Planning a Hollywood Studios trip that adults will love? We’ve got you covered!
Recent massive updates to the landscape and layout of Hollywood Studios have made it a much better park for for grown up crowds than it was in the past. So many new features have been added that appeal to a broad range of guests.
We’ve built this comprehensive guide to the best things for adults to do in Hollywood Studios. Get the scoop on everything from rides and attractions to dining and drinks in this full guide for living it up in Hollywood Studios.
Introduction
Until the last few years, Hollywood Studios was considered by some guests to be a park that you can complete all in one day. (Some would have even argued one half day). That’s definitely not the case any more, as the park size has doubled and offers so many more attractions, dining experiences and fun things to do for adults.
Side Note: With how big and popular Hollywood Studios has gotten, it’s definitely worth it to dig a little deeper with research while planning a trip. We recommend our 30 Hollywood Studios Pro Tips & Secrets as a great starting place.
This a park that focuses on old (and new) Hollywood Glamour, film making, music history and cinematic marvels. It’s pretty amazing to see all of these different themes coming into play throughout the varying sections of the park.
Hollywood Studios’ layout is broken up into eight different sections: Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, Echo Lake, Animation Courtyard, Commissary Lane, Pixar Place, Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Each one of these sections serves a different purpose inside Hollywood Studios, and no matter how small a section is, there’s something that adults will enjoy within each one. Take a look below at our breakdown of the best things to do in Hollywood Studios for adults!
Best Hollywood Studios Rides for Adults
Rise of the Resistance
Rise of the Resistance has far and away exceeded the expectations of Star Wars fans – and they were high to begin with. Disney introduced a host of new state-of-the-art features for this ride with never-before-seen technology used in a park attraction.
Without a doubt, this is one of the best attractions at Disney and one of the absolute top experiences on our massive list of 110 Disney World Must-Do’s.
Adults will love this ride’s unique way of transporting you into scenes from the Star Wars movies. The free-wheeling ride vehicle reacts to situations as you approach different scenes, which makes it even more fun. Rise of the Resistance is specifically tailored for fans of the newest Star Wars movies, showcasing Kylo Ren, Rey and BB-8 throughout the ride.
Prepare yourself to wait quite a while for the newest attraction in Hollywood Studios – we suggest getting to the park early or right as it opens, racing toward Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at rope drop. Currently the only other option for hopping aboard this popular ride is to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane on Genie+ for $11 or more per person.
Wait times for Rise of the Resistance since opening have reached monumental levels. It’s highly recommended that you prepare your party ahead of time to either arrive before park opening or try to find a Lightning Lane time.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
Similar to Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and uses highly advanced technology to bring the overall experience to life. You don’t want to sit out on either of these attractions, unless you are in a sensitive condition.
Smuggler’s Run takes you inside the Millennium Falcon while on a mission to steal materials from the enemy forces for the good of the Resistance. Each ride allows a max of six passengers and each passenger is assigned a different position: Pilot, Engineer or Gunner.
Each assignment will receive special instructions throughout the mission, prompting you to shoot at enemy ships, steer clear of flying debris or fix broken parts of the ship as you’re attacked by the First Order. Each mission is different based on the way your team performs and you’ll be given an award for the number of cargo boxes you’re able to capture in flight.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run is an excellent use of a ride pass, so we suggest booking it if you find a time slot available. It’s a really popular ride, so check frequently for passes.
The recent popularity spike of Hollywood Studios means wait times can be dicey for lots of other rides too, so definitely take a look through our Hollywood Studios ride pass Guide for some tips and strategy.
Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster
Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster has long been one of Hollywood Studios favorite rides for adults. Older children and teenagers will like this one, too, but our ultimate thrill-seekers will have the most fun aboard Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster.
Adults will first of all love the Aerosmith theme throughout the whole ride. The band is present from beginning to end, first giving you a sneak peek into their recording studio, then inviting you to the concert, and lastly singing one of their hit songs on the ride itself.
Adults will also love the speed of Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster. This indoor steel track roller coaster ride takes off at 0 to 57 mph in 2.8 seconds. The ride also features two loop inversions and a corkscrew, along with several other fast turns and bumps.
Wait times for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster tend to be between 30 minutes and 120 minutes long, depending on how busy the park is. Most days average over a 90 minute wait.
