Hollywood Studios is the second-best park for getting Walt Disney World’s Genie+ service. Lightning Lane line-skipping entry is accessible at 15 points of interest in DHS, and lots of are headliners or in style thrill rides. This information ranks all when it comes to time-saved and the way rapidly they e-book up. (Updated December 9, 2022.)
The objective is to provide the instruments and data it is advisable create your individual DHS itinerary with Genie+, relatively than counting on our recently-updated 1-Day Disney’s Hollywood Studios Genie+ and Lightning Lanes Plan. Or, you may make the most of “a best of both worlds” strategy, consulting that pre-made plan and the rankings right here so that you perceive the why of it, and might alter the itinerary to account on your Advance Dining Reservations, most popular stage showtimes, Fantasmic Dining Packages or standby, whether or not you need to decrease strolling distances, and many others.
It’s additionally in all probability a good suggestion to level out that crowds, climate, trip closures, stage showtimes, and way more can all closely influence how an precise day at Walt Disney World performs out. As such, a pattern itinerary can’t be replicated step-for-step with the very same Lightning Lane time slots, and many others. This equips you to place collectively your individual dynamic plan of assault for utilizing Genie+ in DHS.
Of course, this assumes that you just need to ‘pay to play’ and can use the Genie+ paid FastPass possibility relatively than merely doing standby strains. In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, that’s our advice. If you need to know the premise for that suggestion, see My Day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Using Genie+ with Peak Season Crowds. That illustrates simply how robust DHS could be even with sturdy technique–it’s a brutal park it doesn’t matter what your strategy.
Additionally, see our Guide to Genie+ at Walt Disney World & Lightning Lane FAQ for the entire foundational need-to-know data about this substitute without cost FastPass+. This complete system is complicated and convoluted, so that you might need a query or two-dozen. That solutions the entire commonest ones we’ve been receiving from readers.
Alternatively, should you’re enthusiastic about skipping Genie+ at DHS, that’s doable, too. Our 1-Day Disney’s Hollywood Studios Itinerary covers how one can accomplish every part even should you’re staying off-site and don’t need to spend something additional on Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes.
If you’re staying on-site, the one factor we extremely suggest is Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you may’t swing getting up and out the door earlier than park opening, see Evening at DHS with Standby & Genie+ (scroll to the second half should you’re not doing Genie+). Lots of nice technique in these posts!
Before we get began, we should always be aware that this affords trip priorities for Lightning Lanes by way of Genie+ and not Individual Lightning Lanes (ILL), that are pay-per-ride. At current, the one ILL attraction is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Previously, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway was additionally an Individual Lightning Lane trip, however that’s now a everlasting a part of Genie+ at DHS.
We should not eager on shopping for a la carte entrance of line entry, so we suggest doing each of these points of interest both very first thing within the morning (should you’re eligible for Early Entry) or in direction of the tip of the evening. On busy days, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is doubtlessly value paying for ILL entry–it’s the one trip at Walt Disney World we’d even take into account paying for that, and even that relies upon upon crowd ranges and wait occasions.
Now, on with the present & trip rankings for Genie+ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
The Best of Genie+ at DHS
1. Slinky Dog Dash – The apparent alternative on your #1 Genie+ Lightning Lane choice and never simply in DHS, however all of Walt Disney World. (It in all probability ought to’ve been the second Individual Lightning Lane, however we’re not complaining!)
Whether you’re beginning at DHS or Park Hopping later, you’ll need to prioritize this early within the day, as this one books up quick–usually inside minutes of seven am. For Slinky Dog Dash, we strongly suggest following our Speed Strategy for Genie+ Selections.
2. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – It has been an up-and-down yr for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s rating. It shot up within the spring, then plummeted in direction of the tip of summer time and was in figurative freefall up till December 2022. Earlier this yr, the spike was attributable to a prolonged “stealth” refurbishment that took one elevator shaft down. That meant that the attraction was successfully working at half-capacity for about 4 months.
When that was completed, the opposite aspect didn’t go down for refurbishment throughout the late summer time or fall low season. However, one elevator shaft has been down since round Thanksgiving. We haven’t heard any indication that this can be a deliberate refurbishment (it might be an inopportune time for that, to say the least), nevertheless it has been ongoing for a number of weeks now.
As a end result, Tower of Terror has the third highest wait time (98 minutes) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in December 2022 after Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (109 minutes) and Slinky Dog Dash (103 minutes). Suffice to say, when Tower of Terror has one elevator shaft down, it’s the #2 Genie+ Lightning Lane precedence. When working at full-capacity, it’s #4 or #5.
