DC don't like shows and afraid of movies - skip Hollywood Studios?

[jgenie]

My DC don't really like shows and they find movie theaters too intense. They've never been to a theatre. We've tried to go but they don't want to stay so we leave. They saw the Radio City Christmas show but complained it was too loud and they wore headphones. I think DS2 would really like the Toy Story ride but I'm wondering if we'll find anything else at HStudios that will work for us. Thoughts? TIA

[mikala]

Honestly I'd skip it unless your kids would be really into Jedi training.

The Toy Story ride is pretty awesome but it has a long wait so it's hard to ride again after you've used your Fast Pass. We hit all the main attractions in the park and still felt meh about it. I think my kids would have preferred another day at MK or more time at the hotel pool.

[123LuckyMom]

DHS is our least favorite park. We love the Toy Story Ride. DS loves tower of terror. DH and I love the rockin' roller coaster. We all love the Muppet movie show, and we all love Fantasmic. The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast shows were fine. We're really not fans of anything else. If the only thing you think you'd enjoy is Toy Story, skip it, or, if you have park hoppers, get there at rope drop, ride Toy Story, and then do another park for the rest of the day.

[BDKmom]

...ride Toy Story, and then do another park for the rest of the day.

This. We went to WDW last month for three days. We did two days at MK and one at HS. We chose HS because my kids (5 and 3) have seen way more of the Pixar movies than the traditional Disney ones, and we had a hard time filling up the day. We did the Frozen Sing Along (which scared my 5 yo DS for some reason and wasn't that exciting for my 3 yo DD except for the last 2 minutes when the princesses are on the stage), Disney Jr show, and Toy Story Mania as our fast passes. We got there when it opened and rode Toy Story twice with little wait, then did the sing along mid morning, got lunch, and had lots of time to kill before the Disney Jr show mid-afternoon. We mostly roamed around and let the kids get their souvenirs. They weren't interested in much else. DD and I did the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which was just OK. Then they played around on the Honey I Shrunk the Kids think for a little bit (where it was hot as you-know-what, BTW). Our last fast pass was for Toy Story at 4:30, and we ended up getting into the 60 minute wait line for it around 3:30 because it was air conditioned. We did that, then our 4:30 fast pass, then headed out. My kids did get to take pics with Lightning McQueen and Mater, which was a highlight for them. Overall, it worked ok for us because we sandwiched it in between two very busy days at MK, so it was nice to have a more low key day, but without the familiarity with the movies and TV shows, it definitely would have been a bust.

That being said, Toy Story Mania was my favorite ride we did out of all three days (and both DC really enjoyed it), so with a park hopper, I would definitely suggest hitting it first thing and ride it a few times, then move on to somewhere else.

[hillview]

I'd skip it. We liked the toy story ride but the line is HUGE and we also liked the mickey mouse clubhouse show they put on ... but that is about it when the boys were young.

[rkold]

The Studios is a hard park for us as well. DD might now be 40 inches, but wasn't last time we were in WDW. She likes the Frozen Sing Along, the Disney Jr Play n Dine, and the Disney Jr Show (my legs do not!) Sometimes she likes Toy Story Mania. Sometimes. I like Tower of Terror and the Roller Coaster, but since it's just the two of us, I don't get to go on them unless I drop her back off at the hotel with my Mom. If you have a park hopper and you get there at opening, you can get on Toy Story Mania in ~20 minutes.

If I had a park hopper, maybe do an hour or two at the Studios and arrange FP+s for MK for the mid to late afternoon depending if your child still needs to nap?

[rkold]

double post! ugh!

[123LuckyMom]

The Studios is a hard park for us as well. DD might now be 40 inches, but wasn't last time we were in WDW. She likes the Frozen Sing Along, the Disney Jr Play n Dine, and the Disney Jr Show (my legs do not!) Sometimes she likes Toy Story Mania. Sometimes. I like Tower of Terror and the Roller Coaster, but since it's just the two of us, I don't get to go on them unless I drop her back off at the hotel with my Mom. If you have a park hopper and you get there at opening, you can get on Toy Story Mania in ~20 minutes.

If I had a park hopper, maybe do an hour or two at the Studios and arrange FP+s for MK for the mid to late afternoon depending if your child still needs to nap?

I just wanted to make sure you know about rider swap. It's not just for infants. If you have a child who cannot or will not ride a particular ride, you can get a rider swap. You can ride first while your DH stays with your daughter, and then your DH can ride from the fast pass lane. You only have to wait in the long line once. We plan to use this lots for rides DD can't do but DS can. DS will be able to ride twice, too, once with me and once with DH, which is nice for him.

[jgenie]

Thanks for the input. I'm going to book fast passes for HS. We will have free passes to the waterparks we hadn't scheduled to use so we may do that or just relax at the pool afterwards. We can always decide to skip it if the boys are tired and need a break from the go go go.

[rkold]

I just wanted to make sure you know about rider swap. It's not just for infants. If you have a child who cannot or will not ride a particular ride, you can get a rider swap. You can ride first while your DH stays with your daughter, and then your DH can ride from the fast pass lane. You only have to wait in the long line once. We plan to use this lots for rides DD can't do but DS can. DS will be able to ride twice, too, once with me and once with DH, which is nice for him.

I was given to understand you can't just leave your child alone with a cast member to rider swap, you need another adult in your party, which I don't have. It's just me and DD in the parks.

My mother doesn't go to the parks and stays at our resort. Poor DH has no vacation time and doesn't go at all.

[123LuckyMom]

I was given to understand you can't just leave your child alone with a cast member to rider swap, you need another adult in your party, which I don't have. It's just me and DD in the parks.

My mother doesn't go to the parks and stays at our resort. Poor DH has no vacation time and doesn't go at all.

You are absolutely right! I didn't catch that you were the only adult. I bet that's a really lovely time for you and your DD to spend together!

[rkold]

You are absolutely right! I didn't catch that you were the only adult. I bet that's a really lovely time for you and your DD to spend together!

I love getting to go to the parks with her, but I do sometimes wish I had another adult with me. DH actually doesn't like rides, so when he does occasionally come to an amusement park with us, he takes DD on rides while I go on rides DD can't.

So yeah, with a small DC, the Studios is challenging because it is not designed for the under 40 inches as well if they don't want to go to shows.

[123LuckyMom]

I love getting to go to the parks with her, but I do sometimes wish I had another adult with me. DH actually doesn't like rides, so when he does occasionally come to an amusement park with us, he takes DD on rides while I go on rides DD can't.

So yeah, with a small DC, the Studios is challenging because it is not designed for the under 40 inches as well if they don't want to go to shows.

I'd skip DHS, then. It's not worth it for one ride.

[egoldber]

Well, my kids love DHS, so I am biased. :)

In addition to TSM, they would probably like the Beauty and the Beast show. It's more like an outdoor Broadway musical style show than a "movie". They would probably also like the Playhouse Jr. show. Again, an interactive stage show vs. a movie.

The Lights Motors Actions Show is loud, but again is outdoors and is stunt tricks with cars and motorcycles. There isn't really anything scary or intense.

The Indiana Jones show is loud, but is outdoors and really only has stunt tricks.