been <quarter-hour begin to end.)
I used to be extra involved with seeing the primary efficiency of The Little Mermaid: A Musical Journey. The newly-reimagined stage present that debuted over the summer season remains to be well-liked, and exhibits later within the day replenish pretty far upfront.
So as an alternative of compressing in Alien Swirling Saucers and threat lacking the cut-off, I simply wandered round for a bit, taking extra images. I then acquired within the line approach too early for the mermaid musical (I may’ve proven up at showtime and nonetheless been tremendous).
That looks like an unceremonious and anticlimactic conclusion to what had in any other case been an aggressive and flawless rope drop run. Possibly I ought to’ve tried Toy Story Mania or RnRC once more, or Star Excursions? I simply wished I might’ve slipped into the musical on the final minute, versus losing ~20 minutes of invaluable morning time. Hindsight is 20/20, I suppose.
In the end, this was a fairly improbable morning even with that wasted time. If something, that makes this rope drop run just a little extra lifelike for these upcoming November and December days that’ll have manageable crowds, however not fairly this low of wait instances.
On the finish of the morning, I had achieved the next:
- Slinky Canine Sprint (x2)
- Toy Story Mania
- Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster (x2)
- Tower of Terror
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- The Little Mermaid: A Musical Journey
In the event you advised me once I arrived at 7:50 am that I’d knock out 7 rides in below the following 2 hours, I might’ve been thrilled with that end result. A complete of 8 sights initiated earlier than 10 am is likewise improbable. And that most likely may’ve been 9 rides had I achieved issues barely in another way.
That’s actually, actually good–by far my finest rope drop run at DHS in over 2 years! All by beginning in Toy Story Land as an alternative of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and with a variety of luck working in my favor. So not precisely replicable outcomes, but additionally not terribly unrealistic (particularly in case you take away one journey on Slinky Canine Sprint).
The excellent news is that carrying out quite a bit is feasible within the morning at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, particularly in case you select the fitting day. And no matter whether or not you begin in Toy Story Land or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you may normally knock out the opposite on the finish of the night. We’re additionally large followers of doing each early morning and late nights, with an extended noon break in between (good for pool time or Park Hopping to EPCOT and doing World Showcase).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? What’s your most well-liked method to Early Entry? Do you begin in Toy Story Land or Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? How would you’ve got achieved issues in another way? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