It’s best to get a ride pass for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, which can be little difficult to get. We suggest booking Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster before any other rides at the park, because time slots often go away throughout the day.
If you’ve got folks in your group that aren’t quite thrill-friendly, see our full post on How Scary is Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster?. It covers some of the common questions guests have when they’re debating hopping on this one.
The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror
The Tower of Terror is a great attraction for adults, combining a haunting theme with thrilling drops. The attraction takes place in the once glamorous 1940’s Hollywood Tower Hotel, which has been dramatically altered by a strike of lightning. The ride queue is extremely boring, so you’ll want to get Lightning Lane for Tower of Terror.
Rod Stirling of the original Twilight Zone television show serves as your host for the ride. He narrates the story on the fate of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, then you’re prompted to board the old elevator which transports you to the Twilight Zone.
The most thrilling part of the ride takes place when your elevator seemingly leaves it’s cables and enters a different dimension. The doors blow open and you see just how high up you are, beginning the drop sequence for the ride.
The drops on Tower of Terror are arranged in different sequences, so your experience will be different each time. Wait times can be anywhere between 30 minutes and 120 minutes on most days. We definitely recommend ride passes for this one.
Just like Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, we’ve got a ride guide for Tower of Terror too.
Star Tours
Star Tours is the original Star Wars ride that brought the movies to life inside Hollywood Studios, before Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was ever built. It’s located a little ways outside of Galaxy’s Edge, near Indiana Jone’s Epic Stunt Spectacular.
Adults will enjoy this 3D ride’s focus on the original movies, showcasing C3-P0 and R2D2 as the main characters, along with Admiral Ackbar, Darth Vader and Chewbacca highlighted at different times throughout the experience.
The ride itself is posed as a transportation shuttle, strictly meant to carry tourists and space residents from planet to planet – like an airport. Your ride vehicle is a utilitarian passenger shuttle that ultimately evades the First Order.
When you discover that your shuttle is carrying a Rebel spy, the pilot hits hyper-drive to escape a battle with the enemy. He’ll hit hyper-drive for a second time before landing. Both planets featured during the ride are always randomized so no two experiences are the same.
Wait times are fairly short for Star Tours since the introduction of the newer Star Wars rides. They’ll typically be shorter than 25 and 30 minutes. But if you want to avoid the wait, ride passes are easy to book for this experience.
Best Hollywood Studios Restaurants for Adults
The Hollywood Brown Derby
The Hollywood Brown Derby is without a doubt the best place for adults to have a fine dining experience in Hollywood Studios. It’s a fixture in the guide we created to The Best Disney World Restaurants for Adults.
Brown Derby has a nice, relaxing atmosphere with upscale meals and adult beverages. The decor is fairly mature, taking inspiration from the original Brown Derby in Los Angeles and featuring a multitude of celebrity caricatures on the walls.
The menu has signature American meals, built for a grown-up audience. Choose from delectable items like Duck Breast, Pan-seared Fish and Charred Pork Chop. Our highest recommendation if you’ve never been is the Famous Cobb Salad, which makes a great lunch or dinner choice.
Reservations are definitely required to eat in the main dining room for lunch or dinner, but if you don’t have reservations, grab a seat at the Hollywood Brown Derby lounge with your adult friends for a few signature cocktails and small plates.
Oga’s Cantina
Oga’s Cantina is undoubtedly the most lively of adult experiences you can have in Hollywood Studios. The bar is located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and is set to mimic the original “Star Wars Bar” as seen in A New Hope.
Grown-ups will enjoy the unreal setting that replicates the exact bar from the movie, while sipping on alien concoctions and listening as DJ R3X spins the latest out-of-this-world tunes. The menu mainly features drinks with only a few food items offered throughout the day.
We suggest booking advanced reservations here, since it’s nearly impossible to get a walk-up reservation.
Sci-Fi Dine-In Restaurant
Sci-Fi Dine-In is a more casual place for adults to enjoy a quiet conversation in a very interesting atmosphere, though the restaurant draws all ages. The restaurant is styled like a drive-in movie theater and each “table” is an individual car parked in front of the big screen.
It harkens to the days when drive-in movies were introduced and extremely popular, so the menu sticks with this old-school theme. It mostly consists of burgers and sandwiches with fries, along with delicious American desserts to end the night. Throughout your dinner, the big screen will play entertaining clips from old cartoons and movies.
