Trying to decide between Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios? These are both excellent choices for a full day of fun and entertainment, but they offer a completely different experience. We’ve created this big guide comparing all of the rides, attractions, food, and experiences each has to offer. If you find yourself choosing between these two incredible parks, we’ve got your answers!
MAGIC KINGDOM OR HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS? – THE SHORT ANSWER
Magic Kingdom is best for those looking for the classic “Disney” theme park experience. Hollywood Studios is best for thrill rides, Star Wars, and other film-centric themes. Overall, Magic Kingdom thrives on traditional fantasy and inspiration and Hollywood Studios feels like you’ve stepped inside a movie set.
That’s the oversimplified answer. The reality is that both parks have so many things that appeal to all ages and preferences.
There are an endless number of things to do at both parks. To make your decision easier, I’ve broken them up into three sections for you to compare: Rides, Restaurants, and Attractions.
MAGIC KINGDOM VS HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: RIDES
WINNER: HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios may have roughly the same number of rides, but Hollywood Studios far surpasses Magic Kingdom in sheer thrills. The overall quality and thrill-level you’ll find at Hollywood Studios is perfect for those whose number one reason for visiting a theme park is to go on rides.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS’ BEST RIDES
RISE OF THE RESISTANCE (10/10)
Rise of the Resistance is an impressive experience and is considered one of the top rides in all of Walt Disney World. The special effects and free moving ride vehicles are truly out of this world – a great experience for older kids and adults looking to dive right into the Star Wars franchise. We highly recommend you secure a Lightning Lane spot for this ride since wait times can get pretty long.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE TOWER OF TERROR (10/10)
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is always right at the top of my Disney World ride list. I love everything about this one. The overall theme transports you back to 1939 where a little paranormal activity cursed the service elevator – which you dare to hop aboard. The service elevator rises and falls through multiple stories of the hotel and has a great drop sequence that changes with each ride – which gives you the excuse to ride it multiple times!
ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER COASTER (10/10)
Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is considered one of the best rides by most guests of Hollywood Studios for its intense speed and thrilling maneuvers. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart! Aerosmith is the ultimate host of this ride which takes off at 0mph to 57mph in less than 3 seconds. They invite you to their show across town, so naturally you need a really fast car. The ride goes through many twists, corkscrews and rolls before dropping you off at the concert.
MILLENNIUM FALCON: SMUGGLER’S RUN (10/10)
This one is a creative ride located in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It gives you the opportunity to not only board the real Millennium Falcon, but you also get to pilot the ship on a Rebel mission. Riders are assigned tasks: Pilot, Engineer and Gunner, placed in flight groups and each flight is unique according to how you operate the spaceship. The object is to work as a team to successfully retrieve barrels of contraband for the Resistance.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (10/10)
This fun ride is great for all ages, especially families with younger kids. The innovative technology is pretty impressive as it brings the animation to life all throughout the experience. What starts off as an innocent train ride through the park quickly turns to disaster as your train cars break off from the track. After you’ve gone through many different animated scenarios, Goofy brings the train back together with a cheerful song at the end.
TOY STORY MANIA! (9/10)
Toy Story Mania is a really fun way to dive inside Andy’s imagination. This video game-type ride takes you through a series of shootable screens with all sorts of targets. Guests use the cannon mounted on your vehicle to shoot the targets to increase their score. The game itself is surprisingly fun and there are tons of little secrets hidden inside each scene.
SLINKY DOG DASH (8/10)
Slinky Dog Dash is the ultimate family coaster at Hollywood Studios. The roller coaster opened with Toy Story Land and has been really popular with children. It’s considered to be a family-friendly coaster, but it has just enough thrill to make it fun for everyone. Its newness has made it a very popular ride, so we suggest you find a Lightning Lane slot for this to avoid a grueling wait.
