A bit bored at the Studios

[Minsc]

It's been a 1/2 day park for us for a long time, but we take a lot of trips. We only go for Sci-Fi, ToT, RNRC, TSMM, and SDD. That will change when SWG opens, but for now, it's a split park with Epcot on kid trips. We usually rope drop HS, knock out the list, and then head over to Epcot. We come back later for our Sci-Fi reservation, and then the kids will see how many ToT or SDD rides they can get in at close. When my wife and I go sans kids, we don't always follow our normal touring style and might spend a whole day at Epcot WS.

 

[Moliphino]

I'm struck by the number of people that would never dream of skipping a dark ride at MK like Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Small World, etc. that never changes. It's the same ride you have ridden the 15 previous times.

Yet, many of these same people talk about how the shows at HS are a one and done. While the general script may be the same, the individual performances ensure there is at least something new every time you watch it.

So, why are dark rides repeatable and shows are not? Please don't counter your argument with thrill rides like RNR or ToT. I get that thrill rides are different (though if you only want thrill rides, Disney is not the best place to spend your money).

So, someone please explain to me why Peter Pan must be repeated every trip, while Beauty & The Beast, Frozen Sing A Long, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, etc. do not.

I can't really quantify it, but I'm just not a big fan of stage shows. The only one I can think of that I loved and would watch over and over is Mickey and the Magician at DLP. I didn't want that one to end.

 

[skullsplitter]

We used to love DHS as well and are now struggling to find enough to fill a day. We will have a few half days there, but only because my kids want to ride TSMM as much as possible. The attractions are limited, even more so now that some things are closed. Hoping we can get some good FPs for TSMM and get some extras once we use our three, but not holding my breath.

Didn't know Beauty and the Beast was closed- anyone know when it will reopen?

We were able to select a FP for BatB for 7/13 so assuming it will open by then.

 

[FastPasser.]

We there there a couple weeks ago and saw a lot of the stores on main street closed.

Of the three merchandise shops on Hollywood Blvd. (Main St.), I thought only Mickey's of Hollywood was closed for refurb.

 

[gorkt]

Yeah, I would agree with the OP. I used to spend a whole day there when the kids were little, seeing the shows, but once they got to elementary age, we had no desire to spend more than a half a day there. RnRC, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, eat lunch, go home. Maybe come back for the star wars fireworks.

 

[KenHutch]

Well to each his own but we spend 2 full days there every trip and that's without Galaxy's Edge.

 

[nashvilleash]

It is a half day park for us too!

 

[sethschroeder]

I'm struck by the number of people that would never dream of skipping a dark ride at MK like Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Small World, etc. that never changes. It's the same ride you have ridden the 15 previous times.

Except here is the thing spend 1 day at HS and you can complete everything you don't need to pick and choose just do everything you find appealing (for most people).

On the flip side (especially during busy times) you are not getting everything in during a MK day or even 2 days. So while you see Indiana Jones every year you might skip Small World or Peter Pan completely and still have 2 packed days at MK.

HS issue is not that these rides/attractions/characters are bad it's just that it's a smaller park so you can do it everytime.

Also if you want to say HS takes you 2 days then MK must take 4-5 days which reinforces my point that you like are forced to skip stuff on trips at MK (thus giving you the longing for the ride).

 

[dominiondad]

Of the three merchandise shops on Hollywood Blvd. (Main St.), I thought only Mickey's of Hollywood was closed for refurb.

That's possible. because of the way one store can look like several (different entrances), maybe I thought it was more.

 

[cakebaker]

Except here is the thing spend 1 day at HS and you can complete everything you don't need to pick and choose just do everything you find appealing (for most people).

On the flip side (especially during busy times) you are not getting everything in during a MK day or even 2 days. So while you see Indiana Jones every year you might skip Small World or Peter Pan completely and still have 2 packed days at MK.

HS issue is not that these rides/attractions/characters are bad it's just that it's a smaller park so you can do it everytime.

