Hollywood Studios Planning

[krose4]

So we're going for a 5 night/6 day vacation in less than a month (!!!) and have only one full day for Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom

I'm tripped up a bit on Hollywood Studios because so much of it is closed. Our itinerary so far is:

Kona Cafe Breakfast @ 7:30 (we're at the Poly)
RnR @ 10:05-11:05
Star Tours @ 11:25-12:25
Frontera Cucina in DS @ 5:30
SDD @ 7:10-8:10
Star Wars Dessert Party @ 8:30 (show starts at 10)

The other rides we want to do are: Alien Swirling Saucers (although not dead set on it), TSMM, ToT, Beauty and the Beast Show, Indiana Jones, maybe Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

On check out day we were planning on getting up and handing off our luggage to the front desk, keeping a day pack with us and then going to breakfast at GF Cafe, followed by an 11am 50 min couples massage at senses. After that we have a SW flight at 6:05, so I'd imagine earliest that ME would pickup is around 3pm, considering we can checkin at the hotel, giving us about 3 free hours.

The problem is, we -also- want to do the Void in DS (DH is a HUGE Star Wars fan).

Would it be better to
a. try and get in as much as we can up until about 1:30pm at HS, relocate to DS by 2pm, do the void then and then go to dinner, and head back to HS after dinner and get what we can done before close
or
b. go after our massage on checkout day just to go to the void, then grab some quick service lunch situation and head back to the poly

either way we'd probably be ubering, which is not a concern for us, we don't mind paying uber to cart us around a bit to save time.

 

[photo_chick]

Do not miss The Void if your a gamer or Star Wars fan. We're both in my family. While it was a walk up when we were there with zero wait to get in, I've read that's not always the case so make sure if you're set on a specific time you plan for that.

Consider the Minnie Vans instead of Uber. It uses they Lyft app. I think it's a flat $25 per trip.

 

[krose4]

I think I figured the least stressful way to do it. Time slot for 4pm at the void, so we can stay in the parks until 3pm if we are still trying to get that (oddly short) attraction list covered. If we're done earlier, cool more time in DS, if not, also cool we have a slot we can make work.

I guess I have trouble determining if HS is a 1/2 day park with such a short list of attractions currently, or if they are so backed up because there is such a limited list of attractions/entertainment that it'll take an oddly long time to get basically 6 attractions, half of which we already have FP for, and a couple short shows done because of there being so few places to put crowds.

 

[VTNuke]

If you have a 5:30 dinner at DS, it may sound strange, but getting back to HS by 8:10 may actually be hard. I don't think you can take a bus from DS to HS directly, but you can use the Boardwalk, Beach/Yacht Club, or Swan and Dolphin bus and get back. Expect at least 45 minutes to do all of that. If you have a 5:30 reservation, you may not get seated until close 5:45, an hour for dinner and it's 6:45. Add up to 45 minutes for travel and you won't get back until 7:30. A 40 minute window doesn't sound bad, but it isn't great when you're talking about Disney transportation times. It all should work out, but it could get stressful.

Of course, if you are staying off property and are driving, it could all be a different conversation. I'd still say it would take at least 30 minutes to get from the restaurant at DS to HS.

 

[Delirium]

Even after Toy Story Land has opened, the great myth about everything being closed at Hollywood Studios lives.

If we can all agree that Toy Story Land more than makes up for the loss of the Backlot Tour and Jack Sparrow (worst Disney attraction ever), the Studios is down exactly 2 attractions/shows. The Great Movie Ride and Lights Motor Action. The Streets of America had a large footprint, but was hardly something that occupied a significant amount of people's time.

Hollywood Studios may not have a lot of attractions now, but it really never did. The challenge with the park has always been working out a schedule that includes fitting in all the shows.

There is a lot more closed at Epcot than at Hollywood Studios.

 

[Serenebean]

You are going to lose so much time going to DS and back in the middle of the day. I would just stay in DHS if you have to come back for your SDD fast pass and dessert party. I also agree with the previous comment that with travel and all, you might be cutting it close with that FP time.

 

[krose4]

The reservation in DS is not super negotiable for us, we weren't particularly interested in the food available at HS and we because we enjoy Mexican food we are excited for Frontera Cucina. So we're going to be in DS either way, at the very least for a little bit of shopping and dinner. I'm not overly concerned about transportation time, it's just my husband and I who walk relatively fast and were planning on ubering/lyfting back and forth for this leg anyways, because park-park bus transport is difficult from what we remember, and we aren't renting a car, it should help prevent the unexpected wait times with Disney Transportation.

 

[VTNuke]

Even with Uber, it will only shave 15 to 30 minutes.

If you have park hopper, the mexican choices at Epcot could be a better option than DS. We've done dinner at the Epcot resorts a bunch of times instead of the HS options. That worked, but far less travel time.

It sounds like you are determined to do DS. If that's the case, you can try what you have listed, but maybe try to switch your SDD FP to before you leave. That would buy you enough time. Your plan is doable, but way more stressful with that travel schedule to and from DS from HS than I would want to do.