'Sup, guys — Tad here, bringing you all the deets about Disney Hollywood Studios rides. This park is my favorite. I mean, roller coasters that go upside down and spooky elevators that drop 13 stories? Count this frog IN! Hollywood Studios has the most rides for thrill seekers among all the Disney theme parks. However, those aren't all I'm gonna talk about today. Hop along with me as we explore all the Disney Hollywood Studios rides you need to add to your itinerary next time you visit the park.
Hop To
Everything You Need to Know About Disney Hollywood Studios Rides
From what Mommy and Daddy Frog have told me, Hollywood Studios has changed A LOT since it opened in 1989. Did you know it recently celebrated its 36th birthday in May? While it may have undergone significant changes over the years, the amount of fun the rides at this park offer has, in fact, remained the same.
Currently, Hollywood Studios has nine rides. While some of these rides are suitable for young tadpoles, it doesn't offer as many any-age-friendly rides as Magic Kingdom. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Magic Kingdom Park to learn more about the ride offerings there.
Hollywood Studios has the most offerings if you're traveling with tweens and teens. Here are all the rides at Hollywood Studios:
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Toy Story Mania!
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Want to know more about these Hollywood Studios rides? Let's gooo!
Alien Swirling Saucers
- Location: Toy Story Land
- Age: All ages; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 32" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer from ECV/wheelchair; Transfer access vehicle available
- Lightning Lane: Yes
Now's your chance to say "the claaaaaaaaw" (said in my best alien voice). Inspired by the green aliens from the "Toy Story" franchise, Alien Swirling Saucers takes guests 'round and 'round on this spinning ride that is very much similar to Mad Tea Party over in Magic Kingdom. The only difference is that you can't control your ride vehicle.
Set to music, your alien saucer will zip around. Like the ride itself, the queue is outdoors. From our experience, Alien Swirling Saucers usually has the shortest wait time of all the rides in Toy Story Land.
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
- Location: Hollywood Boulevard
- Age: Preschoolers, kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: Any height
- Accessibility: Must transfer from ECV/wheelchair; Designated transfer and load areas; Transfer access vehicle and device available; Handheld and audio description.
- Lightning Lane: Yes
So, listen, Mommy Frog may not be toadally over Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway replacing The Great Movie Ride ... that is until she sees Lily's face light up when Daisy Duck has everyone "Conga!"
Board your train (guided by Engineer Goofy) and become part of your very own Mickey Mouse cartoon adventure. You'll dodge tornadoes, get dance lessons from Daisy, go underwater and even evade some serious danger at a factory! There's a plot twist at every turn in this animated adventure — so watch out!
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is also a technological marvel. It uses a trackless ride system, which not only makes your ride smoother but also more personalized. Fun fact: This isn't the only ride at Hollywood Studios to use this track system. But more on that later!
Did you know: This is the first Disney park ride starring Mickey Mouse? Oh, Boy!
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Location: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
- Age: Kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 38" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer from ECV/wheelchair; Transfer access vehicle available; Designated transfer and load areas; Audio description, handled captioning and assistive listening
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Those with back, heart and neck conditions, high blood pressure, who are expecting or have motion sickness, should not ride
Have you ever wanted to pilot the "fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy"? Well, you might get your chance on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run!
Become Hondo Ohnaka's flight crew and blast off into hyperspace to make your delivery of some very hard-to-find items to a discreet client. Sure, this will be a challenging mission, but with the help of your flight crew, you've got this. Each guest is assigned a different role: pilot, engineer or gunner. Ride again and again until you've served every role! Punch it, Chewie!
Exciting news: A new adventure featuring Din Djarin and Grogu will be coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run on May 22, 2026! Will your adventure take you to Tatooine, Cloud City or the wreckage of the Death Star? Board this motion-simulator ride to find out. Did you know you can also find the Mandalorian and Grogu in Batuu?
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Location: Sunset Boulevard
- Age: Older kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 48" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer to wheelchair, then ride vehicle
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Those with back, heart and neck conditions, high blood pressure, who are expecting or have motion sickness, should not ride
Did someone order a stretch, sorry, make that a super stretch limo? If so, your ride to the Aerosmith concert is underway!
Race along the Los Angeles freeways and pass by iconic Hollywood landmarks as popular Aerosmith songs such as "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way" blast in the speakers behind you. Did you know each super-stretch limo has 125 speakers, 24 subwoofers and a 32,000-watt audio system?
This indoor roller coaster reaches top speeds of 57 miles per hour (in less than 3 seconds) and has two loops and one corkscrew. It also takes a ride photo, so don't forget to say cheese!
Update: The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be reimagined and soon feature The Muppets! It is expected to close and reopen in 2026, but exact dates are still TBD. However, we will update you as soon as we have more details.
