The Magical Guide to Disney World | Disney Hollywood Studios

Disney Hollywood Studios Rides Over the Years

Over the last ten years, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has undergone the most changes out of all of the Disney World individual parks.

Two new lands launched in Hollywood Studios, and along with them, so too did multiple new rides. Then, a classic ride was closed, and a new one came to take its place.

Though people may disagree with some changes, most can agree that the additions to Disney’s Hollywood Studios have benefited the park.

The rides introduced in the new land, Galaxy’s Edge, are some of America’s most technologically advanced rides. The theming and attention to detail in Galaxy’s Edge are as impressive as those in Universal Studios’ Harry Potter Hogsmede, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts (though admittedly, it is tough to compare them).

As of 2022, Disney’s Hollywood Studios contains 16 rides and attractions. Nine are motion rides, and the seven remaining are sit-down shows and character meet-and-greets.

In this post, the nine Hollywood Studios rides with motion will be discussed. These are the rides that physically move you. Whether that be the rollercoasters, rides with big drops, screen rides, or the new off-rail rides, all will be covered.

The shows and character meet-and-greets will mentioned at the end, but not be discussed at length.

There is a lot to cover, so with further delay, here is your guide to Disney Hollywood Studios rides!

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Name	Location	Type	Height Requirements	Average Wait Time
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway	Hollywood Boulevard	Off-rail Ride	N/A	75-120 minutes
Toy Story Mania	Toy Story Land	Arcade Family Ride	N/A	45-100 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash	Toy Story Land	Rollercoaster	38″	60-120 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers	Toy Story Land	Spinning	32″	25-50 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run	Galaxy’s Edge	Arcade Flight Simulation	38″	60-160 minutes
Rise of the Resistance	Galaxy’s Edge	Off-rail Ride	40″	120-170 minutes
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues	Commissary Lane	Screen Simulation Ride	40″	10-30 minutes
Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster	Sunset Boulevard	Rollercoaster	48″	45-120 minutes
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror	Sunset Boulevard	Tower Drop	40″	30-90 minutes

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Hollywood Boulevard

Welcome to Hollywood Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here you will find an assortment of Hollywood-themed shops and a few restaurants. A to-scale replication of the iconic Chinese Theater is at the back of Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood Studios. In the Chinese Theater, you can find one of Hollywood Studios’ off-rail trackless rides, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

#1 – Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

In the past few years, Disney has attempted to reinvent the rollercoaster. After intensive Imagineering, the results were the first off-rail, trackless coaster.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is Disney’s second trackless coaster in their parks after the release of the Rise of the Resistance ride, also in Hollywood Studios, in December 2019.

Located in the replica Chinese Theater directly behind Center Stage in the Animation Courtyard, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway takes you on an adventure with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. With clever effects, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway makes the rider feel like they are in one of the Disney cartoons.

The ride is one of Disney’s most advanced rides in the park from a technological standpoint. During the ride, you go to multiple rooms in your self-driving vehicle. Each room contains a unique experience for the rider, whether a simulated waterfall, a cityscape, or even a ballroom dance.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is an incredible addition to the park, even if the Great Movie Ride had to be closed for it to open.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Pre-Show Experience

The experience for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway begins at the end of the queue during the pre-show. The pre-show starts with Mickey and Minnie taking a picnic trip to the local park. Singing the song “Nothing Can Stop Us Now,” both Mickey and Minnie are excited for the day to come.

Mickey and Minnie come across Goofy operating a train while driving to the park. After exchanging pleasantries, Mickey and Minnie drive off and run over the train tracks, causing their picnic basket and Pluto, to fly into the air. Pluto grabs the picnic basket, but a pie flies out. The pie lands in Goofy’s train chimney, causing the smoke to build up in the locomotive and make Goofy crash into the Runnamuck Railway station as the train explodes.

After the train explodes, a large hole opens in the pre-show screen. Goofy, caught on one of the cracks, talks to the ride attendant and asks them to escort the riders to the ride station. The gates open, and the pre-show ends.

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Ride Experience

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway begins after riders walk through the Runnamuck Train station and get onboard the train. The train first enters a room that depicts a beautiful vista of green hills and trees. The train then enters a tunnel marked 1928 that takes riders to the next room. In the distance, Mickey and Minnie happily sing their song in their car.

Now in a tunnel that appears to be underground, Goofy opens the two back doors to his locomotive and introduces himself to the riders as the train conductor and tour guide. Mickey and Minnie appear on a ledge in their car and say hi to Goofy and the riders. Mickey and Minnie tell Goofy to “watch over his friends,” and Goofy responds by saying that since he is the conductor, “what could go wrong?”

The train’s track switch falls in front of Mickey and Minnie’s car, which Mickey thinks he accidentally caused to happen. From here, each train car separates from the other, beginning the off-rails ride. Mickey and Minnie are now trying to stop the runaway train and save the riders. Instead of following Goofy on the left train track, riders make a right and enter the next room.

