Is Hollywood Studios Sensory-Friendly?
Are you thinking about heading to Hollywood Studios at Disney World but some of your family members have sensory sensitivities? Let’s jump in and find out if Hollywood Studios is sensory-friendly.
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What does “sensory-friendly” even mean?
Before we get into the details, you might be wondering what sensory-friendly means.
It is defined as a way to be more inclusive of those with different sensory needs. Usually this involves creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and supportive of those who are neurodivergent. A sensory-friendly event or location will be designed in a way to account for various sensitivities. And it will allow for making modifications to support those with sensory challenges.
An example of this is when a movie theatre might have a sensory-friendly movie screening. This would involve turning up the lights a little so it’s not so dark and turning down the volume of the movie so it’s not so loud. Making all these sensory inputs a little less jarring or intense at the movies is what makes it more sensory-friendly.
Hollywood Studios Overview
Hollywood Studios was the third of the four Walt Disney World them parks to open. It opened its doors to guests on May 1st 1989, and was originally called MGM Studios. The official icon is the Hollywood Tower Hotel, which houses the ride Twilight Zone—Tower of Terror.
Another iconic landmark of Hollywood Studios is the Chinese Theatre, like the one in Los Angeles, which is where you can find Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
This park nods to the golden age of Hollywood and old-age glamour of Los Angeles, while highlighting all things movies. This park has become very popular in recent years, but how does it do in terms of being sensory-friendly?
First, I want to acknowledge that some of this is very subjective. Every person can have varying sensory triggers. And they will have different ways of finding relief from sensory overload. So this isn’t going to be a straightforward answer.
And if you want to know more about whether Disney World as a whole is sensory-friendly, that is written about in detail here.
SENSORY-FRIENDLY ASPECTS OF HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
But let’s start talking about the GOOD at Hollywood Studios when it comes to how sensory-friendly it is.
SMALLER FOOTPRINT
It is the second smallest park, coming in just ahead of Magic Kingdom. And based on its layout, it is the park where it would require the least amount of walking. And if your sensory or neurodivergent child tires easily, this is a good thing to keep in mind.
OUTDOOR SHOW OPTIONS
If you have a child or someone in your travel party who gets overwhelmed during indoor shows or attractions, Hollywood Studios does have a few outdoor (but covered) show options, which you really don’t see at any of the other parks. Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is an outdoor covered show—but probably isn’t the most sensory-friendly experience. Beauty and the Beast—Live on Stage is another outdoor, but covered, show at Hollywood Studios.
QUIET(ER) NOOKS
While Hollywood Studios isn’t known for it’s quiet nooks, it’s still possible to find some.
STAR WARS LAUNCH BAY
Star Wars Launch Bay in Animation Courtyard is a favorite for us. This is where the meet and greets for BB-8, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader are. But you can still use this space to get into air conditioning and away from the bright Florida sun. There are a lot of exhibits featuring Star Wars movie props, with plenty of benches to sit down and rest.
GRAND AVENUE
The little nook in Grand Avenue, where you can find Muppet*Vision 3D, is usually less crowded as well. The majority of Disney guests in this general area are on the main path rushing to or from Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. BaseLine Tap House is also a favorite to get some drinks and snacks, though indoor seating is very limited.
WALT DISNEY PRESENTS
Walt Disney Presents is another quieter, less crowded attraction at Hollywood Studios. You can find it near the Joffrey’s just behind the Chinese Theatre, before you head towards Toy Story Land where you see the massive Woody greeting you. It’s an indoor gallery with exhibits that help you learn more about the man who started it all—Walt Disney. This is a great option to get a sensory break in this pretty sensory overloaded theme park.
CHALLENGES TO CONSIDER AT HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Now, let’s discuss some ways that Hollywood Studios is NOT sensory-friendly. These are important things to be mindful as you consider how to navigate through this theme park.
LOTS OF ATTRACTIONS WITH HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS
Among the four Disney World theme parks, Hollywood Studios has the MOST attractions where there is a minimum height requirement. I always say that height requirement shouldn’t be the ONLY thing to take into account when figuring out what attractions to try with your kids. But it’s a good starting point to gauge the intensity of an attraction. So, based on this data point, Hollywood Studios has the most physically “thrilling” attractions. And this might not be a great fit for a sensory sensitive child.
