Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are calling their recent visits an absolute disaster, with overwhelming crowd levels pushing the park to its breaking point. Once manageable, the congestion has led to skyrocketing wait times, packed walkways, and what some call an outright operational meltdown.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Spirals Into Chaos
Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 as Disney–MGM Studios Theme Park and has since evolved into one of Walt Disney World’s most thrilling theme parks. Housing some of Disney’s most technologically advanced attractions, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the park consistently draws massive crowds. But recently, even seasoned Walt Disney World Resort guests say the experience has become unbearable.
On Reddit, u/jdebaljebdhfkebc raised concerns about the park’s relentless congestion, noting that wait times remain excessive for every attraction, from thrilling coasters to minor family-friendly rides like Alien Swirling Saucers.
“I’ve been tracking the park crowd predictions and Hollywood Studios always seems to be on the high side, every day of the week,” u/BitterJane79 replied. “It was similar when we last went in 2018. I would presume it now has to do with Star Wars and a few of Disney’s best and more thrilling rides (Rockin Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror). Although it still mystifies me a bit.”
Rides Breaking Down, Tempers Boiling Over
With so many guests packed into the park, the situation only worsens when major attractions experience technical issues—which seems to be happening more frequently than ever. Hollywood Studios is home to some of Disney’s most advanced ride systems. When they malfunction, thousands of guests are suddenly left scrambling for alternative options, creating a domino effect of overcrowding throughout the park.
“Hollywood seems to have a problem with the big rides going down – sometimes all at the same time,” u/SchnuckumPie commented.
Upcoming Changes Could Make Disney’s Hollywood Studios Worse
Adding fuel to the fire, Disney recently confirmed upcoming construction projects that will further limit Hollywood Studios’ capacity. The closure of Muppet*Vision 3D to make way for a Monsters, Inc. (2001) land, a Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster retheme featuring The Muppets, and the introduction of a Disney Villains show at Sunset Showcase Theater all mean fewer available attractions in the short term—pushing crowds into an already overwhelmed park.
“We’ve lived nearby for almost 3 years now and Hollywood is almost always busy. Unbearably busy. There’s very seldom a slow week anymore for any of the parks, but Hollywood has by far been the worst,” Redditor u/Temporary_Green_3640 explained. “Which is funny considering it seems like most people consider it their least favorite. Same with trying to get a reservation for Sci-Fi [Dine-In Theater]. People complain about the food but it sure is hard as heck to find a dinner reservation. It certainly won’t be getting any better anytime soon with all the construction.”
Have you noticed any unusual crowd trends at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Disney Dining would love to hear from you in the comments!
