Are the "there's nothing left at Hollywood Studios" threads maddening to anyone else?

[zebrastreyepz]

I not sure that I fin it maddening but I do think it's ridiculous.

 

[DisneyParkLover]

Yes, there is still a lot to do at DHS, and we will plan several half days there in December. HOWEVER, just remember that DHS only has one ride now with no height requirement/restrictions. So with one closure they literally took away 50% of the rides we can ride as a family. If you count Backlot Tour, we are actually up to a 67% closure rate for rides for the whole family. So yes, it is a significant decrease and it is frustrating when you have a "family" park that has ONE ride for anyone who's under 40 inches, pregnant, has motion sickness, has back problems, etc. If you don't travel with someone who falls into one of those categories, you likely won't feel as much of a hit.

There are some good shows at DHS, although LMA was another closure that hit me hard (my son loved this) as did the removal of the Osborne Lights. The loss of other things like the Cars meet and the HISTK playground are things that people without young children consider insignificant, but feel more like a "loss" to others.

I still love DHS and we will continue to go for what is there. I personally do find value in the shows and rides that are still there, but I can definitely understand why some people would be frustrated with the park in its current state.

 

[Christinecinti]

Yeah some of those threads had me concerned that maybe HS was missing more than I had thought, but in reality for us it's only TGMovieRide that's truly lost. And while we loved it, all of our other favs are still there. We actually go about 3x during our 11 day stay (after MK it's our favorite park)...1 full day and 2 half days when we want some down time foe the other part of day.

I think it's very different do dk g on what type family likes....and we love HS.

*I will say to though, taking out Starring Rolls hurts too, as it was a favorite "down time" spot for us to take a break with great atmosphere (and great treats!)

 

[Bullseye]

Other than GMR they haven't closed any rides that we frequent. I will miss GMR, LMA, and SoA but I'm betting what they put there will be better. In fact once they finish Toy Story and Star Wars there isn't going to be anyone that is saying it's a half day park. Never understood why they didn't have some real restaurants on Streets of America like US does? Hoping the Mickey ride that replaces GMR is worth it.

 

[Christinecinti]

Oh yeah, def miss the Osborn Lights last Nov was first time we didn't get them on our trip and it was def a big "something is missing" it was always so magical with the snow and music

 

[srwarden1928]

I totally agree with OP. There are so many people on the board here that put down HS. It is a fun park.

The last time I was in Disney, in 2010, this is what I did in DHS:

American Idol, Backlot Tour, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasmic, Great Movie Ride, Indiana Jones, Lights Motor Action, Muppet Vision 3D, One Mans Dream, Rock n Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, 50s Prime Time 14 attractions and a great restaurant

This is what I intend to do at DHS in 2017:

Beauty and the Beast, Fantasmic, Indiana Jones, Frozen Sing Along, Muppet Vision 3D, One Mans Dream, Rock n Roller Coaster, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, 50s Prime Time, Sci Fi Dine 11 attractions and two restaurants

I have lost four attractions: American Idol, Backlot Tour, Great Movie Ride, Lights Motor Action. I have gained one attraction: Frozen Sing Along which replaces American Idol.

I was never thrilled with the American Idol show--I mainly went to it because DW wanted to. I went to Lights Motor Action every trip, but I can't really say I'm that disappointed to lose it. I will miss Backlot Tour, but I think Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land will be worth that sacrifice. I am extremely disappointed in losing Great Movie Ride, especially since I planned TWO trips before it was announced that it would close and it closed so fast that its gone before the FIRST trip. Still if eleven attractions, especially at DHS when the average attraction length is and always has been so long, won't fill up a day, I'm doing something wrong. Those who skip some (most) of the attractions I will enjoy and say DHS is a half day park or less, I think DHS must have ALWAYS been a half day park or less for them.

I am not trying to tell experienced people who know what they want to do which attractions they ought to see. If you think about it, you will notice some attractions both then and now are NOT on my list, as I choose which ones to see also. I just hate to think that newbies will be steered away from a park they may very well enjoy because of the negativity. I don't remember the negativity from 2008-2010. We really haven't lost THAT much as far as attractions. We've lost a lot of space, but Backlot Tours and Lights Motor Action both took up A LOT of space. If DHS doesn't do much for your family, it probably NEVER did much for your family. Let the newbies find out for themselves. Some of them may love it as I do, and as the OP of this thread apparently does.

 

[FortForever]

Still has two of my all time favorite rides and love the environment. They will be putting back much more than they took away. I'll enjoy the lower crowds until then. I don't care if other people don't want to go there now. I view that as a positive thing. Less crowds.

