Hollywood Studios Day: Walt Disney World Vacation Planning 101

These Hollywood Studios day planning tips will help you have more fun and prepare for what’s in store so you can be more efficient and not miss a thing.

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Planning a Walt Disney World vacation is fun and easy to do. Disney makes information accessible to everyone and even has the indispensable My Disney Experience app to put more resources at your disposal and help you manage your itinerary. At D23 in August, the company announced yet another app called Disney Genie. The new app will become available at some point during 2020 and will be an even more effective planning tool. Until then, we still have to research and learn what parks like Disney’s Hollywood Studios have to offer. These Hollywood Studios day planning tips will help you have more fun and prepare for what’s in store.

Pick Your Shows

Most of the attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are shows. There are a handful of thrill rides, but the shows make up more of what there is to do in the park on your Hollywood Studios day, other than dining and retail. Some shows like Muppet Vision 3D run on a continuous loop, while others run near continuously, often within an hour of each other. A huge part of successfully planning your day is working around these show schedules and knowing where to be.

Download the Play Disney Parks App for Galaxy’s Edge

Another exciting Disney app is the Play Disney Parks app, which you can use in any of the theme parks at Walt Disney World. The app includes fun diversions while you wait in long lines for popular attractions, but the biggest element of the app is that it becomes a Star Wars Datapad for Galaxy’s Edge. Starting a profile for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge is essential to getting the most out of the immersive Star Wars experience. With the Datapad, you can take jobs, hack surveillance, translate languages, and spy on satellite frequencies. There is a whole story to Galaxy’s Edge that you can be a part of.

Make Dining Reservations

Another significant element of Hollywood Studios day planning is deciding which of the many restaurants to eat at. Hollywood Studios has some of the best themed restaurants in Disney World. They also have the Brown Derby, which is an excellent restaurant. It’s one of the best signature restaurants on Disney property. There are plenty of quick-service restaurants, but for Hollywood Studios, you should get reservations for the 50’s Prime Time Cafe or the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater. These restaurants enhance the theme park experience at Hollywood Studios.

Take the Skyliner

The Disney Skyliner is officially open and sending guests off in overhead gondolas from select resort hotels. If you plan to make Epcot or a Hollywood Studios day your focus, you could stay at the Deluxe resorts Boardwalk in or Yacht and Beach Club, or you can stay at value resorts like Pop Century and Art of Animation. The Skyliner even connects to Caribbean Beach, a moderate resort, and the Riviera, which is a Disney Vacation Club resort.

Early Morning Magic at Hollywood Studios

If you want to get the most fun out of your day, a proper Hollywood Studios planning tip is to buy Early Morning Magic tickets. This is different than Extra Magic Hours. Early Morning Magic is an exclusive paid event that lets you into the park before it opens to experience Toy Story Land. It’s a great way to knock one section of the park out early, and the land has access to Galaxy’s Edge, so you can have the advantage in getting into the Star Wars-themed land. Breakfast is also included in the purchase.