Slinky Dog Dash
- Location: Toy Story Land
- Age: Kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 38" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer to a wheelchair, then ride vehicle
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Expectant mothers should not ride
For tadpoles who are too young to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, there's Slinky Dog Dash — Hollywood Studios' family-friendly coaster!
Join Slinky Dog in a race across Andy's backyard while music plays in the background. This coaster, which features a double launch (so you feel the stretch like Slinky Dog), offers fantastic views of the rest of the park. It's the perfect first coaster for tadpoles!
Since this is one of the few tadpole-friendly rides in Hollywood Studios, it tends to have a pretty long wait, especially during peak periods. Try making this your first Lightning Lane of the day, if possible. Mommy Frog makes sure our family stays hydrated while waiting in line. This queue is completely outdoors, and it gets pretty hot, particularly during the summer. Check out Mommy Frog's blog: Our Favorite Ways to Beat the Heat at Disney World.
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
- Location: Echo Lake
- Age: Kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 40" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer to wheelchair, then ride vehicle; Video and handheld captioning
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Those with back, heart and neck conditions, high blood pressure, who are expecting or have motion sickness, should not ride
Outside Galaxy's Edge, you'll find Star Tours - The Adventures Continue, a motion simulator ride that's perfect for "Star Wars" fans. Board your Starspeeder 1000 and explore a galaxy far, far away and try to evade capture from the First Order. Note: a rebel spy is on board — will it be you?
Each ride experience is different. Whereas you may come face-to-face with Kylo Ren in one, you may come across Jedi Master Yoda in another. Recently, new scenes and more than 250 storyline variations have been added to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue, including visits from Ahsoka!
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Location: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
- Age: Kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 40" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer from ECV/wheelchair; Transfer access vehicle available; Handheld captioning and audio description
- Lightning Lane: Yes — Single Pass
- Safety Warning: Those with back, heart and neck conditions, high blood pressure, who are expecting or have motion sickness, should not ride
Alright, now we're talking! I may be biased, but I think Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the best ride in all of Hollywood Studios! Remember earlier when I said another ride used the trackless system? This is it — and it makes the experience of this ride all the more thrilling!
Your adventure begins just outside of the Black Spire Outpost, where you and other recruits secretly join the Resistance in the fight against the First Order. But — oh no! Your transport is captured by a First Order Star Destroyer. Now, with the help of the Resistance, you have to try to evade capture by stormtroopers and Kylo Ren!
This one-of-a-kind ride features larger-than-life props (including AT-ATs), video screens, projection mapping, sound and lighting effects, realistic animatronics and so much more that brings this unique "Star Wars" adventure to life.
Toy Story Mania!
- Location: Toy Story Land
- Age: All ages; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: Any height
- Accessibility: Must transfer to wheelchair; Wheelchair access vehicle; Audio description and video captioning
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Guests prone to motion sickness should not ride
Think you can get the high score in Buzz Lightyear's Flying Ring Toss? What about in Hamm & Eggs where you have to knock down animal targets? These are a few of the games you can play in Toy Story Mania!
The queue takes you through all of Andy's games (and by Mr. Potato Head) until you reach his bedroom. Then, once you board your ride vehicle, your 4D gaming adventure begins! Each player has access to their own blaster to help them hit the targets and score points — up to 500,000! Lily and I love to see who can hit the most targets.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Location: Sunset Boulevard
- Age: Kids, tweens, teens and adults; Children under 7 must be accompanied by a guest 14 years or older
- Height Requirement: 40" or taller
- Accessibility: Must transfer to wheelchair, then ride vehicle; Video captioning
- Lightning Lane: Yes
- Safety Warning: Those with back, heart and neck conditions, high blood pressure, who are expecting or have motion sickness, should not ride
The Hollywood Tower Hotel, which houses The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, has become the icon of Disney's Hollywood Studios. There, at the end of Sunset Boulevard, it stands as a beacon for the show business elite. Oh, wait, sorry, that's me reciting the video from the queue — I just can't help myself!
For those new to Hollywood Studios rides, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is inspired by the 1960s TV show, "The Twilight Zone." You'll find references to the show throughout the ride, including a broken pair of glasses, a slot machine and more.
Your haunted maintenance elevator takes you to the fifth dimension before "dropping" you 13 stories! Along the way, you'll encounter a group of hotel guests who mysteriously disappeared in 1939.
Like the Haunted Mansion over at Magic Kingdom, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the scarier rides in Walt Disney World. Even if tadpoles meet the height requirement, this ride may still be a bit too scary for them. If that's the case, just let a cast member know before you board your elevator. They can help you get out of line and back outside.
Tad tip: Try to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at night for a unique experience and view of the park.
