Disney Hollywood Studios too small?

[Sammyste]

Went to WDW last week and went to all 4 parks. Spent whole days at all of the parks besides DHS. At DHS I spent only 5 hours and we got to most of the rides and shows, even some more than once. Although this park does have some of the best thrill rides out of all the parks, it seems to cramped and lackluster for me at times. Maybe they should start focusing on this park instead of trying to expand the other parks which don't need expanding. :shrug:

 

[gljvd]

Went to WDW last week and went to all 4 parks. Spent whole days at all of the parks besides DHS. At DHS I spent only 5 hours and we got to most of the rides and shows, even some more than once. Although this park does have some of the best thrill rides out of all the parks, it seems to cramped and lackluster for me at times. Maybe they should start focusing on this park instead of trying to expand the other parks which don't need expanding. :shrug:

all the parks need expanding


MK - Fantasy land upgrade was really needed as the majority of the rides are old and people have been on them many times.

Epcot - There are few rides and the only thing that really saves it form being a half a day park are the countrys , but in terms of rides its really lacking. They need to add about 3 rides to the place , perhaps as many as 6 to really get it going.


AK - This is a half a day park if you do it right . We normaly spend just 4 hours at AK and then go back to Magic kingdom for the rest of the night. I'd say it also needs a good 3-6 rides. Don't get me wrong , the animals and the safari are great but many of us live close to zoo's and seein the same things quickly get old.


HS - Your right it needs more stuff most likely it needs the most out of all the parks. I'd say it needs a good 6-10 rides easily . They just need to bite the bullet and make an area of that park.

 

[marni1971]

Of course it is. It was never designed to be a multi day - or even full day - park.

 

[SeaBase86]

The location of HS is the worst. But as states above, HS was not going to be a theme park first but a film production center. Still even as that it's small. And the only expansion area would be southeast of LMA. they would have to knock down that toll plaza off World Drive which would be perfectly fine with me.

 

[Frau Farbissina]

The size doesn't really bother me, but the use of forced perspective in this park just doesn't work. I barely notice it in the MK or in the World Showcase, but in Hollywood Studios, they didn't do the best job. It could have been so much more than what it is.

 

[Mickey_777]

Considering the relatively small amount of attractions it currently has, DHS seems to be sized just right for now. I can't wait for the day it's properly expanded and plussed though.

 

[CP_alum08]

You spent a whole day in AK? Wow, it must have been super busy or you were just taking your time. I think DHS is fine the size that it is. I would rather see LMA tore down than building a new section of the park.

 

[Since1976]

The location of HS is the worst. But as states above, HS was not going to be a theme park first but a film production center.

This is incorrect. The film production center was actually an afterthought. Disney wanted to duplicate the combination theme park / behind-the-scenes tour that Universal* had in Hollywood, so they built soundstages as part of the theme park. Now that the film production facilities are unused, the park has a super-meta double illusion going: a theme park supposedly built around a bustling studio, which purportedly is in the business of making movies, which are themselves make-believe. It blows the mind! Even as a kid I recognized the illusion being trotted out in the front portion of the park (Star Tours "soundstage", the ABC Commissary, the Backlot Express, etc.) and I thought it was ingenious.

(*Universal Hollywood truly did start as a film production studio first, with the rides built around it later)

I wonder if Disney will ever give up the increasingly irrelevant Backlot Tour and build an attraction (or new lands) in its place.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

They could do so much more with the streets. It's sorta just there...more shows etc..

 

[JIMINYCR]

They could do so much more with the streets. It's sorta just there...more shows etc..

Fine to stroll through and look at the various signage and props found there. A great place to string the Christmas lights. Look at the San Fran mural for a few seconds, play with the Singing in the Rain umbrella. But thats about it. With the addition of more resorts/DVCs crowded conditions increase so every park needs more to filter out the crowds, or built another park.

 

[mimitchi33]

I think Animal Kingdom needs more rides, because most rides would not catch most people's interests, save for maybe DINOSAUR, Everest, and Kali River Rapids.

 

[erasure fan1]

I think its fine they just need to be more creative in the space they have. If they remove the back-lot they would free up some good room to do something awesome. There are a lot of things they can do to expand if they want, I just dont see the "want" from Disney.

 

[PhilharMagician]

The park is small acreage wise yes, but if has many things to offer With 9 shows, 6 rides and a few walk thru's it has plenty to keep a guest busy for a full day plus some. It is tough for someone that has been there many times to find interest in doing everything again and this may constitute them feeling it is not a full day park.

all the parks need expanding


MK - Fantasy land upgrade was really needed as the majority of the rides are old and people have been on them many times.

Epcot - There are few rides and the only thing that really saves it form being a half a day park are the countrys , but in terms of rides its really lacking. They need to add about 3 rides to the place , perhaps as many as 6 to really get it going.


AK - This is a half a day park if you do it right . We normaly spend just 4 hours at AK and then go back to Magic kingdom for the rest of the night. I'd say it also needs a good 3-6 rides. Don't get me wrong , the animals and the safari are great but many of us live close to zoo's and seein the same things quickly get old.


HS - Your right it needs more stuff most likely it needs the most out of all the parks. I'd say it needs a good 6-10 rides easily . They just need to bite the bullet and make an area of that park.

I am not sure how to comment on this, but I did not know I was doing AK wrong. I guess in order to do it right I have to spend only 4 hours there? I personally like to take in all that the park has to offer. There are 4 differant shows there and if I waited in line for just those it would be more than 4 hours to complete. I can see if someone were to go and only hit the 4 major rides and call it a half day park. Now may sentiments may be wrong on this, but if all I wanted to do was go hit a couple of rides I would go to a local amusement park to get my ride on. I personally spend the big dollars it costs to go to Disney to enjoy the atmosphere of the parks. Rides are important but not the sole focus of Disney parks.