Reservations are recommended for this location, but they’re fairly easy to find. Check frequently leading up to your trip and you should see a few time slots available for you to schedule around your other experiences.
50’s Prime Time Cafe
50’s Prime Time Cafe is the ultimate throwback to grandma’s house, or mother’s house in some cases. The restaurant is themed after a family home from the 1950’s and all the servers act like you’re part of the family when you get there.
The lobby has a lounge area with an array of TV’s playing old family shows and the menu is full of American family favorites like Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie, Fried Chicken and homemade Milkshakes. Be sure to “clean your plate” and the waitress will allow you to have dessert as a reward for eating so well.
We suggest getting reservations as it’s rare that you can walk up and grab a seat. If you do walk up without reservations, you’ll still have a great time sitting up in the lounge and ordering your meal from the bar along with a few adult drinks.
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
Docking Bay 7 is another great addition to the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge portion of the park and serves unique meals from breakfast to dinner. This is our favorite option for a quick service meal in Hollywood Studios.
The Bay is styled like an old hangar on Batuu and the menu is full of foreign dishes with delicious twists. We enjoy the Smoked Kaduu Pork Ribs, as well as the Batuuan Beef Pot Roast. Both are really savory dishes, but if you prefer a lighter meal, try the Roasted Endorian Chicken Salad and wash it down with some Moof Juice.
There are no reservations required as this is a quick service restaurant with indoor seating, but there is mobile order available. We suggest using this when the park is extremely busy so you can grab your order without the wait.
Ronto Roasters
Ronto Roasters is a little stand you’ll find on the outskirts of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that serves a few savory meal items that we really like. It’s equipped with some outdoor seating in an open-air pavilion.
The most notable item on the menu is a crowd-pleaser. Try the Ronto Morning Wrap at breakfast, made with eggs, pork sausage and cheddar on a soft pita, or get the regular Ronto Wrap for lunch with roasted pork, pork sausage, and tangy slaw on a soft pita. Trust us – it’s absolutely delicious.
Mobile ordering is available for this quick service stand, which is helpful when the park is very busy. But for the most part, the orders are served up pretty fast so the line doesn’t get too terribly long.
BaseLine Tap House
BaseLine Tap House is a cool, industrial hangout across from Star Tours at the center of the park. It’s got indoor and outdoor seating and adults will like the relaxed vibe it gives in the middle of a busy day at Hollywood Studios.
The Tap House takes inspiration from modern day downtown LA and serves craft beers primarily from Los Angeles and San Diego. They also have a selection of great snacks like the Bavarian Pretzel with beer cheese and mustard, a cheese and charcuterie board, and Spiced Almonds.
There are no reservations required for this quick service location, just order from the counter and pick a seat to relax wherever you’d like and watch the crowds rush by.
Woody’s Lunch Box
Woody’s Lunch Box is one of our favorite stands, located in the Toy Story Land area across from the entrance to Slinky Dog Dash. Most adults wouldn’t necessarily think to go here, but it’s got many great options that grown-ups will love.
Try the BBQ Brisket Melt on savory sourdough bread or the Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich for a little lighter option. Our absolute must-try is an order of Totchos, made with beef and bean chili, cheese, tomatoes, corn chips and sour cream atop a load of tater tots.
Woody’s Lunch Box is another great option for Mobile Orders. Also, don’t miss out on their seasonal tarts or the signature Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart for a quick snack or dessert after the meal.
Best Hollywood Studios Attractions & Entertainment for Adults
Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is our personal favorite and most highly recommended night time show for adults and kids to enjoy together. Adults will love the theatrical displays of old, beloved characters that are highlighted throughout the show, as well as the special effects and pyro-technics used in the production.
Fantasmic! is a journey through Mickey’s dreams, where he reenacts things that he sees while sleeping. You’ll watch him battle it out with many of the villains from Disney Classics, as well as conquer evil in a multitude of costumes from different roles he’s played throughout the years.
The best part about Fantasmic! is that it has an abundance of amphitheater style seating and you can purchase snacks and drinks to munch on while you watch the performance. Fantasmic! does an excellent job of bringing back many characters you don’t get the chance to see every day like Mulan and Shang, Prince Eric, Maleficent and more.
