What’s new at Hollywood Studios at Disney World?
Hollywood Studios at Disney World has experienced a huge surge in attendance over the past year because of the Rise of the Resistance ride and other Star Wars universe attractions. This year, though, we’ve seen even more changes to this particular area, in large part due to the coronavirus that has swept the globe.
If you’re going to visit Orlando anytime soon and would like to make Disney World one of your destinations, then it’s important to know what’s going on with each area of the theme park. Today, we’re going to look at a few Disney Hollywood Studios updates that you should be aware of before and after you arrive.
Precautions for Health and Safety
The first thing that visitors are likely to notice in terms of Hollywood Studios updates will be the added safety and health measures that have been taken to help quell the spread of the coronavirus. By working together, we can keep everyone safe and sound while having an absolute blast at the park.
Here is a quick list of the new safety precautions:
- Temperature screening
- Face mask requirement
- Social distancing in queues
- Increased cleanings
- More hand washing and sanitizing stations
Lower Guest Capacity for the Park
A big change that Disney decided on to help keep people safe was to limit the theme park’s capacity. Hollywood Studios has a maximum capacity of 60,000 guests. Although Disney hasn’t released any official numbers, it’s estimated they’re capping it at between 20% and 30% of their normal capacity. This makes social distancing much easier and guests will often experience shorter lines at the attractions.
Some Attractions Are Still Closed
Disney World is excited and quite antsy to get every single attraction up and running again for their guests. At this time, however, safety is their top priority, so not everything at Hollywood Studios will be open when you attend. This includes certain rides, restaurants, and other hot spots. The best way to keep up with these closures is with the help of a private Disney VIP tour guide who will inform you of any alterations to the park.
Most Crowded Park in Disney World
Even though Disney World’s capacity has been lowered throughout the park, there’s the possibility that Hollywood Studios will be a bit crowded. This is primarily due to the fact that the Star Wars area is still extremely popular, and, with fewer open attractions, certain spots are likely to be filled with people. In fact, it has proven so far to be the most crowded of the four parks that make up Disney World.
Virtual Queue but No FastPass+
One of the most exciting of the Hollywood Studios updates is the return of the Disney virtual queue. In fact, the only way to get on the Rise the Resistance ride is through this option. With the virtual queue, you place your name on the list to get in and return at your given time. This will help ease the pain of the FastPass+ program being temporarily halted to make social distancing easier for everyone.
No Extra Disney World Magic Hours
Extra Magic Hours are usually available to guests of select Disney World resort hotels, allowing them to enjoy certain attractions before the gates open and after they close. At Hollywood Studios, the use of this option was common because it helped lower the wait times for attractions like Slinky Dog Dash and other e-tickets. Until further notice, however, these hours won’t be available throughout Disney World. This basically puts everyone on an even playing field.
Changes to Restaurant Dining
Like all restaurants throughout Disney World, the ones found in Hollywood Studios have always been extremely popular. Due to coronavirus concerns, It’s important to know that the following changes have been implemented toward restaurant dining in Hollywood Studios and the rest of Disney World until further notice:
- Advanced Dining Reservations — Instead of having a 180-day booking window, this has been reduced to 60 days.
- Restaurant Closures — For various reasons, some Hollywood Studios restaurants will be closed, giving you limited options during your stay.
- No Disney Dining Plan — Throughout the remainder of 2020 and into 2021, there will be no Dining Plan, use of snack credits, or advanced payment of meals.
- New Dining Technologies — In order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, new technologies will be used consisting of contactless menus, mobile ordering and check-in, and cashless payments.
Contact World Class VIP for Hollywood Studios Updates
Disney Hollywood Studios is a lot more enjoyable when you sign up with World Class VIP. Our Disney VIP tour guides will help you plan your schedule, reduce time in line, make Disney hotel reservations, discover fantastic dining opportunities, locate your favorite characters, stay within health and safety guidelines, and much more. If you have any questions about our services or Hollywood Studios updates, call our team at (407) 270-2519 for a true VIP experience.