STAR TOURS (8/10)
Star Tours is an excellent simulator-style ride that takes you on flights to different planets in the galaxy. Once you’re loaded up into the ship C3PO serves as your pilot, and escapes from the Empire to planets like Endor, Naboo or Tatooine. It’s a lot of fun and it also includes an interactive part where a guest will be singled out on the screen. The mix-and-match scenarios for the rides mean you can do Star Tours many times without ever seeing the exact same lineup.
MAGIC KINGDOM’S BEST RIDES
SPACE MOUNTAIN (10/10)
Space Mountain is one of the best rides at Disney World and is located inside a super iconic futuristic mountain-like structure. It’s an indoor roller coaster that is almost completely in the dark. The track is really quick, using gravity’s pull, and there are tons of tight turns and surprising bumps. Space Mountain usually has long wait times, so a Lightning Lane is always well spent on this one.
Tron Lightcycle / Run (10/10)
This is Magic Kingdom’s newest addition and an extremely fun experience. The ride is based on the TRON: Legacy game sequence where riders climb onto a futuristic motorcycle to race against competing groups. This is an indoor to outdoor roller coaster that features a 60mph takeoff and multiple twists, turns.
HAUNTED MANSION (9/10)
Haunted Mansion is a dark indoor ride that takes you through a mansion full of “Happy Haunts” aboard a “Doom Buggy”. Everything about Haunted Mansion is classic and it’s a must for anyone. Even though it’s dark and spooky, it’s not too scary for most children and the immortal Grim Grinning Ghosts are bound to get stuck in your head.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (9/10)
Pirates of the Caribbean is another legendary Disney World water ride. It takes guests through a number of elaborate pirate scenes with a couple of small drops, but the real draw is the swashbuckling set. From the realistic Black Pearl that shoots cannons to the scallywag animatronics, it’s all awesome. You’ll also have the added bonus of seeing Captain Jack Sparrow make his way through the scenes as you float along on your small vessel.
BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD (9/10)
Big Thunder Mountain is an outdoor roller coaster in Frontierland that’s inspired by the Wild West Gold Rush. The ride is pretty fast-paced and exciting for a Magic Kingdom coaster and has a lot of bumpy and sharp turns. The track has no loops or inversions, it’s just a rickety old train taking you on a fast journey through a gold mine. They don’t call it “The Wildest Ride in the Wiiilderness” for nothin’.
SEVEN DWARfs MINE TRAIN (9/10)
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one of Magic Kingdom’s newer rides. This roller coaster showcases the Seven Dwarfs as ultra high-tech animatronics mining for gems in a cavern. It’s been super popular since it opened and the wait times definitely reflect that. Lightning Lane for the Mine Train can be hard to score, but check frequently throughout the day so you don’t have to wait for hours to get on this one.
MAGIC KINGDOM VS HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: RESTAURANTS
WINNER: MAGIC KINGDOM
Magic Kingdom is pretty stacked with some iconic restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table and the Crystal Palace, and the newer additions like Be Our Guest and the Skipper Canteen. Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios has no comparable restaurant on par with Magic Kingdom in our book. Even though the Hollywood Brown Derby has several excellent meal options, we think it could use a refresh.
MAGIC KINGDOM’S BEST RESTAURANTS
BE OUR GUEST (10/10)
Be Our Guest is hands down my favorite Magic Kingdom restaurant. The restaurant is a masterful recreation of the Beauty and the Beast castle, where guests can dine in The Ballroom, The West Wing, or The Castle Gallery. The whole design is extremely well-executed and immersive, taking you right into specific scenes from the movie. The French themed Prix Fixe menu is outstanding and it’s easily the best food you’ll find inside Magic Kingdom. Adults will love Be Our Guest and so will children.
CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE (10/10)
Cinderella’s Royal Table is located inside Magic Kingdom’s legendary Cinderella Castle and is considered a signature fine-dining establishment. During your meal, you’ll be visited by five Disney Princesses for signatures and photos. It’s a really cool experience and worth the money for anyone who loves all things Disney. Even though the food isn’t the main attraction at CRT, I’ve never had a bad meal here.
