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174. Improving Disney’s Hollywood Studios

08.08.2022 by Dan Heaton // Leave a Comment

The Millennium Falcon is striking at Galaxy's Edge in Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World.


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Disney’s Hollywood Studios has received major changes in the past five years including the addition of two new lands. Crowds have increased at the park, and the attractions at Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge are popular. Even so, we’ve also seen the limits of just adding headliners to the park. Ride capacity remains an issue, and Disney Genie Plus just spotlights those issues. Most attractions are gone quickly, especially Slinky Dog Dash, which leads to long standby waits. The park’s overall theme has also changed since it opened as the Disney/MGM Studios, so it doesn’t flow together well on the whole.

These issues are the focus of this special episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast. I describe my large and small ideas for ways to improve Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These include new attractions, themed lands, and pathways to connect dead ends. The park’s biggest need is mid-level rides and shows that attract crowds but don’t require huge expenses or time to build. It’s about more than just making one change in a single location. Instead, I talk about several ways to upgrade the park and guest experience.

Slinky Dog Dash is very popular at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Photo by Dan Heaton

This episode also includes submissions from listeners and past guests with awesome ideas on updating the park. These include changes to the Star Wars Launch Bay (a popular replacement option), Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. There are ambitious plans for adding a massive Wakanda expansion, a replacement idea for the Hollywood Brown Derby, and multiple suggestions for the Great Muppet Movie Ride. Some plans lean into the original studios concept, while others focus more on Disney’s IP-driven approach of recent years. The result is an awesome mix of inventive ways to make the Studios an even better park.

The statue of Joe from Soul celebrates Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary at the Hollywood Studios.
Photo by Dan Heaton

Show Notes: Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Listen to past episodes of the Tomorrow Society Podcast on improving EPCOT, Tomorrowland at Disneyland, and DinoLand, U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Check out these great shows from contributors to this episode: Marty Called, Notably Disney, Very Amusing, Book of the Mouse Club, and the Theme Park Trivia Show.

Support The Tomorrow Society Podcast and buy me a Dole Whip!

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Categories // Tomorrow Society Podcast Tags // Disney's Hollywood Studios, Galaxy's Edge, Podcasts, Star Wars, Walt Disney World

About Dan Heaton

Dan’s first theme-park memory was a vacation at the Polynesian Resort in 1980 as a four-year-old. He’s a lifelong fan who has written and podcasted regularly about the industry. Dan loves both massive Disney and Universal theme parks plus regional attractions near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. His favorite all-time attraction is Horizons at EPCOT Center.

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