Hollywood Studios: Family with Young Kids

Who this is for: A family with young children, typically under 6 years old, most under 44 inches tall. You're traveling with toddlers, preschoolers, or early elementary kids who want characters, gentle rides, and immersive environments, not roller coasters.

Hollywood Studios is a hard park to plan for with young kids. More than half of the headliner rides have height requirements that exclude small children. Rise of the Resistance (40"), Tower of Terror (40"), Slinky Dog Dash (38"), and Millennium Falcon (38") all have minimums your kids likely won't meet. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster on Sunset Boulevard is permanently closed and being rebuilt as a Muppets themed coaster, check Disney's site for opening updates. That can feel limiting, but there's still a solid day here if you know where to focus. Toy Story Land, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Star Tours (for kids at 40"), character meets, and the shows can fill a satisfying day. You just need a different strategy than the thrill ride crowd.

What Your Kids CAN Ride

This is the list that matters. Forget what they can't do, here's what they can.

No height requirement: Toy Story Mania, 3D shooting gallery on a moving vehicle, the whole family competes for points, kids love it. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, trackless dark ride, bright, funny, surprising, no scary parts for most kids. Alien Swirling Saucers, gentle spinner, short ride, fun music, aimed at young kids.

If your child is 38" or taller: Slinky Dog Dash, family coaster, looks mild, rides well, not too intense for most kids at 38", some small drops. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, interactive simulator, kids can pilot the Falcon, the experience varies by role, request pilot seats for your kids.

If your child is 40" or taller: Star Tours, flight simulator, great for kids who meet it but it can be intense for very small kids, some motion, some dark moments, use your judgment. Rise of the Resistance, trackless dark ride + drop, this is intense, dark environments, loud sounds, a drop sequence, some kids at 40" love it, some are scared, you know your child, if they handle Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom fine they'll probably be okay here. Tower of Terror, drop ride, genuinely scary for many kids, dark pre show, sudden drops, the feeling of falling, this is not a ride to push a borderline kid onto.

Rider Swap

If one parent wants to ride something the kids can't, Rider Swap lets you do it without waiting in line twice.

How it works: Your whole party goes to the ride entrance. Tell the Cast Member you want Rider Swap. Parent A rides with the kids waiting nearby. When Parent A finishes, Parent B rides using the Rider Swap pass, essentially a Lightning Lane entry. The kids don't wait in line at all for the second round.

Best Rider Swap rides at Hollywood Studios: Rise of the Resistance, skip the long standby wait on the second ride. Tower of Terror, one parent can experience it without dragging the kids through the queue. Slinky Dog Dash, if only one kid meets the height requirement.

While Parent A rides, Parent B takes the kids to do something nearby. Plan what that "something" is in advance so you're not standing around.

Getting There

Check park hours first: Go to disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars and find Hollywood Studios' opening time for your specific date. Early Entry for Disney resort guests begins 30 minutes before the official park opening time.

Hollywood Studios is simpler to reach than Magic Kingdom, you can drive directly to the parking lot and walk to the entrance. No ferries, no monorails, no secondary transportation. The lot is a single large surface lot, no trams. You walk from your car to the entrance. That simplicity matters when you're wrangling strollers, diaper bags, and kids who may or may not be cooperating.

If driving: Check current pricing on the Disney website or app, parking rates change periodically. Preferred Parking costs more but puts you closer to the entrance, worth considering with a stroller and young kids. Annual Passholders get free standard parking. Disney Resort guests also park free. Take a photo of your row sign. You will not remember your parking spot when you're carrying a sleeping child at 8 p.m.

If you're at a Disney resort: BoardWalk, Yacht & Beach Club, Swan & Dolphin can walk or take the boat, walking gives you more control of timing with kids. Skyliner resorts (Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, Art of Animation, Riviera) take the Skyliner gondola, kids love the gondola, can have lines at rope drop, budget extra time, strollers must be folded. All other resorts use the bus, strollers are allowed on buses, allow plenty of buffer.

Be at the park gates before official opening. With young kids, this is harder than it sounds. Build in buffer for diaper changes, breakfast meltdowns, and the general unpredictability of getting small humans out the door. You'll need time for driving, parking, walking from your car (slower with stroller and kids), and security. Add more buffer than you think you need on your first morning.