LOTS OF HIGH POPULARITY ATTRACTIONS
With the expansion of Hollywood Studios to include Toy Story Land and Star Wars—Galaxy’s Edge, we’ve come to see way more “banger” attractions. This includes attractions like Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash. Because of these high popularity attractions, this park will draw lots of crowds. And it will also result in very high wait times for many of these rides. This can be very challenging for those who are easily overwhelmed and overstimulated in crowds.
LACK OF SHADE
Hollywood Studios does NOT have a lot of shade. This is definitely the consensus among frequent Disney goers. Compared to all the other Disney World theme parks, it can feel like a bit of a concrete jungle over here. It’s especially noticeable in Toy Story Land. Heat definitely contributes to sensory overload, especially if your kids are more sensitive to getting overheated. Its another external stimuli—like noise—that can make a person’s sensory cup overflow. Which means you can cue the meltdowns.
UNFAMILIAR SOUNDS IN GALAXY’S EDGE
Disney World uses all of our senses to make the theming in the various areas of the parks more immersive. And when it comes to sound, different types of music is usually used. However, in Star Wars—Galaxy’s Edge, some of the sound effects used can be a little jarring for more sensitively-wired kids. It can a little scary and overwhelming to hear these unfamiliar noises in the background in the part of Hollywood Studios.
VISUAL & AUDITORY STIMULATION IN TOY STORY LAND
Toy Story Land is popular for a reason. There are three Toy Story-themed rides here, and there are usually a couple character meet and greets that pop up. But you can’t deny that visual stimulation you’ll encounter here. Bright colors, larger than life toys, and lots of exposure to the Florida sun makes this area visually overstimulating. There is a lot of background noise as well, with the crowds, music, and occasionally the green army men marching and drumming through.
SUDDEN TRANSITION BETWEEN TOY STORY LAND & GALAXY’S EDGE
If you’re entering Toy Story Land from Galaxy’s Edge, or vice versa, the transition can feel sudden and drastic. The sounds in both lands are SO different from each other. And visually, going from a neutral and earthy color palette in Galaxy’s Edge, to the bright primary colors everywhere in Toy Story Land can be really difficult. Luckily, you can also enter Galaxy’s Edge from Grand Avenue, which is closer to Rise of the Resistance. And you can enter Toy story Land from Pixar Plaza/Animation Courtyard area. These are both less drastic options when going from land to land.
CROWD BOTTLENECKS
For those who are sensitive to being in crowded places, Hollywood Studios can be prone to bottlenecked areas when it comes to crowds. This can happen when shows are finished around similar times, around Echo Lake. And Toy Story Land can be thick with crowds as well during certain times of the day or year. Because it does have a smaller footprint compared to EPCOT or Animal Kingdom, bottlenecking is definitely more common here.
NIGHTLY FIREWORKS
Disney World is known for its various nighttime spectaculars. And Hollywood Studios has its own. Fantasmic occurs nightly in the outdoor amphitheater at the end of Sunset Boulevard. And Animation Magic is another nighttime show that happens by the Chinese Theatre. Both shows use music, projections, and fireworks. Even though these are shows that many folks look forward to, it’s not always the case for more sensitively-wired individuals. The noise from the fireworks and music, and the visuals from shows (especially the villain portion for Fantasmic) can be VERY overwhelming.
RELATED: How to Manage Fear of Fireworks at Disney World
So, is Hollywood Studios sensory-friendly?
Hollywood Studios overall is probably not the most sensory-friendly park. There are a whole host of challenges here. But it can still be doable by understanding which challenges are going to the most difficult for your family, and making a game plan to help mitigate those things.
Making sure you prepare yourself and your children for what to expect and how to stay regulated, will be KEY to an enjoyable day at Hollywood Studios.
RELATED: How to Prepare Your Highly Sensitive Child For Disney World
If you’ve been to Hollywood Studios before, how sensory-friendly did you find it? What’s working and what could be improved? I’d love to hear about your experience!
Find Community
If you need extra support and community from other parents of highly sensitive kids going to Disney World, I encourage you to join my Facebook group—“Planning Disney for Highly Sensitive Kids (and Adults too!)! You can ask all your questions and get feedback from a wonderful group of Disney-loving parents who are also looking to mitigate meltdowns and maximize the magic during their Disney World vacation.
Also, I wanted to remind you to download your FREE copy of my must-have Disney ride planner tool!
With my Disney Ride Planner tool, it will be such a breeze to keep track of which rides you want to avoid and which you want to try with your highly sensitive kids. It will make planning your park days SO much easier!
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