We LOVE visiting each and every single Disney Park…but one, in particular, has tested our patience over the years.
For many, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the BEST theme park at Walt Disney World. It’s got some of Disney World’s most innovative attractions and lots of fun entertainment, so the sentiment makes plenty of sense. We really do enjoy visiting Hollywood Studios…most of the time. There are times, however, when this Hollywood-themed theme park is too cringey to handle.
Don’t get it twisted — Disney’s Hollywood Studios is an amazing theme park experience and we’ll continue visiting every week. With that said, it’s not perfect and there are nine cringey things we’ve seen at the park that have made us want to leave. Let’s take a deep dive and explore the things that may deter some from coming back to Hollywood Studios!
Too crowded
As we mentioned earlier, Hollywood Studios has some of Disney World’s best attractions. However, many consider the park to not have enough rides. So when the demand is high and the supply is limited, the result will usually result in large crowds and long wait times.
As one of Disney’s most in-demand parks, Hollywood Studios can build up the crowds, especially at night. During the day, there’s a solid chance you may be dealing with lots of sweaty bodies, tons of waiting, and cranky guests.
As always, we recommend practicing patience. Hollywood Studios is a concrete jungle that often has large crowds and blistering heat. It’s super easy to get cranky here, but remember you’re on vacation and there’s not much more you can do (aside from using Lightning Lanes). It’s better to make lemonade out of lemons than to throw a fit or give up. When in doubt, check the My Disney Experience app for wait times and take advantage of attractions with lower waits!
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is always broken
This may be an exaggeration, but doesn’t it always feel like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is always broken? Whether ride components aren’t working properly or the ride is closed altogether, there always seems to be some sort of an issue with this E-ticket attraction.
Honestly, it makes sense and we can forgive the ride a little bit. Rise of the Resistance is one of the best rides in the world, providing innovation with a phenomenal trackless ride system, over 300 animatronics, an immersive story, an unforgettable queue, revolutionary set pieces, and unexpected thrills. But with so many moving parts comes an increased chance of problems.
Rise of the Resistance is worth the usually incredibly long wait, depending on who you ask. But when you factor in how frequently it breaks down and the amount of issues that are prone to pop up, sometimes we can’t help but facepalm.
Kids piloting Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
We have to preface this point by reiterating the truth: Disney World was made for children. We hear that. We acknowledge that. We agree with that. HOWEVER, could Disney do us a solid and prioritize adults for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run?
On Smuggler’s Run, passengers control the Millennium Falon by working as engineers, gunners, and pilots. With the best view and most immersive experience being up front, often parents give their kids the pilot role. We get it, but hear us out…stop doing that. Okay, okay, that may sound a bit harsh, but keep in mind the pilots control the Millennium Falcon. The odds of snapping your spine in an unnecessarily bumpy adventure skyrocket when you have small children pilot the ship.
As of now, there really are no restrictions outside of height requirements when it comes to flying this uber-famous spacecraft. Our numerous bad experiences have led us to suggest a rule change, which you can read about by clicking the link below!
No Offense, Kids. But Disney Needs to Make a Rule CHANGE at Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run.
Slinky Dog Dash isn’t always worth the wait
Along with Rise of the Resistance and Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash can really get up there in wait times, taking out MASSIVE chunks of time from your park day. But is it really worth waiting over an hour to ride?
First, let’s start with the good. Slinky Dog Dash has a wonderfully immersive queue, zips you around a Toy Story-themed track, is considered a family-friendly coaster, looks great at night, and is accessibility friendly. So what’s the catch?
Well, if you’re expecting a more thrilling experience, this coaster will let you down. As we previously mentioned, this ride is family-friendly and a great building block to help riders work up the courage to ride bigger coasters. If you’re looking for more thrills, the ride experience won’t justify the LONG wait you’ll have to endure and you’ll wind up regretting the time you wasted in the queue.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster gives you orthopedic realignment you didn’t sign up for
It’s getting harder and harder for us to ride Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith these days. The ride is fun, but it throws you around and you could wind up in some serious pain.
As we’ve gotten older, we’ve become more hesitant to board this Aerosmith-themed roller coaster. A messed up spine and splitting headache aren’t exactly ideal when traversing Disney World, after all.
We recommend preparing for the worst by taking mild painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin as well as following all the safety guides before and during the ride experience. If you’re seriously worried about injury or lingering pain, however, it ultimately may be a good idea to skip this thrill ride.
Everything about 50’s Prime Time Café
Do you love intimate dining settings where you can relax and enjoy loved ones’ company while chowing down on elevated cuisine? Then 50’s Prime Time Café is NOT for you!