Lightning Lane Priorities for Young Kids

Book at 7 a.m. Slinky Dog Dash first (if child meets 38"), longest waits in the park for rides your kids can do. Toy Story Mania second, indoor, fun for everyone, saves you from the midday line. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway third, the other ride every member of your family can do. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run fourth (if child meets 38"), your kids will talk about piloting the Falcon for months. Lightning Lane pricing varies by date. Check the My Disney Experience app for current prices.

Rope Drop

If you're staying at a Disney resort (Early Entry): You have 30 minutes before general public. Your best rides are different from the thrill seekers'.

Toy Story Mania first, no height requirement, the line gets long fast. Alien Swirling Saucers second, walk over from Toy Story Mania, quick, gentle, kids love it. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway third, head to the front of the park, no height requirement, colorful, engaging for little ones.

If your child is 38" or taller, consider starting with Slinky Dog Dash during Early Entry instead, it's the ride with the worst waits later in the day and it's a great family coaster for kids who just barely meet the height.

If you're staying off property (no Early Entry): Resort guests have had 30 minutes of Early Entry. The headliner queues are already building. But most of those crowds are at Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash. You're not going to those rides (height requirements). That actually works in your favor.

Toy Story Mania first, no height requirement, indoor queue, fun for all ages, lines build fast, get it first. Alien Swirling Saucers second, right next door in Toy Story Land, gentle spinner, short wait early morning. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway third, no height requirement, trackless dark ride, colorful and fun for small kids. This gets you three rides done before the park fills up.

Morning (Park Open to 11:00 a.m.)

Character Meets

Hollywood Studios has strong character experiences for young kids. These matter more here than at other parks because you have fewer rides to fill the day.

Mickey and Minnie at Red Carpet Dreams (Commissary Lane), Mickey in sorcerer robes, Minnie in her director outfit, indoor, air conditioned meet. Woody and Friends in Toy Story Land, Woody, Jessie, and Buzz appear in Toy Story Land, outdoor meet, check the app for times. Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight (Echo Lake), indoor meet, air conditioned, great heat break. Disney Junior characters in the Animation Courtyard area, check the app for current character appearances.

Character meet wait times show up in the My Disney Experience app. Check before committing to a 30 minute line, sometimes coming back later cuts the wait significantly.

The Shows

At a park where half the rides have height requirements your kids don't meet, the shows become the backbone of your day. Lean into them.

Disney Junior Play and Dance! is specifically designed for the youngest guests. It's an interactive show with characters from Disney Junior programming. Air conditioned, indoor, and your preschooler will lose their mind. Check the app for showtimes.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is an outdoor stadium show with live stunt performers, explosions, and audience volunteers. The stunts are exciting, the explosions are loud (warn sensitive kids), and the stadium seating is shaded. It's a great way to burn afternoon time.

Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After is a stage show on Sunset Boulevard with Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent singing on stage. How your young kids react to this depends on the kid, some love the villains, some are scared of them. You know your child.

Fantasmic! (if running on your date) is the evening show. Water, fire, projections, characters in boats. It's spectacular but loud, dark, and runs late. Evaluate whether your child can handle a late show after a full day. If they can, it's magical. If they're going to melt down in the amphitheater, skip it and leave early while the park is quiet.

Afternoon (11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

Option A, hotel break (strongly recommended): Leave the park between 11:30 a.m. and noon. Go back to your hotel. Pool time (kids love the pool as much as the rides). Lunch somewhere with real food and AC. Nap. Not optional. This is how you get a functional child for the evening. Return between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

The families who have the best days at Hollywood Studios with young kids are the ones who leave in the middle. This is not failure, it's strategy. Your kids will be rested, fed, and ready for round two. The families who try to push through will be carrying a screaming child past Tower of Terror at 2 p.m.

Option B, stay in the park: If leaving and returning isn't realistic (off property with a long drive, only one park day), you need an indoor plan.

