Despite the perfection and magic of Disney World, there actually IS a way you can do it WRONG! 

At each park, there are mistakes to avoid and tips to heed in order to ensure your vacay goes as smooth as possible, and today we’re taking a look at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!  

In the past, we’ve shown you ways you’re doing Christmas wrong in Disney World, mistakes that will cost you BIG money, and things that EVERYONE gets wrong at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival (you’re not alone). 

Now let’s examine one park specifically. If you really wanna live your best Hollywood Studios life and make the most of this uber-popular park, then these are the mistakes to AVOID to ensure you’re doing it the RIGHT way. 

Forgetting to Set Your Alarm

We’ve told you many times about the benefits of getting to the parks early. This is perhaps more true at Disney’s Hollywood Studios than any other Disney park right now!

With so many popular rides that draw long standby lines by midday, you are going to have an easier time getting in all of your “must-dos” if you start as soon as you are able. So, set that alarm to give yourself plenty of time to arrive by rope drop (or for Early Theme Park Entry if you are a Disney World resort guest)! And a friendly reminder here that you can start making your Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selections at 7AM on your park day, so have that phone charged and ready!

Read all about Genie+ in Disney World here! 

Falling Into the Coffee Trap

What is the coffee equivalent of hangry? Because that’s what you’ll be if you arrive early in the morning only to find the line at Trolley Car Cafe as long as the line for Slinky Dog Dash!

The park’s central coffee shop is quite the attraction in the AM, but don’t assume that the looooong line you see is the ONLY option. In fact, there MIGHT be a second — shorter! — line right around the corner! So you can get your caffeine fix ASAP and get on to the important business of waiting in OTHER lines! 

Lining Up at Oga’s Cantina Without a Reservation

Looking for a serious *face palm* moment? Try getting in line at Oga’s Cantina without a reservation, only to be publicly embarrassed when a friendly Cast Member tells you this line is only for guests with advanced reservations! 

Oga’s Cantina remans one of the most difficult reservations to snag in Disney World, so your only option for getting in is feverishly refreshing your My Disney Experience app for openings. That line you see, as hopeful as it may seem, is basically a mirage. You can try seeing if you can join the walk up waitlist day of. Get all the details on that here. 

Not Paying Attention To Your Role Cues on Smuggler’s Run

Remember those team projects in school, where there was always that ONE student who kinda dragged their feet and contributed nothing, but took all the credit? That’s basically you if you don’t pay attention to your role cues on Smuggler’s Run. 

The Millennium Falcon attraction is a team effort, with each guest given a specific role to perform. Don’t let your teammates down by forgetting your tasks and ignoring the flashing lights instructing you not to crash. Don’t be that guy. 

Assuming Ronto Roasters is JUST Sausage Wraps

It’s easy to make the mistaken assumption that Ronto Roasters, the main Quick Service restaurant in Galaxy’s Edge, is nothin’ but sausage wraps. After all, that’s their bread and butter! But you’d be missing out on a surprisingly lengthy menu with some of the most exciting eats in the park! 

First of all, there are breakfast wraps and Rising Moons Overnight Oats. There’s also Pork Rinds, Plant-based wraps, exotic Andoan Fruit with Muja Sauce, and an impressive abundance of allergy-friendly items and snacks for people with all sorts of dietary restrictions! 

Read our Ronto Roasters review here! 

Not Booking a Park Pass Reservation

File this one under “duh,” but Hollywood Studios is perhaps the MOST important park to book a Park Pass reservation for as far in advance as possible! 

Thanks to Galaxy’s Edge, and buzzy new-ish attractions like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, this remains the most consistently crowded park, so if you want to get in on some of that sweet Star Wars action, you’ll want to snag a res ASAP. 

See which Park Pass Reservation dates you NEED to book ASAP here!

Not Making Advanced Dining Reservations for the Hot Spots

The good news: Hollywood Studios is home to some STELLAR Quick Service restaurants available for Mobile Order. The bad news: it’s also home to some of Disney World’s most in-demand Table Service restaurants that are annoyingly difficult to get into! 

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater and The Hollywood Brown Derby, in particular, are hot commodities, and it’s frustratingly rare to find a reservation at an optimal time for either of them. So if you want to get a seat, you’ll want to start searching (and refreshing your app) for Advanced Dining Reservations as soon as you’re able! That Brown Derby Cobb Salad is calling your name…

Holding a Grudge Against Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Listen, we get it. We miss The Great Movie Ride too! Would it have been ideal if they opened Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in an entirely new location, rather than replace that iconic attraction? Sure. But life is hard, and that’s just the way it is. 

It’s ok to be wistful for The Great Movie Ride, but don’t let it dissuade you from riding (and LOVING) its replacement, because it’s genuinely a marvel of entertainment, hilarity, animation, and technology! Dare we say The Great Movie Ride would be proud. 

Splurging On Expensive Merch You’ll Never Wear

It’s all too easy to be swept up by the dazzling merch in Hollywood Studios, and nowhere is this more evident than at the gift shop at Tower of Terror. As guests exit the ride, soaring on an adrenaline high, the temptation to splurge on expensive merch is HIGH. 

But realistically, how much use is that bellhop hat really gonna get at home? Do you really NEED a Tower of Terror bathrobe? Unless you masquerade as an old-timey hotel employee, the answer is no, you don’t. 

Learn more about the 5 souvenirs we REGRET buying in Disney World!

Not Removing Your Hats

This one is a classic mistake for pretty much any theme park with a thrill ride, but there are a couple specific attractions here where the old adage holds true: always remember to take off your hat on Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster and Slinky Dog Dash. 

As you zoom around the tracks on these high-speed rides, you could definitely run the risk of losing your headgear, so unless you’re secretly having an amazing hair day, you’d be wise to remove it and cling to it. 

So the next time you remember to snag a Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, keep these tricks and tips in mind to ensure you don’t miss out on Cobb salads, Star Wars cocktails, fun rides, and a timely coffee order!

Click here to see why Hollywood Studios is the best Disney World Park!

What are your biggest pro tips for living your best life at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments!