Disney’s Hollywood Studios arguably has the best lineup of rides of all of Disney World’s theme parks. There is a preposterous amount of must-ride E-ticket attractions. From highly-themed thrills to innovative trackless rides, Hollywood Studios is the park that will make you say “Can we ride that again?!”

With so many great rides, it can be overwhelming picking which ones you should prioritize on your WDW vacation. Luckily, Guide2WDW is here to help. In this article, I am ranking every attraction, ride, and show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

This ranked list will tell you which rides are the best of the best, and which rides you might be fine skipping. The list is divided into three sections:

  • Rides & Attractions You Can Skip at Hollywood Studios – These attractions either have a very narrow audience (like shows intended only for small kids) or don’t quite have the same level of theming and innovation as other rides.
  • Good Rides & Attractions at Hollywood Studios – These rides give the theme park its character and charm, but they usually aren’t worth a long wait.
  • The Best Rides & Attractions at Hollywood Studios – These are the essential, must-do rides and shows that best represent the Hollywood Studios experience.

#17-14 – Rides & Attractions You Can Skip at Hollywood Studios

Only go on these if there is little to no wait, usually under 10 minutes. From a glorified carnival ride to a dance party for kids, these attractions should be your lowest priority, and many guests will be fine skipping them. The best way to experience these attractions is to kind of stumble upon them and say “Hey, this has no wait, let’s jump on.”

17) Vacation Fun – An Original Animated Short with Mickey & Minnie

I say this as a huge fan of the new Mickey Mouse shorts: you’re probably fine skipping Vacation Fun. Yes, it’s novel seeing this wonderfully wacky animation style on a big screen in a theater. Also, this attraction gets points for featuring original content that you can’t see outside the park in an official capacity (although there’s always YouTube). Only seek out Vacation Fun if you need a short air conditioned break and there’s no wait. Otherwise, just watch The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse on Disney+ at home.

16) Alien Swirling Saucers

Aliens Swirling Saucers - Toy Story Land - Disney's Hollywood Studios - Walt Disney World

Is Alien Swirling Saucers fun? Yes. This ride system has been a smile-inducer since it debuted with Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure at Disneyland. However, it’s definitely the most skippable ride at Hollywood Studios. It’s a short carnival-style flat ride, and it’s not worth more than a 10-15 minute wait in my opinion. Since it’s one of the easier Lightning Lane pickups in Genie+ at Hollywood Studios, it could be a good attraction to ride toward the end of the day when you’re running out of Lightning Lane options.

15) Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage

It’s a tale as old as time, with an emphasis on old. This stage adaptation of Beauty and the Beast has been a favorite for my family for decades now, but unfortunately it’s showing its age in a big way. In comparison to Disney World’s newer shows like Finding Nemo: The Big Blue & Beyond and Festival of the Lion King (and seeing what Disneyland did with their Frozen Musical), this show is in major need of a revitalization. If you have a huge Beauty and the Beast fan in your family, this is worth seeking out. Otherwise, you’ll be fine skipping this show.

14) Disney Jr Play & Dance

If you have a toddler or a little one who loves Disney Jr shows, this dance party show should jump towards the top of your list. It’s one of our favorite attractions for toddlers at Hollywood Studios. However, if you’re traveling with older kids or only with adults, you can safely skip the Disney Jr Play & Dance attraction. It’s a delightful show for small kids, but its narrow audience makes it skippable for many guests.

#13-9 Good Rides & Attractions at Hollywood Studios

These are rides and attractions that add to the vibe and character of Hollywood Studios. They aren’t must-dos for every trip I make to Disney World, but they are all worth going on at least once at some point on your vacation.

13) Lightning McQueen Racing Academy

Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy - Hollywood Studios Attraction
Disney

This show just barely squeaks in from the “skippable” list due to its impressive Lightning McQueen animatronic. Featuring large screens and racing simulations from Cars 3, Lightning McQueen Racing Academy is a must-do for anyone with kids who love cars and vehicles.

12) For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

The Frozen Sing-Along probably doesn’t feel as crucial now that Frozen fever has cooled off. However, I know plenty of parents who have kids who are still singing every word of “Let It Go” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” over and over again. Frozen has staying power, and the Frozen Sing-Along is a great show for fans of the first movie. It features every song from the first Frozen movie, as well as appearances from Anna and Elsa.

11) Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

One of the only remaining attractions from the early days of Disney’s MGM Studios, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular still holds up. From the truly impressive boulder stunt to a recreation of a brawl in the airfield, this show takes some of the best set pieces from Raiders of the Lost Ark and performs them for you live.

10) Muppet*Vision 3D

This 3D movie starring the Muppets might get extra points because it is the last thing Jim Henson ever directed. Despite being over 30 years old at this point, Muppet*Vision 3D still delivers some of the funniest jokes found at Disney World. Packed with gags and memorable musical numbers, Muppet*Vision is still one of my favorite attractions at Hollywood Studios. It doesn’t pack the wow-factor that many of the higher-ranked attractions do, but it’s guaranteed to put a smile on my face every time I go on it. This attraction almost never has a long wait, which is a big bonus.

9) Disney Movie Magic / Wonderful World of Animation

These projection shows transform the Chinese Theater, Hollywood Studios’ icon, in fun and innovative ways. Disney Movie Magic is a 10-minute show featuring clips from live action movies like Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean. Wonderful World of Animation focuses on Disney and Pixar animated classics, with a tribute to Mickey Mouse. These projection shows are fun and the visuals are impressive, but they lack the oomph that the Hollywood Studios fireworks shows that featured both projections and pyrotechnics had. Once Disney World brings those back, this type of show will move further up the list.