LIBERTY TREE TAVERN (9/10)
I have a soft spot for Liberty Tree Tavern. The whole restaurant, servers included, is themed after a Colonial American tavern. I like the theme, but my favorite part is the food. Liberty Tree serves a full Thanksgiving feast year-round. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and all the rest. There are few places you can find this kind of meal outside of November, so this one is always high on my list. You’ll leave absolutely stuffed and thankful.
THE CRYSTAL PALACE (9/10)
The Crystal Palace is a buffet-style restaurant inside a building modeled after a beautiful Victorian greenhouse. It’s one of Magic Kingdom’s classics and the food is pretty decent for a buffet. The restaurant’s main draw is the character dining with Winnie the Pooh and his Hundred Acre Woods gang. We consider it a reliable spot for a meal with the family at any meal time.
THE JUNGLE NAVIGATION CO. SKIPPER CANTEEN (7/10)
The Skipper Canteen is one of Magic Kingdom’s newer restaurants with a menu full of uniquely inspired dishes from regions of Asia, India and Africa. It’s located in Adventureland and serves as an extension of the classic Jungle River Cruise ride. The restaurant’s most notable feature are the “Skippers” that wait on you. They incorporate the Jungle River Cruise’s zany, tongue-in-cheek humor into their service. Personally, I think it can get a little old after a while, but I still enjoy it in doses.
TONY’S TOWN SQUARE (7/10)
Tony’s Town Square isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s a reliably good, moderately-priced Italian restaurant at the front of Magic Kingdom. It’s themed after Bella Notte from Lady and the Tramp and you’ll find some cues inside (like the central fountain) that point to this. The menu is pretty large and the food is definitely a bump up from standard theme park fare. Nothing in particular stands out here, but it makes for a reliable Italian meal in a pinch.
MAGIC KINGDOM QUICK-SERVICE RESTAURANTS (8/10)
The quick-service restaurants at Magic Kingdom are a bit top-heavy. On one hand, you have scrumptious options like Sleepy Hollow or the Friar’s Nook. On the other hand, you have some spots that serve fairly bland theme park food. All-in-all, you can usually find a good snack or quick meal at Magic Kingdom if you avoid the duds.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS’ BEST RESTAURANTS
THE HOLLYWOOD BROWN DERBY (8/10)
The Hollywood Brown Derby is considered Hollywood Studios top dining location. It’s the only signature-level restaurant here with a fairly upscale menu that you won’t find anywhere else in the park. We think it could use a menu refresh or something to make it stand out a bit more, since it’s pricey yet lackluster.
The most buzzworthy menu item is the Cobb Salad. The original Brown Derby restaurant lays claim to the original Cobb Salad, and we agree this is probably the best one you’ll have. If you have a group of adults, Brown Derby is worth it, but kids might not enjoy the experience.
ROUNDUP RODEO (8/10)
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is located in Toy Story Land is the newest restaurant in the park. The whole dining area is full of larger-than-life toys from the movie and little themed tidbits all over the place. The food is also on theme with funny items like “Evil Dr. Smoked Ribs” and “There’s a Sausage in My Boot”. If you couldn’t tell from the name, prepare yourself for some American barbecue when you book Roundup Rodeo.
Kids will obviously love dining here, but if you’re not in the mood for BBQ we suggest using a reservation elsewhere.
OGA’S CANTINA (8/10)
Oga’s Cantina is one of the coolest places inside Hollywood Studios, especially for super Star Wars fans. The bar is themed after Mos Eisley’s bar in A New Hope. It’s an excellent choice if you need refreshments during the day and want a really cool experience. The downside, however, is that they don’t actually serve any food – unless you consider charcuterie boards or tiny snack bowls sufficient. In other words, come here for the drinks and atmosphere, not to fill your stomach.
