7 Best Sights in Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Orlando

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

Disney's Hollywood Studios Fodor's choice

Star Wars fans will love being able to actually pilot the Millennium Falcon on a supply run. Hondo Ohnaka, who fans will recognize from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has hired you to fetch "precious cargo" that will bring him big profits and help the Resistance by providing much-needed supplies. Chewie has offered use of the Millennium Falcon, but it will take a team of six to complete the mission. Groups are split into two pilots, who drive the Falcon; two gunners, who defend the Falcon; and two engineers, who rope in the cargo. The effects, first with the Audio-Animatronic Hondo Ohnaka and then with walking through the ship itself, are incredible. Be sure to take a picture at the legendary Dejarik (chess) table.

Once onboard, your crew must work together to retrieve the cargo and bring the Millennium Falcon back with minimal damage. At the end of your mission, Hondo tallies up how you did, minus repairs to the Falcon and his profit, of course. Most guests want to ride again to improve their score! For people with disabilities: Guests need to transfer to a standard wheelchair and then into the ride vehicle. Those wanting to be gunners or engineers can directly transfer; pilots will need to use a transfer wheelchair but will find the ride more secure once they are in place. Note that the many ramps throughout the line can be tough on standard-wheelchair users.  Visit this attraction first upon entering, and then plan to wait to ride again.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 4½ mins. Crowds: Heavy. Audience: All ages

Slinky Dog Dash

Disney's Hollywood Studios Fodor's choice

The centerpiece of Toy Story Land is meant to be a roller coaster built by Andy using his Mega Coaster Play Kit. The bright-red track surrounds a primary-color building-block city with towers featuring Toy Story icons such as Cowgirl Jessie and Rex the dinosaur. The coaster vehicles are Slinky Dogs, whose slinky springs surround the cars. Watch this ride a couple of times before boarding: it is faster than it looks! Kids who do well on Goofy's Barnstormer at the Magic Kingdom will love this longer coaster. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride.  The line for this attraction gets surprisingly long; if you aren't heading straight to Galaxy's Edge, come here first.

Toy Story Land, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 2 mins. Crowds: Heavy. Audience: All ages

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Disney's Hollywood Studios Fodor's choice

The crowning jewel of Galaxy's Edge is more of an experience than a ride. You, along with other residents of Batuu, are led to a briefing room to join Rey and the rest of the Resistance off-planet. A holographic transmission, just like in the movies, appears before your group to explain that you'll be led by Lieutenant Bek to a rendezvous point with General Leia Organa. You'll then board a transport, walking outside past Poe Dameron's X-wing, all the while being rushed along by Resistance fighters. Aboard the transport, similar to a subway car, Lieutenant Bek flies you to outer space while Poe provides cover. But—surprise—the First Order is waiting for you! General Hux catches you in the tractor beam and pulls you into the hanger bay of his Star Destroyer.

Upon exiting, you'll be inside the hangar bay, with First Order officers barking commands while you file past impressive rows of stormtroopers. You're broken into groups and placed in containment cells, where first General Hux and then Kylo Ren show up to convince you to turn over the location of the rebel base you were heading to. When he's called away, you're rescued by the Resistance, led by Finn, and placed onto First Order Fleet Transports, each piloted by a reprogrammed droid. Kylo Ren isn't going to give up easily, though, and you're chased throughout the Star Destroyer, passing under AT-AT walkers, past turbo-laser cannons, and coming face to face with Kylo. Don't worry, you'll end up safely back on Batuu, but be prepared for a truly thrilling adventure.

This multipart experience is so popular that, within 30 minutes of the park opening, the lines swell enough so that there's a two-hour wait. If you are going to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane Pass for only one attraction, make it this one; to do so, be on the My Disney Experience app at exactly 7 am. Also note that though the ride itself is 18 minutes, the entire experience can be longer. In addition, many of the effects can be jarring, and cast members acting as the First Order can be intense, so reassure younger riders that you're on a make-believe mission. For people with disabilities: Guests in an ECV or wheelchair must be able to transfer.  Purchase the individual Lightning Lane Pass, or be prepared to wait in galactically long lines.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 18 mins. Crowds: Heavy. Audience: All ages. Height requirement: 40 inches

Recommended Fodor's Video

Toy Story Mania!

Disney's Hollywood Studios Fodor's choice
Toy Story Mania!
By McDoobAU93 [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Great toys like Mr. Potato Head, Woody, and Buzz Lightyear from Disney's hit film franchise Toy Story never lose their relevance. The action here involves these beloved characters and takes place inside the toy box of Andy, the boy whose toys come to life when he's not around. Step right up and grab a pair of 3-D glasses before boarding your jazzed-up carnival tram. Soon you're whirling onto the midway where you can use your spring-action shooter to launch darts at balloons, toss rings at aliens, and splatter eggs at barnyard targets.

You'll rack up points for targets hit and see your tally at ride's end. Try using a rat-a-tat shooting approach to increase your score. Don't let Rex's fear of failure slow you down—shoot for the stars, and earn a salute from the Green Army Men. For people with disabilities: Guests using ECVs must transfer to a standard wheelchair. Equipped for video-captioning and audio-description devices. Check with a host about boarding with a service animal.  It's so addictive that you might want to ride first thing and then return later in the day.

Toy Story Land, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 7 mins. Crowds: Heavy. Audience: All ages

Alien Swirling Saucers

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Based on the toys Andy got from the Pizza Planet claw machine in the first Toy Story movie, this ride puts you on a rocket being driven by aliens in flying saucers, who are trying to have their rocket chosen by The Claw. Rather than just spinning, the cars swirl about in figure-eight formations, sending passengers back and forth within the car. Kids love the unexpected twist, making this a must-do for kids as young as 4. For people with disabilities: You must transfer from a wheelchair to ride.

Toy Story Land, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 2 mins. Crowds: Moderate. Audience: All ages

Muppet*Vision 3D

Disney's Hollywood Studios

This combination 3-D movie and musical revue features appearances by all the Muppet characters, including Miss Piggy, in roles that include the Statue of Liberty. In the waiting area, movie posters advertise the world's most glamorous porker in Star Chores and To Have and Have More, as well as Kermit the Frog, who's "so mean, he's green" in an Arnold Schwarzenegger parody, Kürmit the Amphibian. Special effects are built into the theater's walls and ceilings, and the 3-D effects are coordinated with other sensory stimulation. Arrive early: the pre-show is as funny as the actual movie. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible; has reflective captioning and preshow-area TVs with closed captioning; equipped for assisted-listening, video-captioning, and audio-description devices.  Continuous shows means a short wait here, so come in the afternoon. And don't worry—there are no bad seats.

Grand Avenue, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Duration: 25 mins. Crowds: Moderate to heavy. Audience: All ages

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

Disney's Hollywood Studios

If visiting a Star Wars thrill ride isn't enough, why not an overnight stay? The extremely expensive (up to $6,000 for a family of four), immersive, three-day, two-night ride, experience, and "resort" offers accommodations on a fictitious,100-cabin cruise ship, where guests join the battle between the Resistance and the First Order, enjoying a journey to Batuu, themed meals, and interactive experiences with costumed cast members. The details, portrayals and overall atmosphere are incredibly true to the galaxy far, far away and start the moment you are "launched" into space, continuing through meals and cocktails at the famed Cantina, lightsaber training, and roleplaying missions to the Rise of the Resistance attraction.  Kids will probably want to order their Star Wars costumes in advance to arrive "in character"