Best Hollywood Studios Rides 

Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 as Walt Disney World’s third theme park. It was originally called the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park and was first developed as both a working production studio and a show-business-inspired theme park. But once the park was renamed Hollywood Studios in 2008, the park focused its attractions and theme around the imagined worlds of theater, music, television, and film.  And with its wide array of entertaining and exciting attractions, we are happy to report that these efforts have been wildly successful! So, with that said, here’s our list of the seven best Hollywood Studios rides and top attractions. We hope that these choices will help you prioritize your Genie+ selections so you’ll get the most out of your Disney trip!

Do you need some help planning and booking your next Disney vacation fun? See our list of the best Disney Travel Agents article for some free assistance!

Top 7 Best Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions

What are the 7 best Hollywood Studios rides? Here’s our list:

1. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

With the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening, Hollywood Studios is now bigger and better than ever before. It has become the hotspot for Star Wars fans and people who just want to experience one of Disney’s newest and most exciting rides.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a trackless dark ride with multiple ride systems.  It’s a thrilling adventure through the Star Wars Universe, unlike any ride you’ve ever experienced before!

The Resistance is recruiting for a secret mission and needs your help.

But when your transport is taken captive by a First Order Star Destroyer filled with stormtroopers, you’ll need all the help you can get.

Luckily, a secret team of Resistance fighters (including BB-8 and Rey) is there to help you escape. Will the Resistance be able to rise up?

Category: Thrill Ride, Small  Drops, Dark, Loud

Height Requirement: 40″ or taller

Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Individual Lightning Lane Pass attraction

2. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction is located inside the massive (and foreboding) Hollywood Tower Hotel structure.

You’ll find a dusty old lobby that seems eerily stuck in time as you enter.

Rod Serling, the host of the classic television series The Twilight Zone, welcomes you into this “other dimension” and informs you that some hotel patrons mysteriously vanished in the elevator during a violent storm in 1939. They were never seen again, and the hotel has been vacant ever since. Now it’s your turn on the elevator. Yikes!

Guests enter the elevator-style lift and buckle up for a journey into the darkest corners of their imagination.

Will you make it out alive or vanish into the twilight zone like the elevator’s past guests?

This Hollywood Studios attraction hurtles you up and down the rickety old elevator shaft as you hear ominous sounds like banging metal and snapping cables.

The attraction has dark and scary elements, eerie special effects, an interesting storyline, and plenty of exciting and thrilling sequences to get your heart racing.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of Disney World’s best (and scariest) attractions and is certainly on the must-do list for your visit to Hollywood Studios.

Category: Thrill Ride, Big Drops, Scary, Dark

Height Requirement: 40″ or taller

Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

3. Midway Mania

Toy Story Midway Mania! is an exhilarating interactive 4-D shootin’ game starring your favorite characters from Toy Story

Enter Andy’s room and rummage through a toy chest full of games until you find a pair of 3D glasses. Then, climb aboard a tram and use a spring-action shooter to hit a wide array of moving targets. You’ll compete against other players and try to get the highest score.

These are the five fast-paced games you will play:

  • Hamm & Eggs (use hardboiled eggs to hit targets in a barnyard)
  • Rex & Trixie’s Dino Darts (throw darts and pop balloons near a prehistoric volcano)
  • Green Army Men Shoot Camp (hurl baseballs at dinner plates)
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers (toss rings and try to catch the aliens)
  • Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery (throw suction-cupped darts at the “Woody’s Roundup” targets)

Remember: You get points when you hit your target. Hard-to-hit targets – and secret targets – are worth more points. But its easy enough to score that even toddlers enjoy this ride. Have fun!

Category: Spinning

Height Requirement: Any

Good for: All

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

4. Slinky Dog Dash

Toy Story Land opened in 2018 to much fanfare. But now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has opened, some of that excitement has shifted away from Toy Story Land. As such, lines at Toy Story Land’s attractions are starting to taper back to manageable levels.

