With so many fun movie themed rides and shows, Hollywood Studios is great for kids. If you’re looking for things to do in Hollywood Studios for toddlers or babies specifically, we have you covered! This list of rides, shows and other fun things to do with younger kids at Hollywood Studios includes everything you need for planning the best day in Hollywood Studios with toddlers.
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Toy Story Land
What toddler doesn’t love Toy Story Land? This fun themed area in Hollywood Studios is full of bright colors and characters everywhere you look. It also includes three of the best Hollywood Studios rides for toddlers. Below are several things to do in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios.
- Slinky Dog Dash– This fun roller coaster winds throughout Toy Story land. It’s one of the best rides at Hollywood Studios for kids and a can’t miss ride if your toddler likes rollercoasters. The minimum height for Slinky Dog Dash is 38 inches.
- Toy Story Mania!– Toy Story Mania takes you on a 4-D adventure with a carnival style shooting game. There is no height minimum to ride Toy Story Mania, making it one of our favorite rides for toddlers at Hollywood Studios. Our youngest was 14 months old and rode it as a lap child.
- Alien Saucer Swirl– If your kids love the aliens in Toy Story, they’ll love this fast-paced swirling ride. Each saucer is a different alien, and you swirl around in different directions to the beat of arcade themed music. The height minimum at Alien Saucer Swirl is 32”.
- Woody’s Lunch Box– This fun place to eat is one of the best quick service restaurants in Hollywood Studios. The grilled cheese, “tochoes” and lunch box tarts are the best foods to order at Woody’s.
Be sure to also check out several photo ops in Toy Story Land. You can pose in front of Buzz Lightyear outside of the Alien Saucer Swirl or Woody at the entrance to Toy Story Land. Occasionally you can find Toy Story characters in Toy Story Land or the Green Army marching.
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge with Toddlers
Let’s be honest, most toddlers end up in Galaxy’s Edge because their parents are fans. There are still a lot of fun things to do with kids in the Star Wars area of Hollywood Studios, though! A few can’t miss things to do at Star Wars’ Galaxy Edge with toddlers include:
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run– This fun and interactive ride takes you on a smuggling mission on the Millenium Falcon where you can “fly” the ship. Minimum height requirement is 38 inches.
- Star Wars: Rise of Resistance– As the focal point of Galaxy’s Edge, older toddlers will love this ride that takes you on a secret mission with the Resistance. Minimum height requirement is 40 inches, and it does have some dark and somewhat scary parts.
- Droid Depot*: Build a droid at Galaxy’s Edge with the help of a parent. The recommended age for Droid Depot is 3+ and 1 parent/ guest is able to join with each paying droid builder.
- Saavi’s Workshop*: Make your own custom lightsaber at the Black Spire Outpost using one of four themes. Recommended age to build a lightsaber is 5+ and one adult/ guest can join the lightsaber builder.
- Walk Around Galaxy’s Edge: Even if your toddler isn’t old enough to do the rides at Galaxy’s Edge, be sure to at least walk around. You can see the Millenium Falcon and Black Spire Outpost take advantage of some of the fun photo ops at Galaxy’s Edge with PhotoPass. You can also grab a green or blue milk at the Milk Stand or something to eat at Ronto Roasters.
*Reservations are available 60 days in advance to build a droid or lightsaber. They’re not cheap, so make sure it’s something you or your toddler are really into before spending the money!
Minnie & Mickey’s Runaway Railroad
Hollywood Studios’ newest ride also happens to be one of the best rides at Hollywood Studios rides for toddlers. It’s located in a building that represents the Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood and is complete with handprints from stars at the entrance. Guests board a train car after watching a short video before the ride. The runaway train takes you through a series of adventures along the way, and it’s super fun for the whole family.
Visiting Hollywood Studios with a baby? There’s no minimum height requirement for Minnie & Mickey’s Runaway Railroad, so you can have babies on your lap or in a front facing carrier.
Full List of Rides at Hollywood Studios for Toddlers
Some of the best shows at Hollywood Studios are made for toddlers. The rides, however, tend to be geared more toward older kids and adults. Below is the full list of toddler rides at Hollywood Studios (including those mentioned above.) Note that the height minimum for most Disney Hollywood Studios rides for toddlers is 40 inches or taller, so most of these rides are only for older toddlers.
- Alien Saucer Swirl in Toy Story Land (32-inch height minimum)
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railroad in Hollywood Boulevard (No height requirement)
- Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Galaxy’s Edge (38-inch height minimum)
- Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land (38-inch height minimum)
- Star Tours: The Adventure Continues in Echo Lake (40-inch height minimum)
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Sunset Boulevard (40-inch height minimum)
- Toy Story Mania! in Toy Story Land (No height requirement)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy’s Edge (40-inch height minimum)
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is the only ride at Hollywood Studios with a height minimum of 48 inches.
