All parks / Hollywood Studios / Strategy
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Everyone plans around Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and it deserves the attention: it holds in the 40s and 50s most of the afternoon, then eases toward the 20s and 30s in the last two hours, the biggest evening drop of the day. Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land is the other line that decides your day, and it's a real choice rather than a rope drop must do. The median wait is already 50 to 55 minutes in the first operating hour and climbs into the 60s within a couple hours, but it also comes back down some late, easing to the 30s and 40s in the evening. Ride it at rope drop or Early Entry to have it done and out of the way, or hold off and catch it cheaper if you can stay to close. Either way, work Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge while they're still calm, and let Rise of the Resistance come to you in the last two hours.
The one thing
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has the bigger evening swing: it holds in the 40s and 50s most of the afternoon, then eases toward the 20s and 30s in the last two hours. Slinky Dog Dash is the other story. The median wait is already 50 to 55 minutes at open and climbs into the 60s within a couple hours, holding there most of the day, then easing back into the 30s and 40s in the evening. That makes it a real choice, not just a rope drop must do: get it done at rope drop or Early Entry if you want it out of the way early, or wait it out and ride in the evening for less.
Be at the gate for Early Entry
Disney publishes the Early Entry lineup for Hollywood Studios, and it includes Slinky Dog Dash, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Rise of the Resistance and six more (the list can change, so check before you go). Disney Resort hotel guests and a few other eligible hotels get in 30 minutes before the official opening time every day, a perk that runs through 2027.
Walk straight to Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Land sits at the back of the park, so the walk is the whole game. The median wait is already 50 minutes during Early Entry, and it holds in the 60s most of the day after this if you don't ride now.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, next door
Galaxy's Edge sits right next to Toy Story Land. The median wait is around 25 to 30 minutes at this hour, well before the general crowd catches up.
Toy Story Mania, back in Toy Story Land
One more before working across the park. The median wait is around 40 minutes by this hour and keeps climbing into the afternoon.
The route
Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Land is the whole game this early. The median wait is already 50 minutes during Early Entry and climbs into the 60s within a couple hours, so this is the move if you want it done and out of the way early.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Galaxy's Edge is next door to Toy Story Land. Slinky's own queue runs about 50 minutes, so by the time you walk over the median wait here is around 25 minutes, still well before the general public catches up.
Toy Story Mania
One more in Toy Story Land before you leave the back of the park. The median wait is around 40 minutes by this hour and keeps climbing into the afternoon.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Sunset Boulevard is a walk across the park, so this is the tradeoff for banking the back first. The median wait is around 60 minutes by this hour and rarely drops much the rest of the day.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Right next door to Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, whose own queue runs about 60 minutes. By the time you get here the median wait is around 40 minutes, the calmer of the Sunset Boulevard pair.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Save it for here. The median wait holds in the 40s and 50s most of the afternoon, then eases toward the 30s by this hour and lower on quieter weekdays, the biggest discount of the day.
Slinky Dog Dash
Without Early Entry, this is the earliest you can get here, and the median wait is already 55 minutes at the gate. That makes rope drop the move if you want it done and out of the way early, since it only holds higher most of the day after this.
Toy Story Mania
Same land as Slinky Dog Dash, whose own queue runs about 55 minutes, so take this one before doubling back. The median wait is around 40 minutes by this hour.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Galaxy's Edge is next door to Toy Story Land. The median wait is around 40 minutes at this hour, before the early afternoon holds it there.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Sunset Boulevard is across the park, and the median wait is already around 60 minutes by midday. Waiting longer only holds it there.
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
Hollywood Boulevard sits between Sunset Boulevard and the entrance, an easy stop on the way back. The median wait is around 40 minutes at this hour and eases into the teens in the last two hours if you'd rather wait it out.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Same play as Early Entry: let the afternoon crowd fight over it, then ride when the median eases toward the 30s by this hour and lower on quieter weekdays.
This plan will break. That's the point. On 28 of the last 30 operated days between July 27 and August 25, 2026, at least one of Hollywood Studios' six tracked headliners was down or closed for 30 minutes or more in the middle of the day, which is nearly every visit. When it happens, check the My Disney Experience app for the current ride status and move to whichever headliner is still running instead of standing in a dead line. Get Skip free →
Built from 190,000+ measured waits.
Two starts, one job: get either Slinky Dog Dash or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance handled while its line is at its best for you, since those two decide the day. Disney publishes the Early Entry lineup for Hollywood Studios (it currently includes Slinky Dog Dash, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Rise of the Resistance and six more, and the list can change), so check before you go. Times assume a 9am official open; Early Entry starts 30 minutes before that for Disney Resort hotel guests and a few other eligible hotels, and each step's time accounts for the previous ride's own posted wait plus about 15 minutes to ride and walk to the next one. On an 8:30am open day, shift everything a half hour earlier.
