Out of the four major parks in Walt Disney World, Hollywood is definitely the most adult-friendly park. With its movie themes and thrilling rides, there’s so much to love about Hollywood Studios. Starting with an early morning rope drop and ending with a spectacular show at night’s end, this adults-only itinerary skips the kid-oriented experiences and focuses on the best rides, foods, and drinks that adults in Disney will absolutely love. If you’re overwhelmed with planning options, no worries – we’ve got your ultimate itinerary for the best adults-only day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Want a quick look at the itinerary? Here’s the timeline for the day in Hollywood Studios!

Before the Hollywood Studios Park Day Begins

We hope you like strategy because ya need it in Disney! The most magical place on earth asks for early mornings, late nights, alarms, reservations, and a lot of planning. In return? You get a guaranteed good time, kind staff, fantastic food, an ideal amount of escapism, a chance to activate your imagination, and the deepest sleep each night after a long park day.

We’ll warn you that most days of Disney itineraries start with a 7 a.m. alarm, but for the best, most time-saving reasons. In order to make the most of your time and money in Walt Disney World, you’ll need the My Disney Experience app and then purchase Genie+ to get Lightning Lanes every day. Think of these as paid shortcuts to ensure you ride the best rides without waiting in crazy long lines all day!

Claim Your Genie+ Lightning Lane & Purchase Individual Lightning Lane

Set your alarms for 6:58 a.m. to have you and your travel partner’s phones open to the My Disney Experience app. One of you must be ready to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance. The other must be ready to snag a Genie+ Lightning Lane for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Both ride reservations open at exactly 7:00 a.m., so we highly recommend you refresh the pages for both starting at 6:59 a.m. Got em? Score! Now it’s time to head to the park.

Arriving Before Rope Drop 

If you want to get the most out of your Hollywood Studios day, you’ll want to arrive early. The park typically opens at 9 a.m., with early entry opening to Disney resort hotel guests at 8:30 a.m. And we know it’s early, but we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the early entry opening (meaning 8 a.m.) to take advantage of “rope drop.” (What’s rope drop? Find out here! But trust us, you want to be there for it.)

To make it to the parks by at least 8:00 a.m. before the early entry rope drop, you’ll need to catch the first bus, boat, or Skyliner from your Walt Disney World Resort to Hollywood Studios. Plan to arrive at your resort’s transportation stop by 7:30 a.m. I know, I know! It’s so early, but the ride from most resorts to Hollywood Studios typically takes at least 15 minutes, so you’ll need the extra time in the morning to arrive before everyone else.

Morning in Hollywood Studios

Rope Drop Ride: Slinky Dog Dash

Once you enter Hollywood Studios, make a beeline for Toy Story Land and jump in the short like for Slinky Dog Dash. While this is a family-friendly roller coaster, it’s both exciting and adorable. If you’re not a fan of big roller coasters but still love Toy Story and a bit of excitement, this is the perfect in-between ride. By riding it first thing in the morning, you’ll have a shorter wait time, allowing you to enjoy this popular attraction with minimal queues. While we love it, we don’t think it’s worth the two-hour wait you’ll find later in the day!

Compete to Win at Toy Story Mania

Since you’ll still be in Toy Story Land and the park has only just opened, walk over to Toy Story Mania while it still has short lines and bring on the competition! This interactive 4D attraction puts you in the middle of the Toy Story universe, where you’ll aim, shoot, and score points in various carnival-style games. Challenge your travel partner to see who can get the highest score! Pro-tip: aim for the high-point targets!

Breakfast at Woody’s Lunch Box

Don’t let the name fool you – Woody’s Lunch Box offers more than just lunch! In fact, they have one of the best quick breakfasts in Walt Disney World. While you’re in line for Toy Story Mania, put in a mobile order for a Breakfast Bowl (we dream about it daily), a Daily Lunch Box Tart, water, and a Joffrey’s coffee.

Ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

It should be about time to use your Genie+ Lightning Lane for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway! Why grab this one as a Lightning Lane first? Because the outside queue sucks. It’s hot, boring, and mostly unshaded. It’s a miserable line to wait in, so take advantage of the chance to skip it! Once inside, you’ll be transported onto a cute, clever interactive ride, following the iconic duo’s adventures and misfortunes as they plan a perfect picnic. Sorry not sorry that their catchy song will be stuck in your head all day!

Grab Your Next Genie+ Lightning Lane

As soon as you scan your phone or Magic Band for your Genie + Lightning Lane for the ride, go straight to the My Disney Experience app to reserve your next Lightning Lane! We recommend getting one for Tower of Terror if you like terrifying drop rides or Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster if you’re more into exhilarating indoor dark coasters.

Experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

By now, it should be time for your Individual Lightning Lane ride through Rise of the Resistance. If it happens to come before Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, switch the order recommendation. But it’s time to venture into a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance! This groundbreaking attraction combines immersive storytelling, stunning visuals, and nonstop action to transport you into the Star Wars universe. We promise it’s unlike any ride you’ve ever been on yet!