Lightning Lane is available for this experience, but since it only occurs once at night we recommend you wait to book this pass until the end of the day. However, the theater is massive, so if you don’t use Lightning Lane here, you still have a good chance of getting a great seat for the show.
Note: Prepare to get a little wet at Fantasmic! from the mist on the water if you’re seated toward the front.
Indiana Jones’ Epic Stunt Spectacular
This classic experience is one that adults will especially enjoy, bringing a little more nostalgia to the day with a live performance by Indy himself. This show is chock full of stunts and special effects that were used specifically in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Audiences will love the behind-the-scenes look into how the filmmakers created these stunts. The actors perform them and then reveal how each stunt is accomplished, explaining in detail. They’ll even pull volunteers from the audience to act as secondary characters during the show.
Epic Stunt Spectacular offers an outdoor theater for guests to sit in, which is relatively cool no matter the time of day. Show times run every hour, so Lightning Lane is never necessary here and recommend using it elsewhere.
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a stage show that runs several times per day and is a definite must-see. We love this performance for the broadway-caliber acting, singing and dancing that each performer brings to the stage.
This production is a shortened version of the animated movie, Beauty and the Beast, featuring all your favorite songs and characters from the original. Adults will love the professional performance, intricate costumes and the chance to take a little break in the day to sit and watch a great show.
The theater for this experience is all outdoors and covered, so the best show times tend to be late afternoon when the sun isn’t quite as intense. Lightning Lane is available for this show, but we suggest you use your valuable passes for other attractions as the wait times here are not terrible for any one of the multiple performances.
Star Wars Launch Bay
For adults who prefer a slower paced day, or those who simply want the chance to meet beloved Star Wars characters, Star Wars Launch Bay offers a cool place to relax as well as meet a host of your favorite friends.
Star Wars Launch Bay is home to meet-and-greets for Chewbacca, BB-8 and Kylo Ren. On occasion, other Star Wars characters will be available to meet, too. The main attraction at the Launch Bay is the bevy of props you can view from the film.
Costumes, movie props and concept artwork is on display for guests to view at their own pace. And the Launch Bay Theater plays a short documentary for you to sit and watch, featuring the creators of the Star Wars saga, their thoughts behind particular scenes and how they brought this world to life.
Wonderful World of Animation
Wonderful World of Animation is Hollywood Studios’ signature night time fireworks show, which can be seen from Hollywood Boulevard. It’s quite a bit tamer than Happily Ever After in Magic Kingdom or Epcot Forever in Epcot, but adults will love this one for the multitude of scenes and songs from over 90 year of Disney animated movies.
The viewing area isn’t particularly crowded for this event, but we suggest you get there about 15 minutes in advance to get the best spot possible. The show mainly features fireworks, lasers and lights with movie scenes projected on the Chinese Theater.
If you are a Disney movie super fan, we recommend booking the Fireworks Dining Package to get the ultimate experience for the show. We explain the full details in our Hollywood Studios Dining Guide story.
Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
Frozen Sing-Along might sound a little childish, but it’s perfect for adults who love the Frozen movies and enjoy singing at the top of their lungs. Me and my girl friends will come to the show to cool off and to sing the popular songs from the original animated film.
Guests of all ages sit in a large theater and are entertained by the Royal Storytellers who rehearse the original story of how Anna saves Elsa from beginning to end. In between, you’ll be visited by some of the characters, including Anna and Kristoff, while you sing along.
Scenes from the movie play on a giant screen during the show and the Royal Storytellers have varying jokes that make each show unique and fun. At the end, Elsa takes the stage to welcome all guests and to sprinkle them with a healthy dose of magical snow.
Best Hollywood Studios Events for Adults
Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios
Disney After Hours takes place in all the parks around Walt Disney World at select times throughout the course of the year. It allows you the opportunity to get on rides without the wait up to 3 hours after the park has closed to other guests.
Adults will particularly enjoy the After Hours at Hollywood Studios as it’s the perfect time to get on all your favorite rides while most of the kids have left the park for bed. After Hours not only includes getting on rides like the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, but you also get exclusive meet and greets with a number of characters throughout the night.
Check in with Disney’s website for current event times and pricing for After Hours. The price will include your ticket for the 3 hours (this is in addition to your regular park ticket) along with free ice cream, popcorn and drinks at select After Hours stations.
Need More Insider Disney World Tips?
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