As a lot of you know, all 4 Disney World parks are officially open again! EPCOT and Hollywood Studios opened their gates to guests starting July 15th. While I was not there opening day, I did actually have the opportunity to attend another cast preview event the day prior; this time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Since I already wrote about all the new Covid-19 safety procedures in my last post, this post is going to focus more on Hollywood Studios itself and what to expect on a visit there. It will cover wait times, restaurant and store closures, character opportunities and more. Keep in mind that this post is also going to focus on my day at the preview. As Disney phases into reopening, things could look very different by the time you visit!
First, let’s talk about the attractions. To keep up with social distancing and also keep lines flowing, some of the attraction’s preshow activities have been affected. For example, in Smuggler’s Run, you only get to walk through the room and listen to a bit of Hondo’s talk instead of being closed in for the whole thing. I liked this as you still got a feel for the whole ride experience. However, on Rise of the Resistance, both preshow activities have been cut for the time being.
At Magic, I mentioned being able to walk right onto most attractions. Since Hollywood has a lot of “bigger” attractions, that wasn’t always the case here. I do have to note though that the biggest line we waited in was for Rise of the Resistance. However, now that the park is officially open, they are going to be using virtual queues for that particular attraction.
Other attraction waits were definitely down from what they are normally. For example, Slinky Dog Dash was only about 30 minutes throughout the day instead of its normal 60-90 minute wait. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster always had a short wait and Smuggler’s Run seemed to be about 30-40. The attraction with the highest wait time listed was Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, usually clocking around 45 minutes to an hour. This attraction is a bit more popular at the moment because it was newly opened right before the parks closed down.
Note: I have been checking the app for wait times each day for the past week since my visit and they have stayed pretty consistent to what I experienced and listed above.
Another reason for longer wait times could be that a lot of Hollywood’s attractions are currently closed. Shows such as Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Indiana Jones, Beauty and the Beast, and For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration remain closed.
There are even more closures besides just some of the attractions. Many of those shows have little cart stores nearby. With the shows currently closed, so are the carts. Other full- sized indoor shops did not make it in the initial opening either, such as Keystone right on Hollywood Boulevard. Even the First Order shop back in Galaxy’s Edge had their doors shut.
There are still entire sections of the park that remain closed. Animation Courtyard, which holds Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Disney Junior and Star Wars Launch Bay, was closed. With no shows or character meet and greets, this was an easier area to close off. Similarly, the Municiberg gate was shut. With the character meet and greets being the main attraction here, there really wouldn’t be anything to do even if the gates were opened.
Even though there aren’t any meet and greets, the characters still do appear and make their magic! I honestly think Disney is doing a great job with their character appearances in all the parks. If you have never experienced the meet and greet option, then you won’t even know what you are missing! The way they appear now seems like a normal way for you to see your favorite characters. Over in Galaxy’s Edge, characters interact with guests from a distance. Many of the other characters in the park greet guests in different small parades. The parade starts over at the front of the park and heads up Hollywood Boulevard through the park center.
We were able to see 3 different groups of characters: Disney Junior, Mickey and friends, and Pixar friends! Some characters walk while others like Buzz Lightyear ride in adorable cars decorated with their character colors. Each character waves and engages with guests from afar. I particularly enjoyed the Pixar one with the green army men drumming down the street.
Most table service restaurants are open with the exception of Hollywood and Vine since buffets and character dining is difficult to do at the moment. For quick service, many restaurants were closed. While there were still plenty of places to choose from, places like Woody’s Lunchbox, ABC Commissary, and a few of the options on Sunset Boulevard were not yet open. Mobile ordering here was similar to that in Magic Kingdom, so go check out my last post if you are interested.
Although it does sound like a lot of closures, there really is still a lot to do over at Hollywood Studios. Some of the bigger rides may be easier to get on now than before! For those of you that like to wander and explore, now is a perfect time to get your park photos, especially in a near empty Galaxy’s Edge!
