There's a Great Big Beautiful Blog: 30 Days of Disney

This is the last in my 4 part series of Toddler's at Walt Disney World. Today we take on Hollywood Studios.

I'll preface this with saying, we are going to see a lot of changes coming to Hollywood Studios in the next few years so while it may be limited in options for the little ones right now, that will soon change!!

I always recommend starting early in the day and this park is no exception. Because of the tiered rule you can't get more than one headliner. If you have older kids or adults who want to ride Rock N' Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror, start there so there is little to no wait for the little one's. I would recommend using your Tier 1 fastpass for Toy Story Midway Mania...a fun ride for EVERYONE! Plus there is also a meet n' greet for Buzz, Woody...and you might even catch a Green Army Man or two!

Hollywood Studios is definitely a slower paced park due to the lack of traditional rides. You'll find lots of shows (see below), lots of character meet and greets and even a few unique offerings like the Magic of Animation section of the park. Here you can watch a cute movie on character development in Disney movies starring MUSHU! There is lots of hands on stuff for little ones including some fun and unique Character Meet and Greets (including Baymax and Hiro)!

As far as family friends RIDES...they are few and far between. Toy Story Midway Mania a definite plus. The Great Movie Ride could potentially be a good choice but it can be intense is some sections. Star Tours is great IF your child meets the height requirement. There are also 2 show/movies that don't have specific time and are ongoing...that's Muppet Vision 3D and Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

The tricky part about Hollywood Studios is there are currently 5 shows with specific times you can attend; Beauty and the Beast, Lights, Motors, Action!, Disney Junior Live On Stage, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and For the First Time in Forever- "A Frozen Sing-along Celebration"....not to mention Jedi Training Academy and Fantasmic. These things can really lengthen your day and depending on the patience of your child (HAHA) you might want to pick just a few of these. With the exception of the Jedi Training academy, these shows all take place in large theatres and require you arrive 20-30 minutes before the show to grab a good seat.

Let's talk about Fantasmic...as a former Hollywood Studios cast member I have a special place in my heart for this show....HOWEVER it's not the best Disney has to offer and if you don't get a dining package that includes priority seating you need to show up 60-90 minutes early to get good seats. Combine that with outdoor seating on hard metal bleachers and well...let's say if you skip this one you won't be missing too much.

Are your little one's fans of Disney Junior? Don't miss the character dining at Hollywood and Vine (Breakfast and lunch) with Handy Manny, Jake, Doc and Sofia! Only Sofia is available for a meet and greet outside this meal.

Also don't forget that Hollywood Studios is home to 2 awesome events that make it worth a trip in and of itself!! Star Wars Weekends and Osborne Family Lights!