 

[stephmarty]

I remember going to HS when it first opened as Disney MGM. It used to feel like a real inside peak at a true place where movies and tv shows might be made. It had a theme, granted one contrived to compete with Universal Studios. But I loved the feeling I got there, especially as a child--the sense of wonder seeing warehouse props, Walt Disney's plane, the Golden Girls house! Even a store where you could buy a lamp, wardrobe piece or other prop that appeared in an episode of some show like Dallas. Ok, really dating myself here. It just doesn't feel the same. No more sense of peaking behind the Hollywood curtain. I know all the parks evolve, but HS underwent relatively rapid metamorphosis. And frankly, it has an identity crisis IMO.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes, there is still a lot to do at DHS, and we will plan several half days there in December. HOWEVER, just remember that DHS only has one ride now with no height requirement/restrictions. So with one closure they literally took away 50% of the rides we can ride as a family. If you count Backlot Tour, we are actually up to a 67% closure rate for rides for the whole family. So yes, it is a significant decrease and it is frustrating when you have a "family" park that has ONE ride for anyone who's under 40 inches, pregnant, has motion sickness, has back problems, etc. If you don't travel with someone who falls into one of those categories, you likely won't feel as much of a hit.

There are some good shows at DHS, although LMA was another closure that hit me hard (my son loved this) as did the removal of the Osborne Lights. The loss of other things like the Cars meet and the HISTK playground are things that people without young children consider insignificant, but feel more like a "loss" to others.

I still love DHS and we will continue to go for what is there. I personally do find value in the shows and rides that are still there, but I can definitely understand why some people would be frustrated with the park in its current state.

But again I'll say that DHS has never been about having a lot of rides.
It has always been more show based than ride based.
Personally I always resented LMA because it took away from the Backlot Tour. It also was the beginning of the end for Osborne lights as it took away their homes.
I've been going to DHS since 1989 so I've seen a lot of changes. Some I like and some I don't but to suddenly say there is nothing to do is just crazy to me.
There's not going to be much more for me to do once Star Wars and Toy Story open as I'm not a big fan of either franchise. Should I post a thread about it when they open? lol. Don't worry I won't.

 

[BadRomance]

It makes me wonder if we did something wrong on our January trip! We spent all day there and still didn't get to do everything we wanted. Even with young kids, we still had plenty to do. We skipped GMR, RNR, and all of launch bay. We sat down and ate at Mama Melrose for the fantasmic dining package, rode rides, participated in Jedi training academy, watched most of the shows, met a ton of characters, and enjoyed the streetmosphere performers. It ended up being everyone's favorite park and favorite day of the trip. I can't imagine how we are going to fit everything in when toystory land, the new Mickey Mouse ride and Star Wars land opens?!

 

[mom2rtk]

If we were heading to WDW, we would visit DHS, but it would be a shell of its former self to us. The difference would seem quite marked in particular since we started going to DLR a few years back. I can't help but compare DHS with DCA, and they aren't even in the same ballpark.

I can definitely see the point of anyone visiting with small kids. There's just not a lot to do with kids who can't or won't do thrill rides.

 

[Anabelletoronto]

This is so interesting. When I originally planned our trip, I decided we would skip HS because we only had 4 days park tickets. Now we have 5 days of tickets because I knew we must go to HS. We aren't planning to arrive until after lunch and then stay until Fantasmic but that's a good day for my slow family.

 

[BalooFan]

I find the "there's nothing left threads" a little annoying. I also find some of the responses to the "it's my first trip; is DHS a half day park?" threads annoying. For a first-time visitor, there is plenty to do at DHS. It might not be a full day park for someone who has been there dozens of times, but for people who have never been there, it might very well be a full day park. I have also noticed that those who have the "half day park" opinion (for DHS and previously AK) seem to be the people who are more interested in rides than shows or other attractions. Even though I have seen them many times, I still enjoy the DHS shows. It's not my favorite park, but DHS is still worth at least a day of my vacation.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

But again I'll say that DHS has never been about having a lot of rides.

I don't see why it matters whether the entertainment provided (and taken away) was a "ride" or not. I think the concept we are discussing is whether Disney stripped away enough things to do in the park so as to make it less than a "whole park". I know we are going back in time for some of this stuff, but consider that in addition to what I listed earlier, the following were all eliminated, mostly without replacements. We are not talking about swapping Pooh for Mr. Toad, or Philharmagic for Lion King. We are talking about removal without replacement:

• Superstar Television
• Sounds Dangerous
• Osborn Lights
• Afternoon Parade
• Hunchback Stage Show
• Streetmosphere Characters

Now add those to the list that includes:

• Lights Motors Action
• American Idol
• Animation Academy
• Backlot Tour
• Jack Sparrow
• HISTK Play Area
• American Film Institute Museum
• Great Movie Ride

During the time that all of that was stripped away the only significant additions/replacements were RnR, TSMM and Frozen Sing-along. It's not hard to see why people complain about a net loss in rides/attractions/entertainment. I suspect that some of the complaints will diminish when the new lands open. But I can certainly see why people have been bemoaning what has been a pretty steady decline in entertainment options over a 15 year period.