In the next room, riders find themselves in a canyon. Mickey and Minnie ride horses and try to corral the riders at the canyon’s pass but miss them. Riders then enter the next room, an amusement park. Multiple classic Disney characters work at the amusement park or enjoy themselves. Donald Duck works the hotdog stand, and Horace Horsecollar works the popcorn stand. Mickey and Minnie float above in a basket connected to balloons and spot the riders. Above, the sign to the Twister Rollercoaster comes to life and becomes a tornado causing chaos in the amusement park. Mickey and Minnie blow away.

Riders enter separate rooms, each with an animatronic tornado that spins in the center of the rooms. Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto are spinning in the tornado. Riders then enter the next room, which is a tropical island. Mickey and Minnie crash down on the island, appearing behind bushes. In the background, a volcano erupts, and riders stop in front of a large screen. The screen depicts the riders floating down a raging river when Mickey and Minnie appear in a giant leaf canoe. Both Mickey, Minnie, and the riders then go down a waterfall. Now underwater, the riders move to the next room.

The next room depicts an underwater scene with aquatic animals playing instruments to a tropical rendition of “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” in the background, a reference to “Under the Sea” from the Little Mermaid. Riders then enter the next room by washing away down a floating river through a tunnel that looks like a sewage system.

The next room depicts a bustling city. To the right, Pete uses a jackhammer to do construction work. The buildings behind him shake as Pete works. Riders see Donald Duck driving a Dancewead delivery truck as they enter the next room, a dance class led by Daisy Duck.

The riders’ vehicles line up side by side in the room as Daisy Duck welcomes everyone to the class. Daisy leads the class by counting the measures of beats in the music. As Daisy counts, riders swing back and forth to mimic waltzing. Then Daisy shifts from waltzing to a conga dance. A disco ball appears on the room’s roof and shines Mickey-shaped lights on the room’s walls. Riders then conga into the next room, which is a factory.

In the factory, Mickey and Minnie rush to turn off the switch that controls a hydraulic press in the background before the riders get crushed. They successfully pull the switch, and the factory room transforms into the park at night.

Goofy’s locomotive appears, and the rider’s cars reconnect. Goofy happily concludes his guided tour, unaware that the train disconnected. He then thanks the riders for “sticking with” him. Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto are enjoying themselves at their picnic. Goofy greets them and says, “I told ya nothing was gonna go wrong!”

Mickey and Minnie sing a slowed-down version of “Nothing Can Stop Us Now” as fireworks go off in the distance. Riders return to the station as an orchestral version of the song concludes the ride.

Average Wait Time for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Because Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is one of the most popular rides in Disney Hollywood Studios, the wait times are generally very long. Expect to wait between 75-120 minutes in the standard line.

Toy Story land

Welcome to Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where you become Woody’s newest toy! Based on Pixar’s film franchise, Toy Story, in Toy Story Land, everything from the rides to the architecture is themed to make you feel like the size of a toy. Here, you will find the three Toy Story-themed rides, Toy Story Mania, Slinky Dog Dash, and Alien Swirling Saucers.

#2- Toy Story Mania

Like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in Magic Kingdom, Toy Story Mania is one of the most participation-heavy Hollywood Studios rides. Toy Story Mania consists of 4-D interactive carnival-style mini-games where you play against the person sitting next to you by shooting at various targets, all led by characters from the Toy Story films.

In each game, you receive a score based on how well you performed. At the end of the ride, you receive your total score from all the mini-games. The one with the highest points is the winner of the ride. It also keeps track of every rider’s score throughout the day so that you can compare yourself to the highest scorer of the day.

Toy Story Mania Ride Experience

Toy Story Mania begins with riders getting onto one side of their ride vehicle. Each row has two cannon blasters that come with a string to pull. In the center is a screen that tracks each rider’s score. 

During the ride, Riders hit targets worth 100 to 5,000 points. The easier-to-hit targets are usually worth fewer points, and the harder-to-hit targets are worth more. If riders hit specific targets during each mini-game, an Easter Egg activates, allowing for an additional game to play and for the riders to earn extra points. 