The playbook
Typical standby and the windows the model trusts. Ride at the dip, not the peak.
| Ride | Typical wait | Best dip windows | Alert at |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Slinky Dog Dash Toy Story Land Headliner |
55–70 min | Rope drop or Early Entry for early · evening runs cheaper if you can stay | ≤ 44 min |
|
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Sunset Boulevard Headliner |
50–65 min | Rope drop · climbs all day after | ≤ 44 min |
|
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Headliner |
40–50 min | Midday peak · drops in the last two hours | ≤ 38 min |
|
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway Hollywood Boulevard |
35–45 min | Late morning peak · eases in the last two hours | ≤ 31 min |
|
Toy Story Mania Toy Story Land |
30–45 min | Rope drop · stays elevated into the evening | ≤ 29 min |
|
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Sunset Boulevard |
25–35 min | Rope drop · holds steady most of the day | ≤ 26 min |
The Alert at column is the wait worth walking across the park for. When Disney World lands in the app it becomes a one-tap alert; until then, check the posted wait in the My Disney Experience app before you move.
Built from 190,000+ measured waits.
The shape of the day
Slinky Dog Dash and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at the back of the park in Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge, then Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard. Those four climb fastest, so clear them before midday. Leave Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, it's already near its own peak by noon.
Star Tours barely moves off a 5 minute wait most of the day, an easy stop whenever you're near Echo Lake. Toy Story Mania and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway hold in the 35 to 45 minute range through the afternoon, steady enough to fit around a meal or a show. This is not the window for Slinky Dog Dash or Rise of the Resistance, both sit near their daily high.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance lets go the most, easing into the 20s in the final two hours and down to 15 on quieter weekdays. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway drops to about 15 minutes in that same window. Slinky Dog Dash eases some too, the last hour before close falls into the 30s or 40s, but it never fully lets go, so don't expect a walk-on.
Hidden secrets · easter eggs
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Keep planning
Day by day crowd levels for Hollywood Studios, so you can pick a lighter day before you book.
Open Every rideToday's crowd read plus typical waits for every ride we track at Hollywood Studios, not just the headliners here.
Open CompareSee how Hollywood Studios' crowd score stacks up against every other park we track right now.
OpenFAQ
Be at the gate for the official opening time posted for your date, most days 9am this fall. Walk straight to Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land first, since the median wait is already 50 to 55 minutes in the first operating hour and only climbs from there. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard are the next best rope drop targets: Tower of Terror starts at just 13 minutes at the gate, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is still well under its afternoon peak too.
Hollywood Studios uses all three Lightning Lane products through the My Disney Experience app. Multi Pass covers up to three experiences and arrival windows at a time, with another available after each one you redeem. Single Pass is for the most in-demand attractions not in Multi Pass, up to two a day, and that's the product Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance uses. Premier Pass is a one-time purchase that covers every Lightning Lane experience in the park for the day. Whether it pays off depends on your morning: rope drop Slinky Dog Dash and save Rise for the evening dip, and you're already avoiding the worst of the standby lines without paying extra.
The median posted wait for Rise of the Resistance climbs to 50 to 60 minutes by midday and holds in the 40s and 50s for most of the afternoon. It has the clearest evening discount in the park: the median drops to 15 minutes in the final hour on weekdays and about 20 on weekends. Rise runs on Lightning Lane Single Pass, and the standby line is real, so if you're not paying for it, plan to ride in the last two hours instead of at rope drop.
Slinky Dog Dash is one of the two lines that decide your day at Hollywood Studios. The median wait is already 50 to 55 minutes in the first operating hour, climbs past 60 within a couple hours, and holds in the 60s for most of the day. It does come back down some in the evening, easing into the 30s on weekdays and the 40s on weekends, so it's a real choice: ride it at rope drop or Early Entry to have it done early, or hold off and catch the cheaper evening line if you'd rather stay late.
Sunday. Across the 103 measured days from May 15 to September 11, 2026, Sundays averaged 2.7 on our 1 to 10 crowd score, the quietest day of the week. Fridays ran busiest at 4.7, with Tuesdays next at 4.4. If your dates are flexible, build your Hollywood Studios day around a Sunday and steer clear of Friday.
If you're staying at a Disney Resort hotel or another eligible hotel, use Early Theme Park Entry and get in 30 minutes before the official opening time, every day through 2027, with valid admission. Everyone else should be at the gate right at the posted opening time, most days 9am this fall. Either way, head straight for Slinky Dog Dash first, since it's the line that stays busiest the longest.
Yes. Disney Resort hotel guests, plus a few other eligible hotels, can enter Hollywood Studios 30 minutes before the official opening time every day, a perk Disney has extended through 2027. Valid theme park admission is required. Disney publishes the Early Entry lineup, and it currently covers Alien Swirling Saucers, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, though the list can change, so check the My Disney Experience app before you go. Slinky Dog Dash is the one worth using that head start on if you want it done early, since it holds a similar wait most of the day either way.
We'll send you the Hollywood Studios route, the FAQ, and a heads up for when Disney World lands in the Ride Ready app. No spam, just the plan.
When Disney World lands in the Ride Ready app, you'll know the moment Slinky Dog Dash finally lets go for the night or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance drops into its evening low, so you can pivot while everyone else is still stuck in line. And you won't just be riding the data, you'll be part of it: time your wait and the next rider gets a truer picture than the park's posted number. Think Waze, for theme park lines.
Free to download · 190,000+ measured waits · Updated Sep 12, 2026