Genie+ at Hollywood Studios
Do you need Genie+ at Hollywood Studios with kids? If you have older toddlers or kids who can ride Slinky Dog and/or Tower of Terror, it can be worth it to purchase Genie+.
Currently both Rise of the Resistance and Mickey’s Runaway Railway are available for individual Lightning Lane purchase. That means they’re not included under Genie+. For a Lightning Lane Strategy at Hollywood Studios, we recommend doing one of these two rides at park open and either purchasing the second right for an individual Lightning Lane pass or waiting in line. If your toddlers aren’t tall enough for Rise of the Resistance or other 40″ rides, you can likely get away without having Genie+.
These Genie+ tips provide more info on getting the best use of Genie+ at the parks.
Fun Hollywood Studios Shows for Kids
Hollywood Studios is full of shows for kids of all ages. If you’re visiting Hollywood Studios with preschoolers, they’ll love seeing some of their favorite Pixar and Disney Junior characters come to life. Older kids will love the action packed shows like Indiana Jones as well as some of their favorite Disney movies.
- For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-along Celebration– This newer show to Hollywood Studios includes several stories and songs from the hit movie Frozen.
- Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy– This high energy show with Lightning McQueen transports guests into the Cars Movie for a fun adventure with the show’s characters.
- Muppet*Vision 3-D– This 3-D show takes you into the life of the Muppets with fun character interactions and special effects.
- Vacation Fun– Animated short film with Minnie & Mickey
- Disney Junior Play & Dance– Includes Mickey and several popular characters from Disney Junior shows. Toddlers will love dancing and singing along with their favorite characters!
- Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage– Broadway style musical with popular characters from the movie.
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular– This thrilling show is better suited for older toddlers, but it’s a fun way to see several stunts from the movie up close.
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid– Highlights some of the songs and stories from Little Mermaid with all of the movie’s popular characters. (The Little Mermaid show at Hollywood Studios is still temporarily closed.)
Mickey’s Fantasmic light show at Hollywood Studios is returning in early 2022. This nighttime show is one of the best shows for kids at Hollywood Studios.
Characters at Hollywood Studios
There are so many characters to see at Hollywood Studios. From shows and character dining to cavalcades and meet and greets, you’re sure to run into a few! Below are the details on several characters in Hollywood Studios to look for.
Hollywood & Vine Character Dining
This diner style restaurant offers character dining at Hollywood Studios with different themes throughout the year. Characters at Hollywood & Vine breakfast are from popular Disney Junior shows like Vamparina and Doc McStuffins. For lunch and dinner at Hollywood & Vine, you’ll find Minnie, Mickey, Pluto and Goofy. During Christmas and Hollywood, the characters at this Hollywood Studios character meal are dressed up in festive holiday clothes or costumes. The food at Hollywood & Vine isn’t our favorite, but the character interactions are a big hit with the kids.
Character Cavalcades
Character cavalcades at Hollywood Studios and the other Disney World Parks were introduced when Disney reopened in 2020. They’re a fun substitute for parades and a quick and easy way to see the characters! Hollywood Studios has a Mickey & Friends Motorcade down the Hollywood Boulevard. Mickey and Minnie are in separate convertibles while Goofy and Pluto walk beside them.
There’s also a Pixar Pals Cavalcade that includes several Toy Story characters as well as the Incredibles. (Previously, you could also find Toy Story characters in Toy Story Land.)
Character Interactions at Hollywood Studios
- Fancy Nancy has returned to the Animation Courtyard outside of the Disney Junior Dance Party.
- Minnie Mouse is back at Red Carpet Dreams for meet and greets.
- Donald and Daisy can be found throughout the park, typically from a balcony overlooking the crowds.
- Characters from Pixar’s Up have been spotted at Hollywood Studios.
- Star Wars characters like Princess Lea can be found in the Star Wars area of Hollywood Studios.
- Moana and Tiana were also seen at Hollywood Studios for Disney+ day, and we hope it isn’t the last of these princesses at Hollywood Studios!
Character interactions and availability changes regularly. Be sure to check My Disney Experience for up-to-date information on interactions with characters at Hollywood Studios on the day of your visit.
Snacks at Hollywood Studios
Looking for some of the best Hollywood Studios snacks to keep those hangry toddlers happy? Hollywood Studios has some of the best quick service dining in Disney World. We put together this list of snacks to look for when visiting Hollywood Studios with toddlers (or anyone really!)
- Lunch Box Tarts or Totchos at Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land.
- Wookey Cookie (oatmeal cookie sandwich) at Backlot Express
- Cookies & Cream Funnel Cake at Echo Lake
- Ice Cream or Milkshake at Hollywood Scoops
- Glimmer and Shimmer Blondie at Fairfax Fair
- Blue Milk at the Milk Stand in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
Pro Tip: If you’re just grabbing a quick snack, use mobile order to get your treats at Hollywood Studios much faster!
Did we miss anything? Please share in the comments if you have more favorite things to do in Hollywood Studios for preschoolers or babies.
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