Also if you want to say HS takes you 2 days then MK must take 4-5 days which reinforces my point that you like are forced to skip stuff on trips at MK (thus giving you the longing for the ride).

I don’t think anyone would disagree that there are more rides at the MK than HS. But that can be said of every park at WDW and it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

You can’t do everything at HS in one day. It is impossible to watch Fantasmic and see the fireworks and both are must do for us. You’ll also be doing a lot of standby for rides if you only go one day.

 

[dominiondad]

There is one, count it ONE, ride at HS that could be considered primarily for toddlers, Alien Swirling Saucers. And, honestly, even rides like that can be full of surprises.

On Thanksgiving Day last year, we rope dropped HS. We had done TSM on a previous day with a FP, and had a Slinky FP scheduled for later. So, at rope drop, we decided to do Alien Swirling Saucers. My kids were 14 and 12 at the time. My 12 year old daughter rode with my wife. I rode with my football player sized 14 year old son. An old guy and a large teenage boy aren't going to enjoy the Saucers....right? Wrong!. We totally over-exaggerated every whip and spent the entire ride trying to intentionally squish the other as hard as we could. We laughed hysterically through the whole thing. That ride will be one of the top 2-3 memories I have for the whole trip. And it turned out that way because we gave it a chance and did not let perception tell us how we should feel about the ride.

I used the word "ride" when I should have used the word "attraction". My fault. I was thinking of things like Muppets, Lightning McQueen, Frozen Sing Along, Dance Party, and Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

We enjoyed Alian Swirling Saucers (started to abbreviate that and then realized that would be bad!) but dont know that we would wait in much of a line to do it again.

 

[KCMA]

We are in the HS is now half day park for us.. we are at Disney now and went to HS Saturday... we did SDD/TOT/Frozen Ever After/Indiana Jones/Cars Academy... youngest daughter wanted to meet vampirina so we did that... Sure there were things we could of done.. but there was nothing we wanted to do.. we could care less about star wars so none of those attractions appeal to us.. we will definitely still hit HS every trip just try to arrange fast passes better so we can take advantage of another park or the boardwalk area after or before etc

 

[Anchored]

As noted...mostly meet and greets,or some toddler fare. Even with the newer Toy STory rides(saucers....ummm maybe not worth waiting for?) it's 5-6 rides,whether they're great rides is debatable to each person. When we visited last year, we found it to be a 1/2 day park also. Not much of the previous atmosphere left to soak in, not much in the way of great new atmosphere to soak in...just a few rides and then we left.

I'm not a toddler and I do all of that except Disney Jr. And to be honest, I may go meet Fancy Nancy and go to the Dance party this weekend. I do not go to Disney just for rides, I go for all of the attractions they offer. I enjoy the Saucers. Again, if you INTENTIONALLY skip half of the attractions then it is a half day park. If you go and check out all of the attractions, well, it isn't.

 

[PerfessorZ]

To me, it seems like an odd point in history to complain about HS; it's like mocking an overweight person on their way to the gym. The time to really complain about HS was a year ago(?) before TSL opened. Tack on that SWGE is due to open in a few months, and HS has really given itself a significant refresh.

I will agree completely that the dwindling of the streetmosphere is sad and penny-wise/pound-foolish.

If the offerings aren't your cup of tea, that's your prerogative. Everybody's different. My kids would rather sit through back-to-back Indiana Jones shows that ride Peter Pan/small world/Haunted Mansion, all walk-on. Doesn't mean that HS is better than MK, just we all just enjoy different things.

 

[gharter]

We were there 2 weeks ago. Over half the shops on the main street are closed including almost one entire side as well as some of the shops on Sunset BLVD.
Very few street performers this time. Fewer than last fall.
It has become our least favorite park. Hopefully, once they finish all the refurbs and SWGE opens, that will change.
One side of ToT is closed for rehab, so the line was much longer and will continue to be until the refurb is fininshed. Not as easy to get a4th+FP as in the past.