 

[emgilmartin]

That's a shame becaus

It's about time for people who haven't been in awhile to be heading back. So what's old news to you is newer, or new-feeling, to them.

Even though I only started going in 2010 it feels like yesterday that the backlot tour existed. And looking at the date it closed we've only had one solid family going-to-the-parks trip since then. So it does feel like yesterday.

As unique as I like to think I am, I'm not, really, so others have got to be feeling the same way.


And DHS already *was* a park we grew tired of halfway through the day. I don't think we've EVER stayed beyond 3 or so pm. We just get bored and leave.

That's a shame because Fantasmic! has to be one of my favorite night shows in all of Disney. Next time you go, please go for the second half of the day and check it out.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I remember going to HS when it first opened as Disney MGM. It used to feel like a real inside peak at a true place where movies and tv shows might be made. It had a theme, granted one contrived to compete with Universal Studios. But I loved the feeling I got there, especially as a child--the sense of wonder seeing warehouse props, Walt Disney's plane, the Golden Girls house! Even a store where you could buy a lamp, wardrobe piece or other prop that appeared in an episode of some show like Dallas. Ok, really dating myself here. It just doesn't feel the same. No more sense of peaking behind the Hollywood curtain. I know all the parks evolve, but HS underwent relatively rapid metamorphosis. And frankly, it has an identity crisis IMO.

OMG this is so true! I had a very similar experience as a kid, and I do miss it.
On my last trip there (the last day of GMR, oh sweaty animatronic Sigourney Weaver, I think I'll miss you most of all) I really really noticed how the bones of the old theme are really prominent in some of the older attractions, like the outside of star tours is themed like a movie set. The Indiana jones show has this whole "we are making a movie today" storyline. The Sci-fi cafe lobby is movie set themed.
When the park was ALL "hey we're making movies here" these touches were part of a cohesive theme.
Now, I have to explain to my nephew that "yeah, they COULD have finished the AT-AT on the Star Wars building, but it's supposed to look like a movie set." And have him give me a "well that doesn't make any sense." Well it DID! At one time!

 

[ArwenMarie]

People like rides and rides have more re-rideability (is that a word lol) As opposed to shows, which often have a once-and-done feeling to them for many folks

I still think DHS is a full-day park easy IF you go see all of the shows. But for a lot of people, many of the shows seem tired. I really like BATB and VoTLM and the Frozen sing-a-long but I don't feel a need to see them again, possibly ever.

The one thing I cannot understand is why they don't refresh BATB once in a while. Even real Broadway shows close down eventually.

 

[mom2rtk]

That's a shame because Fantasmic! has to be one of my favorite night shows in all of Disney. Next time you go, please go for the second half of the day and check it out.

I totally agree! Fantasmic is the perfect ending to a perfect day at Disneyland. Assuming I can fit it in after doing all those rides of course.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Time will end these threads.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes but those closures were not this summer yet that is when the threads started.
There never has been many rides there.
Backlot Tour was the only other ride closed and that was years ago now.

TBH for someone like me who doesn't go every year or multiple times in a year those "that was years ago" is still very much relevant for me. Just back from this trip but before then it was 2011.....so yeah enough has changed/adjusted in the 6 years since I last went.

It's funny sometimes the perspective on the Boards from both the WDW and the Universal side (though honestly most comes from WDW side-it has a lot more traffic than the Universal side). Heck the 8th of this month was the first time we got to experience Diagon Alley and yet to a lot of people it's just a norm to talk about it.

We still have yet to see Fantasmic! which to many people is way old news (it rained/stormed back in 2011 and rained/stormed this year too;don't every remember seeing it on my other trips either).

One of my husband's favorite rides is ToT (and he also enjoys RnRC) but even he admitted that if we didn't have hoppers we wouldn't pay the full day's price for it. I really don't want to skip a park so the park hoppers do help (and I love park hoppers). For us longer time spent at DHS at this exact time would be filled with repeat rides on things rather than experiencing new stuff. That being said we really enjoyed our experience at 50s Prime Time for lunch and our dinner (a separate night) at Mama Melrose and I do admit that the FEA Sing-A-Long was hilarious

ETA: I feel like I've heard the "half day park" stuff at least since 2016 if not when I first joined the Boards in October 2015; perhaps there are just more of these threads rather than a few sprinkled here and there.