Hollywood Studios is a different kind of Disney experience. It’s less about the rides and more about the shows and experiences. If you’ve got a baby or toddler in tow, and only a limited amount of days to visit the parks, I might suggest giving it a miss, or combining a day with Epcot as it’s nearby and also more of an experiential park. Obviously a visit to Magic Kingdom is a must, and Animal Kingdom is too big and too far out to really do a combo day with another park.
However, this is Disney we’re talking about, so of course Hollywood Studios has plenty to delight your little mouse, and you too. And as with all the Disney Parks , Hollywood Studios is very intuitive when it comes to parents’ needs, so you can cross things like stroller accessibility, high chairs in restaurants, and change tables in restrooms off the worry list.
Hollywood Studios with Babies & Toddlers Basics:
Disney’s third park at Walt Disney World , Hollywood Studios celebrates showbiz on its approximately 135 acres. There are seven themed areas, but those areas are not as clearly defined as the other parks, and I will admit to having been lost in Hollywood Studios more than once. Hollywood Boulevard is the Hollywood Studios equivalent of Magic Kingdom’s Main Street U.S.A . Echo Lake is the small, central lagoon that the rest of the park kind of circles around. The Streets of America used to be the backlot tour… They used to actually film here when the park first opened. Animation Courtyard , Pixar Place , and Sunset Boulevard round out the different areas at Hollywood Studios . Now there’s the Toy Story Land , and the amazing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge .
Stroller and wheelchair rentals, to the right after the entrance…
Stroller Rentals at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
When you first pass through the gates, first aid, information, and the baby care centre are on the left. Stroller and wheelchair rentals, as well as restrooms, are a little further ahead on the right . Daily rentals for strollers (the molded plastic kind like at the other parks – good for toddlers and preschoolers but not suitable for infants or even older babies) are $15.00 USD per day for a single stroller and $31.00 USD per day for a double stroller.
If you want to rent a stroller for multiple days, for a reduced rate Disney World offers a length of stay rental ticket for a one-time payment of as many days of rental you will need. When you enter a Disney park, show your receipt at the stroller rental location. You will be zipped to the front of the line. The multiple-day stroller rental fee is $13.00 USD per day for a single, and $27.00 USD daily for a double stroller.
Planning Your Day at Hollywood Studios with a Baby or Toddler:
Opening hours for Hollywood Studios can vary, but usually it’s 9am until 10pm. If you stay at a Disney Resort you are entitled to “Extra Magic Hours.” The parks open early or stay open late only for resort guests. Extra Magic Hours are great for families with little ones who are early risers or night owls. Pick up the pamphlet with all the week’s hours, as well as showtimes and character greeting times, at kiosks throughout the park, or download the “ My Disney Experience ” app. And if you’re not from the US, don’t worry about data roaming. The smart folks at Walt Disney World have free WiFi at all their resorts and parks.
Getting Around Hollywood Studios with Babies & Toddlers:
Disney Parks are incredibly accessible, so they are a breeze to navigate with strollers. For Hollywood Studios ‘ attractions and shows, there are stroller parking lots where you’ll need to leave your ride. Disney Cast Members frequently move the strollers around to keep the areas neat and tidy. Don’t panic if your stroller is not where you left it. Some families attach a balloon so they can see their stroller from a distance.
Nobody seems terribly concerned about theft… you will see everything from Bugaboos to cheapie umbrella strollers (and you can actually buy a Kolkraft umbrella stroller at most Disney gift shops in the resorts and parks for less than $60). We don’t leave our camera or my wallet in the stroller when we park it, but nothing has ever gone missing. If you’re concerned, a good idea might be to invest in one of those cute locks that you can put through the wheel, but don’t actually lock it to Disney property in case a cast member needs to move it.
More about the shows, less about rides…
The crowd configuration at Hollywood Studios is considerably different from the other parks. We found it to be the most crowded-feeling park when we were there just after Christmas, which is one of the busiest times to visit Disney . I think it’s because, at the other parks, the most are contained in the ride line-ups. Here, most are milling about. And watch out when a show lets out!
Rides at Hollywood Studios for Babies & Toddlers:
You will definitely need to FastPass+ the most popular rides at Hollywood Studios for a hope of getting on. There are not a lot of rides, so the ones that are here are quite busy.
There also isn’t a lot of rides for babies and toddlers at Hollywood Studios . However, with the addition of Toy Story Land , there are a couple of new ride options for little ones. Toy Story Mania is a classic, but a baby or toddler may not fully grasp the 3D aspect. They may also find the speed and noise a bit jarring. Slinky Dog Dash is a really fun roller coaster, but has a height limit of 38″. It’s not intense, but it is fast. Even if your toddler is big enough they might find it a little overwhelming. The new Alien Swirling Saucers is perfect for toddlers. It’s not overly spinny so you won’t get dizzy, and it’s fast enough for grown ups to find fun. A minimum height of 32″ is required, so this is not a ride for lap infants.
If your kiddos are a bit older (at least four) and want to do the Jedi Training , get there (with your kids in tow) right when the park opens to secure your spot.
The Star Wars’ Star Tours line (minimum height requirement – 40″) really seemed to vary in length. We got pretty good at coordinating our FastPass+ times with the various show times of the ones we really wanted to see. Aerosmith’s Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is obviously a (great) ride for older kids over 4ft. tall. The Tower of Terror is actually quite terrifying. Even if your child meets the 40″ height requirement, I’d think twice. I was delighted to see a Disney Cast Member insist parents remove a number of visibly scared children from the attraction before the ride even started.
Since most of the rides at Hollywood Studios are not toddler-appropriate, as with the other Disney Parks , you can do a rider switch/child swap when you get to the front of the line. Ask the cast member at the start of the queue (or FastPass entrance) for a Child Swap pass. This will allow one of you to ride while the other stays back with your child. Then you can switch off so the other can ride. Combine this with FastPass+ and you should be sailing through your grown-up rides.
Alien Swirling Saucers is fun for toddlers AND grown-ups
