Returning to my Favorite Disney Park

In 2006, riding Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror solidified (MGM) Studios as my favorite WDW park. Sixteen years later, it's close, but I still give DHS the edge when compared to Epcot or Magic Kingdom.

Recap of my Previous Visit

I visited MGM Studios for a full day on a weeklong family trip to Walt Disney World in 2006. I absolutely loved both Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. I wasn't a big fan of the show we watched later in the day, and wished we'd used that time for re-rides instead.

Overview

I "started" my Hollywood Studios halfday at 7:00:30AM in the MDE app by locking in a late afternoon Lightning Lane for Slinky Dog Dash. While I visited Epcot that morning, I reserved Lightning Lanes for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. At about 2:30PM, I arrived at the DHS front gate after walking from Epcot. I stayed until closing at 9PM and rode Rock 'n' 3 times, Slinky Dog Dash once, M&MRR once, and Tower of Terror once. I didn't set foot in Galaxy's Edge. This park lacks shade, but is very well-rounded: thrill seekers can head to Sunset Boulevard, families can enter Toy Story Land, Star Wars fans can immerse themselves in Galaxy's Edge, and there are plenty of non-ride attractions in the areas that connect the above destinations. Perhaps Universal's Islands of Adventure is the only Florida park that appeals to an even wider audience.

Coasters

As mentioned on the home page of this site, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster holds a special place in my heart as being the ride that really got me into coasters and theme parks. Sixteen years later, I still think it's great! The launch is decent, the inversions are enjoyable, and the layout isn't too jarring. It's a bit chaotic between being in the dark, having music blasted, and weaving through some head choppers. I got some headbanging, but overall this Vekoma coaster has aged well. I think the pacing, launch, and length are just right for introducing youngsters to extreme coasters. I tried each line once, and waited 15 minutes in the Lightning Lane queue, 50 minutes in the standby line, and 70 minutes in the single rider line. Thus, I'd recommend NOT using the single rider line for RNR based on my experience.

Over in Toy Story Land, Mack's Slinky Dog Dash offers a very different experience. I love the theming, as the Toy Story is one of my all-time favorite Disney series. Hollywood Studios really brings Toy Story to life, from actually riding inside Slinky to cruising around giant blocks and Toy Story characters. As for the ride experience, Slinky Dog Dash is very dull. It's really slow and not thrilling at all. It seems to be a people-pleaser though, and feels longer than some of the coasters in Magic Kingdom. The best analogy I have is that SDD is a souped-up, themed wacky worm. I waited 5 minutes in the Lightning Lane queue while the posted standby wait was 75 minutes.

Other Rides

Tower of Terror is easily my second-favorite ride at Hollywood Studios. I love the creepy, old theming once riders enter the hotel, and that boarding takes place in the basement. The drop sequence is fantastic, and I appreciate that it's longer ride experience than most drop towers. I rode at night and waited 90 minutes. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is a fun trackless dark ride. It has a cute storyline and is full of surprises. My only gripe is that a few scenes were too loud. Several riders around me covered their ears. I waited 10 minutes with Lightning Lane and "skipped" a 30 minute wait. I'm not sure if LL was helpful here.

Food & Merchandise

I bought chocolate ice cream and a water bottle from Hollywood Scoops for $10 when I first arrived at the park. Later, I ate dinner at Woody's Lunch Box for $14. Both meals were very good.

Cost

I spent $392 on a two-day park hopper ticket with Genie+ and one IAS purchase. On this day, I saved about 2.5 hours of queueing for 3 rides with Genie+. While it is extremely expensive to pay nearly $200/day for an individual to visit theme parks and skip a few lines, it took me 16 years as it was to get back to Disney World. It will likely be at least another 5 years before I return to Florida. While not packed with thrill coasters, the Disney parks are special...and worth every penny in my opinion. Check out the cost breakdown of my entire trip here.

Photos

These photos were taken by me. Please credit this website if used. Check out my photos page for pictures of Disney World from 2006.