That’s great news for anyone who has yet to experience Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania, or Alien Swirling Saucers!

While all of the Toy Story Land attractions are great, we would opt for Slinky Dog Dash over Toy Story Mania as the one ride to prioritize in this new area of the Disney park.  This is because Slinky Dog Dash is our absolute favorite family-friendly coaster in all of Disney World.

Andy has assembled the “Mega Coaster Play Kit at this attraction,” and you join Slinky Dog for a wild ride through Andy’s backyard. You will travel past giant toys as you gently coast up and down hills and curve around hairpin turns.

Yes, this isn’t the scariest coaster at Disney World by any stretch of the imagination, but that’s perfectly ok. If you want a wild roaster coaster ride, then check out our #2 pick.

As for Slinky Dog Dash, this attraction is simply pure joy and fun for anyone of any age.

Category: Thrill Ride, Small Drops

Height Requirement: 38″ or taller

Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

5. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

If Slinky Dog Dash is too tame for your liking, then head over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith.  This fast-paced roller coaster is sure to kick your adrenaline into high gear!

The attraction begins with a glimpse of the legendary rock band Aerosmith as they complete a recording session. But when the band realizes they’re late for a concert on the other side of town, they must leave in a hurry.

You are in luck because they invite you along for the ride in their limo!

Riders climb aboard the limousine (roller coaster) and buckle up before racing off into the night.  Aerosmith’s signature songs blast from a 32,000-watt audio system as you zoom through the city on this wild roller-coaster-style attraction.

Guests will speed through the darkness, past legendary Hollywood landmarks, skidding through traffic jams, and loop into three inversions (2 rollovers and one corkscrew loop). It’s the only Disney World roller coaster that turns Guests upside down during their ride.

Rock ‘n’ Roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 57 mph, making it one of the fastest rides in Disney World.

This ride is short and sweet and should be a top priority on every adrenaline junkie’s list!

Category: Thrill Ride, Big Drops, Loud

Height Requirement: 48″ or taller

Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

6. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a wild adventure through a colorful cartoon universe.

The attraction is based on the award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts (2013) and is the first Mickey Mouse-themed ride at any Disney theme park.  It replaces The Great Movie Ride and opened in March 2020 (right before the coronavirus pandemic forced Disney to shut its doors).

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway begins as Mickey and Minnie are out for a leisurely drive in their sportscar. Engineer Goofy’s train is following closely behind, and YOU get to join in, too!

Guests climb aboard the runaway railway and prepare to embark on a wild, zany, and fun ride. There are surprising and hilarious twists at every turn, and the technology and animation are truly magical. A must for any Disney fanatic!

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is appropriate for fans of all ages.

Category: Trackless Dark Ride

Height Requirement: Any

Good for: Preschoolers, Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+

7. Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run

Take control of the Millennium Falcon on an exhilarating interactive smuggling mission. Whether your role is as a pilot, gunner, or engineer, you are crucial to its success.

The engine rumbles as you and your crew are pushed back in your seats as the ship blasts off into hyperspace. Get ready for excitement – and danger!

Will your mission be a success? Find out as you attempt to maneuver your way to victory aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Category: Thrill Ride, Small Drops, Dark, Loud

Height Requirement: 38” (97cm) or taller

Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

BONUS: Muppet*Vision 3D

Muppet*Vision 3D has been a Hollywood Studios fan favorite ever since the attraction opened in 1991.

This 3D film/live theater experience takes place in Muppet Theater, a near-perfect replica of The Muppet Show’s theater. And, as you may have guessed, this attraction is based on the classic TV show and features all of your favorite Muppets, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang.  Jim Henson Productions and Walt Disney Imagineering collaborated on this attraction to add to the authenticity.

Henson both directed the attraction’s film and lent his voice to Kermit the Frog.