Toy Story Mania How to Unlock the Easter Eggs and get the highest score possible

• Practice Round: Pie Toss
  • Practice your aim for the following games. 
• First Game: Hamm & Eggs
  • How to activate the Easter Egg:
    • Aim for the barn in the upper right-hand corner when the ride starts. Three animals appear in the barn; a horse, a chicken, and a mouse. Hit all three of these animals to get the opportunity to score big! Each time you hit the animal’s target in the barn, it flips, causing the points for the other animal targets to increase.
• Second Game: Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts
  • How to activate the Easter Egg:
    • At the beginning of the game, three balloons worth 500 points quickly appear above the volcano. Hitting all three 500-point balloons causes two comets to appear on both upper corners of the screen. If both members in the rider vehicle hit their comet three times, the volcano erupts, unlocking the easter egg. Now, a ton of 500-point balloons will appear on the screen, giving you a massive boost in points. 
• Third Game: Green Army Men Shoot Camp
  • How to activate the Easter Egg:
    • On both sides of the screen, a 2,000-point plate appears by the large center dirt hill. If both riders hit their 2,000-point plate on their side, the dirt hill disappears, and a large tank takes its place. The tank has plates worth thousands of points each!
• Fourth Game: Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers
  • How to activate the Easter Egg:
    • In the center of the screen is a rocket ship from which the Green Aliens pop out. There are a total of 8 holes. Riders must cover all the aliens on the rocket ship at the same time with rings to unlock the Easter Egg. The rocket ship will fly away to reveal a robot. 
    • Occasionally, the robot’s mouth will open. Each rider must shoot rings into the robot’s mouth to score additional points. The robot will quickly close its mouth and deactivate. If the robot deactivates, reactivate the robot by shooting rings over the two small rockets next to the robot. Every time you reactivate the robot, the points for getting rings into its mouth will increase. 
    • You can reactivate the robot four times during the mini-game. The first-round points are worth 100, the second points are worth 500, the third points are worth 1000, and the fourth-round points are worth 2,000. 
• Fifth Game: Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery
  • How to activate the Easter Egg:
    • As you hit each bullseye, new targets appear on the screen. You and your partner must aim for the new group of targets, as they are worth far more points (500-1000 points each).
    • The following section involves mine carts. Aim for the bats that appear above the falling mine carts. Each bat is originally worth 1000 points. If you hit a bat, a new bat appears worth 5,000 points. If you hit the bat worth 5,000 points, all the points of the falling mine carts increase to 1000 each.
    • Bonus Round: A large target appears that continues to increase in points the more you hit it. If both riders hit the same target, the target will increase in points faster, reaching up to 5000 points per hit!

If you manage to unlock each easter egg for the five mini-games, there is a great chance you will have the highest score for the day!

Toy Story Mania Average Wait Times

Expect to wait in the standard line for 45-80 minutes for Toy Story Mania.

#3 – Slinky Dog Dash

Slinky Dog Dash is a family rollercoaster in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios. Like the rest of Toy Story Land, the theming of Slinky Dog Dash involves being the size of a toy. The ride takes place in Andy’s backyard, where he has set up a track for Slinky Dog to ride through. Along the way, you’ll see giant versions of various toys from Andy’s collection, like Rex, Jesse, and Wheezy.

Slinky Dog Dash is a fast ride, five mph faster than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom. Also, like that ride, there are no upside-down loops or large drops. At most, there are a few smooth turns, a small drop, and a few bumps around the end. It’s a perfectly suitable ride for all ages.

Max Height	50 ft
Max Speed	40 mph
Launches	2
Ride Duration	2:00

Slinky Dog Dash Ride Experience

Slinky Dog Dash begins with riders getting on the Slinky Dog train and departing the station. As the Slinky Dog train moves, riders will hear the spring sound effects that mimic the slinky getting pulled. Riders then make a right turn towards the first launch. The Slinky Dog train increases its speed to 40 mph, makes a left turn, then goes a small airtime hill.

Riders then go over a left-angled helix and past Jessie, who holds on to hanging lights, before they center out, going through an archway of blocks and making another left turn. Riders go over a couple of bumps, then make a right turn under a bridge towards the second launch area marked by GO! rings.

The Slinky Dog train stops before the first ring. Slink Dog says, “hang on,” and then the train moves backward a few feet. Two flame pillars begin quickly spinning, counting down to the second launch. Riders then launch through the rings, reaching the 40 mph max speed again. Riders go over the 50 ft airtime hill, then make a left turn into a series of consecutive small bumps.

Riders make a left turn, followed by a right turn into the final brake run that takes them back to the station. Before riders enter the station, An Animatronic Wheezy sings, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” on the right side, while an Animatronic Mike the Microphone stands to the left. Riders then enter the station, and the ride ends.

Slinky Dog dash Height Requirements

You must be at least 38″ to ride Slink Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios.

Slinky Dog Dash Average Wait Times

Wait times for Slinky Dog Dash are very long. You can expect a 60-120 minute wait for this Hollywood Studios rollercoaster.

#4 – Alien Swirling Saucers

Alien Swirling Saucers is a spinning ride in Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Similar in style to Matar’s Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land at Disneyland in California, Alien Swirling Saucers puts you in an alien-driven cart and moves you around in circles.

The ride looks chaotic as many saucers are moving around simultaneously, so even though it seems like your cart might run into another, it won’t. It’s not bumper cars; it’s still an on-track ride.