SCI-FI DINE-IN THEATER RESTAURANT (7/10)
The Sci Fi Dine-In is also really cool despite having a rather standard menu. Many guests want to come here for the old-timey drive-in experience and we think that’s the best reason to book it. The tables are shaped like cars and there is a big screen that plays a series of classic science fiction thrillers and old tv commercials while you eat. The menu has many American classics like burgers, sandwiches and fries, so don’t expect anything fancy.
50’S PRIME TIME CAFE (7/10)
50’s Prime Time is a homey restaurant set in the 1950’s. They offer a variety of American comfort foods on their menu like Chicken Pot Pie, Turkey Sandwiches and Meatloaf. Their milkshakes are also a great follow up to a scrumptious meal. The neat part about the restaurant is that the atmosphere seeks to replicate the 50’s to the fullest. 1950’s TV shows play in the background while the servers treat you like a sibling that needs to clean their plate and set the table.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS (6/10)
Most of the quick-service options (and other table-service locations for that matter) are simply standard park food. With the exception of the newest Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge stands and Woody’s Lunchbox in Toy Story Land, the rest are sub-par. Compared to other Disney World parks, this is one area where Hollywood Studios falls way short.
MAGIC KINGDOM VS HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS: ENTERTAINMENT & ATTRACTIONS
WINNER: MAGIC KINGDOM
This was a tough choice, but we feel Magic Kingdom wins out with their fantastically themed fireworks, parades, performances and stage shows. Hollywood Studios offers similarly grand experiences, but don’t quite match the quality of Magic Kingdom’s newest and most exciting offerings.
MAGIC KINGDOM’S BEST ENTERTAINMENT & ATTRACTIONS
Happily Ever AFter (10/10)
We’ve seen it from both inside the park and outside the park. Happily Ever After is much more momentous than Hollywood Studios’ new Wonderful World of Animation. It pulls in songs from a ton of Disney’s most beloved films and perfectly synchronizes them with the fireworks and projections on the castle. Happily Ever After is really popular, so viewing space is at a premium. Get a spot an hour beforehand if you care about your viewing location or splurge on a fireworks dining or dessert package to guarantee the best spot.
ENCHANTED TALES WITH BELLE (9/10)
Enchanted Tales with Belle is a great example of a well-rounded attraction. During the show, Belle tells stories with the help of characters like the wardrobe and Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. Audience members, adults and children alike, will also be chosen to participate in the story. The seating area isn’t huge, so it’s a much more personal and unique experience. You may also get the opportunity to take a picture with Belle after the performance.
COUNTRY BEAR JAMBOREE (9/10)
Country Bear Jamboree is 100% classic Disney World kitsch, but in a good way. It has withstood the test of time, humoring audiences for generations. It’s an audio-animatronic show that features a band of musical bears performing a live concert. The Jamboree has music, jokes, and goofy singing bears. This is one of those attractions that you’ve got to do at least once when you go to Disney World, no exceptions.
MONSTER’S INC. LAUGH FLOOR (8/10)
Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor is an unassuming interactive comedy show that pulls guests into the act. The monsters perform on a big screen and are voiced in real-time. Throughout the show, they’ll single out individual crowd members with jokes. Don’t be surprised if you see yourself up on one of the secondary screens while being harassed by a Pixar character. The jokes are good, but we thoroughly enjoy the audience interactions which make each show different.
MICKEY’S PHILHARMAGIC (7/10)
Mickey’s Philharmagic is a short 3D film that focuses on some of the best music from some of the best Disney animated films. Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan, and Aladdin are all visited during the performance set to original music. It’s a great show when you have some down time and don’t want to wait in a long line.