#8-1 The Best Rides & Attractions at Hollywood Studios

8) Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Star Tours - Star Wars at Disney World

Disney World’s original Star Wars ride might still be the best ride of fans of every Star Wars movie. Yes, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is more immersive and technically impressive, but Star Tours features randomized sequences that span all nine Star Wars movies. From a snowy battle on Hoth to zipping through Jakku with the Millennium Falcon to an underwater excursion on Naboo, Star Tours plays like a thrilling greatest hits mixtape of the adventures through a Galaxy Far, Far Away. With impressive 3D visuals and some intense thrills, Star Tours is still a must-do at Hollywood Studios.

7) Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster

Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is arguably one of the best roller coasters at Disney World. It is inarguable that it’s the most intense roller coaster. This is the only ride at Disney World that will flip you upside down. Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster features two inversions, however the launch at the beginning is really what turns this ride up to 11. While I would love to see this ride be rethemed, the soundtrack by Aerosmith still works well for a high-speed coaster rolling through a neon version of Los Angeles.

6) Toy Story Mania

It’s a ride that’s a game. It’s a game that’s a ride. This interactive 3D attraction is one of Disney World’s most rerideable rides, as you can improve your score the more times you go on it. Here’s our guide on how to uncover the secret targets and get a high score on Toy Story Mania. This completely digital attraction could use an update to add a game or two from Toy Story 4 (especially featuring Ducky and Bunny’s carnival game!), but even without an update in many years, Toy Story Mania brings plenty of family friendly fun to Toy Story Land.

5) Slinky Dog Dash

Speaking of family friendly fun in Toy Story Land, Slinky Dog Dash is one of the best family coasters ever made. It’s just approachable enough that kids as young as five can enjoy it, but just thrilling enough that adults will still have a blast on the ride. Featuring two launches and adorable Slinky Dog ride cars, it’s a fantastic ride for families to enjoy together. Hollywood Studios needs more rides like this.

4) Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run - Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Ride - Hollywood Studios Attraction Featuring one of the best pre-shows, queues, and ride vehicles in all of Disney World, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run fulfills the wish of letting you step aboard the Millennium Falcon.  From the insanely impressive full-size ship at the entrance of the ride to the next-gen Hondo animatronic in the line, to the cockpit that looks like it was ripped out of the movie, Millennium Falcon delivers on the details. The ride itself is a bit more divisive. Personally, I find the video game nature of the ride to be a blast, especially once you understand how each of the roles works on Smuggler’s Run. However, this ride would most likely resonate much more with guests if it featured a mission to a more well-known and iconic Star Wars location.

3) Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Colorful projections? Check. Zany gags? Check. A blast with Mickey and Minnie in their cartoon world? Check. This trackless ride is a pure delight, and it’s one of the only rides at Hollywood Studios that all ages can really enjoy. With tons of fun visuals and a super-fun and silly story, this is the great cartoony ride at Disney World.

2) Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror

Take a thrilling drop into the Twilight Zone. From the queue to the preshow to boarding the service elevator, there’s a delightful feeling of dread that builds as the Tower of Terror experience unfolds. That scene-setting and mind-bending 5th dimension scene turns a drop ride into something that’s so much more. Is this ride for the faint of heart? No, absolutely not. I’ve been on it countless times and it still scares me silly. But this ride that takes the atmosphere of the Haunted Mansion and adds a thrill element to it, making it one of the greatest rides ever made.

1) Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Rise of the Resistance Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney

It should be no surprise that the best ride at Disney World tops the list of Hollywood Studios attractions. Rise of the Resistance builds on everything Disney Imagineering has learned about themed entertainment and takes it to the next level. It’s much more than just a trackless dark ride – that only encompasses around 4 minutes of the 20 minute+ experience. Like Haunted Mansion, Rise of the Resistance really starts in the queue, but with more surprises and twists. In total, Rise of the Resistance is four attractions smashed together: a walk-through, a simulator, a trackless dark ride, and a drop ride.

Everything is done at such a high level and at such a massive scale that the ride really just boggles the mind. Riding it now makes me think of guests riding Pirates of the Caribbean in the 60s, who got to experience something so exciting and innovative and unlike anything else done before. Rise of the Resistance must be experienced to fully understand just why it’s Disney World’s greatest ride.

How to Plan a Hyper-Awesome Hollywood Studios Day

Millennium Falcon Smuggler’s Run - Disney World Ride

Planning a trip to Disney World? This list is just the beginning. Get in touch with our friends at Vacationeer for free Disney World vacation planning. Their travel agents can help you plan your vacation for no extra cost. They’ll make sure you get the most out of your visit to Hollywood Studios and the other WDW theme parks. Plus, they are Disney experts, so they’ll have their own recommendations and advice.

Don’t miss our Disney World guides, which help you learn the basics of planning a WDW vacation. Our Guide 2 Disney Genie and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Guide will help you spend less time waiting in line for Hollywood Studios’ best rides and attractions. Plus, we have an in-depth sections with Hollywood Studios Tips and Tricks, a Hollywood Studios Guide for Toddlers, a Hollywood Studios Character Guide, as well as Hollywood Studios Dining and Restaurants.