Navigating DHS: Was I just tired?

[jjb1974]

Everyone,

Just back from several days at the parks. The trip was awesome and I have no complaints, other than one: I couldn't navigate DHS with the map for love or money. I'm not a great navigator, but in the other 3 parks I could pick out a shop or restaurant or attraction and get to it by identifying waypoints (okay, here's Flame Tree, now we will stay to right, et cetera). But it seemed like at DHS that things weren't where they were supposed to be, or shops/stores/rides on the map weren't as easily identified. I know *some* of this is changing the layout for Toy Story Land and other construction, and thanks to Disney for putting out a ton of folks to advise on where to go (I certainly used them again and again), but I just wanted to see if I was alone on this or have others just felt lost in DHS?

 

[Delirium]

Outside of Sunset Blvd, I have always found HS difficult to navigate. Echo Lake, back to the Muppets, and the old Streets of America & Backlot areas have always been confusing.

 

[NashvilleMama]

It's not just you. We got lost multiple times and even with the map, we had to ask for directions a LOT. It was really stressful and normally not an issue.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I remember thinking this same thing on our last trip 8 years ago. It’s not TSL, or you! I was constantly turned around and going the wrong way, it made no sense. Probably part of why I dislike that park so much.

 

[SouloTravlr]

It isn't only you. DHS has always been a poorly laid out maze and with construction, it's even worse.

 

[Alesia]

I've never had a problem with it, but I have a really good sense of direction.

A tip: don't try to use a regular map, use Google maps instead. It will show you the best route to take and you'll instantly be able to see if you're going the wrong way.

 

[ww52]

Wasn't HS originally supposed to be laid out like one giant "hidden" Mickey (which you could only see from the air)? So maybe the intent was circles on top of circles?

 

[SouloTravlr]

I've never had a problem with it, but I have a really good sense of direction.

A tip: don't try to use a regular map, use Google maps instead. It will show you the best route to take and you'll instantly be able to see if you're going the wrong way.

I have a great sense of direction, but DHS is a maze.

 

[AaronInWI]

Wasn't HS originally supposed to be laid out like one giant "hidden" Mickey (which you could only see from the air)? So maybe the intent was circles on top of circles?

Yep!

And for the record, I also get lost every time I go there. To be fair, that is normally a 1/2 day park, so we have spent far less time there than any other of the four parks. But still, it confuses me, and I like to think I have an excellent sense of direction.

 

[Ben E N]

I found myself staring at the GPS within the Disney World app way more in this park than in any other one, and I visit it on an almost yearly basis. There is just no logical set up once you get past echo lake.

 

[DebbieB]

I always get confused with the street that leads to Toy Story vs the street that leads to Sci Fi. The Toy Story street will be closed off with the new entrance to Toy Story Land.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Not just you! There's something about that park's design that is just so not intuitive IMO

 

[Micca]

I have a bigger problem with AK, but I'd argue that you can't really get lost at WDW. There are CMs everywhere that can direct you to where you want to go.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I also have trouble navigating HS. It frustrates me because it’s not “that big” or “that hard” - but for some reason it just doesn’t work in my brain.

But like a PP, in fairness, I’ve spent relatively very little time in this park compared to the others, so I feel like I’ve never really been able to develop a good ‘groove’ there.

 

[piglet1979]

I am usually ok with DHS except on how to get to RNR. But I don't ride it so I have never paid attention to it. Now Animal Kingdom I am always lost.

 

[Babs1975]

Nope, not you. We go every 2 years and I have no idea where anything is in that park. It just doesn't make sense like the other parks do. Why can't they all go in a circle??

 

[DisneyFive]

HS and Animal Kingdom took me the longest to get used to. For me, Animal Kingdom is worse.

Just goes to show how ingenious Walt Disney was with the original layout of the MK. So much to do there and easy to navigate.

Dan

 

[icesk8abc]

Count me as another person who is frequently lost at DHS. It’s slightly better now that I can’t go into Streets of America and come out in the wrong place, but I still get confused all the time. I had a heck of a time finding some of the character meets my daughter wanted to do on our last trip.

 

[Alesia]

Just goes to show how ingenious Walt Disney was with the original layout of the MK. So much to do there and easy to navigate.

Dan

I don't think that DHS is all that different from the layout of MK.

If you're standing in front of the stage, the walkway to get to TSM is at 1 o'clock, the animation courtyard is at 3, the street with ToT and RnR is at 5, Indiana Jones is at 7, star tours is at 9, MuppetVision is at 11. I'm too lazy to look at a map right now, so I've probably missed a few things, but it's really just a hub and spoke layout.

 

[hakepb]

I could never quite figure out which street was Sci-Fi and which street was Toy Story.

It sounds like it is currently a lot worse than normal with current construction closures
https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/h...updates-and-new-drinks-at-baseline-tap-house/

About the path in front of Hyperion (Frozen Singalong)

On a rainy visit the next day, the path was completely closed, which meant we had to walk through part of the queue for the Olaf Meet and Greet to get to the opposite side, which let out in front of Sci-Fi Dine-In.

And any direction you actually knew is now wrong:

Because of that, you’ll see signs pointing guests in what would ordinarily be the wrong direction. This sign is posted outside of Star Tours, which means Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is much closer to the right than to the left.