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS’ BEST ENTERTAINMENT & ATTRACTIONS
FANTASMIC! (9/10)
Fantasmic! is one of the most interesting and biggest outdoor shows in Walt Disney World. It’s got everything from fireworks, performers, water floats, and lights – you name it. Most of the action takes place on a giant stage at the center of a water moat. Performers will cruise by on floats during the show and can also be seen completing various feats of strength and vigor on stage. We highly recommend setting aside time at the end of the night to see Fantasmic!
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: LIVE ON STAGE (9/10)
Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage is a beautiful rendition of the animated Beauty and the Beast movie. We absolutely adore this show for the incredible singers and dancers, along with the impeccably costumed characters like the Beat, Lumiere and Cogsworth. The show has multiple viewing times during the day, making it easy to see in between Lightning Lane slots or meal times.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER: FROZEN SING-ALONG CELEBRATION (8/10)
This indoor stage show is extremely popular for children and adults who will both enjoy the humor of the Royal Historians, along with the opportunity to see Elsa, Anna and Kristoff all together on stage. The experience tells the entire story from the first Frozen movie, encouraging the audience to sing along. Elsa makes an appearance at the end of the performance to bless the audience with a dowsing of snow.
MUPPETVISION 3D (8/10)
Muppetvision 3D is a fun theatrical experience where guests can sit in an air-conditioned theater for about 20 minutes. Nearly all the muppets from Kermit to Doctor Teeth make an appearance in this fun film with original music. Of course, the jokes are clever and it has an altogether good pace. If you need a little breather during your day, this attraction has almost no wait times..
INDIANA JONES EPIC STUNT SPECTACULAR (7/10)
The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is quite unique in concept. It’s a Hollywood stunt show at it’s core, where stuntmen and women show you how several scenes were accomplished in the Indiana Jones movies. The audience always marvels at the daring jumps and epic fist fights, along with a classic fiery explosion that the cast has to avoid.
WONDERFUL WORLD OF ANIMATION (7/10)
Wonderful World of Animation is the new nighttime show at Hollywood Studios’ which takes place in front of the Chinese Theater. Even though it’s virtually brand new, we think it relies too heavily on the virtual aspect. Video projector screens showcase over 90 years of Disney animation, highlighting some of their top performing movies, along with clips from nearly all the featured films that Disney Studios has created. Guests may be surprised to see that there are little to no fireworks here.
CONCLUSION
Magic Kingdom has a clear rival with Hollywood Studios which has made lots of progress in recent years.
Both parks offer such drastically different experiences making them hard to compare. However, we think you should choose Magic Kingdom for younger kids or pure nostalgia, or go with Hollywood Studios for older kids or thrilling rides.
Magic Kingdom wins on restaurants and entertainment, but Hollywood Studios takes the gold when it comes to excellent rides. Magic Kingdom excels in family-friendly rides suitable for a younger audience, but Hollywood Studios just has more high-caliber ride experiences for thrill-seekers.
As far as restaurants goes, we sincerely hope that Hollywood Studios improves the quality, though the additions of quick-service locations in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have helped their cause. Magic Kingdom wins this category for the number of high quality restaurants and quick-service locations they currently have.
Magic Kingdom has unrivaled attractions in the Happily Ever After fireworks display and other beloved shows, parades and performances. Those are hard to beat, but Hollywood Studios has the popular Fantasmic! show and great stage shows for guests to enjoy.
While we think Magic Kingdom is probably going to be your top pick, we think each traveling party should determine which park is best for their needs. We hope that everyone gets the chance to experience both of these parks as both are worth a full day of fun!
LOOKING FOR MORE PARK COMPARISONS?
We also have comparisons for some of the other parks. Each one goes into the same detail that this guide has.
- Hollywood Studios vs Animal Kingdom
- Epcot vs Hollywood Studios
- Hollywood Studios vs Universal Studios
- Magic Kingdom vs Epcot
STILL PLANNING YOUR DISNEY WORLD TRIP?
We’ve got you covered there too. We created this complete guide to help you plan and budget your trip. It covers everything from flights and resorts to souvenirs and everything in between.