Alien Swirling Saucers Height Requirements

You must be at least 32″ to ride Alien Swirling Saucers in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Alien Swirling Saucers Average Wait Times

Alien Swirling Saucers’ wait times are relatively short compared to other Hollywood Studios rides but still significant. You can expect to wait around 25-50 minutes for this ride.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes you to a galaxy far, far away. You’ll find yourself in Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu. Here, the Resistance has a secret base where it tries to defy the rule of the First Order. As you walk the streets, you’ll see iconic Resistance fighters like Rey and Chewbacca. However, the First Order still controls the outpost. You’ll see First Order Stormtroopers and may even run into Kylo Ren.

In Galaxy’s Edge, you’ll find two of the most popular Disney World rides. The first is Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, where you can fly in the iconic starship and lead a mission against the First Order. Next is arguably the most technologically advanced ride in the world, Rise of the Resistance. On Rise of the Resistance, you’ll find yourself in the First Order’s grasp. It’s your job to protect the secret Resistance Base’s location; the fate of the Resistance is in your hands!

#5 – Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

Like Mission Space in Epcot, Millennium Falcom: Smuggler’s Run at Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a ride that focuses on giving the rider agency.

Each participant has a specific role to play throughout the experience. You can be the engineer, the pilot, or the gunner. Each person must complete a task throughout the ride for the run to be smooth and successful.

The pilot controls the Millennium Falcon. Their job is to avoid the asteroids and other objects they come across on their flight. They can do this by moving a joystick up, down, left or right. As the Millennium Falcon takes damage, the engineer must press specific flashing green buttons to fix the ship. The gunner’s job is to shoot at enemy ships so that the Falcon takes as minor damage as possible.

Even though it might sound complicated for a rollercoaster, it’s simple once you experience it. If every rider does their job right, the ride will be smooth, and they will get a high score. If the riders make many mistakes, the ride will be extra bumpy, and their score will be low. However, success is guaranteed no matter how many mistakes riders make, so first-timers do not need to stress about anything.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run Queue Experience

The queue for Smuggler’s Run begins outside of Ohnaka Transport Solutions and then around a full-sized Millennium Falcon. You walk through a mechanic shop and enter a large room where an animatronic Hondo Ohnaka introduces himself and his droid R5-P8 to the guests. Hondo explains the mechanics of the ride. After the explanation, riders receive their roles and color for their group. Then, they enter a full-sized Millennium Falcon, where they wait for their color to be called and their ride to begin in the cockpit.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run Ride Experience

Before riders get into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, Hondo Ohnaka, the operation’s leader, goes over the plans for the mission with the riders. Their job is to fly the Millennium Falcon to the planet Corellia, where they are to hijack a First Order train that contains a valuable mineral called Coaxium. After he explains each rider’s role, the doors to the cockpit open, and the ride begins.

After riders sit in their designated spots and buckle in, the Millennium Falcon departs the space station. A tutorial for the controls begins with the pilots learning how to fly the Falcon and the engineer learning how quickly they need to press their flashing buttons.

Riders fly out of the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu (the location of Galaxy’s Edge ) and jump to hyperspace. Riders arrive on Corellia and immediately find the train with Coaxium. Gunners now shoot at the First Order ships guarding the train while the pilots attempt to line up the Millennium Falcon with it precisely. Flight engineers then fire the Falcon’s harpoons and connect to the train. After destroying the First Order ships, gunners must shoot off the cargo from the train. Before they can, the train suddenly stops, and the Falcon crashes into it.

The train falls through a hole in the ground, and since the Millennium Falcon’s harpoons are connected, the Falcon falls with it. The Falcon falls, and the harpoons disconnect, causing the Falcon to crash to the ground. The train gets stuck on a platform, but the cargo with the Coaxium falls to the ground by the Falcon.

Riders power up the Falcon again as Hondo grabs the container of Coaxium. They fly out of the hole and find the second train with Coaxium. The riders must repeat the process of getting the Coaxium as they did with the first ship.

After successfully getting the Coaxium, a First Order Star Destroyer Gunship appears and attacks the Falcon. The gunner must fire missiles in front of the train to cause a distraction. After they do so, a large explosion occurs in front of them, causing the Star Destroyer to collapse. Before the Falcon gets crushed by the falling Star Destroyer, the pilots must fly out to safety. After they do, the right side pilot jumps the Falcon to hyperspace, returning to Batuu.

Chewy remotely takes control of the Falcon and flies the riders back to the Black Spire Outpost. After the riders land, Hondo gives them an individual score and ranking based on their performance. Then, the doors to the Falcon open, and the ride ends.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run Height Requirements

Riders must be at least 38″ to ride Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run Average Wait Times

You can expect a 45-80 minute wait for this Hollywood Studios ride.

#6 – Rise of the Resistance

Arguably the best ride in Walt Disney World and potentially the most technologically advanced ride on Earth, Rise of the Resistance is the magnum opus of both Galaxy’s Edge and Hollywood Studios. As the first of its kind trackless coaster, Rise of the Resistance reimagined the way riders could experience rollercoasters. 

