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Two rides set your day here. Slinky Dog Dash is the park's longest line most of the day and a little shorter at the open, so take it at Early Entry or rope drop. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance holds in the 40s and 50s from mid-morning into the evening and is no worse late than at midday, so it can be your last ride of the night. It breaks down often, so keep a backup for your last hour.
The one thing
Slinky Dog Dash is the park's longest line most of the day and a little shorter at the open. Toy Story Land sits at the back of the park, so take Slinky at Early Entry or rope drop and get it out of the way. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance holds in the 40s and 50s from mid-morning into the evening. It's no worse late than at midday, so it can be your last ride of the night, and it drops to about 25 in the final hour. It breaks down often, so keep a backup for your last hour.
Walk straight to Slinky Dog Dash
Disney Resort hotel guests, and a few other eligible hotels, get in 30 minutes before the official opening time, a perk that runs through 2027. Slinky Dog Dash is on Disney's Early Entry list, along with Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Rise of the Resistance and six more, and Toy Story Land sits at the back of the park, so the walk is the whole game.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, next door
Galaxy's Edge sits right next to Toy Story Land. It's still short this early, well before its midday peak.
Toy Story Mania, back in Toy Story Land
One more before working across the park. It climbs all morning and stays in the 40s into the evening.
The route
Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Land is the whole game this early. Slinky is the park's longest line most of the day and a little shorter at the open, so the Early Entry walk is how you get it done.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Galaxy's Edge is next door to Toy Story Land. By the time you walk over it's still short, well before its midday peak.
Toy Story Mania
One more in Toy Story Land before you leave the back of the park. It climbs all morning and stays in the 40s into the evening.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
Sunset Boulevard is a walk across the park, so this is the tradeoff for banking the back first. It stays long from late morning through the evening.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Right next door to the Muppets coaster, and the calmer of the Sunset Boulevard pair. It holds in the 30s and 40s from late morning into the evening.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Save it for here. It holds in the 40s and 50s from mid-morning into the evening, so late is no worse than midday. Wait for the final hour, when the line drops to about 25, and have a backup ready in case it's down.
Slinky Dog Dash
Without Early Entry this is the earliest you can get here. Slinky is the park's longest line most of the day and a little shorter at the open, so rope drop is the move if you want it done and out of the way.
Toy Story Mania
Same land as Slinky Dog Dash, so take this one before doubling back. It climbs all morning and stays in the 40s into the evening.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Galaxy's Edge is next door to Toy Story Land. It's close to its midday peak by now and doesn't ease until mid-afternoon, so ride it while you're here.
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
Sunset Boulevard is across the park, and by midday it's already settled into its long daytime line. It stays long into the evening, so ride it while you're on this side of the park.
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
Hollywood Boulevard sits between Sunset Boulevard and the entrance, an easy stop on the way back. It holds in the 40s through the afternoon and eases in the last hour if you'd rather wait it out.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Same play as Early Entry, backup and all: the line is no worse now than at midday, and it drops to about 25 in the final hour.
Two starts, one job: get Slinky Dog Dash handled while the park is still filling, and leave Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance for the end of the day. Disney publishes the Early Entry lineup for Hollywood Studios, nine attractions right now including Slinky Dog Dash, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and Rise of the Resistance, and it can change, so check before you go. Times assume a 9am open; shift them to your date's posted hours. Booked Slinky's Multi Pass? Rope drop Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, about 30 in the first hour.
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 live ride status in Ride Ready and move to whichever headliner is still running instead of standing in a dead line. Get Skip free →
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 |
55–65 min | Rope drop or Early Entry | ≤ 44 min |
|
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets Sunset Boulevard Headliner |
45–55 min | Rope drop · stays long into the evening | ≤ 44 min |
|
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Headliner |
40–55 min | Late in the day · drops in the final hour | ≤ 38 min |
|
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway Hollywood Boulevard |
35–50 min | Late morning peak · eases in the last hour | ≤ 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 |
30–35 min | Rope drop · holds steady most of the day | ≤ 26 min |
The Alert at column is Skip's suggested trigger. Arm it in the app and you'll know the moment that ride dips, usually before the crowd around you does. No more refreshing a wait-times screen.