The film combines 3D with in-theater 4D effects.  Imagineers used a variety of lighting effects, projections, soap bubbles, smoke, live performers, and Audio-Animatronics to complete the experience. With the dazzling special effects, the fun on-screen musical numbers, and a queue that winds through Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s “Muppet Labs,” Muppet*Vision 3D is a lighthearted and enjoyable experience for kids of all ages.

Our only complaint is that the attraction could use an update since it’s basically the same show since its initial launch.

Muppet*Vision 3D is one of those unique and classic Disney attractions that everyone should experience at least once.

The show is only 15 minutes long, air-conditioned, and family-friendly, and you probably won’t need to use a Genie+ selection. There’s really no reason to skip this one!

Category: 3D Movie and Stage Show

Height Requirement: Any

Good for: All

Times: 10 AM – 6 PM; shows on the hour

Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction

Guide: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions

The 6 Lands of Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is divided into 6 distinct lands. Each of these themed areas takes its inspiration from real-life areas within Los Angeles and Hollywood California.

The themed areas of Hollywood Studios are Disney Animation Courtyard, Echo Lake, Grand Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and Toy Story Land. Now that Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land is open. it has recently become the 7th themed area.

Below is a map of Hollywood Studios and its rides and attractions:

Animal Kingdom Map

Hollywood Studios Rides and Attractions

There are currently 17 rides and attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

Please keep in mind that certain Hollywood Studios rides have a minimum height requirement, but most of the park’s attractions are suitable for any age.

Here’s a breakdown of Disney’s Hollywood Studios rides by themed area (or land):

Current Hollywood Studio Attractions and Rides

Animation Courtyard

  • Disney’s “Dumbo” Sneak Peek
  • Animation Courtyard Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Star Wars Launch Bay Theater
  • Star Wars: Path of the Jedi
  • Walt Disney Presents
  • Wonderful World of Animation
  • Disney Junior Play and Dance
  • Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Echo Lake

  • Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
  • Star Wars: Path of the Jedi
  • Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

Grand Avenue

  • Muppet*Vision 3D

Hollywood Boulevard

  • (no current attractions)

Sunset Boulevard

  • Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Toy Story Land

  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Toy Story Mania

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge 

  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
  • Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Play Disney Parks Mobile App

Other

  • Star Wars photo Opportunities (multiple locations)

What are the Best Hollywood Studios Rides for Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Passes?

Best Hollywood Studios attractions

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has fewer attractions than the other Disney theme parks, but there’s certainly plenty to see and do here. And like Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Epcot, you probably won’t have time to experience everything here in a single day.

Our Disney Crowd Calendar and Strategies to Avoid Lines pages will help you come up with a strategy to avoid crowds.

We also recommend adding Disney Genie+ to your tickets so you’ll be able to take advantage of shorter wait times (via the Lightning Lane entrance). Here are some suggestions.

Best Hollywood Studios Rides for Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Passes

There is currently one pay-per-ride Lightning Lane Pass attraction:

  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

We think paying a little extra to skip the normal standby lines is worth it.

If you opt for the paid Disney Genie+ add-on, we recommend concentrating on the following high-demand attractions:

  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Toy Story Mania!
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t get a second opinion on the best rides at Hollywood Studios.  Here’s the viewpoint of our favorite Disney YouTube Channel, The Vacationeer.

Enjoy your trip to Hollywood Studios!

We hope that our Best Hollywood Studios Rides article helps you prioritize your Hollywood Studios itinerary.

Are you searching for more useful Disney World information? If so, then please review some of our other pages. Our Hollywood Studios RestaurantsBest Magic Kingdom RidesBest Epcot AttractionsBest Animal Kingdom RidesDisney Dining Plan Calculator, and Disney World Weather may be helpful.

If you need help planning and booking your magical Walt Disney World Resort vacation, then please contact our friends at The Vacationeer. Their services are always helpful and totally free of charge! We’re confident that you’ll love what they can do for you.

Thanks for reading and we hope you have a magical Walt Disney World vacation!