The food here is pretty good, featuring menu items like fried chicken, pot roast, meatloaf, and other childhood favorites. The setting is quirky with a ’50s family kitchen design. But the service can be way more interactive than you’d like.
This “all-American eatery themed like Mom’s kitchen” has you served by “extended family members” who aren’t shy about giving you lessons in table etiquette. Make sure you wash your hands, put your napkin in your lap, eat all your veggies, and keep your elbows off the table, or you might be given a punishment. Unless you want a stern talking-to from Uncle Fred. If you’re introverted or want to be left alone during your meals, the cringe you might feel here could be overwhelming.
Singing horribly during the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
There used to be an American Idol experience at Hollywood Studios that eventually gave way to For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, and, unfortunately, some of the cringy performances of American Idol have carried over to this sing-along.
This cringy criticism is more lighthearted — we encourage you to sing to your heart’s content! Sing-alongs aren’t about judgment, and they should be fun and inclusive, so we definitely don’t want to dissuade you from participating.
With that said, have some understanding of your limitations and understand that if you’re going to belt out “For the First Time in Forever” at the top of your lungs, it’s usually best to be able to carry a tune…😅
Listening to people complain about Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in an effort to boost The Great Movie Ride’s ego
This is an all too real cringy thing. We understand missing The Great Movie Ride. Our nostalgia for this journey through epic film history is as strong today as it ever was. However, that doesn’t excuse bashing Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
The Great Movie Ride was a dark ride that used audio-animatronic figures, live actors, special effects, projections, and practical sets to recreate iconic scenes from classic films throughout history. It was and still is beloved, and its replacement in 2017 remains controversial. The ride needed some TLC, and its total removal in lieu of a refurbishment is still widely criticized.
The Great Movie Ride was replaced by Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and a popular thing to do is poopoo the attraction because it isn’t The Great Movie Ride. In reality, Mickey & Minnie’s is a fantastic attraction in its own right, further innovating the trackless ride system with immersive storytelling and a really catchy theme song. We adore this attraction, and it doesn’t deserve the hate it gets simply because it has replaced a classic.
Watching people force others onto rides unwillingly
We’re going to finish off our list on a serious note. Hollywood Studios has a decent amount of thrilling attractions that are too scary for some kids and even some adults. While we always encourage getting out of your comfort zone to try new things at Disney World, forcing family members or people in your party to ride intense attractions might be too much.
I know you might think you’re doing someone a favor by forcing them on a ride, thinking they’ll wind up enjoying it, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, the experience can be traumatizing or dissuade them from trying thrill rides ever again. Additionally, there could be other people in the queue who just worked up enough courage to volunteer to ride, and seeing a screaming kid begging to use the chicken exit could affect them.
We recommend easing unwilling participants into riding the big kid rides or using Rider Switch or Single Rider lines so that you can experience an attraction without the drama of forcing your whole party to join. You can learn more about Disney World queues by clicking the link below!
I Have Basically Zero Patience, So Here Are My PROVEN Tricks To AVOID Long Lines in Disney World
There you have it! Have you experienced any of these cringy moments at Hollywood Studios before? What did we miss? Let us know, and continue to follow us at DFB for the latest Disney World news, tips, reviews, and more!
6 Hollywood Studios Truths that Hit Hard and Make You Regret Your Decisions
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
![](https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/DFBGuide-ShortCode-Image-1.png)
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
What are some of the cringiest things you’ve seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments!
TOO CROWDED: Go to another part of the Park and try again later. STAR WARS ALWAYS BROKEN: That is a bummer. KIDS PILOTING FALCON: Stop this! They are kids and future Disney fans. If you want to play video games, stay home. ROCK N ROLLER COASTER: I’m sure the writer is younger than me. What you have to do is BRACE yourself when you ride. You can’t sit relaxed. You have to try to keep yourself away from the sides. 50’S PRIME TIME CAFE: I have some fond memories and pictures of the 3 kids were brought there for dinner. We were hysterical about the comments the waitress made. Some were about good manners. I had some decent pot roast there. Haven’t been back in a while though. Everyone is all grown up. FROZEN SING ALONG: fun for my 3 small grandchildren. GREAT MOVIE RIDE VS MICKEY AND MINNIE RUNAWAY RAILROAD: Loved the Great Movie Ride, but, I have to admit younger people don’t know a lot of the actors and movies. I love the new ride, MICKEY AND MINNIE. It’s fabulous and fun!
None of those things bother me more than the trash on the ground, the sadly dead attractions and areas, and the rude guests that cut the lines.