Rise of the Resistance Queue Experience

The queue starts in the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu (Galaxy’s Edge). You walk through the Resistance base, eventually reaching a door where a ride attendant (dressed as a resistance fighter) greets you as a resistance recruit. The door opens, and you find BB-8 on a platform working on prepping the room. After a while, a voice tells BB-8 to prep the room for transmission from Rey, whose hologram appears shortly after.

Rey tells the group that a covert Resistance team led by Finn has infiltrated a First Order Star destroyer. Unfortunately, the Star Destroyer is on its way to Batuu. Rey warns that Batuu is no longer safe but has set up transport ships to take you and the group to General Organa’s secret base on Bakara.

Rey plans to meet with the group on Bakara later but warns them that it is vital that the location of the Bakara base must be kept secret. Lieutenant Beck, one of the Resistance’s top commanders, is tasked with guiding your group to the Bakara Base. Beck notes that Commander Poe Dameron and his squadron of X-Wings will guard the group’s transport ships to the Bakara Base.

The doors open, and you and the group head outside, where you will find a full-size transport ship and a full-size X-Wing. Inside the transport ship is a life-size Audio-Animatronic Lieutenant Beck and a pilot. The transport ship launches, leaves Batuu Base, and enters space. Beck reintroduces himself and his task to the group.

Beck notices an unusual signal and asks Poe if he sees anything. Poe confirms that he does when a group of First Order Tie-Fighters attacks the X-Wing squadron and the transport ship. Multiple X-Wings go down, and Poe leads the Tie-Fighters away so that the transport can safely make the jump to hyperspace. Before they can, the First Order Star Destroyer arrives and intercepts the transport ship with their tractor beam.

A First Order soldier asks for identification from the transport ship, and Beck lies and says they are a civilian vessel. General Hux interrupts and orders them to lower their shields and prepare to be boarded. The transport ship then enters the Star Destroyer. Beck once again warns the group not to reveal the location of the Bakara Base, even under interrogation. The fate of the Resistance is at risk.

The doors open, and a First Order soldier (Disney cast member) enters the transport ship. They order the group out of the ship and lead them into the next room. Here, the group finds themself in the Star Destroyer cargo bay, where many animatronic First Order Stormtroopers stand on guard. After a while, the group goes through the Star Destroyer, where they eventually enter a room with General Hux and Kylo Ren.

Kylo Ren wants to know the location of the secret Resistance Base and threatens the group with some force powers, but he’s confident the group will tell them the Resistance base location through interrogation. Hux tells Ren he’s needed on the bridge, and Ren orders Hux to keep the group there, as he’ll return to interrogate them personally. Hux and Ren leave, then suddenly, the wall bursts open.

A Resistance Fighter that is part of Finn’s group (a Disney cast member) has come to break you and the group out. They have reprogrammed an R5 unit to get the group to safety. The group gets into their ride vehicles, and the ride officially begins.

Rise of the Resistance Ride Experience

Finn appears on a nearby screen and instructs the riders how to escape the Star Destroyer via escape pods. The R5 droids are programmed to return the riders to Batuu with the guidance of Beck.

Riders enter the first room in the Star Destroyer, where they run into a large probe droid that somehow misses them. Riders head to the turbo lift, but two Stormtroopers spot them. They recognize the riders as Resistance prisoners and open fire.

Riders quickly enter the next room, the cargo bay, for two life-size AT-ATs. The exit doors close before the riders can go through them, and a group of Stormtroopers find them and open fire but are fired upon themselves. Finn (an animatronic) and another Resistance fighter fight off the Stormtroopers while hiding behind an AT-AT’s leg. Finn tells the riders that the escape pods are directly below them.

Riders accidentally go up instead of down the turbo lift. The AT-AT pilot spots the group, and a Stormtrooper fires upon the riders as they escape deeper into the next room. Blaster bolts make holes into the wall where the Stormtrooper missed his shot. Beck tells the riders to find another way to the escape pods, but they find themselves on the lower bridge with Kylo Ren and General Hux (life-size animatronics).

Hux and Ren discuss the Resistance, with Ren telling Hux not to underestimate the Resistance forces. Ren orders the Star Destroyer to raise their shields, but Hux doesn’t see why that is necessary. Immediately the Resistance Fleet appears and opens fire on the Star Destroyer. Ren is informed that the riders have escaped and begins searching for them. R5 makes a noise, and Ren spots the riders below and tells them there is nowhere to run. The riders turn around and enter the next room (an elevator) when Kylo Ren appears.

