What to Do With One Day in Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park used to be known as a half-day Park, but not anymore.  Nowadays, you’ll need much more than that to do the Park justice.  

But even if you only have one short day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll still be able to accomplish a lot, including visiting the two most recent lands added to the Park.  Here are a few things we wouldn’t miss if we had just one day in Hollywood Studios.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

If you do only one thing while in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it should be Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.  There’s no longer a virtual queue for this ride, and it’s not included in Disney Genie+, so if you want to avoid the lines, you’ll need to purchase Individual Lightning Lane access.

There’s never been a Walt Disney World ride like this before.  Rise of the Resistance uses multiple ride systems, and is totally immersive, dwarfing the scope and ambition of all WDW rides that came before it.  So what are you waiting for?  The Resistance needs you!

Millennium Falcon

It might garner less hype than Rise of the Resistance, but flying the Millennium Falcon is a dream come true for many Star Wars fans!  Each Guest plays the part of a pilot, engineer, or gunner, and unlike their counterparts in EPCOT’s Mission: Space, your ride experience will depend – to an extent – on how well your fellow riders play their part.

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo

With no table service restaurant in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, our top two picks for dining at Black Spire Outpost are Oga’s Cantina (which is more of a bar, and where you’ll be hard-pressed to find an actual seat) and Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, a delightful quick service option.

There are some creative dishes on the menu, appropriate for an intergalactic hangar bay, but the impeccable details in the décor (including seating made from barrels and cargo containers) are what really stand out here.  Choose a table outside for excellent views of Galaxy’s Edge that you won’t find elsewhere.

Woody’s Lunch Box

Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is well worth a leisurely stroll to appreciate the fabulous theming implemented by Disney Imagineers.  While you’re in Toy Story Land, you’re the size of a toy, so take advantage of the stellar photo opportunities with larger-than-life toys, from the massive popsicle stick wall to the giant Checkers set.

When you get hungry, stop at the most whimsical quick service location we know of, Woody’s Lunch Box.  The Totchos and Daily Lunch Box Tarts are the big hits here, and they’ll certainly make you feel like a kid again!

Slinky Dog Dash

The toy-sized fun continues with Slinky Dog Dash, a roller coaster ride led by Slinky Dog himself.  Don’t be fooled by its child-friendly appearance – Slinky Dog Dash is a ton of fun for all ages, and the one ride in Toy Story Land we’d recommend not skipping. 

The views from this coaster are brilliant, and if you can possibly swing it, ride twice – once during the day, and once at night to take in the magical, brightly-lit nighttime atmosphere.

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

Even if you’re not spending a lot of time outside of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during your day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you should do yourself a favor and eat at Mama Melrose’s.

This Italian table service restaurant boasts one of our favorite entrees in the Park: Charred Strip Steak, with Four-Cheese Macaroni.  Serious “yum” factor.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

The frozen-in-time, cobwebby queue for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of our favorite on property.  In fact, we’d advise even Guests who aren’t riding to wait in line with your party, just to experience the ride queue!

The pattern of the ride elevator itself is random, which means no matter how often you ride, you’ll never know how many drops and rises your elevator will encounter.  Tower of Terror is included in Disney Genie+, if you’re looking to avoid the lines you’ll often find at this attraction.

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

Stop to take in a live performance anywhere at Walt Disney World, and you’ll never look back.  Disney performances are exactly as high-quality as you’d expect, and thankfully, a lot of the entertainment we missed when it was unavailable during the pandemic has finally returned to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme parks.

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a half-hour show that retells the story of the 1991 classic Disney animated film, complete with singing, dance, and spectacular costumes and sets.  This is the perfect introduction to theatre for young Guests, or a treat for even the most avid Broadway fans!

Bottom Line

We haven’t touched on any of the unique shopping locations within Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, but you should have time to peruse some stores even with one short day in the Park (you can even build your own custom lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop).  

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has really come into its own with the addition of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land.  It deserves more than a full day if you can manage it – but if not, you’ll be able to enjoy a magical day by checking out these key experiences in the Park.