Note that this might change at any time, and Tower of Terror might drop once more (within the rankings). We’d thus encourage you to keep watch over wait occasions when you’re at Walt Disney World. If Tower of Terror is within the prime 3 rides at DHS, it’s in all probability experiencing technical difficulties and it is best to prioritize reserving its Lightning Lane. If not, it can save you it on your fourth or fifth choice.
3. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – This one is perhaps a bit sudden. Earlier this yr, it appeared the “new ride smell” was carrying off Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. The common wait time was dropping, and the attraction was sometimes not within the prime 5. That has modified as of Late 2022, with Runaway Railway as soon as once more being in excessive demand. Its family-friendly and all ages (and heights) nature makes it extra interesting for lots of Genie+ friends, so it tends to be the #2 or #3 Lightning Lane of the day at DHS.
4. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – This is the secondary attraction in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, nevertheless it nonetheless averages a prime 5 wait time in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and is the third-fastest reserving Lightning Lane trip reservation by way of Genie+. It shouldn’t be too tough to safe this into the afternoon, so you might have slightly flexibility in reserving this strategically relying upon your most popular return time and private priorities.
5. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – Those of you who booked FastPass+ reservations previously must be unsurprised by the highest picks up to now. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster extends that, thanks to attend occasions usually exceeding an hour. Its Lightning Lane reservations have but to e-book up early within the day, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a savvy third choice.
6. Toy Story Mania – Every park has one attraction that “soaks up” Genie+ trip reservations, allocating a good portion of its capability to line-skipping. Toy Story Mania is certainly that for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Its standby wait time has spiked since Genie+ launched (making this a very good use of the Lightning Lane), however there’s sometimes straightforward availability by way of Genie+ for Toy Story Mania all through the day.
7. Alien Swirling Saucers – Based on common standby wait occasions alone, this can be a good seventh choose. Subjectively, most individuals are in all probability good to skip the Toy Story Land flat trip.
The Rest of Genie+ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Star Tours — The Adventures Continue – This wonderful Star Wars simulator can have decently lengthy waits on the busiest days of the yr, however most conventional days, we’ve discovered Genie+ to supply virtually no benefit right here. Get it should you can, however don’t sweat standby.
Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight – There are a number of deceptively in style meet & greets at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This isn’t one in all them. Unfortunately, Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight is the one one that provides a Lightning Lane. (Accordingly, we suggest doing Red Carpet Dreams and the Monsters, Inc. meet & greet earlier within the day or later within the night.)
Stage Shows – Everything else at Disney’s Hollywood Studios–Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, Disney Jr. Play & Dance, Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, MuppetVision 3D–is a present of some type, or at the very least not a trip.
While Genie+ affords precedence seating, which might quantity to a greater view, it’s sometimes not all that advantageous for reveals. If you’re not going to Park Hop, you would possibly think about using it for these reveals, however there’s not a great way to place Lightning Lane reservations for these into your itinerary throughout the center of the day. The alternative value of not reserving one of many prime 6 rides is just too excessive. The overwhelming majority of friends ought to merely do reveals by way of the standby strains.
Ultimately, it is best to be capable to knock out most points of interest by way of Genie+ utilizing Lightning Lanes on a good day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The greatest impediment is perhaps your first choose, as Slinky Dog Dash goes quick each single morning, particularly throughout peak season.
You will miss out completely on it should you’re not up and able to make your first choice at 7 am. Other than that, you shouldn’t have a lot of an issue scoring slots for the remaining prime 5 picks (besides possibly Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run), as long as you’re prepared to remain all day and don’t thoughts reservations within the afternoon.
On a foul day, you won’t solely miss out on Slinky Dog Dash, but in addition on one other headliner or two within the prime 5. Plan accordingly based mostly on the crowds if you’ll be visiting, and in addition give your self as many different benefits as doable–like Early Entry, rope drop, or staying late when crowds are likely to die down at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Regardless of if you’re visiting, Genie+ will prevent the second-most time at DHS, behind solely Magic Kingdom, which earns that distinction due to its increased eligible attraction rely. This is what makes shopping for Genie+ our advice for most individuals and on most days of the yr at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Even if it requires a little bit of a splurge, minimize the price out of your Walt Disney World trip finances some place else.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To lower your expenses on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips submit takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every part it is advisable know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
How would you rank your trip priorities utilizing Genie+ and Lightning Lanes in Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Surprised by any of the rankings in our prime 5, or that Slinky Dog Dash takes the #1 spot? Are you planning on shopping for Genie+ or skipping it? Do you agree or disagree with our rankings? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!