R5 closes the door on Ren, but Ren uses his lightsaber to cut a hole in the roof and attempts to break into the elevator. The door opens, which leads to a cannon room—the canons fire at the outside Resistance Fleet as they attack the Star Destroyer. A group of Tie-Fighters intercepts the Resistance Fleet as the riders drive by the windows. A large explosion causes the inside of the canon room to get damaged. Deeper into the room, Finn appears on a screen and orders all Resistance personnel to abandon the ship because the Star Destroyer is about to go down.

Kylo Ren (animatronic) appears and orders the group to tell him the location of the secret Resistance Base. He uses the Force to pull the riders closer to him, but an explosion knocks him back, allowing the riders to get free. Riders enter the next room, which is the escape pod.

The escape pod drops (causing riders to feel G-Force), and Poe flies by the riders, telling them they cut it close. Poe escorts the riders through an exploding ship and back planetside to Batuu, where riders crash land in a construction zone in Black Spire Outpost (Galaxy’s Edge). Riders exit the escape pod and go outside, where they find Beck’s crashed escape pod with a happy animatronic Beck inside. Riders then park and exit the vehicle, where the ride ends.

Rise of the Resistance Height Requirements

Riders must be at least 40″ to ride Rise of the Resistance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Rise of the Resistance Average Wait Times

This ride has the longest average wait times out of all the Hollywood Studios and Disney World rides. Expect to wait between 120-170 minutes for this ride. Genie+ is a must for this one. 

Commissary Lane/Grand Avenue

Welcome to Commissary Lane in Hollywood Studios. Here you’ll find various restaurants and eateries and a ride that is never the same twice, Star Tours the Adventure Continues.

#7 – Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

In the days when Hollywood Studios was known as MGM Studios, and before the creation of Galaxy’s Edge, there was a Star Wars themed ride called Star Tours. Originally opening in 1987 in Disneyland (the same ride would later come to Hollywood Studios), Star Tours featured C-3PO and R2-D2 as they guided the riders on a daring escape from the Empire to reach a Rebellion base. 

Now, Star Tours is updated. Characters and locations from the sequel trilogy (Star Wars 7-9) appear during the ride.

Star Tours is a screen simulation ride. You sit in a theater room with a screen, and as the show progresses, the theater moves around, typically by tilting left, right, up, and down. Like most simulation rides, Star Tours is one you want to be wary of if you suffer from motion sickness. 

Star Tours The Adventure Continues Pre-Show

C-3PO enters the cockpit of the tour ship and meets with the captain droid. The captain droid informs C-3PO of the ship’s binary problem and tells him to fix it. The captain leaves the ship, and C-3PO gets into the captain’s chair to correct the problem. The cockpit door closes on C-3PO, locking him in. Another droid gives the tour group (the riders) instructions, and then they enter the ship seating area where the ride begins.

Star Tours The Adventure Continues Ride Experience

Star Tours is a unique ride in Hollywood Studios, as the experience is randomized for every ride iteration. Each section of Star Tours takes the riders to a different planet in the Star Wars galaxy. The rider will experience four out of 21 segments during the ride. The planets and events that occur during the ride differ every time. There are over 700 combinations and ride experiences that a rider may have. However, the overall story remains the same no matter the combination of the rider gets. 

The general plot is that the riders must escort a spy (either part of the Rebellion of Resistance, depending on the era the ride takes place) to safety. The spy is a randomly chosen guest in the audience, similar to “that guy” during Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor in Magic Kingdom. 

All versions of Star Tours begin the same way.

The screen door opens, and C-3PO appears in the captain’s chair of the StarSpeeder 1000. The ship starts to move as C-3PO tries to tell R2 they need the captain. R2 tells C-3PO they can fly the ship themselves, but C-3PO disagrees. From here, the Star Tours story branches off.

Here are the possibilities for the opening section of Star Tours:

• Darth Vader appears with a group of Storm Troopers and stops the ship with the Force. He’s looking for a Rebel spy hiding with the passengers in the ship. R2 uses the ship’s blasters to shoot at Vader, but he deflects the bolts with his lightsaber. R2 causes the ship to fly away. This set of events represents the beginning of an original trilogy (Star Wars 4-6) storyline.
• Kylo Ren and a group of First Order Stormtroopers replace Vader in the above event. (Sequel Trilogy Storyline)
• A group of Stormtroopers and an imperial droid stop the ship to find the hiding Rebel spy. Han Solo shoots at a group of Stormtroopers in the background with his Millennium Falcon, causing a distraction and allowing the riders to escape and follow. (Original Trilogy Storyline)
• Similar events as possibility 3, except it’s a group of First Order Stormtroopers, and Rey or Finn pilots the Millenium Falcon instead. (Sequel Trilogy Storyline)

The riders then jump to hyperspace and arrive on the next randomized planet, which puts riders in the middle of the following with these events:

• Hoth
  • A battle between Rebels and the Empire (From Empire Strikes Back)
• Tatooine
  • The Boonta Eve Classic Podrace (From Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace)
• Kashyyyk
  • Speeder Bike chase (From Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi)
• Jakku
  • Following the Millennium Falcon piloted by Rey or Finn as it tries to escape First Order Tie Fighters (Like in From Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens)
• Kef Bir
  • Riding a giant wave through the crashed Death Star remnants (from Star Wars Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker)