What Is Lightning Lane at Disney's Hollywood Studios (And How to Use It)
Throughout this blog, I mentioned Lightning Lane ... but what is that? While Daddy Frog has a guide covering the most commonly asked questions about Lightning Lane, here's a condensed version of what you need to know.
Generally, there are two types of Lightning Lane passes you'll use during your visit to Hollywood Studios: Multi Pass and Single Pass.
- Multi Pass: This system works similarly to the old FastPass system, in which you choose arrival times for three rides in the park. Once you use up one reservation, you're free to book another one, etc.
- Single Pass: This pass lets you skip the line to one in-demand attraction in Hollywood Studios, which is not included in the price of the Multi-Pass.
For example, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the most popular ride in Hollywood Studios. Buying a Single Pass is the only way to bypass the line. Simply put: you're paying a specific dollar amount to only ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. In contrast, Multi Pass lets you pay to skip the line at most other attractions in the park (including stage shows).
There's also a Premier Pass, which combines the best of both passes. With it, you pay to skip the line at all attractions in the park without having to select an arrival window. Like the other passes, the Premier Pass costs money.
Tips for Tackling All of the Hollywood Studios Rides on Your Visit
Our top tips for hitting the Hollywood Studios rides:
- If staying at a Disney World resort hotel, such as Disney's Pop Century or Disney's Port Orleans — Riverside, take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry. This lets you into the park (in this case, Hollywood Studios) 30 minutes before off-site guests. Within the first hour, you can usually hit up 1-2 rides such as Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Mania!
- Invest in Lightning Lane. Yes, it costs money per person, but if you don't visit Walt Disney World too often, it can help ensure you fit in all the rides you want to experience. There's nothing worse than returning home from your trip feeling disappointed that you didn't get to do everything you wanted to.
- Save the popular rides for the end of the night. Fantasmic!, Hollywood Studios' big nighttime show, usually draws in massive crowds. Wait to ride nearby attractions, such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, with limited wait times.
- Plan ahead and use your time strategically. Most guests head either to Sunset Boulevard or Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when the park first opens. Use this time strategically to hit up less crowded rides, such as Alien Swirling Saucers and Star Tours - The Adventures Continue. Likewise, choose to ride more in-demand attractions around dinner time.
- Buy an After Hours ticket. On select nights, Hollywood Studios hosts an After Hours event. This three-hour special event takes place after the park closes to guests. Wait times for rides, even the most popular, are minimal. It's a fantastic way to take advantage of low wait times and check everything off your list. In 2025, this event takes place on select nights from Jan. 22, 2025, to Sept. 3, 2025.
- Familiarize yourself with the park lingo. For example, did you know that when both the Haunted Mansion and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror have a 13-minute wait, it means that there's really no wait at all? If you see the number 13 on the board outside the ride, get in line ASAP! The ride will practically be a walk-on. Freshen up your Disney parks lingo in this helpful blog: Disney Acronyms & Lingo You Need to Know Before Your Next Walt Disney World Trip
- Use My Disney Experience to check wait times. Your My Disney Experience app is your key to Walt Disney World. Use it to check wait times around Hollywood Studios instead of hiking from Toy Story Land all the way to Sunset Boulevard. If you want, you can also plan your itinerary with Disney Genie. This free planning tool can help keep you on track, especially when trying to catch all the rides.
- Divide and conquer. You're not a fan of roller coasters that go upside down, but your sister frog is — and she wants to race the LA freeway before Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith closes down for good. Now's the perfect time to divide and conquer! Instead of spending time in lines for rides you dislike or only semi-enjoy, split up (safely, of course) so everyone gets to ride the attractions they want. Just be sure to make a meet-up plan in case your smartphone takes a nap.
- Be flexible and realistic about what you can accomplish in a day. Even if you plan the perfect itinerary, things can change. A sudden thunderstorm could shut down Slinky Dog Dash. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway could experience a technical delay. Hey, maybe the tadpoles are too tired and want to return to the resort to swim and relax. Sometimes, it just may be too hot to stay outdoors all day. While you may want to do it all, planning a "perfect" day is not always possible. Mommy Frog tells us to always be flexible and go with the flow. It's the best advice for navigating a Walt Disney World vacation.
With so much to see and do at Hollywood Studios, you're in for a day chock-full of thrills and excitement. Which of the Disney Hollywood Studios rides is your favorite? Drop a comment below! And don't miss the two new stage shows at Hollywood Studios — Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid - A Musical Adventure!
Related: Not-to-Miss Rides and Experiences at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Related: All the Details About the "Monsters, Inc." Land Coming to Hollywood Studios
Related: Our Top Tips For Preparing to Visit Disney World With Kids
Stay cool!
