Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the movie- and Star Wars-themed quarter of Walt Disney World, built on 135 acres in Bay Lake, Florida, and split into seven distinct lands anchored by the roughly $1-billion Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It opened on May 1, 1989, as Disney-MGM Studios, a real working production lot, and has spent the decades since reinventing itself into one of the most visited theme parks on the planet.
2026 has been one of the busiest years in the park’s history: a rethemed Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, a brand-new Walt Disney Studios Lot courtyard, and an under-construction Monsters, Inc. land called Monstropolis are all reshaping the map. This guide covers what to ride, when to go, and how hours, tickets, and parking actually work — everything you need to plan a visit.
Quick Answer
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a Walt Disney World theme park in Bay Lake, Florida, built around Hollywood and movie-production theming and headlined by Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land. It’s open 365 days a year with hours that typically run from around 8 or 9 a.m. to between 9 and 10 p.m. depending on the season, tickets are sold on Disney’s date-based pricing system, and standard car parking is available for a daily fee (free overnight for resort-hotel guests). Its headline rides are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
Lands and Rides: What to Ride in Each Themed Land
Hollywood Boulevard is the park’s Art Deco entrance corridor, home to shops, character meet-and-greets, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway inside the Chinese Theatre — the park’s only true dark ride and a good first stop for families with small kids. Echo Lake carries Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, a motion-simulator Star Wars flight that changes its route on every ride, plus the stunt show Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and the air-conditioned Frozen Sing-Along.
Sunset Boulevard is the park’s thrill row: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror drops riders through a haunted-hotel elevator shaft, while the newly rethemed Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets launches riders backstage with Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Sunset Boulevard is also where the nighttime spectacular Fantasmic! plays in its own amphitheater. Toy Story Land shrinks guests to toy size for Slinky Dog Dash (a family launch coaster), Toy Story Mania! (a 4D shooting-gallery ride), and Alien Swirling Saucers, with Woody’s Lunch Box for quick-service food.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge recreates the frontier trading outpost of Black Spire Outpost, built around Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — widely considered one of the most technically ambitious rides ever built — and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, a cockpit-piloting simulator that now runs a Mandalorian-themed storyline. Oga’s Cantina and Savi’s Workshop round out the immersive detail. The former Animation Courtyard has been reborn as The Walt Disney Studios Lot, a new courtyard modeled on Disney’s real Burbank studio lot, home to Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! and a returning, reimagined version of The Magic of Disney Animation.
Hours, Tickets & Parking: Planning Your Visit
Disney’s Hollywood Studios operates 365 days a year, though exact opening and closing times shift by season and by day — the park generally opens between 8 and 9 a.m. and closes between 9 and 10 p.m., with occasional early entry for resort-hotel guests and separately ticketed Disney After Hours events running later into the night. Because hours change month to month and even week to week around holidays, always check the current schedule on the official Disney’s Hollywood Studios site before you go.
Tickets are sold on Disney’s date-based pricing model, meaning the same single-day ticket costs more on a busy summer Saturday than a quiet September Tuesday. Multi-day tickets lower the average cost per day, a Park Hopper add-on lets you visit more than one park in a day, and paid Lightning Lane options let you book shorter waits on top attractions. Florida resident and Annual Passholder discounts are also available. Because prices change frequently, buy directly through the official Walt Disney World site for accurate, current figures rather than relying on third-party estimates.
Standard parking is available in the main Hollywood Studios lot for a daily fee, with trams running from the farther rows; parking is free for guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel, and a preferred parking upcharge is available closer to the entrance. Ride-share and taxi drop-off is also available near the main entrance for those skipping the lot entirely.
Best Time to Visit & One-Day Touring Tips
Midweek days — Tuesday through Thursday — generally see the shortest lines, while weekends, holidays, and summer break bring the heaviest crowds. Arriving 30 to 45 minutes before official opening is the single biggest lever for a smooth day, since it lets you reach Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Slinky Dog Dash before wait times climb; resort-hotel guests get an extra 30-minute early entry window that’s worth using on rope-drop mornings.
A workable one-day plan is to head straight to Galaxy’s Edge at open, ride Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run first, then pivot to Toy Story Land for Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Mania! before the midday heat sets in. Use the afternoon for air-conditioned shows like the Frozen Sing-Along or Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, grab a Lightning Lane reservation for Tower of Terror or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and close the night with Fantasmic! on Sunset Boulevard.
From Working Studio to Story World
When the park opened in 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios, it operated as a genuine production facility with active soundstages, a backlot tour, and a working Walt Disney Animation Studios unit — guests could watch real films and TV shows being made on-site. Through the 2000s, production wound down and soundstages were gradually converted into guest attractions, and in 2008 the park was renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios once its MGM branding agreement expired.
The shift from working lot to fully immersive storytelling accelerated with Toy Story Land in 2018 and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019. That momentum continues into 2026, and the park keeps evolving nearly four decades after its Hollywood-inspired debut.
New for 2026 and What’s Coming Next
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opened May 26, 2026, replacing the Aerosmith-themed version of the ride, which closed that March; the storyline now follows Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem racing to their own concert. That same week, the reimagined Walt Disney Studios Lot courtyard opened in the space once known as Animation Courtyard, debuting Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!, with a new version of The Magic of Disney Animation set to follow on September 14, 2026.
Further out, Monstropolis — a Monsters, Inc.-themed land that will include Disney’s first suspended roller coaster — is under active construction on the site of the former Muppets Courtyard and its Muppet*Vision 3D theater. Disney has not announced an opening date as of mid-2026, so treat any specific year you see online as speculation until the company confirms it.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios FAQs
When did Disney’s Hollywood Studios open?
The park opened on May 1, 1989, originally named Disney-MGM Studios. It was renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008 after its MGM branding agreement expired.
How big is Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
The park covers approximately 135 acres (55 hectares) within the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando.
What are the must-ride attractions at Hollywood Studios?
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania!, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets are the park’s headline rides.
What are Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ hours?
The park is open 365 days a year, typically from around 8 or 9 a.m. to between 9 and 10 p.m., though exact times vary by season and event. Check the official Disney’s Hollywood Studios site for the current day’s hours before you visit.
How much do Hollywood Studios tickets cost?
Tickets use Disney’s date-based pricing, so cost depends on which day you visit, how many days your ticket covers, and whether you add Park Hopper or Lightning Lane access. Because prices change often, buy directly through Disney’s official site for accurate current pricing rather than a third-party estimate.
Is there parking at Hollywood Studios, and how much is it?
Yes — standard car parking is available in the main lot for a daily fee, with trams to the entrance. Parking is free for guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort hotel, and a preferred parking upcharge is available for a spot closer to the gate.
What’s the best day of the week to visit?
Tuesday through Thursday generally see the lowest crowds and shortest waits, while weekends, holidays, and summer are the busiest times to visit.
What’s new at Hollywood Studios in 2026?
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets opened May 26, 2026, replacing the Aerosmith version, and the new Walt Disney Studios Lot courtyard opened the same week in the former Animation Courtyard, with The Magic of Disney Animation following on September 14, 2026. A Monsters, Inc.-themed land, Monstropolis, is under construction in the former Muppets Courtyard with no confirmed opening date yet.
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