Riders then enter space and receive a transmission from one of the following characters:

• Yoda
• Princess Leia
• Admiral Ackbar
• Poe Dameron
• Maz
• Lando Calrissian
• BB-8

One of the above characters tells R2 to take the spy to one of the following planets, where the following events occur:

• Naboo
  • The Battle of Naboo between the Trade Federation and the Naboo Army (From Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace)
• Coruscant
  • The Battle of Coruscant between droid ships and Republic Clone Trooper pilots (From Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith)
• Geonosis
  • Escaping Boba Fett in his spaceship, Slave I, and flying through an incomplete Death Star (a mix of scenes from Star Wars Episode 2 Attack of the Clones and original content)
• Crait
  • Flight through the crystal mines followed by the Battle of Crait (From Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi)
• Exegol
  • The Resistance battle against the Sith Eternal Fleet (From Star Wars Episode 9: Rise of Skywalker)

After the sequence of events, the StarSpeeder 1000 escapes the chaos and arrives at a safe location. C-3PO thanks guests for riding Star Tours as the nearby people cheer, ending the ride. 

Star Tours The Adventure Continues Height Requirements

Riders must be at least 40″ to ride Star Tours in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Star Tours The Adventure Continues Average Wait Times

The wait times for this ride are one of the shortest of the Hollywood Studios rides, especially since Galaxy’s Edge opened up. Expect to wait around 10-30 minutes for this Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction. 

Sunset Boulevard

Previously one of the most iconic locations in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Sunset Boulevard contains two of the most beloved rides, Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster, one of the fastest rides in Disney World, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the most thematic drop ride in the world!

#8 – Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster

Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is arguably Disney World’s most adult rollercoaster. It’s faster than Space Mountain, has more bumps and turns than Thunder Mountain, and has something that no other ride in the park has; multiple inversions. Entirely indoors, the ride is a neon paradise, taking you on a crazy trip through the most bizarre highway imaginable. You’ll twist through a Hollywood sign, zoom past billboards, and fly upside-down while hearing fantastic Aerosmith songs.

Max Height	80 ft
Max Speed	57 mph
Launch	0-57 in 2.8 seconds
Inversions	3
G-Force	5
Ride Duration	1:22

Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Queue and Pre-Show Experience

The queue for Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster takes the guests through the fictional record label G-Force Records. Eventually, you enter a room where Aerosmith works on their song “Walk This Way” with a sound engineer. Aerosmith sees the guests and introduces themselves. Their band manager enters through the back doors and tries to usher Aerosmith into a limo to make it to their next show. As they leave, Steven Tyler, the band’s lead singer, tells the group that they can’t leave the guests there. The band manager sarcastically asks what she should do, “take them with us?” The Disney Cast Member then yells, “What about backstage passes?”

Steven Tyler then says he loves that idea and asks the manager to get the guests backstage passes for their upcoming show. The manager agrees after some pushing from the band and orders a stretch limo for the guests. She corrects herself, orders a “super stretch” limo, and calls it a fast car that will take them to the concert. Aerosmith and the manager leave in their limo, and guests proceed to the next room, the launch station that looks like a back alley.

Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Ride Experience

There are five limos that riders may get for their experience. The limos are set apart by their license plates. Each of the five limos plays different Aerosmith songs during the ride. 

The limos and songs are as follows:

• H8TRFFC: Plays the songs “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” and “Back in the Saddle.”
• UGOBABE: “Love in the Elevator” and “Walk This Way”
• 2FAST4U: “Sweet Emotion”
• BUHBYE: “Young Lust,” “F.I.N.E,” and “Love in the Elevator”
• 1QKLIMO: “Nine Lives”

Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster begins with riders getting into one of the following limos. Riders leave the back-alley station and stop in front of a highway tunnel. Bill St. James, a radio DJ, goes on air and begins commenting on the upcoming concert, followed by a traffic report. Above, a traffic sign makes various humorous one-liners as the limo moves backward. Cheering begins, and Steven Tyler starts to count down from five. When he reaches “One,” the limo launches, taking riders from 0-57 mph in 2.8 seconds.

Riders shoot through the dark tunnel, where cameras take an on-ride picture. After a straightway, riders go into the first and second inversions, a duel sea-serpent roll, followed by multiple overbanked turns. Riders go through the “O” in the Hollywood Sign and pass neon billboards, signs, and buildings. Riders eventually reach the final inversion, a corkscrew, and continue over multiple banked turns and the last camelback hill. Riders then pass neon palm trees and more signs and finally go through the “O” of a version of the famous Hollywood Donut Sign before the limo goes over a brake run, taking them down a tunnel.