Afternoon in Hollywood Studios

Explore Galaxy’s Edge

After an unforgettable experience riding Rise of the Resistance, explore the immersive Star Wars land known as Galaxy’s Edge. Shop through the markets and translate the “local languages” with the Disney Play app. If you’re a massive Star Wars fan, you can even build your own droid at the Droid Depot or hand-built lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop for around $100-$200. While you’re exploring, be on the lookout for roaming Storm Troopers! They make for amusing/intimidating interactions and photo ops.

Lunch at Docking Bay 7

By now, you’ve probably worked off that breakfast bowl and are starving for lunch! While in Galaxy’s Edge, grab an out-of-this-world lunch at Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo that’s not your average theme park food. Try out the Batuuan Beef and Crispy Topato Stir-fry. It’s a fantastic Asian-inspired dish that we absolutely love, or Andrew’s favorite – the Ronto Wrap. And if you like it spicy, order the Pirjanad Hot Chicken Tip Yip to heat things up! After lunch, head to the Milk Stand nearby to get some Blue Milk as a sweet and slushy dessert. (Don’t worry – it’s not just a big cup of colored milk. It tastes more like a creamy fruit smoothie!)

Single Rider Line Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is one of the few rides in Walt Disney World with a Single Rider line, so you might as well utilize it while in Galaxy’s Edge! The longest we’ve waited for this ride while using the Single Rider lane is 10 minutes, so it’s a quick way to easily get on the ride.

Now, we’ll warn you that as a single rider, you’ll most likely get the job of engineer and will be paired up with a random group or family. However, it’s an awesome and easy way to experience the ride without a wait. Once you’ve ridden it, if you love it, come back later in the evening and wait in line for a better chance to be a pilot or make a Genie+ reservation for it later in the day.

Watch the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

Head out of Galaxy’s Edge and towards the center of the park and watch the next viewing of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular show. Fans of the original movies can get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to pull off incredible stunts with explosive special effects. It’s also a great excuse to sit in the shade and get off your feet for a little while!

Head to Sunset Boulevard for Rides & Shopping

It should be time to use your Genie+ Lightning Lane for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster. Tower of Terror is the iconic drop tower ride that takes you on a spine-tingling journey through a haunted hotel. After you ride it, you can hop in the Single Rider line for Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster.

If you opted out of dropping to your doom (or so it feels) and chose a Lightning Lane for Rock’ n’ Roller Coaster instead, jump in line for that and prepare for crazy speeds as you go from 0-60 in seconds and then through an exciting coaster. There aren’t many large, proper roller coasters in Disney, but this is one of them! Once you’ve used your Lightning Lane for one of the rides, reserve another Genie+ for a ride you either haven’t had the chance to try like Star Tours or a ride you’d love to do again without the wait like Smugglers Run or Toy Story Mania.

After riding the only two rides in this section of the park, take some time for some great photo ops and shopping down Hollywood Studios’ Sunset Boulevard. This street has some of the best shopping opportunities in the park! We love the old Hollywood feel of this area. Make sure to revisit after sunset, as the vibe feels totally different than during the day.

Evening in Hollywood Studios

Chill Out At Baseline Tap House

For the perfect place to chill and grab a drink before dinner, head to Baseline Tap House. This tap house offers vibes for days while paying homage to the Figueroa Printing Company – a mom-and-pop print house that partnered with Disney Studios. Get in line and order anything from a craft cocktail to a cider. Grab a pretzel with beer cheese or a charcuterie board to share if you feel snacky. If you’re lucky, you might get an outside table under the canopy of trees.

Dine At Sci-Fi Drive-In Theater Restaurant

Okay, we’ll be honest, this one is more about the experience than the food, but we still think it’s worth it! While the food is pretty standard American classics like chicken and burgers (which are honestly pretty good), the fun of dining in a retro convertible car in front of a giant screen playing old sci-fi movies and commercials is a blast. Disney always offers the coolest chances to do things you don’t do every day, and the Sci-fi Drive-In Theater Restaurant is no exception. It’s kitschy, fun, and certainly memorable. Just be sure to make an advanced dining reservation well in advance to score the best dining time for dinner.

Space Drinks at Oga’s Cantina

After dinner, walk back to Galaxy’s Edge for insane after-dinner drinks. Oga’s Cantina is a creative bar that offers unique and clever drinks that look and taste out of this world. We highly recommend you order a Bespin Fizz, Jedi Mind Trick, or Yub Nub. You’ll want to make reservations as soon as you know you’re going to Disney for this! It’s absolutely one of the most coveted reservations in Disney. Once you’re inside this immersive bar, it’s easy to see why.

Enjoy the Lands in the Dark

While you’re back in Galaxy’s Edge after dark, marvel at how different the land feels in the evening! Take your time to walk around and admire the attention to detail. And when you’re heading back to the front of the park to end the day with the next suggestion, we highly recommend taking the route around the back of the park to see Toy Story Land illuminated at night as well. If you’re up for one more drink, grab a Grown-Up Lemonade from Woody’s Lunch Box while you’re in the area!

Watch Fantasmic

For the end of the night, watch the late show of Fantasmic, often shown at 9 or 9:30 p.m. Fantasmic is Hollywood Studios’ slightly suspenseful spectacular nighttime show which features stunts, pyrotechnics, dancing water, and all of your favorite Disney characters. Get to the stands at least thirty minutes before the show begins to ensure you get a seat in this massive stadium.