MK is a park that needs more rides. FLE is not adding much capacity to the park that it didn't already have at one time and lost. It is replacing one ride with another and adding a roller coaster and an extra spinner along with shops and restaurant. This is still not keeping up with the increased attendance over the years. I agree that all of the parks need some added capacity at times and a few rides and shows will greatly help that happen, but 6+ rides per park may be a little steep.

 

[tirian]

The size doesn't really bother me, but the use of forced perspective in this park just doesn't work. I barely notice it in the MK or in the World Showcase, but in Hollywood Studios, they didn't do the best job. It could have been so much more than what it is.

It would work better if the oversized hat weren't at the end of Hollywood Blvd. I'm not trying to bash the hat (but I admit I hate it); the simple fact is, it's too big for the forced perspective in the entrance.

The art deco also causes perspective problems. Without all the ornamentation that helps the MK and World Showcase pavilions seem convincingly lifesized, the art deco style is obviously smaller.

 

[tirian]

It is tough for someone that has been there many times to find interest in doing everything again and this may constitute them feeling it is not a full day park.

True, how many times can someone watch the exact same show?

Add Indiana Jones!

MK is a park that needs more rides. FLE is not adding much capacity to the park that it didn't already have at one time and lost. It is replacing one ride with another and adding a roller coaster and an extra spinner along with shops and restaurant. This is still not keeping up with the increased attendance over the years. I agree that all of the parks need some added capacity at times and a few rides and shows will greatly help that happen, but 6+ rides per park may be a little steep.

Exactly. Although the FLE will be lovely, it won't actually add any true capacity. It's difficult for many people to understand, because they see the additional acreage and think it translates to capacity. It doesn't. Everything in FLE is replacing something the MK had from the late 70s through the mid 90s. The MK's attendance has been steadily building since all those restaurants and attractions closed, and the MK hasn't been able to handle its current crowds. The FLE simply absorbs the existing crowding. I'm still thrilled about it.

 

[wizards8507]

The park is small acreage wise yes, but if has many things to offer With 9 shows, 6 rides and a few walk thru's it has plenty to keep a guest busy for a full day plus some... I agree that all of the parks need some added capacity at times and a few rides and shows will greatly help that happen, but 6+ rides per park may be a little steep.

Entire post, well said. If you skip Beauty and the Beast, Lights Motors Action, Indiana Jones, and don't enjoy lingering and observing animals, then DHS and DAK are both half day parks, but those decisions are made by the guest, not Disney. I understand that the AP holders and those that travel down 2+ times per year are much more selective with what attractions they're going to visit on each trip, but I think there's plenty to do for the rest of us and, even more commonly, the guest that only goes once every 5-10 years.

 

[disneyflush]

I am not sure how to comment on this, but I did not know I was doing AK wrong. I guess in order to do it right I have to spend only 4 hours there? I personally like to take in all that the park has to offer. There are 4 differant shows there and if I waited in line for just those it would be more than 4 hours to complete. I can see if someone were to go and only hit the 4 major rides and call it a half day park. Now may sentiments may be wrong on this, but if all I wanted to do was go hit a couple of rides I would go to a local amusement park to get my ride on. I personally spend the big dollars it costs to go to Disney to enjoy the atmosphere of the parks. Rides are important but not the sole focus of Disney parks.

This is brilliant. With all the sites devoted to planning your days, exact crowd levels, wait times, specific touring plans nearly to the minute, it is so easy to get wrapped up in 'not doing it right' and fretting over possibly ruining your family's vacation because your didn't plan enough ahead of time. Heck, the stress on the planner can almost ruin their vacation sometimes!
I've ridden all the rides multiple times as I'm sure many on the site have as well. I don't go back to repeat those things exclusively. I've never considered a specific day more of a 'win' if I squeezed in an extra ride or 2. I go back for twilight and the lights and the smells and sounds. I can't get a fastpass for any of those things but its those things that I'll remember when I'm sitting here in front of this computer counting down the 143 days until I'm back there.

 

[mickey2008.1]

DHS is a full day for us. Between all the shows, rides,food, and just wandering around the shops, we never find it a half day park.What I would like to see are the fake streets where New york and San Fran are, is have one or two of the facades turned into a dark ride. Not sure, but would think they would have some kind of room for it. The only time we even go down those streets is for Osborne lights. Other than that, what are the purpose of these areas? To show us fake buildings of how a movie set would be? I just think it would be cool to walk into one of those buildings and have some kind of attraction to draw a crowd back there. Maybe a 3D movie showing how FX are made in 3D. I don't know, teach us something from a movie studio.:shrug:

 

[ArtieJim]

DHS could easily be a full day, take your time and enjoy the sites. Explore everything there is to explore, take in all the shows and rides and it will probably take you more than a day.

Same goes for AK, my girlfriend and I were able to do it in about five hours while still doing all the rides and only missing Nemo (which is what we wanted to do most, but we had ADRs at Hoop Dee Doo). I'm sure it could've been an all day park though, but then again we also go to a zoo in every city we visit that has one. Quite frankly we're getting tired of lemurs and some other animals that are at every zoo, so we didn't have to sit and take pictures of each animal for five minutes.

I'm sure you could make every park a one day park though if you rush through everything. If you're going to WDW aren't you on vacation? Shouldn't you be taking your time and enjoying it? Who cares how long it takes to get through each park.

 

[mp2bill]

I'm fine with the size of all the parks. That said...I wouldn't mind seeing something added to all the parks (of course, with the FLE, MK no longer needs anything added).