The tunnel leads to the VIP section of the backstage area with a red carpet, where riders exit the limo ending the ride.

Rock ‘N’ Rollercoater Height Requirements

Riders must be at least 48″ to ride Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster Average Wait Times

You can expect to wait 45-120 minutes for the fastest coaster in Hollywood Studios.

#9 – The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Though many new rides have arrived at Hollywood Studios over the years, no ride will ever be as iconic as the Hollywood Tower of Terror.

The Tower of Terror is the ride in all Disney Hollywood Studios’ advertisements, and for a good reason. At one point, The Tower of Terror was Disney’s tallest ride in the park before Expedition Everest took that title (by less than 1 ft). Still, to this day, when people think of Disney Hollywood Studios rides, the Tower of Terror is usually the first that comes to mind.

The Tower of Terror is Disney’s only drop ride in the park. Standing at 199 ft tall, The Tower of Terror acts like most tower drop rides in the way that riders are taken to the top of the tower and dropped to the bottom.

But that is where the similarities end.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Queue and Pre-Show Experience

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror queue begins outside the hotel’s gates and takes guests through the hotel’s garden before entering the vine-infested courtyard and, finally, the lobby of the abandoned hotel. Guests arrive in the dusty, cobweb-filled foyer of the hotel, where they will see luggage left behind by past guests. 

Guests then enter the library, where the pre-show begins. The pre-show starts with the lights shutting off and lightning flashing out the windows. The small tv on the wall turns on, and the introduction of Seasons 4 and 5 of The Twilight Zone, hosted by Rod Serling, starts playing. The story of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is that on a stormy night in 1939, four guests checked in to stay. As five people– an actor, a child star, her nanny, a singer, and a bellhop, went up an elevator, lightning struck the hotel, causing the five of them and an entire wing of the hotel to disappear. 

Rod Sterling then tells guests that they will get on that same elevator to become the stars of their episode of The Twilight Zone. From there, the lights turn back on, and a back door opens, leading guests into the boiler room, where they will enter a maintenance elevator and begin the ride. 

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Ride Experience

Once riders enter the elevator, the lights go down, and the elevator begins to rise. Rod Serling’s narration begins and informs riders they are about to “enter into their very own episode of The Twilight Zone.” The elevator stops, and the doors open to reveal an empty hallway within the hotel. Lightning flashes in the window at the back end of the hallway, and the five ghostly guests from 1939 appear. They beckon the riders to join them deeper into the hallway. 

Electricity sparks within the hallway as The Twilight Zone theme plays. Lightning flashes in the back window as the room goes pitch black, except for the light in the window. Stars fill the room, and the window shatters, leaving the riders in darkness. 

The elevator rises again, and Sterling continues his narration. The door opens, leading to a maintenance room. The elevator moves into the room when the room goes into darkness. Stars appear, and elements from the opening sequence of The Twilight Zone appear. A white line separates in the darkness at the end of the room, leading the riders into a pitch-black vertical shaft. Sterling’s narration continues and informs the riders that they are about to “discover what lies beyond the fifth dimension.” Once he finishes the speech by saying “Tower of Terror,” a lightning strike sound effect plays, and riders drop, reaching a max speed of 39 mph. 

Riders drop and rise multiple times throughout the ride. At one point, the shaft doors open to reveal the outside of Hollywood Studios. Then, an on-ride camera takes a picture as riders drop. Eventually, the shaft doors open, revealing the hotel’s basement. Here a screen plays the opening sequence of Season 5 of The Twilight Zone. Serling and the five ghosts fall into a vortex on the screen as he welcomes the riders back from their ride. The elevator moves forward and parks by the exit, where a Disney Cast Member (dressed as a hotel worker) opens the doors, ending the ride. 

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Height Requirements

Riders must be at least 40″ to ride The Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Average Wait Times

You can expect to wait 30-90 minutes for this Hollywood Studios ride.

Everything else you can do at Hollywood Studios

Though the Hollywood Studios rides may be the main attraction at the park, they aren’t the only things you can do during your visit.

Hollywood Studios has multiple shows and character meet-and-greets available throughout the day. 

In Animation Courtyard, you have:

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Disney Junior Dance Party
• Star Wars Launch Bay
• Walt Disney Presents (~10-minute wait)

In Galaxy’s Edge, you have:

• Savi’s Workshop – handbuilt lightsabers

In Grand Avenue, you have:

• Muppet Vision 3D (~10-minute wait)

In Commissary Lane:

• Meet Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams (~20-35 minute wait)
• Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight

In Echo Lake:

• Vacation Fun – An Mickey and Minnie Animated Short (~10-minute wait)
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

In Sunset Boulevard:

• Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage
• Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

In Hollywood Studios, there’s something to do around every corner!

But, Hollywood Studios only makes up one out of the four other full-size parks at Walt Disney World. 

There is so much more to discover at Disney World!

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