 

[ofmouseandman]

I understand where you are coming from when you compare it to how things were back in the "MGM" days or the earlier incarnations of our current Hollywood Studios. The entire feel is different and if feels "life-less" still and I am guessing it will until GE opens and the park starts to retain a solid flow again. The last time we were there we had done everything by 2:00 (Toy Story was not opened yet) and found ourselves walking aimlessly or doing something to pass the time waiting on Fantasmic that night. I miss the old Hollywood feel and hope that with the upcoming changes it somehow will blend the new and the old in a very exciting way. Still love this park though!!

 

[kiford]

Assuming you spent 30 minutes at each one, that's an 9 hour day

You also forgot Citizens of Hollywood. We usually try to catch them a couple of times per day. Then there's the other performances like the stormtroopers (march and guest interactions) and the toy soldiers' guest interactions. There's still some shops that are open (which are actually my favourites). Intersperse some nibbles (Baseline!!!) and other rests. We don't do half of what you listed and we're still able to spend a full day there. But it really does depend on what you like to do. Lots of people go to the parks and only do the attractions or even just the major attractions. We spent four days at WDW last month and did only 5 attractions and one guided tour and had a great time. So I get that for OP it is a half-day park and it may be the case for lots of people, but not us.

 

[goofyintoronto]

RNRR
ToT
Beauty and the Beast
Lightning McQueens Racing Academy
Frozen Sing a Long
Star Tours
Indiana Jones
Launch Bay (3 meet and greets and a video attraction)
Disney Jr. meet and greets
Disney Jr. Dance Party
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Meet Mike and Sully
Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Saucers
TSMM
Meet Toy Story characters
Incrediberg Dance Party (and num num cookies)
Muppets

Assuming you spent 30 minutes at each one, that's an 9 hour day
Add in Fantasmic, the Star Wars stage shows, meal breaks, longer lines, shopping, bathroom breaks, I do not see how this is a 1/2 day park, unless you are just intentionally skipping half of the park

You dont see how its a half day park? Its quite easy. Its always been a half day park for me too.
Let me tell you why...

RNRR - Hell nah! Makes me dizzy/nauseous
ToT - DOUBLE HELL NAH! I dont want to die. Terrified of this ride.
Beauty and the Beast - Depends on the show times, if i have to wait too long for the next show, or if im busy, i'll pass.
Lightning McQueens Racing Academy - Depends on the show times, if i have to wait too long for the next show, i'll pass. Usually it doesnt work out.
Frozen Sing a Long - Hell nah!
Star Tours - Triple hell nah! I get sick on this ride
Indiana Jones - Saw it way too many times. No thanks
Launch Bay (3 meet and greets and a video attraction) - Meh, probably not
Disney Jr. meet and greets - Lol! Hell no! Not a Disney Jr fan.
Disney Jr. Dance Party - LOL! Dance? Nope! Are you kidding?
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - Nope.
Meet Mike and Sully - If the line is too long, i'll pass. Normally I pass.
Slinky Dog Dash - Yes!
Alien Saucers - Nope! makes me nauseous
TSMM - YES!
Meet Toy Story characters - if the line is long, i'll pass. Actually i normally dont take character pics.
Incredibles Dance Party (and num num cookies) - No thanks!
Muppets - Yes, but not always. Depends on my mood
Fantsamic - NOPE! Not a fan

Now, how many definite "yes" are there on my list?? Lol. Really though, who actually does EVERY attraction at a park in one day? There are many reasons why people find this a half day park. These are mine. Keep in mind I dont travel with small children.

 

[Kestryl]

On our main HS day, we left for four hours to go to Epcot. It was much too hot to sit in the non-AC shows like Beauty and the Beast and Indiana Jones.

The only way it was a full day park for us was because we went back one night to do the SW fireworks, as we had missed it while watching Fantasmic instead.

 

[Dis Dragon]

I think it's a pretty easy answer on the doing dark rides over and over again and not stage shows, the rides are immersive sitting there and watching a show is not. (I'd put in the exception being Indiana Jones because it relies on audience participation).