Afternoon survival rotation: 11:30 a.m., lunch at a table service restaurant with AC (Sci Fi Dine In is fun for kids, they eat in fake cars watching movie clips). 12:30 p.m., character meets (indoor ones: Olaf, Mickey & Minnie). 1:30 p.m., Disney Junior Play and Dance!. 2:00 p.m., Star Tours (if height allows) or Toy Story Mania re ride. 2:30 p.m., Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., storm window, duck inside, ride out the rain. 4:00 p.m., re ride favorites as afternoon crowds thin.

Stroller Strategy

Bring your own stroller. Rental strollers at the park are hard plastic and uncomfortable for naps. Your own stroller doubles as a mobile base for bags, snacks, water bottles, and a sleeping child.

Every ride and show has a designated stroller parking area. Leave your stroller there, Cast Members may reorganize them, but they'll be in the same general area. Toy Story Land is compact and manageable with a stroller. The paths aren't as wide as some areas of Magic Kingdom, but it works. Bring a rain cover. Afternoon storms will soak an uncovered stroller and everything in it.

Packing Checklist for Young Kids at Hollywood Studios

Stroller with rain cover. Refillable water bottles (refill at water fountains throughout the park). Sunscreen (reapply every 2 hours, you will forget, set a phone alarm). Portable fan or misting fan. Ponchos for afternoon storms (buy before you arrive, park prices are marked up). Snacks, more than you think, pack double what seems reasonable. Change of clothes (storms, spills, accidents). Diapers/wipes if applicable. Favorite small toy or comfort item for wait times. Portable phone charger (the My Disney Experience app drains battery).

Evening

Return around 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. if you took a hotel break. Re ride favorites (Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers). Dinner at Sci Fi Dine In or Woody's Lunch Box. Fantasmic! if your child can handle a late show. Or leave after dinner when the park is calm and your kid is still happy.

Dining with Young Kids

Quick service: Woody's Lunch Box in Toy Story Land, kids love eating in Toy Story Land, totchos, grilled cheese, lunch box tarts, outdoor but themed. Docking Bay 7 in Galaxy's Edge, indoor AC, the theming is cool for kids, food is decent. Backlot Express near Star Tours, indoor seating, standard kid friendly options, less crowded than other spots.

Table service (reservation recommended): Sci Fi Dine In Theater, you eat in fake convertible cars while B movie clips play on screen, kids love the cars, the novelty alone makes the meal, reservation strongly recommended. 50's Prime Time Cafe, servers play "mom" and scold you for not eating your vegetables, some kids think this is hilarious, some find it confusing, know your kid. Hollywood & Vine, character dining, Disney Junior characters during certain meals, check for current character dining availability, if it's running this is the best dining option for young kids at Hollywood Studios.

When the Plan Breaks

"My kid is too short for everything." Focus on Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, character meets, and the shows. That's a full day for a young child. They don't need 10 rides to have a magical day, they need two rides they love and a character meet that makes their week.

"My kid is scared of Rise of the Resistance." Don't push it. Use Rider Swap so the adults can ride, and take the scared child to Toy Story Land or a character meet instead. Forcing a scared child onto a ride doesn't create a magical memory.

"It's raining and we have two hours to kill." Indoor options: Toy Story Mania, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Star Tours (if height allows), Disney Junior Play and Dance!, character meets (the indoor ones), Sci Fi Dine In or 50's Prime Time for a sit down meal.

"My child is melting down and it's 2 p.m." Leave. Go to the hotel. Come back later if you can, or call it a day. One happy morning at Hollywood Studios is better than a full day where the last four hours were miserable. Your child won't remember whether they rode Toy Story Mania once or twice. They will remember whether the day felt fun or stressful.

End of Night

If you drove: Walk to your car. No trams, no ferries. The simplest exit of any Disney park. If you're leaving after Fantasmic!, expect a crowd surge, either leave a few minutes before the show ends or wait a bit and browse the shops to let the rush thin.

If you're at a Disney resort: BoardWalk, Yacht & Beach Club, Swan & Dolphin, walk back, close, no lines. Skyliner resorts, Skyliner, can have a line after Fantasmic! but moves fast. Bus resorts, bus, lines can be long at park close, wait a bit for the rush to clear if you can.