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 Starring The Muppets and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard. Smugglers Run, the Muppets coaster and Tower of Terror all climb through the morning, so clear them before midday. Leave Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, it's already near its own peak by mid-morning.
Star Tours typically runs 5 to 10 min all day, an easy stop whenever you're near Echo Lake. Toy Story Mania and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway hold in the 40s through the afternoon, steady enough to fit around a meal or a show. This is not the window for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which sits near its daily high right now.
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the one to come back for. It's no worse now than at midday and drops to about 25 in the final hour, so have a backup in case it's down. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway eases in the last hour. Toy Story Mania eases off its afternoon run too, so the back of the park is worth one more lap before close.
Hidden secrets · easter eggs
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Keep planning
Book Slinky at 7 AM, skip the Rise Single Pass if you can stay late, and the rest of the sell-out clock.
Open Pick your dayDaily crowd levels and a 12-month forecast for Hollywood Studios, so you can pick a lighter day before you book.
Open Every rideTypical waits and dip windows for the top rides, plus today's crowd read.
Open ResortHow the four parks compare, and the order to do them on a two-day or four-day trip.
Open Plan the tripAll four park calendars in one place, so you can pick a lighter day for each before you lock in your Hollywood Studios day.
Open Next parkWhy Flight of Passage is the ride to save for last, and what to do instead at the open.
OpenFAQ
Be at the gate for the official opening time posted for your date. Walk straight to Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land first, since it's the park's longest line most of the day and a little shorter at the open. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror on Sunset Boulevard are the next best rope drop targets: Tower of Terror is at its shortest right at the open, and the Muppets coaster is still under its afternoon run. Booked Slinky's Multi Pass? Rope drop Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, about 30 in the first hour.
For one ride, yes. Slinky Dog Dash posted about 50 to 55 even at the open this fall and 60 to 65 most of the day, so its Multi Pass is the one to book, at 7 AM, since it's usually gone before the park opens. Rise of the Resistance drops to about 25 in the last hour, so on a quiet week skip its Single Pass if you can stay late. On holiday weeks it still posted about 65 at 8 PM at Christmas, so buy it then. It breaks down often, so keep a backup for your last hour. Hollywood Studios sells all three products in the My Disney Experience app. Multi Pass covers three experiences and arrival windows at a time, with another available after each one you redeem; Single Pass covers the most in-demand attractions not in Multi Pass, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the ride that uses it here; Premier Pass is a one-time purchase that covers every Lightning Lane experience in the park for the day. Holiday weeks run longer; see the busy-week table in the Lightning Lane guide.
Rise of the Resistance holds in the 40s and 50s from mid-morning into the evening, so late is no worse than midday. Its line drops to about 25 in the final hour. Rise runs on Lightning Lane Single Pass, and the standby line is real, so if you're not paying for it, plan to ride late in the day. It breaks down often, so keep a backup for your last hour.
Slinky Dog Dash is the longest line in the park most of the day, and it's a little shorter at the open. Toy Story Land sits at the back of the park, so take it at Early Entry or rope drop and get it done.
Wednesdays run lightest and Fridays heaviest. Across every day we've measured at Hollywood Studios, Wednesdays average 4.0 on our 1 to 10 crowd score and Fridays 5.7.
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. 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, nine attractions right now: Alien Swirling Saucers, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania!. The list can change, so check the My Disney Experience app before you go. Slinky Dog Dash is where we'd spend that head start, since it's the park's longest line most of the day.
We'll send you the Hollywood Studios route and the FAQ.
Hollywood Studios comes down to two lines: Slinky at the open, Rise at the end. Ride Ready flags the moment Rise's line drops.
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